GravelMN

Well, enough is enough. I have been using the Wahoo RFLKT for a few months now and while I like the idea of an inexpensive bluetooth display that shows the ride data from your phone, it has failed me enough times that I'm going back to my simple wireless computer and keeping my phone tracking separate.

If the connection is ever lost between the phone and the RFLKT there is a better than 50/50 chance that you will not be able to reconnect on the fly. If you don't stop and go through the steps to reconnect, you have that same 50/50 chance that whatever app you are using (I've tried Strava, Ride with GPS and Wahoo) will also stop working.

This has happened on about 1/3 of my rides. When solo it's not a big deal, but on a group ride or on training ride for time, I will not stop just to fix a phone/display problem, so I loose current and recorded data until I come to a rest stop.

Reasons for loss of connection included:

• Electrical interference such as power lines or going through a tunnel or across a metal bridge. It doesn't matter if the lost connection is phone service or bluetooth to the display, the results are the same.
• Poor signal strength to the phone. This happens when I'm doing hills out in the boonies. Good signal on top of the hills, crappy signal at the bottom.
• Random unexplained loss of connection between phone and device.

In theory, you are supposed to be able to reconnect just by pushing a button on the side of the display and then a second button once it finds your phone signal, but that has only worked a couple of times out of a dozen or more incidents. Usually it can't find signal and the display stays blank. This may be because, upon losing connection, I often get a message "Strava/Ride with GPS has stopped working" and I have to pull the phone out and restart the app, then reconnect with RFLKT. If losing connection didn't mess with the apps, I could live with it as I would still be recording all my data, but I've lost large sections of several rides.

I still think RFLKT was a good idea but Wahoo has to work some bugs out. The most recent update didn't solve any of the problems.

largefarva

I'm pretty sure with the Elemnt released now that most support for the RFLKT isn't going to be a big priority for Wahoo. So I'm quite positive you're making a good decision on abandoning it.

You could look at the Elemnt, but if you train with power I would avoid that one as well. It appears that Wahoo just can't seem to figure out how to reliably connect it to power meters for some reason.

Personally, I went with a Garmin Edge 520 and couldn't be happier. I recommend looking at that as an option for you too.

K.Katso

Agree. I gave my Elemnt away to a friend that just needed a basic computer. It's overkill for her, but for me I just couldn't live with it. I "downgraded" from an Edge 1000 to a 520 and I'm loving it.

chaadster

Man, the world of cyclocomputers is incomprehensibly sh*tty.

If Garmin is the Microsoft of cyclocomputers, Wahoo had the chance to be Apple with ELEMNT, but they seem to be fumbling the ball.

Maybe the real Apple can save us? I think it would be a cakewalk for them to deliver a device with such limited functionality, while at the same time blowing away the competition in terms of UI, performance, and styling.

My dreams dashed on the rocks of hope, I've recently been considering the pared-down simplicity of the Lezyne Super GPS. Like, just screw the whole nav, guidance, maps thing since I either can't have it or can't figure out how to make it work, and just accept the basics.

cdnredraider

I had lots of connection issues while using the the Wahoo App. Strava was worthless due to a lack of UI options. I was pointed to cyclemeter and since using that, my connection issues have basically disappeared.

SlvrDragon50

This makes me sad to hear that... I was thinking about getting the RFLKT!

cdnredraider

At what it costs, I'm still very happy with it and would get it again until I'm in the market for spending a good bit more for a different unit. I have the Blue SC and Wahoo TICKR also. It is necessary to keep my phone in a side back pocket and not middle back to maintain a good signal.

Bumnah

I've been using my RFLKT+ for a few years with little to no problems. I paired it with RidewithGPS. When I create routes before heading out for a ride it displays my preprogrammed turn by turn directions too. It's paid it for itself with how much I use it.

