Fenix and Edge Integration

Former Member over 8 years ago

Does anyone have information on whether Garmin is working on integrating their watches (such as the fenix) and the Edge series? Specifically in terms of syncing workouts and the Training Status metrics. I'm confused how the current "best practice" for getting comprehensive data seems to be to use your watch for everything, instead of supplementing the watch with a bike computer that is both expensive and better suited to the purpose of cycling.

I'm not a coder but this seems like it would be doable by aggregating the workouts and metrics from both devices in Garmin Connect, and then pulling that info back onto the device. I've noticed that Training Status is currently device-dependent in Garmin Connect, but I see no reason why this needs to be the case.

Isn't this sort of synergy between Garmin's various devices precisely the sort of thing they should be selling to their core audience who is willing to spend $600-800 on a Fenix 5?

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0 PubBike over 8 years ago

I have several IQ data-fields that cannot work on the Fenix.

Did you already try asking the developers whether they could make versions of the fields that work on the Fenix?

0 atmasphere over 8 years ago

import Edge workouts on the Fenix?

Is there any way to import a completed workout from an Edge so that it shows and gives credit on the Fenix dashboard? I realize this is perhaps and edge case but given this thread and the collective desire to share data I thought perhaps someone here might have figured this out. Right now unless you directly track (discard at the conclusion seems to work) there's no way I can see to share data which resides on Garmin Connect from other devices.

0 atmasphere over 8 years ago

.fit transfer ... sorta

I copied today's .fit file from my Edge 520 to the Fenix just using Windows Explorer and while it's not showing up in my last ride widget or distance on the watch face, I can see it in my activity list and in my day. I noticed the naming is pretty different on both devices from the files on both, but the F5 truncated the Edge file to make it closer ... still a work in progress.

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

Thanks for doing this experiment! I asked this same question early in this thread, but I don't own a F5 to try it. The biggest questions will be if you see your overall fitness tracking data move.

Can you try looking at some of the performance metrics, such as Training Status or Recovery Time before you do a workout with your Edge, and then after you pull in the activity? Perhaps even restarting the watch or something like that to see if the algorithm can be convinced to pull the new workout data you have uploaded.

Thanks,
Shep

0 atmasphere over 8 years ago

Thanks for doing this experiment! I asked this same question early in this thread, but I don't own a F5 to try it. The biggest questions will be if you see your overall fitness tracking data move.

Can you try looking at some of the performance metrics, such as Training Status or Recovery Time before you do a workout with your Edge, and then after you pull in the activity? Perhaps even restarting the watch or something like that to see if the algorithm can be convinced to pull the new workout data you have uploaded.

I tried the watch reset and sync earlier after nothing showed up (so I thought initially). What's interesting is that the Last Sport initially only shows the actually tracked on the watch ride, but when I click in on that screeen I can actually see the Edge tracked event from today. That data presents the same on the Week view which currently the next widget, but on My Day I can clearly see the ride (in time only) from today and not that same earlier in the week ride which was showing as current on the other screens. Guessing that there's perhaps something slightly different about the .fit formats for the devices causing this partial view ... would love it to work. Ideally automatically via Garmin Connect sync.

0 atmasphere over 8 years ago

one more test

Today I ran both my F5 and Edge 520 on a ride and they generally track the same even suggesting Strava segments and distance laps at almost the exact same moment. The Fenix seems to really suck at tracking power from my Stages power meter which is an ongoing challenge. It under reports considerably compared to the Edge which never has an issue and both are pretty close in distance on the handlebar / wrist.

Today I discarded the F5 activity after things ended and I can see my total distance traveled today on the watch, but my last activity is not the ride, instead, it's showing yesterday's run which was only tracked (and synced) on the Fenix. I don't see any way around the sync and delete (on connect and strava) method for now to get the data to properly reflect on the Fenix. Sadly ...

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

Today I ran both my F5 and Edge 520 on a ride and they generally track the same even suggesting Strava segments and distance laps at almost the exact same moment. The Fenix seems to really suck at tracking power from my Stages power meter which is an ongoing challenge. It under reports considerably compared to the Edge which never has an issue and both are pretty close in distance on the handlebar / wrist.

Pair the Stages with the 5X via BLE instead of ANT+, works perfectly. Had the same issue before.

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

Just wanted to follow up with my own personal experience on this. I've found that the best solution by far is to simply not expect the Fenix 5 to be a comprehensive data hub. Unless the Fenix is your only sports device this simply isn't a good solution since Garmin does not pull enough data onto it from the web (workouts, performance data, etc). Personally I've found that just using Training Peaks as my data hub works much better for me. It doesn't care whether stats come from my Fenix or my Edge, and actually gives me much better insight than the Fenix. Lots of charts and graphs to nerd out on.

Unless Garmin updates the Fenix software, its performance metrics features feel more like a marketing ploy than a serious training tool, as I imagine that many triathletes have a bike computer AND a watch that they use. And the Fenix software just ignores this fact.

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

Pair the Stages with the 5X via BLE instead of ANT+, works perfectly. Had the same issue before.

Beware that the bluetooth integration can be pretty buggy. My powertap G3 has a strong signal to my Fenix 5 with no dropouts, however it often fails to connect at all at the beginning of a ride, and does annoying things like doubling cadence values. Maybe some of these things have been fixed in the 4.10 software update, but I haven't seen it mentioned in the release notes...

0 atmasphere over 8 years ago

Just wanted to follow up with my own personal experience on this. I've found that the best solution by far is to simply not expect the Fenix 5 to be a comprehensive data hub. Unless the Fenix is your only sports device this simply isn't a good solution since Garmin does not pull enough data onto it from the web (workouts, performance data, etc). Personally I've found that just using Training Peaks as my data hub works much better for me. It doesn't care whether stats come from my Fenix or my Edge, and actually gives me much better insight than the Fenix. Lots of charts and graphs to nerd out on.

Unless Garmin updates the Fenix software, its performance metrics features feel more like a marketing ploy than a serious training tool, as I imagine that many triathletes have a bike computer AND a watch that they use. And the Fenix software just ignores this fact.

yeah yeah yeah ... I don't expect the Fenix to replace the obviously more comprehensive web views and access. I'm synced to Connect, Strava and Training Peaks and they all have their merits. I just want a more realistic view of my activity on the wrist.