Anyone else have battery problems with Wahoo RFLKT?

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VTBike
Posts: 383
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 8:14 pm

by VTBike

I've been loving my RFLKT for the past 9 months or so, but I've found it's battery performance to be kinda terrible. It dies within 10-15 rides (1-2hr rides). The new firmware has a batter display, which I thought would be great. When I first upgraded it, i had a new battery. It showed 95%. I went on a single 2 hour ride, and the battery was dead the next morning when I went out for a ride. I bought a brand new duracell battery, and found after installation that the battery meter was only at 65%. WTF?!

So overall, I love the RFLKT, and Wahoo's customer service is AMAZING. So couch my complaints in that -- it's still a fantastic product that I love.

The battery replacement is one of the biggest issues I have with it. The fact that you have to remove 4 tiny screws to change the battery makes it IMPOSSIBLE to do if your battery dies on a ride. It also just makes it a pain no matter when you have to change it. With my old computer, I could atleast count on the fact that if my computer died mid-ride, i'd pull into a drug store and pickup a new one. I don't know about anyone else, but not having a computer kills my ride. And not having an accurate battery indicator, or predictable drain on battery life, is incredibly frustrating - and really should be fixable.

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glepore
Posts: 1408
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:42 pm
Location: Virginia USA

by glepore

Its why I gave mine up. I ran it for a while with the screws out, as the snap on mount thingy seems to hold things together tight enough, but ultimately couldn't deal with the battery life. I loved the concept as well, along with the company, and now have a bunch of useless bluetooth sensors on a couple bikes. went to a Garmin, which while not perfect, works so much more reliably that I'm not looking back.
Cysco Ti custom Campy SR mechanical (6.9);Berk custom (5.6); Serotta Ottrott(6.8) ; Anvil Custom steel Etap;1996 Colnago Technos Record

kulivontot
Posts: 1163
Joined: Sun May 16, 2010 7:28 pm

by kulivontot

I never had issues with the battery because I couldn't get the display to stay on for more than 20 minutes without freezing or spontaneously turning off. Ended up returning it 4 months later for a full refund.

liketoride
Posts: 408
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 3:05 am

by liketoride

i have had to change the bat once in the last 7 months but i ride 5-6 times a week for 1.5 hours a ride. I have not updated the new settings but would like to bat life. I like the reflkt as well. I have only had mine for 7 months so i do not have that much history with it yet. But have not had problems with the bat like you have, do you have the light on in the back ground because that would kill life much faster.

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LiKuid
Posts: 73
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2013 1:09 pm

by LiKuid

I 've been using the RFLKT for the last 5 months.
The first battery gave up very early (through the first 5 rides).
Since then though, all seems good. Knock wood... :)

VTBike
Posts: 383
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 8:14 pm

by VTBike

Wow, interesting... super mixed results.
I don't use the light on mine, but might for my next race, as i've found the display's resolution is too low/too much glare to see quickly. I really just want to glance down and see my heartrate so I know how to keep pacing myself.

So my battery life, which said 65% before, now says 95%. That doesn't inspire me with confidence, but is what I would expect from a brand new battery. I'll keep trying to check in on it and see. What would be lovely is if the dang thing warned me when I got to 10% or so (like when it had 5 hours left of riding).. That would be sweet. I guess bluetooth sensors use much more battery than other wireless computers? seems nuts that the thing is just "reflecting" our phone, but still dies so quickly.

glepore
Posts: 1408
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:42 pm
Location: Virginia USA

by glepore

I don't think its the sensors per se, but the ant+ bridge. Bluetooth sensors are picked up by the phone and "reflected". Ant + sensors are picked up by the RFLKT+ and transmitted to the phone for logging. My standard RFLKT without the bridge had excellent battery life...measured in many months. The plus was measured in days.
Cysco Ti custom Campy SR mechanical (6.9);Berk custom (5.6); Serotta Ottrott(6.8) ; Anvil Custom steel Etap;1996 Colnago Technos Record

JohnF
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon May 30, 2016 7:34 am

by JohnF

I think the battery level you are viewing is for your IPhone or Android that is displayed on your Wahoo and not for the Wahoo itself. Pushing the bottom two buttons on the sides simultaneously during start up gives you the Wahoo battery level. Sorry, that gives you the firmware version, push the top left and the bottom right button and hold them for a couple seconds and you get the battery voltage of the unit in the lower right hand corner of the display.
I love mine by the way.

glepore
Posts: 1408
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:42 pm
Location: Virginia USA

by glepore

No, mine would flat out die. I'm sure they fixed it by now.
Cysco Ti custom Campy SR mechanical (6.9);Berk custom (5.6); Serotta Ottrott(6.8) ; Anvil Custom steel Etap;1996 Colnago Technos Record

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
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THUNDERHORSE
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:59 am

by THUNDERHORSE

Nope. my GARMIN works just fine :smartass: :lol:
On Plastic Existence

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