GPS King? Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM 3 Review

Wahoo has been the most user-friendly GPS bike computer brand on the market for quite some time. I always call them the “Apple of Bike Computers” and that reputation is deserved. With an intuitive ecosystem and reliable performance, the all-new Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM 3 sets a new bar for their bike computers.

Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM 3 Features:

• Larger, high-contrast 2.8″ color touchscreen display with improved visibility in all conditions
• Intuitive ELEMNT interface with redesigned UI and faster navigation
• Dual-band GPS for enhanced accuracy in challenging environments
• On-device navigation with turn-by-turn directions and rerouting
• Seamless integration with Wahoo ELEMNT App for setup, syncing, and ride management
• Long battery life for all-day (and multi-day) adventures
• USB-C charging for faster, more modern connectivity
• Full sensor and radar compatibility (power meters, HR monitors, lights, etc.)
• 64 GB storage space
• Audio and visual alerts
• MSRP: $464.99

Wahoo ROAM 3 setup/config

The latest bike computers and multi-sport watches have learned how to combine both tactile buttons and touchscreen convenience. While that’s a core part of what makes the Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM 3 great, there are a number of other things that continue Wahoo’s tradition as the easiest platform to use. Like every Wahoo unit I’ve used over the years, both the interface and companion mobile app (Wahoo ELEMNT but now Wahoo) are super-easy to configure.

Tops on the ROAM 3’s feature list is the larger screen and ditching the LED lights on the top and left sides as well as removing all that black space around the screen. The result is a much narrower, but longer design that is all business. As usual, Wahoo has their side button game nailed with the buttons staggered on the left and right side to avoid any unintentional pressing of the opposite button (ahem, pointing to you, Garmin Edge 540).

Previous models had recessed buttons, but Wahoo has learned their lesson and the three primary buttons are perfect for pushing with or without full-finger gloves. The combination of buttons and touchscreen is great, but I always prefer buttons while in the saddle. For setup, or while stopped, swiping and such is great, but on the bike, physical buttons reign supreme and thankfully you can manipulate this device completely with physical buttons on the road and gravel.

For starters, you’ll want to set up your various workout profiles. If you have all mechanical bits, the ROAM 3 will still track a ton of data right out of the box with distance, altitude, speed, turn-by-turn, saved routes, etc. But, if you have all the latest electronic doodads, you’ll be in heaven because the ROAM 3 will seamlessly connect with heart rate, power, drivetrain, lights, radar, cameras, phones and more. I have a variety of test bikes — some mechanical and some electronic, so it’s easy to use my full-gas setup for the OPEN UPPER 2.0 versus the Pinarello Grevil F, for example. Or, an upcoming review of the Shimano 105-equipped Cannondale Synapse.

Pairing with all the things is a breeze and can be done on your phone or on the device. Of course, the Wahoo TRACKR RADAR and TRACKR HEART RATE are easily paired and managed. But, the TREK CarBack and COROS PACE Pro are easily-paired as well. I’m still having issues with the COROS APEX 4’s heart rate sharing, but it’s a known issue that hopefully has a forthcoming resolution from COROS. All SRAM and Shimano electronic drivetrains and corresponding power meters have paired right up. Of course, you’ll need to set up your Wahoo account and configure all other integrations (like Strava), as well.

Okay… all that may seem daunting, but in the electronics world we live in, Wahoo has done a stellar job to make everything a breeze. I call Wahoo the “Apple of bike computers” and it’s definitely a well-deserved reputation. The companion app is top-notch as well. Kudos to both the hardware and software teams.

While Wahoo does use their own quarter-turn mounting system, they are readily available for any out front mount and are, of course a mount is included with the ROAM 3. This system is reliable and solid and I’ve never had any issues with it across every Wahoo unit I’ve tried.

ROAM 3, riding out

Once you’re ready to roll, getting started is a breeze. Wahoo’s new-ish start screen puts all the key items front-and-center so you know you’re ready to ride. Every connected device shows up (with battery percentage) and it’s easy to switch profiles, which comes in pretty handy when it comes to swapping between bikes. Without question, physical buttons and their placement are tops in my book. It’s easy to get started and to zoom in/out of the data displayed on my workout screens for easier viewing at-a-glance. Admittedly, my close-up vision struggles under certain light conditions and zooming in really helps.

When riding with a radar, I love that the green radar lane remains intact on the screen when no vehicles are detected. With other units, that disappears and always has me wondering if the radar is off or not. Wahoo keeps it there and green to ease that worry. When vehicles are detected, there are visual and audio warnings (configurable) that ensure you’re keeping tabs on traffic. Turn-by-turn routes, Strava live segments, climb detection and more are all on the menu with the ROAM 3.

There’s very little to be desired with this unit, but I have had some technical hiccups. On a couple of occasions, the startup screen has gotten stuck. Power cycling and having patience seems to be the key, but when you’re time-crunched, the last thing you want to have happen is a failed startup. Even when it does start up, I do wish it was faster. I do appreciate the touchscreen when I’m stopped, but while riding gravel or even rough roads, tap gestures can get wonky. Even the nifty double-tap bell feature has been problematic since it’s difficult to do an exactly-perfect double-tap on rough terrain.

Under varying light conditions, the screen remains very crisp and visible, but there have been some instances in the shadows where it becomes difficult to see. It’s inconsistent and most of the time it’s awesome, but, like any device there are those times where it could be brighter.

Data capture and reliability has been rock-solid. I 100% trust that the data accuracy and reliability will be there. Comparing all the metrics side-by-side with COROS or Polar watches, I have no concerns there.

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