Purchased Karoo 2 few minutes ago, and decided to cancel and go with Edge 840 as I am a mountain biker too. Excellent "ranking" section that really applied to what >I< need... thank you!
I kind of liked that also. Maybe I'll start doing little quick stuff like that more in these videos. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I have a Wahoo Roam v1 and just bought a Garmin 1040 solar because the Roam was lagging a bit too much for my liking. From my early testing, the Garmin lags the same, is less readable even at max screen brightness, the UI is more cluttered and hellish to configure, the maps are cumbersone to read in any mode and details level… I've been suggested to navigate using turn to turn direction instead, there's no alternative world where I can do that. I'm gonna send the Garmin back and upgrade to a Roam v2, hoping for a little less lag with map refresh. Wahoo has definitely got it right with their easy to use products.
This is awesome feedback even if it’s not positive. I’ve also been gravitating towards the Roam v2 lately. It’s just easy to use. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Thanks for the video Matt, looking into upgrading from my 9 year old (!) Garmin Edge 810 -- Still going strong though haha. Leaning towards the Roam V2, mostly cause the screen readbility and overall UI layout, really digging the color coded sections for climbing grades and other categroies! I'm also seeing it for 399 bundled with the TICKR Heart Rate Monitor, and RPM Speed and Cadence Sensors, seems like a nice setup/deal.
I think you’d like it. Let me know what you end up with and how you like it. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
And yes, the K2 is currently on sale for about $260, as of me writing this comment. It literally went on sale a day after I got a great deal on the edge 1040 🤣
Well, at least you got a deal on the 1040. That’s a great device. 👌 My fear would be that a Karoo 3 might pop up soon. But I honestly haven’t heard any rumors yet. 🤷🏻♂️
I just bought Roam V2. UI is really great and as everyone else here says, "Very easy to set up". Best pricing, simple setup, and easy to use; it's no brainer.
I had the first bolt and now the new roam, I set up bolt years ago and never needed to change anything. Synced the backup to the new roam v2 and it's done... Amazing! And the ability to just save the track on dropbox and open it on the phone and it's done... amazing!
I bought a Garmin Edge 840 and after 2 months decided to go back to Wahoo Elemnt Bolt v2. I think the data presentation is better, there are fewer screens to switch to see the data that interests me. The map is much more readable on the Wahoo, and the elevation chart is much more informative with the altitudes labeled. But the killer screen is a map with 4 fields and an elevation chart. I experimented with the Garmin setup and Connect IQ fields that solve some of the issues, but I just like Wahoo better. As for battery life, I think Bolt and 840 are on par: the Wahoo promises 15 hours and delivers 17 hours in practice, whereas Garmin promises 22 hours and delivers also around 17.
I have used the Garmin 820, 830 and now the 840. I go with the 8 series Garmin because they have full navigation unlike the 5 series that is more of a cycling tracker. That tracks where you have ridden. The 8 series is great if you like to ride new roads in areas that you are not familiar with. You can create a course right from the device or you can enter a specific address or point of interest and the Garmin will direct you there using cycling routes. When I travel and rent a bike I must bring my Garmin to create myself a cycling route of what every mileage I would like and bring me back to start. The 5 series you use to have to download a route to follow, I’m not sure if that’s has changed with the new 540
Great feedback James! I think you'll like the 840. The new UI feels like it was really designed around that touchscreen. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Thanks for the great review. Interesting what features people find important. To my knowledge, only the Garmin offers incident reporting (notify a pre-determined person in the event of a crash). Also Garmin Connect is quite useful for route and workout creation without need for an additional subscription. I've not tried the Karoo but the Garmin does the best job of live tracking too, the Wahoo lags a lot, at least in my area. It's too bad because I like the display and the UI of the Roam 2 much better. The Roam 2 syncs seamlessly at the end of a ride, while the Garmin often has to be forced to sync. This has been a frustration since the 30 series, in my experience anyway.
I have the Bolt v1, still going strong. Been looking at the Roam v2 and Edge 840. Wahoo is so super easy to setup, but comparing these two is running me in circles. Some days I'm sold on Wahoo's simple approach, other days I'm swayed by Garmin's ecosystem. Thanks for the rankings by attributes...
I had a Garmin. It was great until it start getting buggy. I would recommend to go with Wahoo. Garmin needs to get better tech guys or whoever does their software updates because they are sooooo bad at it.
I also have the Bolt V1. The original one I got had battery charging issues so Wahoo replaced it with a “refurbished unit”. Now that I want to replace it, deciding between the 840, 1040 or Roam v2. 🤔
Me too. I've probably been using the Roam the most lately. I'm testing a few different devices for a few up coming reviews but the Roam is fantastic. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Went with the roam v2 because of its compatibility with a radar utilizing the lights with the radar function and didn't really look into other bike computer options. I'd say that I am happy with it so far. Just not finding myself using the vertical light bar and just using the top one for radar so maybe the Bolt V2 might've been better. Oh well maybe the increased screen and battery size of the Roam v2 was worth it. At the end of day most of the features seem pretty similar among the bike computers so I think it is more of a matter of preference about which company, price point and nitpicks determines which one you go with.
I really like the Roam v2. I think it's very visible in direct sunlight. I don't think you'll be disappointed but keep me posted on what you think as you go. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I just upgraded from the Bolt v1 to the Roam v2. I am so happy that I did! The screen is unbelievable! So easy to see. The navigation was also great! No regrets!!!
Yes!!! 🙌 I agree. I’ve been using the Bilt a lot recently as well. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
You could have saved some cash by getting the Bolt v2. Unless you want the larger screen or really care about the multiband GNSS, they are otherwise equivalent.
I used to think Wahoo were so fresh and user friendly then went back to Garmin for all the features. Hammerhead 2’s battery not great because of high res screen. The hammerhead 3 should be very nice. I’m staying in the Garmin eco system with my Epix pro watch. 840 is really the sweet spot as Rainmaker says. Subscribed!!!
I’m a big fan of Ray over there at DCRainmaker. There’s an interview with him on my channel somewhere that you might enjoy. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Great comparison, thank you! Quick question, for the money (I believe it’s a $25 difference), which computer would you pick as your daily go to: Garmin 840 or Karoo3?
Tricky call. The 840 has a bit longer battery life so maybe that one. 🤷♂️ They're both great. What kind of stuff will you be using it for? If you mountain bike, I'd say the Garmin has a few more featured geared specifically towards that type of riding. Otherwise, it's kind of a tough decision.
@@mlegrand Thanks for the response! I typically daily ride greenways that are a mix of paved and gravel. I travel (camp) about once a month where the terrain can be unpredictable (fire roads, gravel, MTB trails). I have a Garmin Instinct, so I'm partial to Garmin Connect and their ecosystem, but the size of the K3, display, and layout make it appealing at the price point. I appreciate your input!
@@alexmseu Yes, the new Karoo 3 looks very very bright to me. But that's mostly visible indoors. When outdoors I think the 840 might look a bit better. It's tricky. I'll try to show some of that when I post my Karoo 3 review in about 2 weeks or so.
I own an Edge 840 and a K2 and definitely prefer the K2. It was easy to set up and is easy to use. It’s very intuitive. It’s also very easy to import a route. Like, way easier than on the Garmin. I also like that HH is updating the unit every two weeks, so we’re always getting new features and improvements. I also appreciate the larger screen on the K2. I’ve never used the Wahoo so can’t comment on it.
I wonder what or when there will be an update for the Karoo 2. Looking forward to something a bit lighter with better battery life. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Hi Matt! I have a trek 920 that I use for commuting to work (40 miles round trip) per day, riding the best of our nations rails to trails and doing more self contained bicycle touring. I use a basic Bontrager battery computer, and my phone for navigation...when it's not overheating. I am wanting to upgrade and purchase a computer with all the basic computer features and good navigation/gps features. I recently purchased the 840. After unboxing it, I became a bit overwhelmed by all its coaching features (most of which I would not use). Also, does one need sensors--cadence and/or odometer? Don't really care about my cadence and would not use the HR sensor as my watch reads HR. I appreciate your feedback.
