Wahoo Elemnt Trackr Radar review: a solid-performing radar light, but it suffers from blind spots

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Wahoo’s entry into the rear light radar space is feature-packed, incorporating an intelligent light with twin LEDs, a translucent casing for great all-round visibility and long run times.

The result is a radar-light system with the potential to rival the best, priced at £179.99 / $199.99 / €199.99.

However, it's held back by the fact it can only be used with a head unit, its overly chunky bracket and the occasional blind spots it suffered from in testing. 

Wahoo Elemnt Trackr Radar setup 

The Trackr Radar setup involves pairing to Wahoo’s app and then to any GPS head unit for on-the-bike use.

Unlike Garmin, Bryton and Lezyne’s apps, the Wahoo app doesn’t have the ability to display radar readings on the fly, meaning the Trackr can only be used with a head unit. 

Setup is straightforward, although it took a couple of app relaunches to get it to recognise the Bluetooth signal from the Trackr Radar. The app handles firmware updates, too.

The Trackr Radar also communicates via ANT+, enabling you to set up a light network on a compatible head unit. That means on-the-fly light controls are at your fingertips, although you can also scroll through the light modes via the power button. 

Wahoo Elemnt Trackr Radar fitting 

The large bracket creates a flush fit with the light itself. The bracket comes with three soft rubber inserts: one for round/aero posts, one for D-shaped posts and one for flat back edges.

The light connects via a Wahoo quarter-turn mount. It’s slightly larger at the tabs than a Garmin mount, which means it doesn’t fit into other mounts like a saddle rail mount.

Having the option to mount it there would be good for smaller bikes, because the bulky bracket can clash with seat clusters on bikes with little exposed seatpost. 

Wahoo Elemnt Trackr Radar performance 

The Trackr Radar is a good light thanks to its multitude of modes and smart controls to preserve battery life, plus it features useful safety options.  

The light itself uses a focused-lens LED for its brightest element. That’s complemented by a second LED at the base, behind a translucent casing that offers excellent side visibility alongside the more focused lens.

You can configure the light to dim automatically when it doesn’t have an approaching vehicle in its radar by using the Wahoo app to set the amount of time before it starts to dim.  

The light also doubles as a brake light, ramping up the power as you slow – another excellent safety-enhancing measure. 

The Wahoo unit’s run times are impressive thanks to the clever auto-dimming – using the light during the day on daylight setting enabled a week’s worth of riding between charges. 

When it comes to radar, the TrackR is a solid performer. On single-lane rural roads, it picked up approaching vehicles a second or two slower than the Garmin 820.  

I also found that when particularly annoying drivers were tailgating me, sitting out towards the middle of the road a few feet behind and looking to overtake, the Wahoo radar would lose them and my head unit wouldn’t show a vehicle behind.

Cars also disappeared from the head unit display when travelling directly behind at the same speed as me.  

This meant that because the cars had been showing right up until they were (too) close, I was never surprised. This reinforces the fact that a radar is a safety aid and not an excuse to neglect checking over your shoulder when looking to make a turn. 

Wahoo Elemnt Trackr Radar bottom line 

Wahoo’s first attempt at a radar is a fine debut. Light performance is excellent, and its smart functions, exceptional run time and quick charging are compelling reasons to buy.

The mounting bracket is secure although somewhat bulky, meaning it’s not ideal for smaller frames. 

Its radar performance is also decent, reacting to approaching vehicles quickly and accurately, but it's not nearly a match for the Garmin RearVue 820’s wider field of view, with the narrower focus of the Trackr Radar showing the occasional blind spot.

Like all its rivals, bar the Garmin, it suffers from the occasional disappearing vehicle, too.