Merge Activities for Multiple Garmin Devices

Ideally the watch would just be an interface to Connect and show all data available in Connect regardless of whether it originated in the watch or some other device.

That is pretty much what the Garmin wearable devices and bicycle computers are not intended to be: user-interactive client devices for the cloud-based Garmin Connect service. While I can see how the idea would have great appeal to fitness device buyers and users, Garmin is not presently in the business of selling a premium subscription-based fitness data analytics service, and even its flagship devices do not have built-in radios for mobile/outdoor connectivity, so it would be a mistake to liken the Garmin ecosystem/model to, say, Dropbox, Evernote, or Office 365 service offerings that try to be as fully featured as many different devices as possible while making switching from one physical interface (i.e. connected device) to another as seamless as possible.

So basically, the Garmin connect ecosystem does not support the use of multiple devices on the same account to add to the same fitness profile.

Well, there is the rather limited TrueUp capability for activity tracking metrics, but not for anything more sophisticated than that especially around sport analytics.

I have owned many Garmin devices over the years starting with a Geko many years ago. More recently through my cycling I have used an Edge 500 and the 520 and recently got the Vivoactive 3. I am a loyal Garmin customer. I started using the connect App when I got my Edge 520 which enabled me to upload through my phone via the BT. I was still using my older 500 on a commuter bike and started using Connect to upload that by plugging in via USB after each ride (Also Strava stopped auto finding the 500 activities). Connect would then push the activities to Strava which is where I do most of my data analysis. Through using the GCM app I noticed it could contain all my health data and I was interested in utilising that.

I have to admit that my recent purchase of the Vivoactive 3 was mainly as I was already using Connect for all my riding data. I thought it would automatically combine the data from multiple devices to give a combined health picture. This seems like it would be quite easy for the Connect app to do. It has all the data, so all it would require is a little data analysis to put all activities on the same timeline and combine the common metrics (like HR which is on multiple devices). Sadly I am disappointed by the lack of this feature. I may as well have gotten another branded product as using the same app for multiple devices gives no real benefit. Many VA3 features like intensity minutes make not sense for me since most of my intensity is done on the Edge 520 and that does not show up in connect or on the VA3. Similarly, my max HR shows up on my VA3 but it is not useful since I hit much higher on a ride used the 520.

I would not expect Garmin to make this a subscription service. My thoughts were that they would limit connect to only support Garmin devices, and the support for multiple devices would enhance the appeal of users getting multiple Garmin devices, and Garmin would earn profits from the extra device sales. It may be possible for me to used the Apple Health App to combine all the data, but Connect seems rather limited in its support of that.

… the support for multiple devices would enhance the appeal of users getting multiple Garmin devices, and Garmin would earn profits from the extra device sales.

I think that's the intent behind TrueUp, because some customers wanted (for example) to wear a Forerunner triathlon watch when training, a fenix for dressier occasions, and a lighter activity tracking band in the vivo family when retiring for the night, but still want 24x7 tracking of certain metrics. There is a lot of overlap between said devices, and so would be a hard sell to get consumers to cough up the asking prices just for marginal benefits in variety/convenience/style. Buying an Edge bicycle computer is something else; being a more specialised device, keen cyclists will most likely buy something like that regardless. Yes, they could go with different brands and manufacturers, but then their cycling, running, and swimming (etc.) activities don't get uploaded to the same platform and in the same calendar, unless they use yet-another fitness and sports tracking platform (at additional expense of effort and perhaps money) for integration.

In my case, Strava is my preferred app for tracking activities, but it does not handle the general health metrics. I can buy devices from many suppliers and have them easily appear in Strava for rides, swims and runs. Previously I had used an old forerunner for running, a Garmin Swim for swimming and the Edge 520 for riding, but I could have gotten other brands and they all support Strava these days. But Strava does not do steps, sleep etc. So I was looking to move to something that supported everything, and I thought Connect would be it, but it is not.

I ride with some triathletes and most have a multi sport watch, but they all still use a dedicated bike computer (mostly Edge series), as it is not convenient to read a watch when riding. To me it makes sense to support a bike computer with a multi sport fitness watch. The wrist is not the best place to have your data when on a bike. I don't see the bike computer as overly specialised. My Vivoactive 3 can support bike activities as well as run, swim and general health, but it does a poor job of bike compared to an Edge. It makes sense to me to integrate the devices better so you can use the best tool for the job and still get the combined data from all tools.

Is there another tool out there that can take the data from my multiple devices and combine the fitness picture as I have described in this thread? I guess it would still miss the ability to display the combined devices on the watch displayed metrics anyway.

I… still use a dedicated bike computer (mostly Edge series), as it is not convenient to read a watch when riding.

I'm not trying to sway you into a set-up and/or spending money you wouldn't otherwise spend, but isn't what you described a reason why a market exists for handle-bar mounts for fitness wearable devices? Obviously the wearables are not actually optimised for cycling, in terms of capabilities (e.g. metrics and navigational aids it can track and present), but seriously which manufacturer or cloud-based health-and-fitness analysis service provider has been promising seamless integration of the best tracking for each discipline that money can buy?

Personally, I think if more Garmin customers are willing/vocal about paying a premium for a analytics service on top of buying specialist devices for activity data collection, then Garmin would be more prepared to see it as lateral business opportunity to diversify/increase its revenue.