The 840 is a fantastic device. But it is a bit overloaded with features. If you're within the return window, it might be worth considering switching to something like the Wahoo Roam (also featured in this video) The wonderful thing about the 840 is the mapping and routing. Don't feel obligated to get heart rate monitors, speed cadence or a power meter if those things are of no interest to you. Best of luck Deborah!!!
Oh no!!! The HH K2 was on sale for a while and it's a very interesting device. If you can find it for $250, I think it's a good option. There's also nothing wrong with getting another Bolt V2. 🤷♂️ You're always welcome to borrow and review a few different options from me here if you need anything. 📦
Just bought the 840 (had the 520) but returned it the next day. While the connectivity is so much better, it still has crap graphics and screen. Not worth the money IMO.
It's interesting how good phone graphics are compared to cycling computers. You'd think things would start to come around. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Yeah, it’s weird but I kind of liked it. I might do that again in future videos. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I would vote for Wahoo. It has a nice high contrast screen and a data zoom feature. The Roam v2 would be nice if it’s within the budget. I’m guess there could also be new announcements at some point soon but who knows 🤷🏻♂️ Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I’m a fan of the climb feature. The ‘your cycling type’ feature. 🤷🏻♂️😬 Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
It really depends. I bought a garmin because I have vector 3 pedals and an epix 2. The amount of data I get back is actually damn astounding. It even shows me how much offset exists in regards to my foot position relative to the pedals. Most avg users may not need this info but that doesn’t make it fluff.
After my second Garmin Edge 520 died unexpectedly I decided to try something different - the Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt instead of the Garmin 530. Boy! I'm glad I did. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxXZCtB-wGdHVTBSz8RswePK5vllHNi06N The display on the Wahoo Bolt is much easier to read. I like the configuration of the display more (up to 7 items visible on page 1 without scrolling and the first item chosen is larger characters than the next 3 rows that have pairs of items (still very readable). I also like the configurable item selections. The Bolt synced with my Garmin ANT+ Speed sensors on both bikes easily so no additional investment was required there. While the rated battery life is a couple hours less than the Garmin 520/530, I easily get a weeks worth of 1+ hour rides before recharging (and it's never really low on charge). At the end of a ride syncing to the Wahoo app, Strava, and Apple Health app is painless.
While I love my Karoo 2, I am super disappointed about Shimano Di2 not being allowed on their platform without a hack or sideload. They should buy the sideload company. And Shimano should stop blocking them from uploading Di2 data. May move to Garmin 840
How easy is it to upload a route to the wall who? I’m not super text savvy so basically, I plan a route on my Google Maps app and I’ve been using my phone. But when I’m doing more than a century ride, I kind of would like some thing else versus just using my cadence monitor…. I’m looking at the Garmin 840 bundle and also the bolt by wahoo. But which is easier to upload a map and track my avg mph and cadence
Nice comparison, I have the 1040 and tried a HH K2 at the beginning of the year - never tried a Roam. Probably the climbing feature would have been another comparison - each now have as you ride climb data features, and Wahoo's is pretty good here.. This has been a big one. Hey, I think the Endurance specialist is just someone who does most of their riding load in Zones 1-4. Add lots of hills and you become a climber, and then doing less mileage and do crit racing will turn you into a 'well whatever the last one is.' It's a meaningless measure and needs to be removed IMHO.
@@mlegrand it’s a great feature for long climbs > 175m vertical ascent that require Zone 3-5 efforts. Pacing on those climbs is always important and the climb features give that information up front. Probably for the Gran Fondo riders. All 3 do this now interactively.
I think they’re all pretty good. Maybe the Wahoo has a slightly better contrast to it. 🤷🏻♂️ th-cam.com/video/l80EkMy48mc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=AizFsqYTKSDwcdcB
Just got the 840, upgraded from Edge 500 which I’m keeping BOTH on my bars with my Instinct watch. I have GARMIN products on my boat & golfing etc & NEVER have problems or waterproof-durability issues. The 840 is a lot of computer to get use to.
I really like your approach. It's more about what fits a person's needs than anything else. And what's more important is having folks get out there and swim, bike, run rinse repeat. You add good coverage to the how's and what's of these devices.
I’m all over the place on this one… I bought a Bolt v2 as my first cycling computer - but I do probably 65/35 MTB to road riding, and *none* of the MTB trails near me were on the Bolt (and we have a lot around here!), so I returned it and grabbed a Karoo 2. I actually liked it, and (almost) all the local trails were there, but I exchanged it for a a Garmin 840 because I use a Garmin watch for all of my running and wanted my cycling in Garmin Connect. I’m actually kind of hating it, though - it just beeps at me nonstop, for jumps, for strava segments, for being off of a strava segment NONSTOP because I’m riding an adjacent trail, for riding without my radar, even though I’ve disabled it in the sensor menu, because I’m on the trails that day. The only option was turning off ALL alerts, but then I miss the beeps for navigation and radar when I’m back on the road. 🤯 Starting to think keeping all of my tracking in the same eco system just isn’t worth it and I should save the $200 and swap back to the Karoo 2. Do you give any consideration to where things end up tracked/stored when you choose? I saw the end of the video (“get the best computer for you, don’t worry about mix and match”), but on paper the 840 does seem to be “better” - I prefer the size, I bike a lot in dense woods so the multi band gps is better, some other minor things. I’m just so tired of it beeping at me 😅 Or do you have any advice for unbeepifying the 840? I’ve turned off the jump alerts, but the radar disconnected alerts/beeps seems to be a bug (reported on the forums at least) and only thing I’ve found for fixing the strava segments is to turn it off completely, Hah.
Just took it for another ride and I at least didn't have the radar thing beeping at me, but the last 30 minutes of the ride were "Off segment" beeping and popups that just returned after dismissing them, and then an undismissable "26668 mile" climb popup???? 🤦♂️ I love my Epix, but this thing is just a pain.
I will say that I've encourage many people to mix between brands. Everything might not be on Garmin Connect but you can sync everything to Strava or Training Peaks to have a central repo of all of your activities. I don't have any unbeepify tricks. Sounds like it's trying to navigate some detailed trails that are close by other trails. 😬
@@mlegrand Yeah, something like that - even with navigation off and not following a Course! 🤯 I messed with it a bunch this morning before work - I just cannot figure it out, about to give up. I'm starting to think I might have a buggy unit, 26,000 miles is more than one trip around the planet. Where would I be climbing to??😅 Oh well. 🤷♂ I do sync everything to Strava, but it doesn't give the same recovery metrics, training status, VO2 estimates, and such that Connect does. I frequently ignore the recovery metrics, so maybe that's a sign that I don't need them as badly as I think I do. I've never used Training Peaks - I'll have to check it out and see what it offers - the "feel free to mix and match" advice is really freeing and encouraging, maybe I can use TP to break free from Connect and brand lock-in. 🙃 Thanks, Matt!
Great video Matt. I’ve a garmin 810 which has suffered a side button failure so looking to upgrade. My main priority is the clarity of the display and I only ride on the road these days so torn between a 540/840 or and Volt/Roam. I don’t use any fancy features and just interested in use ability, any recommendations?
I've really been enjoying the Wahoo Roam lately. You can do a quick data zoom at any time to make certain metrics much larger. But I'd look around and see where you can find the best deal and maybe pick based on that. Keep me posted on what you end up with and how you like it. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Great video. Thank you! I just started mountain biking, love to buy all sort of gear next to my bike. I can't get to choose witch computer I should buy. The Karoo 2 looks big, but it definitely looks more high-end. I can't get over the old-skool displays Garmen en Wahoo are using. The only thing that's holding me back on buying the Karoo 2 is the size/weight and maybe overkill for me.. ? You have any suggestions? Bye from The Netherlands!
It depends on if you’re ok with the slightly lower battery life and the bigger screen of the K2. It’s a very nice device and it’s always great to save money. 👌
Hi Matt. Did they improve the total height and current incline calculation in the 840 model during prolonged rain? In the 830 altimeter, it miscalculates height and incline when water gets into the sensor.
