Assigning default gear for individual activities

I just bought a pair of trail running shoes in addition to my road running shoes. I'd like to set up Garmin Connect such that when I choose 'run' on my Fenix 3, my road running shoes are linked and when I choose 'trail run' it knows that I'll be using the trail running shoes.

Currently I can only select 'other' when I choose an activity assigned to my trail running shoes, 'trail running' is not listed as an option under gear settings.

I have the same problem with my road and mountain bike.
  • Are they just profiles, or are they actual bikes? Analogously, track running and track shoes are logically different types.

    Typically a user names a profile to the bike they're using using whatever naming convention they feel comfortable with, so generally speaking: 1. They are profiles and 2. They are actual bikes. Users may choose to throw caution to the wind and do as they please, although this wouldn't make a lot of sense as each profile has a separate odometer.

    As I believe I mentioned
    Edges have a list of bikes to choose from you can program
    I'm no mechanic but from what I understand it's fairly difficult to program a bike out of thin air into the fabric of reality.

    “MTB” as a profile means nothing in terms of automatic gear assignment to an activity in Garmin Connect, other than applying any default gear rules set for Cycling across the board. You haven't shown or convinced me that you can specify on an Edge device that using the “MTB” profile means you're riding a Canyon Exceed CF SLX mountain bike as opposed to a Scott Voltage

    U wot m8? Calm down. Have a snickers. I have no need, nor urge to convince you of something I haven't stated. You've failed to show or convince me that 1+1 = 2.73 * 10^409. How many people are going to fault you for that? (hint: none of the sane ones)

    As Roypw reported above, Garmin Connect does not recognise profiles set up on Edge devices (and, in fact, has no visibility or record of the Profile data table), just as Edge devices have no visibility of the Gear data table set up in the Garmin Connect service's database.


    Yes, I believe that was the point I highlighted previously
    • The bike selection made on the Edge isn't communicated to Garmin Connect. If your Edge is set to "MTB" GC doesn't necessarily update the gear usage for that bike.

    I'm glad you seem to understand the issue :) Any questions about it I could perhaps help clear up?
    Looking forward to hearing from you soon :D
  • Typically a user names a profile to the bike they're using using whatever naming convention they feel comfortable with, so generally speaking: 1. They are profiles and 2. They are actual bikes.
    It doesn't matter what the Edge user names a profile. Until you can specify a bike on an Edge device in the way it has to be specified to reference a row in the Gear data table in Garmin Connect, no, you're not specifying a bike for the purposes of assigning sporting gear to an activity.
  • It doesn't matter what the Edge user names a profile. Until you can specify a bike on an Edge device in the way it has to be specified to reference a row in the Gear data table in Garmin Connect, no, you're not specifying a bike for the purposes of assigning sporting gear to an activity.

    And the other points that call into question your ability to process reality as others understand it?

    Sorry if I mistakenly assumed that you understood the issue OP brought up. Maybe you could post a list of things that don't make sense to you and we'll send a man in a wood-panelled station wagon with a novelty sized butterfly net to your address ASAP to take care of the problem?
  • Sorry if I mistakenly assumed that you understood the issue OP brought up.
    The OP brought up for discussion in this forum what he wants to do but cannot with his Edge device and Garmin Connect service. As a fellow forum member, I'm academically interested in discussion of why he cannot have what he wants with that combination, not how to get him what he wants or get Garmin (or anyone else) to see things his way.

    He has already taken the issue up with Garmin Customer Support to pursue an outcome, and has reported his progress/success or lack thereof. Discussion here will not change anything, but the logic of how the situation came to be is still sufficiently interesting for technically minded peers to consider.

    I'm sorry if you've mistaken this forum for a customer service channel or action/advocacy group.
  • I think it's in your best interests that you get some help, dude :/ For those that care about you if nothing else.
    All the best.
  • These guys are probably the best to speak to: https://www.lifeline.org.au/ or call 13 11 14 .
    Take care man, people are thinking about you :)
  • I'd like to set up Garmin Connect such that when I choose 'run' on my Fenix 3, my road running shoes are linked and when I choose 'trail run' it knows that I'll be using the trail running shoes.
    As you know, it doesn't work like that, because:
    • user specification of rules for automatically assigning default gear to activities upon upload allowed by Garmin Connect do not go down to that granularity; and
    • while I don't use a Fenix 3, I doubt you can create a custom activity profile that will record and upload a record of activity type (see Step 3) Trail Running (which is in the Type table, i.e. list of recognised types, for Activities in the Garmin Connect database) as opposed to Running, irrespective of what you name the custom activity profile. (The name may have meaning to you, but cannot be assumed to be recognised by either the system or anyone else as having logical meaning.)


    Currently I can only select 'other' when I choose an activity assigned to my trail running shoes, 'trail running' is not listed as an option under gear settings.
    Or you simply accept that for trail running activities you'll have to manually add/remove gear after upload, whereas for road running activities you don't (or vice versa, depending on which type of running you do more frequently, and set the default gear for running accordingly). Nobody said it would be fully automatic and do exactly what you want.

    I have the same problem with my road and mountain bike.
    See this other discussion thread.
  • yes one would think this would be built into Connect, however this POS software never ceases to amaze me as to how hard it is to use and how lacking it is in features. The most frustrating software I have used in many years, manufactures just don't put out junk like this these days

    Very surprised there have been no answers to my post, guess it's not something Connect can do?


    +1
    Their devices are cool but their interface truly sucks. If they could pull their heads out and write a decent app they could dominate the space currently held by Strava, Map my Ride, etc.
    And don't get me started on the Mobile app. It used to be borderline usable, but the latest upgrade made it MUCH less user-friendly.
  • Hi Guys,
    Any way to set a default 'Gear' type by activity?
    I know that if I go to my Gear and edit/add some gear, I can set:
    "Automatically Add to..."
    - Running
    - Cycling
    - Hiking
    - Swimming
    - Walking
    - Other

    Problem is that I cycle once a while on the weekends on my Mountain Bike and mostly on a stationary trainer during the week at gym (which I link up to my Fenix 3 HR).
    So my default / 'auto add' Cycling option is set to my actual mountain bike. However, I would like to set the default gear for "Bike Indoor" to my "Gym Wattbike" gear which I created and have my "Bike" activity use my "Merida 80-D" gear.
  • Any way to set a default 'Gear' type by activity?

    No. The only type of automatic gear assignment rule you can set, to be applied by Garmin Connect upon data for an activity being uploaded to it, is by type (running, cycling, etc.) without taking into account the sub_sport (treadmill running, indoor cycling, etc.); furthermore, the facility for adding automatic gear assignment rules in Garmin Connect only allows the user to select a sport from the short list you cited, and not the entire 40+ types enumerated in the current FIT SDK.