Who doesn't like to be inspired by technology? The invention and further development of the bicycle were milestones in technology that triggered a storm of enthusiasm. Even the automobile has its roots in the invention of the bicycle. You don't have to like every advancement in technology equally well, be it of a mechanical, electronic or digital nature. The experience that even today you can still cover enormous distances on a bicycle with pure muscle power is still the main reason why we regularly sing the praises of bicycles (and not of cars). But with the exception of a rare few, most of us enjoy technological advances, and pretty much everyone carries a cell phone in their pocket or pocket.

The reason why we go so far is due to the dilemma we found ourselves in when, even before the hat existed, we were confronted with the subject of navigation systems, performance sensors and digitization in our beautiful bicycle profession. Do you need that? Those who, like us, prefer to sit on the bike rather than in front of a computer don't want to grind their way through user manuals, online tutorials or the mysteries of a menu labyrinth. But there are also other tools and apps that you no longer have to worry about using: they are our everyday companions, means of communication, weather indicators, self-portrayal platforms. There are said to be people who believe that things that aren't digitized actually didn't happen.

"If it's not on Strava, it didn't happen."

The widespread urge for self-optimization combined with competition and documentation of our free time within a community is the cornerstone of the Strava network. Whether cyclists or runners, everyone likes to share their activity with their personal or virtual circle of friends and lets them celebrate their small or big successes. Sometimes these tools are also a great motivator, simply because we see that there are other positively crazy people like ourselves who circle outside in wind and weather. In short: We have been recording what we ride for quite a long time, but we have planned our tours almost exclusively on the basis of our wealth of experience of routes and new test laps on the bike again and again.

This was also due to the fact that our first private attempts at contact with the subject of bicycle sat nav were only partially successful, time expenditure and added value were simply not in good relation. So it's hardly surprising that navigation systems weren't initially included in the range of hats. Because we have built it up quite strictly from the point of view of what we use ourselves and what we are personally convinced of. None of the devices on the market wanted to convince us and the smartphone did a good job in terms of documentation via Strava. With the exception of the badly shrinking battery life, which was due to the GPS signal.

The American company Wahoo We first noticed their TICKR X chest strap, which is compatible with many other devices and can be used in a variety of ways with its own memory. A visit to the US website aroused our curiosity, and at the Berlin Bicycle Show we had a first pleasant conversation with the German managers. As part of a Rapha Mobile Cycling Club ride we organized, a Wahoo delegation in the cap came over and brought some KICKRs for the MCC. And we got the offer to test the ELEMNT bike computer on some rides. After the first demonstration on the device of how easy it was to make menu settings using your own smartphone, a good deal of skepticism was thrown overboard, because the developers seemed to have focused on what makes life easier and is really useful to the user .

Not everyone on our team was equally hooked, so a bit of internal advocacy and, most importantly, experience was needed. Lo and behold: the connection of the recommended platform Komoot as a route planning tool and the Wahoo ELEMNT as a route guide has given us wonderful laps in areas we hadn't ridden in 20 years and where we would otherwise have been hopelessly lost. Since then, the Wahoo ELEMNT has been our constant companion and a little later the more compact ELEMNT BOLT and the reduced MINI.

The principle of the Wahoos is simple and clever: the way is via the free Wahoo app on the smartphone, created routes can be integrated via email, Whatsapp or download. Once transferred to the navigation system, the mobile phone can even remain at home, but if you have it with you on the tour, you can even have it navigated to new external destinations, such as cafés, on the way. And if you just set off "free snout", you can use the home button to bring you back to the starting point of the tour without any problems. Everything is well thought out and meets real requirements, just like the new functions that are loaded into the home network via firmware updates.

In addition to the navigation devices, the Wahoo family includes exercise bikes such as the KICKR and KICKR Snap, as well as the TICKR already mentioned, a wide portfolio of different sensors, of which the TICKR Fit, for example, an armband that replaces the chest strap, is a great creative alternative to existing products .

And are they really all Wahooligans?

As users and advocates of the various Wahoo products, we are now in renowned company: whether professional teams like Bora-Hansgrohe, Katusha-Alpecin or Sky, athletes like triathlete Jan Frodeno or cyclocrossers Ellen Noble and Jeremy Powers, everyone swears by the Products from Atlanta, Georgia. But for us as a local store, it's much more important that we've had an incredible amount of positive feedback from our customers. Simply because they enjoy and benefit so much from the device we have recommended. For us the greatest compliment.

If you are interested in technical details and want to take a comprehensive and competent look at the Wahoos, Garmins, Sigmas and all other technical aids for cyclists and runners, we have the page DC Rainmaker to heart. Ray Maker, who lives in Amsterdam by choice, has been dealing mercilessly with all sorts of electronic devices in his blog for more than ten years and is considered an incorruptible authority when it comes to sports electronics.