Hey Semper762, I actually don't know. I've used it in the rain but didn't notice an issue. I've even used it while it was hailing but that would actually be easier on the altimeter because there's less chance for rain to block the sensor.
I just returned from a vacation in Nice where I did a couple of rides with my wahoo bolt v2. I was really frustrated by the routing of wahoo when I needed to change my route. I was on a road bike but it insisted on defining a route on a trail when I needed to route home early after overheating. Extremely frustrating. In the end I had to create a new route using ride with GPS to get me back. I could not find any wahoo settings to stick to road routes. I doubt this is a situation that everyone will run into, but when you do you need it to work. I’m looking to leave wahoo for bike computers as a result.
It's not that unusual of a scenario. I've fount Garmin's onboard routing to be a bit better than Wahoo's. I also think it's great for people to hear that kind of experience. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment here. 👌
perfect review for me ..thanks..I am between these three but still on 1030 which is getting more slow. 1040 is too expensive and toooo much for me but the price actually is very interesting for Karoo (215€). Roam V2 is too much for the road for me. I think I will have a look on the 840 because I am more MTB and a bit Racer and Grvl. ..thx again..
Which one do you think gives the best turn-by-turn prompts and well handles making a detour of a previously downloaded route? I have a Garmin Edge 530 and it tends to force me to do a U-turn even a few kilometers in when I'm 50m away from merging with the original route.
Hard to say. It could even depend on which route you're doing within these devices. Hammer Head says that there device is the fastest to re-route but I still think Garmin does the best job. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I went with Roam Element V2. Today was my first ride with it and love it. I am new to cycling so knowing what gear I am in is helpful. I was told Roam Element V2 was the only computer that will tell you what gear you are in so that was why I went with it. Also the climbing feature does what I need which is tell me % gradient and distance to the summit. All so cool.
I’ve been gravitating towards the Roam V2 here also lately. It’s just such a solid option. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Thanks Matt, really nice comparisons with this 3 devices 🙌🏽. I must say that you have the insight that many of we users have find our owns needs and that are different likes and wants. Thanks again for yours way to give feedback on the differences and that is one of the three top cykel device. I have the old Bolt and now the Roam as well and on my wrists I have the Suunto Peak 9 Titanium and that is also for other matters when I don’t sitting on my racer or MTB. 🥁🙋🏼♂️
Suunto is one company I have yet to test on this channel. I've reached out to them multiple times and have yet to get any reply. At some point, I'll buy a Suunto and review it. I'm very curious about them. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I’m a huge fan of the Roam v2. I think you’ll love it if you pick one up. That being said, the Garmin is probably better suited for mountain biking. It has better trail mapping and MTBing specific metrics which might or might not be interesting to you. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I currently have an edge 820. The battery life is now deteriorated and often enters battery save mode due to low battery. When this happens on a ride my data is still recorded and I can finish the ride without loosing my ride.
Sorry that the battery life is starting to go on that device Paul. These small lithium ion batteries tend to start to struggle after about 2 years or so.
Yes, Wahoo's HRM is designed to work with third party computers and devices. The two should work well together. I typically recommend people mix and match between the brands. 👌
Battery life in comparison to the other options is a problem and I would agree that the screen is great but not as ideal in bright sunlight conditions.
When I started cycling 4 years ago was thinking of either buying a Wahoo or Garmin device, my dad got me the Wahoo Elemnt Roam V1 back then. Unfortunately it somehow got a waterdamage recently, but the costumer service is awesome. I contacted them and after 2 weeks I got a new Elemnt Roam and it is the new version as well. I don‘t know how the costumer service is with the other brands though, but Wahoo is 👌
That's awesome to hear. Customer service is something that my reviews really lack. I think it'd be interesting to make an entire video on just that subject. Maybe call each brand and test them with a question or talk about a defective issue. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand Well that sounds like a good video idea. For me personally costumer service that is always forgotten or at least underrated, but crucial for a company to survive.
I've been using the Wahoo computer a lot lately. It's just a nice easy to use functional device. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Thanks for the great review! I’m going in circles thinking about this as my Bolt v1 is dying, with the additional thought that a Karoo 3 may be on the horizon. Also, it looked like you had a mount for the Karoo for the BMC ICS cockpit - was that a 3D printed one, or was it a Garmin mount with the adapter? And did I see that a power cable was connected to the Karoo while mounted on the bike, early in your video?
The Karoo was using the Garmin mount and that little cord was just a 3d printed usb-c cover with an attachment so it doesn't get lost. I think I talked about it in my full HHK2 review. If I were you I'd at least wait until the HHK2 goes on discount (next week maybe?) but my main concern is that it'd be going on sale because of an upcoming update. But I honestly have no idea. If you've like the Bolt, you'll probably enjoy the newer Wahoo options. They're really good.
I like them both but I really like the Roam 2 and Bolt v2. It’s just the buttons and the simplicity of the Wahoo devices. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I think it’s a good choice. I’m excited that they’ve done their own hill climbing feature. 👌 Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Matt, there is a summer sale for the Hammer Head Karoo for Us.259, do you think I should upgrade my Bryton Rider 750 for this price????? (you know both devices!). Extra data, I can maybe sell my Bryson in Us.150 or something like that (so just a about Us.100 update). What do you think?
I think that's a hard call. I think the Karoo for 250 is an amazing deal. I think you'd really enjoy it compared to the 750 but I also wonder if HH is going to release a Karoo 3. I haven't heard any rumors that they're going to release something but it's such a massive drop in price that it worries me a bit. We'll see. Maybe you should put your 750 up for $100 - $125 and see if it sells? If it doesn't it's not a big deal. 🤷🏻♂️
@@mlegrand I think I can get 150-175 for my Rider (not too many Bike computers available in my country and certainly not for those prices!!!). So just adding Us.100 for an upgrade to HHK2 seemed like a good idea... is it that much better than the Bryton one??. I missed Strava segments in the Ryder 750, maybe screen visibility in direct sunlight and the climber feature seem to be worth the change (I HATE the Briton app, son no problem there 🤣). How would they compare in the battery realm???
@@edutoro11 - The battery life on the HHK2 isn't amazing but overall I think you really like it. It's a nice screen, you'll like strava segments and the climber features is 👌🏻. Let me know what you end up with and how you end up liking it. 👍🏻
And it’s now on sale. I wonder if a K3 might be coming out 🤷🏻♂️ I’d love to see it. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Loved the video but I still couldn't decide for my first bike computer. The Karoo 2 is on sale for $250 now but it's also very old and might release Karoo 3.
I know right? I have no idea if they’ll release a HHK3 but I’m hopeful. These are all good options. Let me know some more details about what kind of biking you like to do if you need more help deciding. 👌
Seeing the sale brought me to this video. Like you, I’m looking for my first bike computer. Since it’s my first and based on this video, think I’ll take advantage of the sale. After using it and getting accustom to having one, if I think some missing feature is worth it I’ll change. The money I’ll save can go to other items like a power meter or a radar.
@@sysispgm2791 - I think you'd see better detailed trail maps with the Garmin and there's also a few mtb specific metrics on the Garmin that you may or may not find interesting. 🤷🏻♂
It seems to me like things that Wahoo could potentially fix with firmware updates. 🤷♂️ Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
hey Matt, I am wondering if you really have used the K2 in full. Me being a heavy and enthusiastic user I think its a device on its own. Made for cyclists by cyclists. Its graphics, personalisation power, side loading of apps, it even doesn't look like a Head unit...to me a far more pretty thing to look at it from a screen point of view than the others. And enjoy the integration into the hoods for Di2 users. You didn't mention the amount of pixels, which is twice that of the Garmin/Wahoo.....Just saying.
And have you noticed that it's been on mega discount lately. I'm seeing $250 👀 Could be a great option for people. I hope that they're working on a K3.
@@mlegrand Not sure what the K3 would bring other than the K2. The rider that is looking for more battery power could be the one but the ones that are riding more than 6-8 hrs per ride is a small market. Let us see currently you are right it is very good value for your money!
