ZWIFT Rides No Longer Count Towards Challenges?

Here is a video to a workaround I found using FIT File Tools, I was able to update all of my Zwift ported rides to count towards challenges fairly simply.

It’s very frustrating . This is the same for me too. My friend spoke to someone at Garmin and they were not interest. Considering we are not allowed to venture far you think Garmin would resolve this issue . Not good PR. Our club connected Garmin server along years ago as the elevation on Garmin devices all went haywire , at least 20 member again they did not care. They said they had not had other reports. All had to pay to get the devices recalibrated 

Same here. - I tried to change all my "virtual cycling" activities to just "cycling" but that didn't help.

I am getting a bit fed up with Garmin. At least they should say something. I have a Fenix 5. I am really not sure if the next should be a Fening or a Galaxy Watch for half the price.

Okay all, so after receiving some “insider” info, the reason for Garmin to allow 3rd party apps to sync with connect but not count towards challenges was because they researched and found that a lot of “scheming” Users were simultaneously recording with a Garmin device AND using the likes of Zwift. Therefore within challenges the miles were “doubling” up and therefore people cheating to get cycling badges. 

Who cares if they cheated to get some obscure badge? That's something they have to live with but doesn't affect Garmin any. Now in order to get the badges, I have to do the double workout? That breaks all my stats in Garmin connect!

No, you just have to log it with a Garmin Device and not sync your Zwift rides to Garmin. Or add a Garmin device to you Zwift rides. Or merge the Garmin activity with your Zwift ride.

What I would test when I've done the full distance for the challenge with Zwift is to create a dummy ride on the Garmin device for just 1 second, save and sync. Then edit it with the full distance for the challenge to get the badge. Then delete the dummy activity. In my experience the badge will not be removed since the challenge is completed and a completed challenge can't be reverted by what you do.

Yes, I run an indoor ride on my watch but that doesn't give me any data but time, cadence, and heart rate. I now have to go manually input distance, power, max speed, elevation gain, etc. Every single day for every single ride. 

This would make sense if Garmin gave out prizes or money for earning badges but they are literally just a carrot. There is zero value attached to them. If someone wants to cheat to earn it, who cares? go for it. 

Can't you connect your trainer to the watch/bike computer? Elevation gain is zero since you don't move so that is a virtual value. The speed and distance from Zwift are also virtual, but closer to reality than elevation gain. The real values comes from the trainer.

Tried the one long dummy ride and it gave me the badge and took it away when I deleted the workout. Which begs the question, if someone is cheating for double mileage, then why can't they just add fake mileage like I just did anyway? Once again, Garmin is only hurting the people who are coming by these badges honestly.

Zwift gives way more data than connecting your watch to the trainer. Not sure how much climbing you do on Zwift but I feel every one of those feet in elevation gain and want it documented. The system worked perfectly two weeks ago. Assuming MJWills has the correct reasoning for why it does not work anymore, Garmin broke it without thinking at all about what they were doing and who it affects. 

When I had my zwift rides auto upload to my connect everything was perfect (time distance elevation lol), no this is gone I get the virtual ride but it doesn’t count towards anything (miles , total miles , elevation ) but I thought well same time as zwift starts I will have my tacx already connect to my watch (forerunner 745) and start an activity there , so at the end I will have pretty much the same miles time watts etc but no elevation (and there are challenges for indoor bike so well I will be ok) but the thing is when I start ride and start the watch also my watts in my zwift going like (200,201,90, 200,200,90) the drops are crazy and yea I have it on instant not 3sec average  so for me at least that doesn’t work, so pretty much for now all my zwift rides doesn’t count to anything at all, sucks :/