DOS

I looked at rflkt but chose Cateye padrone smart instead. It has worked well for me as I havent any issues with it dropping bluetooth connection to the phone. The Cateye atlas website, where you can upload data, kinda sux, but you can also upload directly to strava so that doesn't matter. Also, for less than RFLKT would have cost, I was able to get both the smart computer and the additional speed and cadence sensor, which allows me to use the computer separate from my phone and still upload the ride data later to strava.

Edited to add: I do notice degraded performance when riding near heavy powerlines that run along one of the trails I use. The computer doesnt totally fritz out but the speed readings become inconsistent. I have not had any issue with signal strength being an issue even in areas where phone service is unreliable

Beach Bob

I'm about to Kijiji my RFLKT as well... I'm sure that I'm at <50% success rate with rides with it. Was on a good run, but it cut out half way through a gran fondo on the weekend, so I've had enough. I'll save up my pennies for a Garmin of some sort and move on.

Hermes1

I also gave up on it as well. Went to a dedicated bike computer (Garmin 810) and have not looked back.

WalksOn2Wheels

Honestly, as much as Garmin seems to really suck at firmware updates, the concept and device remains pretty solid. At minimum, you have a waterproof device with great battery life that will record a ride as long as GPS is available (which is basically everywhere). Even if you have troubles syncing your PM or a flaky HR strap, the ride still gets recorded. And they seem to have sorted BT connectivity, so for me it automatcally uploads from my 510 to my phone after I press save and it's automatically on Garmin Connect, Strava, and Training Peaks in seconds.

The most trouble I had with my 510 was syncing to my iPhone. I randomly switched to Android and it's perfect now. Perhaps because it's set to automatically connect whereas the iPhone always asked for permission, but the BT connection was always flaky on the iPhone. Regardless, the device still recorded the ride, so even if I had to manually plug the device in and upload the file on a laptop/desktop, the data was still there.

dwing

The reported connection issue(s) with RFLKT isn't surprising since it's piggybacking the display device on top of the cell phone/app and basically adding another potential point for connection issues to appear. There can be a number of processes running in the background any of which can interfere with the performance of the cycling app.

Seattle Forrest

It'll dazzle you with animations and the ads for it will be fantastic, but the battery will only last an hour.

nycphotography

But you'll be able to buy a 2 hour model for $200 more.

chaadster

It'll probably be worse than that; my iP6-- and I've had every iteration of iPhone-- just sucks. It might be the ****ty Sprint service which cuts data connection when call comes in, so I remain optimistic for Apple and pray no cyclocomputer might ever use accursed Sprint! AT&T, I'm coming home soon!

floridamtb

I wouldn't trust Apple to make a bike computer, do you really want something that will be overpriced and will break when a fly farts on it? Don't get me wrong, I love Apple, I have an iPhone 6 but I would never want a bike computer from them for those reasons

nycphotography

My point being that many people do 5 to 10 hour rides, just like many people need more than 100GB of data storage. Fortunately Apple protects us from such folly by simply refusing to support it.

gsa103

The main challenge with maps/guidance is battery life. A Garmin 500/510/520 can have massive battery life by using GPS and a really basic chip. Handling guidance requires a bigger screen and more computational power, both of which completely sink the battery life.

If you put a smartphone chip in Garmin, it'd work much better, but the battery would only last two hours. Most of Garmin's flaws are buggy updates for the first year or two, and sluggish performance due to an over-taxed processor. Making it faster is simple, but could have significant negative downside.

Personally, I think the best combination is computer (500/510/520) with limited routing capabilities and smart-phone to use as a backup if you get really lost and need guidance.

aplcr0331

That's too bad, hopefully you can find something that works for you. I've been using the RFLKT+ and an iPhone 6s+ for about three months now. I've only had one issue and that was when I accidentally closed the app on my phone while trying to take a picture of a snake I almost ran over. But, I restarted the app and was able to later reconnect the rides into one long one.


It's worked great for me up 75miles, I upload from the Wahoo app to Strava. I could a deal from REI on the RFLKT+ and have enjoyed it so far.


I'd love a Garmin 520.