That’s a lot of money. I’d probably save the cash. 💰 But I also don’t need the massive battery life. However I’d be very curious to see if HH would be developing a Karoo 3. 🤷🏻♂️
There are some HITTERS! The computer name text is very pretty. LOVE USB C. I'm curious about the climb type feature...I'm not sure I want to know! Ahhhh, battery life. We're here! I had a Karoo for a couple weeks before deciding it wasn't for me. I noticed the battery life was rough on the Karoo. You joke about "not riding for six hours"... did a 10 hour ride due to a snow storm halftime. It was horrendous. The battery saver, that's where the screen turns off, right? I love that mode! I don't want my computer telling me how disappointing I am. Is there something different about your color grading? Your shirt seems blacker than it normally does? That stamina/stamina potential seem really interesting... have you used them extensively, or are they more of a gimmick? I loved the bit at the end where you physically moved the best computer for the given category. Nice work!
Thanks Kit! Battery saver can dim the screen or change GPS modes or a few other options which are configurable on this 840 (also 540) I'm always color grading these videos slightly differently so yes, my shirts might look different. I don't think Stamina is a gimmick as much as 'Cycling Ability' but I also don't use it that much. Typically, it doesn't effect how I would ride but maybe it would if I was doing some sort of ultra endurance event? 🤷♂️
@@mlegrand I must do more research on this stamina feature. It is quite interesting. For example, big ride... first half of the ride, I felt like do-do. Second half of the ride, my buddy felt like do-do but I felt great. Wonder how the stamina feature would have graded us.
I think Garmin has a big advantage when it comes to detailed mapping with street and trail names. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I used the K2 for several years and the battery life was terrible. I use standard sensors…HR, power, shifting and radar. I also use live tracking since I often bike alone. The K2 battery would get uncomfortably close to drained on a 100km ride. There is a also n ongoing problem with K2 elevation being way off. I wound up switching to the Garmin 1040 and I am much happier.
I've been using the K2 for about a year and a 100km ride with all the sensors uses about 30% - 40% of my battery. Not sure what was going on with yours but I don't think it was normal
@@rocco5466 I wish it wasn’t normal but I am not alone with this experience. HH replaced my unit and I saw no improvement which is why I switched to the 1040. My last 2 rides I logged a total of 200km with all sensors, tracking, multiple data screens and interacting with the unit. I charged before the first ride and I still have 53% charge remaining. The K2 is not in the same league with battery. The K2 is a nice head unit and I am keeping it as a backup but for my needs it’s not good enough. It’s great that we have so many choices and quality head units to pick from.
My experience has been completely different. In fairness, my first ever ride with the K2 was a 100 Mile race (160KM) and it did die before I ended. It died about 140km in. However, and this is a bit however, since then it has DRASTICALLY improved through its regular updates. Now, I just fineshed another 100 mile race and I finished with close 60+ battery life. That is with power meter, HR and wifi on.
@@obidr I am glad it is working for you. Mine is not working for me and I am on my second unit (after they replaced the first one). Personally I don't want to have to sacrifice the number and the type of data fields in use, limit the interactions with the computer, keeping the brightness at a level that was not readable for me, always using battery save mode and sacrificing other features just so the battery would not die on a 4-5 hour ride. With the Garmin 1040, I don't have to worry about any of this and I can get multiple rides out of a single charge. I understand that there are K" users that are OK with the battery performance but that does not mean it is not there. There are so many reports about battery life to think it is isolated. I stuck with the K2 for 2.5 years before making a change.
I already spend money on a expensive watch that does it all. Idk why I would need a sports watch AND a nice bike computer. Cool products though. I added you on Facebook. Just FYI, it's me, I hope that's ok.
It's great having a cycling computer right there off the front of the handlebars. I do tend to use the watch also for backup but the computers are fantastic in that you don't have to take your arm off the bars to look at power numbers or to follow a specific workout. But there's no end to the amount you can buy for this sport. It clearly a spot you can save money if you've got a good watch. Thanks Jay! BTW, I'm not super big on Facebook but do spend a little time on Instagram. I like posting pictures over there. 📸
@@mlegrand I don't use Instagram. It's ok. I have one that tracks distance and speed w/time. A cheepo one. My longest ride is like 40miles. I normally do 10-30miles. So I'm not big into cycling. Maybe I'll pick one up when I buy a new bike. I'm still on a old trek from 2015. I'll keep these in mind.
Which one would you choose for mostly road cycling (3-5 times per week) and casual mtb rides (2-3 per month). As a watch I use Apple Watch. Kind of leaning towards the wahoo. I own a bryton 750 right now and it’s awful. Great video btw!
I have a few friends who have very similar situations as you. Apple Watch, road cycling and some MTB rides. I think I would lean towards the Wahoo also. I'm really enjoying that device right now. 👍🏻
Best place to buy:
Wahoo Roam v2: dialedcyclinglab.com/product/...
Garmin Edge 840: dialedcyclinglab.com/product/...
Hammer Head Karoo 2: dialedcyclinglab.com/product/...
Try discount code: matt_legrand
or Amazon:
Wahoo Roam v2: amzn.to/3Mx2VNY
Garmin Edge 840: amzn.to/3qcHSc5
Purchased Karoo 2 few minutes ago, and decided to cancel and go with Edge 840 as I am a mountain biker too. Excellent "ranking" section that really applied to what >I< need... thank you!
I kind of liked that also. Maybe I'll start doing little quick stuff like that more in these videos. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I have a Wahoo Roam v1 and just bought a Garmin 1040 solar because the Roam was lagging a bit too much for my liking. From my early testing, the Garmin lags the same, is less readable even at max screen brightness, the UI is more cluttered and hellish to configure, the maps are cumbersone to read in any mode and details level… I've been suggested to navigate using turn to turn direction instead, there's no alternative world where I can do that. I'm gonna send the Garmin back and upgrade to a Roam v2, hoping for a little less lag with map refresh. Wahoo has definitely got it right with their easy to use products.
This is awesome feedback even if it’s not positive. I’ve also been gravitating towards the Roam v2 lately. It’s just easy to use. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Thanks for the video Matt, looking into upgrading from my 9 year old (!) Garmin Edge 810 -- Still going strong though haha. Leaning towards the Roam V2, mostly cause the screen readbility and overall UI layout, really digging the color coded sections for climbing grades and other categroies! I'm also seeing it for 399 bundled with the TICKR Heart Rate Monitor, and RPM Speed and Cadence Sensors, seems like a nice setup/deal.
I think you’d like it. Let me know what you end up with and how you like it. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
And yes, the K2 is currently on sale for about $260, as of me writing this comment. It literally went on sale a day after I got a great deal on the edge 1040 🤣
Well, at least you got a deal on the 1040. That’s a great device. 👌 My fear would be that a Karoo 3 might pop up soon. But I honestly haven’t heard any rumors yet. 🤷🏻♂️
I just bought Roam V2. UI is really great and as everyone else here says, "Very easy to set up". Best pricing, simple setup, and easy to use; it's no brainer.
Great feedback Eric! Thanks for posting this!
I had the first bolt and now the new roam, I set up bolt years ago and never needed to change anything. Synced the backup to the new roam v2 and it's done... Amazing! And the ability to just save the track on dropbox and open it on the phone and it's done... amazing!
I bought a Garmin Edge 840 and after 2 months decided to go back to Wahoo Elemnt Bolt v2. I think the data presentation is better, there are fewer screens to switch to see the data that interests me. The map is much more readable on the Wahoo, and the elevation chart is much more informative with the altitudes labeled. But the killer screen is a map with 4 fields and an elevation chart. I experimented with the Garmin setup and Connect IQ fields that solve some of the issues, but I just like Wahoo better. As for battery life, I think Bolt and 840 are on par: the Wahoo promises 15 hours and delivers 17 hours in practice, whereas Garmin promises 22 hours and delivers also around 17.
