Tactix/Fenix + Treadmill + Stryd. Any Way to Record VO2 Max?

i have a tactix delta paired to a polar hr chest strap and a stryd foot pod. i run on a treadmill using the "treadmill run" profile. i have yet to see any mention of VO2 max since owning the watch, though i do see the following training effect data from each run:

primary benefit

anaerobic score

aerobic score

exercise load

so my question is, how can i find out my VO2 max?  i do NOT run outside (100% treadmill), and my main sport is mountain biking (but without a power meter). i've read that it IS somehow possible for the device to use the stryd meter to calculate this, but here's where i get lost. i find this subject to be incredibly confusing, but here's what i've gathered so far from my research (correct any errors please):

1. there are 2 ways to have the watch calculate VO2 max: either by running outdoors for 10 minutes with a GPS lock or cycling with a power meter. it seems there may be a third way by just walking (making sure you're at 70% max hr), but that may be limited to vivoactive? not sure about option 3 for the tactix/fenix line

2. the "treadmill run" and "trail run" profiles will not calculate vo2 max regardless of anything else. you can't use them as they disable VO2 calculations for some reason

3. it "may" be possible to use the "run" profile, disable GPS and use the stryd and the watch will calculate it, but this may interfere with other numbers/metrics. research is VERY unclear on this point

4. buy a compatible power meter (NOT a speed / cadence sensor - these won't work to calculate VO2 max) and have the garmin calculate while mountain biking

5. failing everything else, either find a way to run outside once in a while or just calculate your VO2 max manually using one of the hundreds of online calculating tools available

any help making sense of all this would be greatly appreciated

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  • No other way to calculate VO2 Max. The FirstBeat VO2 Max calculation requires outdoors running or biking on roads. Mountain biking, indoor training bikes, and treadmills won't give you a VO2 Max result.

    You could try to "trick" it by using an outdoor running profile while on a treadmill, but the results won't be accurate because it wasn't designed for that.

    In order to do what you're wanting to do, FirstBeat would need to invent a new algorithm that doesn't currently exist.

  • No other way to calculate VO2 Max. The FirstBeat VO2 Max calculation requires outdoors running or biking on roads. Mountain biking, indoor training bikes, and treadmills won't give you a VO2 Max result.

    You could try to "trick" it by using an outdoor running profile while on a treadmill, but the results won't be accurate because it wasn't designed for that.

    In order to do what you're wanting to do, FirstBeat would need to invent a new algorithm that doesn't currently exist.

    I think that's incorrect.  I am connecting my fenix 6x Pro to my chest HRM and the ANT+ Power and Speed/Cadence output from my Concept 2 BikeErg (i.e. indoor training bike).  Among the various metrics tracked and recorded is VO2 Max.  I've been doing this for a while and the VO2 Max data seem pretty reliable to me. I am using the Bike Indoor App.

    HTH

  • No other way to calculate VO2 Max. The FirstBeat VO2 Max calculation requires outdoors running or biking on roads. Mountain biking, indoor training bikes, and treadmills won't give you a VO2 Max result.

    Not quite. It requires outside road running (not trail running) or cycling with a power meter (indoor and MTB qualify if they have a PM).

  • I would try to make a copy of the standard outdoor run activity, disable GPS and use Stryd for speed and distance. It sounds weird if the VO2 calculation really checks for GPS lock, it only requires heart rate, speed, distance and perhaps elevation.

  • Have you tried? I think is an interesting test. But you will lose calibration possibility at the end of the workout  so the datas could be not reliable. 

  • I believe vo2max for running calculation still uses GPS even though youre using stryd for distance and pace. Even though you copy run profile and disable the GPS and use it on treadmill, the profile works but vo2max will not be calculated because GPS is not available.

  • Treadmill does calculate vo2 max on my Fenix 6x Sapphire BLK DLC but not much else.. . I'm up to 41 at the moment... I've never run outside.... What you won't get though is the full use of the features... like training status.. or recommendations for the day etc etc... 

    Its always best to run outside twice at least like the watch states,for your proper training metrics.... but yes treadmill gives me vo2max... increases... decreases etc... 

  • I would have thought for VO2Max all you need is pace and heart rate for running?

    As long as your footpod gives pace and distance,. i think using outdoor run and ignoring the random GPS track gets you what you need.

  • No Garmin VO2Max for running requires GPS as an input.

    But a VO2Max estimate and Stryd Power estimate are both trying to quantify the metabolic cost of exercise. The Critical Power from Stryd should be about the same steady state effort as your 2nd lactate turnpoint or lactate threshold or the beginning of zone 5. It's the HR or metabolic output you can sustain for an hour.

    The Firstbeat VO2Max estimate is pretty dubious anyway. It's strongly influenced by your max HR setting and has substantial error bars around +-5-9% (according to them depending on various input errors).

    I would advise you to not take the Garmin / Firstbeat VO2Max seriously. The Stryd power zones and/or HR Zones based on lactate threshold using Joe Friel's formulas. Joe Friel describes how to do a home lactate threshold test without a lab and TrainingPeaks will also estimate it for you.

    <www.outsideonline.com/.../running-power-stryd-research-2020>

    <www.stryd.com/running-power-definition>

    <https://assets.firstbeat.com/firstbeat/uploads/2017/06/white_paper_VO2max_30.6.2017.pdf>

  • Too be honest, Stryd power is also dubious.

    Just changing shoes changes power / distance.