ZWIFT Rides No Longer Count Towards Challenges?

Trux, I think you don't get "our" (the disappointed Zwift users) problem. All you suggestions will work - but they will not work like we want to. Have you ever seen the data Zwift sends to Garmin? Everything is included: GPS Track, heart rate, cadence, incline, speed, distance and so on.

If you pair your trainer with a Garmin watch you will miss GPS data and incline within the recorded file, 'cause the trainer doesn't know about the incline and the route you did. Speed and distance will be wrong 'cause the trainer is calculating it based on the speed of the wheel rotation. This differs (massively) from the Zwift data. A simple example: if you are doing a workout on Zwift, you'll have to do (for example) 10 minutes at 200W. The ERG mode of the trainer will ensure that the resistance is set to 200W, no matter wich gear you've chosen. Now if the trainer calculates speed/distance it will not calculate that based on the 200W, it will calculate it by the rotation speed. If you do 200W at a low gear, your wheel will move slower and as a result you distance will be lower. If you do the same at high gear, the wheel is spinning much faster, so the distance will be longer. Zwift is using a good physics engine to calculate the right values, even your weight and the kind of (virtual) road you've been riding on will be considered to have something very similar to "real world data" - the trainer itself isn't. Yes, you will see "user did 200W for 10 minutes" within the recording of the Garmin watch. But a lot of data is missing.

The next problem: A lot of Equipment is not able to handle several destinations. One of my HR belts is only able to be paired to one device at once. Where should I pair it? the Garmin watch or Zwift? From my point of view it's more important at Zwift. But if I do so I will get no HR data at the Garmin recording and wrong calculated "burnt calories".

Your mentioned method would be ok if I would only be interested in the calories I burnt, that data should be the same at Zwift and Garmin. But I'm interested in the complete "real world data" even if I'm riding in a virtual environment. Zwift offers that data. A trainer paired with a Garmin watch isn't.

Yes, you could modify some data after uploading it to Garmin. But that's a lot of work to do and you will still not see the same data like you do within a recording from Zwift.

So there's still only on thing you can do: change the "recorded by" entry within the fit file from Zwift to a Garmin device which will work fine. All other solutions will lead to different data at Garmin Connect.

He gets all that.  He just doesn't care.  Since the fine print said data has to be recorded on a Garmin device, he will just keep pointing that out.  That's why I said in my post that I get Garmin can do what they want here...but so can I.  Voting with your wallet is the best way to get their attention.  Unfortunately, we're not buying these devices with enough regularity as to make dissatisfaction noticed.  The lack of interoperability of these services/data has been an ongoing frustration of mine.  I fixed my January data to get the challenges recorded, but I'm pretty certain I'll just stop doing them on Garmin Connect and just track miles there.  I'll stick with Strava for everything else.

1598148 said:

That is a workaround and does not fix the problem.  We don't want workarounds.

And what do you expect other users can give you else than existing solutions or workarounds? Take it or leave it. The help from other volunteers here is free, so please leave your offensive comments for yourself. If you do not want to use the "workarounds", it does not mean other users visting this thread won't be thankful for the solution. If you want a change, contact the Garmin Support, not the user forum.

I do not expect other users voluntary or not to fix a problem that Garmin has created.  I initially posted on the forum before discovering that this had been a change implemented by Garmin recently and as mentioned above have submitted a support ticket.  You seem to advocate for Garmin though which is ignoring the underlying problem as raised by multiple individuals.  If you haven't noticed......the general consensus is we don't wan't workarounds, we want it to work as it previously did.  The fact you find my comment offensive says more about you than me.  Appreciate you trying to help but maybe learn to read the room.

Garmin already prevented first beat metrics from being including when recording zwift activities due to "licensing agreements with firstbeat." that require you to record the activity on garmin devices in order to return certian firstbeat metrics. Now Garmin is saying you also don't get badges. Frankly I am not surpised Garmin would take this step. But it's incredible how little Garmin cares about it's users. But in the long term all these little actions by Garmin will add up and with more competitors entering the market it will make it more likely that people will leave the Garmin eco-system for a competitor which cares about what their users experience. 

1598148 said:

I do not expect other users voluntary or not to fix a problem that Garmin has created.

Many users want their challenges and badges now, so waiting whether and when Garmin changes the badges conditions won't help them, but they can fix it instantly themselves, if they follow the tips from this thread. And the general consensus won't change it either.

As above. Completed two rides. Both have updates to Connect but they aren’t going against my Feb Joy Rides badge which is showing zero kms.

That is how it is now. Zwift rides do not count for challenges. Read more here: forums.garmin.com/.../zwift-rides-no-longer-count-towards-challenges

Hi there! To receive badges, the activities have to be performed on a Garmin device.