Amazing feedback for people to consider. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I have used the Garmin 820, 830 and now the 840. I go with the 8 series Garmin because they have full navigation unlike the 5 series that is more of a cycling tracker. That tracks where you have ridden. The 8 series is great if you like to ride new roads in areas that you are not familiar with. You can create a course right from the device or you can enter a specific address or point of interest and the Garmin will direct you there using cycling routes. When I travel and rent a bike I must bring my Garmin to create myself a cycling route of what every mileage I would like and bring me back to start. The 5 series you use to have to download a route to follow, I’m not sure if that’s has changed with the new 540
Great feedback James! I think you'll like the 840. The new UI feels like it was really designed around that touchscreen. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Thanks for the great review. Interesting what features people find important. To my knowledge, only the Garmin offers incident reporting (notify a pre-determined person in the event of a crash). Also Garmin Connect is quite useful for route and workout creation without need for an additional subscription. I've not tried the Karoo but the Garmin does the best job of live tracking too, the Wahoo lags a lot, at least in my area. It's too bad because I like the display and the UI of the Roam 2 much better. The Roam 2 syncs seamlessly at the end of a ride, while the Garmin often has to be forced to sync. This has been a frustration since the 30 series, in my experience anyway.
Great feedback Mark! Thanks for posting.
I have the Bolt v1, still going strong. Been looking at the Roam v2 and Edge 840. Wahoo is so super easy to setup, but comparing these two is running me in circles. Some days I'm sold on Wahoo's simple approach, other days I'm swayed by Garmin's ecosystem. Thanks for the rankings by attributes...
The Bolt V1 is a fantastic option. I think I'd still be using mine if I wasn't reviewing bike computers here. Thanks Jim!
I had a Garmin. It was great until it start getting buggy. I would recommend to go with Wahoo. Garmin needs to get better tech guys or whoever does their software updates because they are sooooo bad at it.
That´s my problem too! 😁🤣
I also have the Bolt V1. The original one I got had battery charging issues so Wahoo replaced it with a “refurbished unit”. Now that I want to replace it, deciding between the 840, 1040 or Roam v2. 🤔
Even though the Roam is less feature-packed than the Garmin, I quite like its Star Trek style presentation with the impact font.
Me too. I've probably been using the Roam the most lately. I'm testing a few different devices for a few up coming reviews but the Roam is fantastic. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Great video. The section where you ranked them on different features was fun. Fast and to the point yet informative.
Thanks! Yeah, I’ve never done that here before. It was kind of fun 👍
Went with the roam v2 because of its compatibility with a radar utilizing the lights with the radar function and didn't really look into other bike computer options. I'd say that I am happy with it so far. Just not finding myself using the vertical light bar and just using the top one for radar so maybe the Bolt V2 might've been better. Oh well maybe the increased screen and battery size of the Roam v2 was worth it.
At the end of day most of the features seem pretty similar among the bike computers so I think it is more of a matter of preference about which company, price point and nitpicks determines which one you go with.
I really like the Roam v2. I think it's very visible in direct sunlight. I don't think you'll be disappointed but keep me posted on what you think as you go. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I loved that you actually ranked them by features at the end. Thanks!
Yeah! That was kind of fun! I wonder how much people will argue with me in the comments about it. 😂
I just upgraded from the Bolt v1 to the Roam v2. I am so happy that I did! The screen is unbelievable! So easy to see. The navigation was also great! No regrets!!!
Yes!!! 🙌 I agree. I’ve been using the Bilt a lot recently as well. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
You could have saved some cash by getting the Bolt v2. Unless you want the larger screen or really care about the multiband GNSS, they are otherwise equivalent.
Garmin 830 tells me that my numbers equals a 25 year younger person - TAKE MY MONEY!!! 🤣
Ha!!! 😂 - Just name your price Garmin!!!
I used to think Wahoo were so fresh and user friendly then went back to Garmin for all the features. Hammerhead 2’s battery not great because of high res screen. The hammerhead 3 should be very nice. I’m staying in the Garmin eco system with my Epix pro watch. 840 is really the sweet spot as Rainmaker says. Subscribed!!!
I’m a big fan of Ray over there at DCRainmaker. There’s an interview with him on my channel somewhere that you might enjoy. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Great comparison, thank you! Quick question, for the money (I believe it’s a $25 difference), which computer would you pick as your daily go to: Garmin 840 or Karoo3?
Tricky call. The 840 has a bit longer battery life so maybe that one. 🤷♂️ They're both great. What kind of stuff will you be using it for? If you mountain bike, I'd say the Garmin has a few more featured geared specifically towards that type of riding. Otherwise, it's kind of a tough decision.
@@mlegrand Thanks for the response! I typically daily ride greenways that are a mix of paved and gravel. I travel (camp) about once a month where the terrain can be unpredictable (fire roads, gravel, MTB trails). I have a Garmin Instinct, so I'm partial to Garmin Connect and their ecosystem, but the size of the K3, display, and layout make it appealing at the price point. I appreciate your input!
@@alexmseu - There are some mountain biking specific metrics on the 840 that you *might* care about. 🤷♂
@@mlegrand Thanks again! One last question: is there a big difference in display visibility between the two?
@@alexmseu Yes, the new Karoo 3 looks very very bright to me. But that's mostly visible indoors. When outdoors I think the 840 might look a bit better. It's tricky. I'll try to show some of that when I post my Karoo 3 review in about 2 weeks or so.
I own an Edge 840 and a K2 and definitely prefer the K2. It was easy to set up and is easy to use. It’s very intuitive. It’s also very easy to import a route. Like, way easier than on the Garmin. I also like that HH is updating the unit every two weeks, so we’re always getting new features and improvements. I also appreciate the larger screen on the K2.
I’ve never used the Wahoo so can’t comment on it.
I wonder what or when there will be an update for the Karoo 2. Looking forward to something a bit lighter with better battery life. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Hi Matt! I have a trek 920 that I use for commuting to work (40 miles round trip) per day, riding the best of our nations rails to trails and doing more self contained bicycle touring. I use a basic Bontrager battery computer, and my phone for navigation...when it's not overheating. I am wanting to upgrade and purchase a computer with all the basic computer features and good navigation/gps features. I recently purchased the 840. After unboxing it, I became a bit overwhelmed by all its coaching features (most of which I would not use). Also, does one need sensors--cadence and/or odometer? Don't really care about my cadence and would not use the HR sensor as my watch reads HR. I appreciate your feedback.
The 840 is a fantastic device. But it is a bit overloaded with features. If you're within the return window, it might be worth considering switching to something like the Wahoo Roam (also featured in this video) The wonderful thing about the 840 is the mapping and routing. Don't feel obligated to get heart rate monitors, speed cadence or a power meter if those things are of no interest to you. Best of luck Deborah!!!
Well after my Bolt 2 took an unexpected trip on the roof of my car, this is particularly relevant!
Oh no!!! The HH K2 was on sale for a while and it's a very interesting device. If you can find it for $250, I think it's a good option. There's also nothing wrong with getting another Bolt V2. 🤷♂️ You're always welcome to borrow and review a few different options from me here if you need anything. 📦
Just bought the 840 (had the 520) but returned it the next day. While the connectivity is so much better, it still has crap graphics and screen. Not worth the money IMO.
It's interesting how good phone graphics are compared to cycling computers. You'd think things would start to come around. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Good review. The shuffling around of the devices at the end is pretty funny. But very cool to quickly have the specific comparisons.
Yeah, it’s weird but I kind of liked it. I might do that again in future videos. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Excellent review
Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Question: I use reading glasses, but certainly not while riding. Which UI is easiest to read when your near vision isn't perfect?
I would vote for Wahoo. It has a nice high contrast screen and a data zoom feature. The Roam v2 would be nice if it’s within the budget. I’m guess there could also be new announcements at some point soon but who knows 🤷🏻♂️ Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
The only good thing about the Garmins these days is battery life. They come full of fluff software that is useless apart from the Climb feature.
I’m a fan of the climb feature. The ‘your cycling type’ feature. 🤷🏻♂️😬 Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
It really depends. I bought a garmin because I have vector 3 pedals and an epix 2.
The amount of data I get back is actually damn astounding. It even shows me how much offset exists in regards to my foot position relative to the pedals.
Most avg users may not need this info but that doesn’t make it fluff.
After my second Garmin Edge 520 died unexpectedly I decided to try something different - the Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt instead of the Garmin 530. Boy! I'm glad I did. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxXZCtB-wGdHVTBSz8RswePK5vllHNi06N The display on the Wahoo Bolt is much easier to read. I like the configuration of the display more (up to 7 items visible on page 1 without scrolling and the first item chosen is larger characters than the next 3 rows that have pairs of items (still very readable). I also like the configurable item selections. The Bolt synced with my Garmin ANT+ Speed sensors on both bikes easily so no additional investment was required there. While the rated battery life is a couple hours less than the Garmin 520/530, I easily get a weeks worth of 1+ hour rides before recharging (and it's never really low on charge). At the end of a ride syncing to the Wahoo app, Strava, and Apple Health app is painless.
Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
While I love my Karoo 2, I am super disappointed about Shimano Di2 not being allowed on their platform without a hack or sideload. They should buy the sideload company. And Shimano should stop blocking them from uploading Di2 data. May move to Garmin 840
Yeah, that’s on Shimano. That’s a pretty crappy move by them.
Do you know if we can control screen with the button of my handlebar grip,I have di2.
with the Roam v2.
Yes that is an option on the Wahoo computers but not the Hammer Head Karoo 2 due to Shimano having issues with HH’s new parent company.
Do you know if we can control screen with the button of my handlebar grip,I have di2.
Yes that is an option on the Wahoo computers but not the Hammer Head Karoo 2 due to Shimano having issues with HH’s new parent company.
How easy is it to upload a route to the wall who? I’m not super text savvy so basically, I plan a route on my Google Maps app and I’ve been using my phone. But when I’m doing more than a century ride, I kind of would like some thing else versus just using my cadence monitor…. I’m looking at the Garmin 840 bundle and also the bolt by wahoo. But which is easier to upload a map and track my avg mph and cadence
The Garmin has more flexibility in how you upload routes and the Wahoo requires the smartphone app.
Nice comparison, I have the 1040 and tried a HH K2 at the beginning of the year - never tried a Roam. Probably the climbing feature would have been another comparison - each now have as you ride climb data features, and Wahoo's is pretty good here.. This has been a big one. Hey, I think the Endurance specialist is just someone who does most of their riding load in Zones 1-4. Add lots of hills and you become a climber, and then doing less mileage and do crit racing will turn you into a 'well whatever the last one is.' It's a meaningless measure and needs to be removed IMHO.
Yeah, it's not my favorite feature by any means. I'd be curious to talk to someone who is finding it helpful. 🤷♂️
@@mlegrand it’s a great feature for long climbs > 175m vertical ascent that require Zone 3-5 efforts. Pacing on those climbs is always important and the climb features give that information up front. Probably for the Gran Fondo riders. All 3 do this now interactively.
@@NeilLavitt Just to be clear, I love the climbing features but I’m not that into the cycling profiling. My endurance specialist label. 😆
@@mlegrand oh, yeh, agreed. It’s a meh from me also.
I think it comes down to whichever device is the most visible at the end of the day . Features are irrelevant if you can’t see them .
I think they’re all pretty good. Maybe the Wahoo has a slightly better contrast to it. 🤷🏻♂️
th-cam.com/video/l80EkMy48mc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=AizFsqYTKSDwcdcB
Just got the 840, upgraded from Edge 500 which I’m keeping BOTH on my bars with my Instinct watch. I have GARMIN products on my boat & golfing etc & NEVER have problems or waterproof-durability issues. The 840 is a lot of computer to get use to.
I really really like the 840. It's such a great option. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I really like your approach. It's more about what fits a person's needs than anything else. And what's more important is having folks get out there and swim, bike, run rinse repeat. You add good coverage to the how's and what's of these devices.
Thanks so much Sean!
I’m all over the place on this one… I bought a Bolt v2 as my first cycling computer - but I do probably 65/35 MTB to road riding, and *none* of the MTB trails near me were on the Bolt (and we have a lot around here!), so I returned it and grabbed a Karoo 2. I actually liked it, and (almost) all the local trails were there, but I exchanged it for a a Garmin 840 because I use a Garmin watch for all of my running and wanted my cycling in Garmin Connect.
I’m actually kind of hating it, though - it just beeps at me nonstop, for jumps, for strava segments, for being off of a strava segment NONSTOP because I’m riding an adjacent trail, for riding without my radar, even though I’ve disabled it in the sensor menu, because I’m on the trails that day. The only option was turning off ALL alerts, but then I miss the beeps for navigation and radar when I’m back on the road. 🤯 Starting to think keeping all of my tracking in the same eco system just isn’t worth it and I should save the $200 and swap back to the Karoo 2. Do you give any consideration to where things end up tracked/stored when you choose? I saw the end of the video (“get the best computer for you, don’t worry about mix and match”), but on paper the 840 does seem to be “better” - I prefer the size, I bike a lot in dense woods so the multi band gps is better, some other minor things. I’m just so tired of it beeping at me 😅 Or do you have any advice for unbeepifying the 840? I’ve turned off the jump alerts, but the radar disconnected alerts/beeps seems to be a bug (reported on the forums at least) and only thing I’ve found for fixing the strava segments is to turn it off completely, Hah.
Just took it for another ride and I at least didn't have the radar thing beeping at me, but the last 30 minutes of the ride were "Off segment" beeping and popups that just returned after dismissing them, and then an undismissable "26668 mile" climb popup???? 🤦♂️ I love my Epix, but this thing is just a pain.
I will say that I've encourage many people to mix between brands. Everything might not be on Garmin Connect but you can sync everything to Strava or Training Peaks to have a central repo of all of your activities. I don't have any unbeepify tricks. Sounds like it's trying to navigate some detailed trails that are close by other trails. 😬
@@mlegrand Yeah, something like that - even with navigation off and not following a Course! 🤯 I messed with it a bunch this morning before work - I just cannot figure it out, about to give up. I'm starting to think I might have a buggy unit, 26,000 miles is more than one trip around the planet. Where would I be climbing to??😅 Oh well. 🤷♂
I do sync everything to Strava, but it doesn't give the same recovery metrics, training status, VO2 estimates, and such that Connect does. I frequently ignore the recovery metrics, so maybe that's a sign that I don't need them as badly as I think I do. I've never used Training Peaks - I'll have to check it out and see what it offers - the "feel free to mix and match" advice is really freeing and encouraging, maybe I can use TP to break free from Connect and brand lock-in. 🙃 Thanks, Matt!
@@AllenStauffer - It is very possible to get a buggy unit. I would check in with Garmin for sure. 👍🏻
Great video Matt. I’ve a garmin 810 which has suffered a side button failure so looking to upgrade. My main priority is the clarity of the display and I only ride on the road these days so torn between a 540/840 or and Volt/Roam. I don’t use any fancy features and just interested in use ability, any recommendations?
I've really been enjoying the Wahoo Roam lately. You can do a quick data zoom at any time to make certain metrics much larger. But I'd look around and see where you can find the best deal and maybe pick based on that. Keep me posted on what you end up with and how you like it. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Great video. Thank you! I just started mountain biking, love to buy all sort of gear next to my bike. I can't get to choose witch computer I should buy. The Karoo 2 looks big, but it definitely looks more high-end. I can't get over the old-skool displays Garmen en Wahoo are using. The only thing that's holding me back on buying the Karoo 2 is the size/weight and maybe overkill for me.. ? You have any suggestions? Bye from The Netherlands!
Hello to the Netherlands! 🇳🇱 I would have a look at the prices of that Karoo 2. It was on a mega sale a few weeks ago. 👌
I have wahoo v2 and garmin varia radar. I really recommend these two and also set the radar to the LED on left so it’s doesn’t take up screen space !
Yes! I love Wahoo’s LEDs on the side showing traffic! Thanks Max!
I can get on promotion for 260euro hammmerheaf karoo 2 with hr monitor or
Wahoo bolt v2 bundle. What do you advise to buy ?
It depends on if you’re ok with the slightly lower battery life and the bigger screen of the K2. It’s a very nice device and it’s always great to save money. 👌
Hi Matt. Did they improve the total height and current incline calculation in the 840 model during prolonged rain? In the 830 altimeter, it miscalculates height and incline when water gets into the sensor.
Hey Semper762, I actually don't know. I've used it in the rain but didn't notice an issue. I've even used it while it was hailing but that would actually be easier on the altimeter because there's less chance for rain to block the sensor.
I just returned from a vacation in Nice where I did a couple of rides with my wahoo bolt v2. I was really frustrated by the routing of wahoo when I needed to change my route. I was on a road bike but it insisted on defining a route on a trail when I needed to route home early after overheating. Extremely frustrating. In the end I had to create a new route using ride with GPS to get me back. I could not find any wahoo settings to stick to road routes.
I doubt this is a situation that everyone will run into, but when you do you need it to work. I’m looking to leave wahoo for bike computers as a result.
It's not that unusual of a scenario. I've fount Garmin's onboard routing to be a bit better than Wahoo's. I also think it's great for people to hear that kind of experience. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment here. 👌
perfect review for me ..thanks..I am between these three but still on 1030 which is getting more slow. 1040 is too expensive and toooo much for me but the price actually is very interesting for Karoo (215€). Roam V2 is too much for the road for me. I think I will have a look on the 840 because I am more MTB and a bit Racer and Grvl. ..thx again..
You’re very welcome! Thanks for checking out the video. 👍
Which one do you think gives the best turn-by-turn prompts and well handles making a detour of a previously downloaded route? I have a Garmin Edge 530 and it tends to force me to do a U-turn even a few kilometers in when I'm 50m away from merging with the original route.
Hard to say. It could even depend on which route you're doing within these devices. Hammer Head says that there device is the fastest to re-route but I still think Garmin does the best job. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I went with Roam Element V2. Today was my first ride with it and love it. I am new to cycling so knowing what gear I am in is helpful. I was told Roam Element V2 was the only computer that will tell you what gear you are in so that was why I went with it. Also the climbing feature does what I need which is tell me % gradient and distance to the summit. All so cool.
I’ve been gravitating towards the Roam V2 here also lately. It’s just such a solid option. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Thanks Matt, really nice comparisons with this 3 devices 🙌🏽. I must say that you have the insight that many of we users have find our owns needs and that are different likes and wants. Thanks again for yours way to give feedback on the differences and that is one of the three top cykel device. I have the old Bolt and now the Roam as well and on my wrists I have the Suunto Peak 9 Titanium and that is also for other matters when I don’t sitting on my racer or MTB. 🥁🙋🏼♂️
Suunto is one company I have yet to test on this channel. I've reached out to them multiple times and have yet to get any reply. At some point, I'll buy a Suunto and review it. I'm very curious about them. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Thank you for a great review Matt. In your experience with the Wahoo Roam V2, would you say it would be a good choice for MTB riders?
I’m a huge fan of the Roam v2. I think you’ll love it if you pick one up. That being said, the Garmin is probably better suited for mountain biking. It has better trail mapping and MTBing specific metrics which might or might not be interesting to you. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I currently have an edge 820. The battery life is now deteriorated and often enters battery save mode due to low battery. When this happens on a ride my data is still recorded and I can finish the ride without loosing my ride.
Sorry that the battery life is starting to go on that device Paul. These small lithium ion batteries tend to start to struggle after about 2 years or so.
Is it possible to connect Wahoo heart rate monitor/sensor to Garmin EDGE 840?
Yes, Wahoo's HRM is designed to work with third party computers and devices. The two should work well together. I typically recommend people mix and match between the brands. 👌
It look like Karoo 2 has not enough brightness on a sunny days. Are there any problem with it in reality?
Battery life in comparison to the other options is a problem and I would agree that the screen is great but not as ideal in bright sunlight conditions.
for features: garmin. for screen legibility: roam. for map navigation: HH
Oh you like the HH for map navigation? It is speedy for calculating routes and re-routing. Thanks Mário!
@@mlegrand are wahoo devices slow when it comes to re-routing?
@@BlueMoonDrinker - Not too bad for rerouting but their start up time is bonkers slow. 😬
When I started cycling 4 years ago was thinking of either buying a Wahoo or Garmin device, my dad got me the Wahoo Elemnt Roam V1 back then. Unfortunately it somehow got a waterdamage recently, but the costumer service is awesome. I contacted them and after 2 weeks I got a new Elemnt Roam and it is the new version as well. I don‘t know how the costumer service is with the other brands though, but Wahoo is 👌
That's awesome to hear. Customer service is something that my reviews really lack. I think it'd be interesting to make an entire video on just that subject. Maybe call each brand and test them with a question or talk about a defective issue. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand Well that sounds like a good video idea. For me personally costumer service that is always forgotten or at least underrated, but crucial for a company to survive.
Its crazy, i wonder why people chose way more the wahoo.
I've been using the Wahoo computer a lot lately. It's just a nice easy to use functional device. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Thanks for the great review! I’m going in circles thinking about this as my Bolt v1 is dying, with the additional thought that a Karoo 3 may be on the horizon. Also, it looked like you had a mount for the Karoo for the BMC ICS cockpit - was that a 3D printed one, or was it a Garmin mount with the adapter? And did I see that a power cable was connected to the Karoo while mounted on the bike, early in your video?
The Karoo was using the Garmin mount and that little cord was just a 3d printed usb-c cover with an attachment so it doesn't get lost. I think I talked about it in my full HHK2 review. If I were you I'd at least wait until the HHK2 goes on discount (next week maybe?) but my main concern is that it'd be going on sale because of an upcoming update. But I honestly have no idea. If you've like the Bolt, you'll probably enjoy the newer Wahoo options. They're really good.
Between the garmin and the hammerhead which one would work better for MTB as i am racing mtb now
I would say the Garmin. Better trail details , mapping and routing. It also has a few MTB specific metrics.
I forgot to mention that I’m a road biker. So do you suggest the Roam V2 or the Garmin 840?
I like them both but I really like the Roam 2 and Bolt v2. It’s just the buttons and the simplicity of the Wahoo devices. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand I super appreciate you thank you so much. I really loved your video and I followed you on Instagram. Glad I found you.
I have the Roam V2 and the 840 and my go to is the Roam.
I think it’s a good choice. I’m excited that they’ve done their own hill climbing feature. 👌 Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
How easy is it to use the room to input a destination or to upload a route??
@randibechtel879 press pin on RWGPS route and it appears in the Roam routes. Very easy
@@victorschepisi590 thank u!!!!!!!!
Matt, there is a summer sale for the Hammer Head Karoo for Us.259, do you think I should upgrade my Bryton Rider 750 for this price????? (you know both devices!). Extra data, I can maybe sell my Bryson in Us.150 or something like that (so just a about Us.100 update). What do you think?
I think that's a hard call. I think the Karoo for 250 is an amazing deal. I think you'd really enjoy it compared to the 750 but I also wonder if HH is going to release a Karoo 3. I haven't heard any rumors that they're going to release something but it's such a massive drop in price that it worries me a bit. We'll see. Maybe you should put your 750 up for $100 - $125 and see if it sells? If it doesn't it's not a big deal. 🤷🏻♂️
@@mlegrand I think I can get 150-175 for my Rider (not too many Bike computers available in my country and certainly not for those prices!!!). So just adding Us.100 for an upgrade to HHK2 seemed like a good idea... is it that much better than the Bryton one??. I missed Strava segments in the Ryder 750, maybe screen visibility in direct sunlight and the climber feature seem to be worth the change (I HATE the Briton app, son no problem there 🤣). How would they compare in the battery realm???
@@edutoro11 - The battery life on the HHK2 isn't amazing but overall I think you really like it. It's a nice screen, you'll like strava segments and the climber features is 👌🏻. Let me know what you end up with and how you end up liking it. 👍🏻
@@mlegrand Thank you Matt!!!! I will follow your advice!
Which computer do you road bike with?
I switch around a lot testing devices. Today it was this Garmin and also the Wahoo. What do you use currently?
K2 I think is better,
And it’s now on sale. I wonder if a K3 might be coming out 🤷🏻♂️ I’d love to see it. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Great review. Thanks !
You’re welcome. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
great video Matt!
the features is key as you mention
Thank you! Hope training is going well for you this summer. 👍
@@mlegrand its lacking due to work. But it will pick up after this week
Loved the video but I still couldn't decide for my first bike computer. The Karoo 2 is on sale for $250 now but it's also very old and might release Karoo 3.
I know right? I have no idea if they’ll release a HHK3 but I’m hopeful. These are all good options. Let me know some more details about what kind of biking you like to do if you need more help deciding. 👌
Seeing the sale brought me to this video. Like you, I’m looking for my first bike computer. Since it’s my first and based on this video, think I’ll take advantage of the sale. After using it and getting accustom to having one, if I think some missing feature is worth it I’ll change. The money I’ll save can go to other items like a power meter or a radar.
@@jah0963 - Let me know what you end up thinking about it Jeffrey.
@@mlegrand Just purchased the Karoo2. Should arrive next week. Thanks again for your video. If interested, I’ll give you my first impressions.
@@jah0963 - Yes, please comment in a standalone thread with your first impressions! Thanks!
thank you for the useful review! 👍 Good luck to you in shooting new videos!🍀
Wow, thank you so much for the kind words.
SO WHICH SHOULD I CHOOSE?
Do you like to mountain bike? Or do you mostly road bike? How price sensitive are you? The he HH K2 is on sale right now.
@@mlegrand gravel and mtb 50/50
@@sysispgm2791 - I think you'd see better detailed trail maps with the Garmin and there's also a few mtb specific metrics on the Garmin that you may or may not find interesting. 🤷🏻♂
I have a wahoo bolt v2. Only 2 things that annoys are the slow boot up and no multiple n bike profiles.
It seems to me like things that Wahoo could potentially fix with firmware updates. 🤷♂️ Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Another thing that's annoyed me is not being able to move around the map to look at poi's and other stuff
hey Matt, I am wondering if you really have used the K2 in full. Me being a heavy and enthusiastic user I think its a device on its own. Made for cyclists by cyclists. Its graphics, personalisation power, side loading of apps, it even doesn't look like a Head unit...to me a far more pretty thing to look at it from a screen point of view than the others. And enjoy the integration into the hoods for Di2 users. You didn't mention the amount of pixels, which is twice that of the Garmin/Wahoo.....Just saying.
And have you noticed that it's been on mega discount lately. I'm seeing $250 👀 Could be a great option for people. I hope that they're working on a K3.
@@mlegrand Not sure what the K3 would bring other than the K2. The rider that is looking for more battery power could be the one but the ones that are riding more than 6-8 hrs per ride is a small market. Let us see currently you are right it is very good value for your money!
@@mlegrandthey are
The Karoo 2 now only costs 260 EUR instead of 400. If you had to pick would you take the Karoo 2 over the Roam V2 as you get to save an extra 100 EUR?
That’s a lot of money. I’d probably save the cash. 💰
But I also don’t need the massive battery life. However I’d be very curious to see if HH would be developing a Karoo 3. 🤷🏻♂️
There are some HITTERS!
The computer name text is very pretty.
LOVE USB C.
I'm curious about the climb type feature...I'm not sure I want to know!
Ahhhh, battery life. We're here! I had a Karoo for a couple weeks before deciding it wasn't for me. I noticed the battery life was rough on the Karoo.
You joke about "not riding for six hours"... did a 10 hour ride due to a snow storm halftime. It was horrendous.
The battery saver, that's where the screen turns off, right? I love that mode! I don't want my computer telling me how disappointing I am.
Is there something different about your color grading? Your shirt seems blacker than it normally does?
That stamina/stamina potential seem really interesting... have you used them extensively, or are they more of a gimmick?
I loved the bit at the end where you physically moved the best computer for the given category.
Nice work!
Thanks Kit!
Battery saver can dim the screen or change GPS modes or a few other options which are configurable on this 840 (also 540)
I'm always color grading these videos slightly differently so yes, my shirts might look different.
I don't think Stamina is a gimmick as much as 'Cycling Ability' but I also don't use it that much. Typically, it doesn't effect how I would ride but maybe it would if I was doing some sort of ultra endurance event? 🤷♂️
@@mlegrand I must do more research on this stamina feature. It is quite interesting.
For example, big ride... first half of the ride, I felt like do-do. Second half of the ride, my buddy felt like do-do but I felt great. Wonder how the stamina feature would have graded us.
karoo fails with no navigate to address feature and no turn by turn with names-
I think Garmin has a big advantage when it comes to detailed mapping with street and trail names. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand i bought the karoo2 and it has turn by turn with names and a p[in can be dropped on map i love it
It does
I used the K2 for several years and the battery life was terrible. I use standard sensors…HR, power, shifting and radar. I also use live tracking since I often bike alone. The K2 battery would get uncomfortably close to drained on a 100km ride. There is a also n ongoing problem with K2 elevation being way off. I wound up switching to the Garmin 1040 and I am much happier.
Thanks so much for posting this really valuable feedback Frank. I think this will help a lot of people trying to figure this stuff out. 👌
I've been using the K2 for about a year and a 100km ride with all the sensors uses about 30% - 40% of my battery. Not sure what was going on with yours but I don't think it was normal
@@rocco5466 I wish it wasn’t normal but I am not alone with this experience. HH replaced my unit and I saw no improvement which is why I switched to the 1040. My last 2 rides I logged a total of 200km with all sensors, tracking, multiple data screens and interacting with the unit. I charged before the first ride and I still have 53% charge remaining. The K2 is not in the same league with battery. The K2 is a nice head unit and I am keeping it as a backup but for my needs it’s not good enough. It’s great that we have so many choices and quality head units to pick from.
My experience has been completely different. In fairness, my first ever ride with the K2 was a 100 Mile race (160KM) and it did die before I ended. It died about 140km in. However, and this is a bit however, since then it has DRASTICALLY improved through its regular updates. Now, I just fineshed another 100 mile race and I finished with close 60+ battery life. That is with power meter, HR and wifi on.
@@obidr I am glad it is working for you. Mine is not working for me and I am on my second unit (after they replaced the first one). Personally I don't want to have to sacrifice the number and the type of data fields in use, limit the interactions with the computer, keeping the brightness at a level that was not readable for me, always using battery save mode and sacrificing other features just so the battery would not die on a 4-5 hour ride. With the Garmin 1040, I don't have to worry about any of this and I can get multiple rides out of a single charge. I understand that there are K" users that are OK with the battery performance but that does not mean it is not there. There are so many reports about battery life to think it is isolated. I stuck with the K2 for 2.5 years before making a change.
I’m an Endurance Specialist too Matt…!! 🫤🤣
Oh no!!! What are they saying about us???
I already spend money on a expensive watch that does it all. Idk why I would need a sports watch AND a nice bike computer.
Cool products though.
I added you on Facebook. Just FYI, it's me, I hope that's ok.
It's great having a cycling computer right there off the front of the handlebars. I do tend to use the watch also for backup but the computers are fantastic in that you don't have to take your arm off the bars to look at power numbers or to follow a specific workout. But there's no end to the amount you can buy for this sport. It clearly a spot you can save money if you've got a good watch. Thanks Jay! BTW, I'm not super big on Facebook but do spend a little time on Instagram. I like posting pictures over there. 📸
@@mlegrand I don't use Instagram. It's ok.
I have one that tracks distance and speed w/time. A cheepo one. My longest ride is like 40miles. I normally do 10-30miles. So I'm not big into cycling. Maybe I'll pick one up when I buy a new bike. I'm still on a old trek from 2015. I'll keep these in mind.
Which one would you choose for mostly road cycling (3-5 times per week) and casual mtb rides (2-3 per month). As a watch I use Apple Watch. Kind of leaning towards the wahoo.
I own a bryton 750 right now and it’s awful.
Great video btw!
I have a few friends who have very similar situations as you. Apple Watch, road cycling and some MTB rides. I think I would lean towards the Wahoo also. I'm really enjoying that device right now. 👍🏻
@@mlegrand thanks for the reply, keep up the great work!