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Where is the Virtual Cycle or Virtual Ride for Zwift Users?

Graham
over 4 years ago

Hi Garmin Developers, indoor cyclists, quarantined riders and software enhancement enthusiasts,

Are there plans for an activity like 'Virtual Run' but used for cycling?  I use an indoor basic trainer and use the Garmin Speed and Cadence sensors to connect to my Fenix 6x Sapphire.  This had worked really well for riding using the 'Bike Indoor' activity, but I've recently discovered that the Garmin Speed and Cadence sensors can connect to the Zwift App.  So, the problem is now that my wrist heart rate (OHR) monitor doesn't connect to the APP (due to it's ANT+ only connection when broadcasting) unless I select the 'virtual run' activity on my Fenix 6x. 

Ok so, the 'virtual run' activity will broadcast OHR via BT to the Zwift App, but the virtual run app doesn't sync with the Garmin Speed and Cadence sensors (audible exhale).  Which means that when I'm done my Zwift ride, I have to discard the 'virtual run' activity because the only metrics it captured is my HR and time.

The best solution to fix this problem is to create a virtual cycle or virtual bike app, that connects to all the existing bike sensors, and will broadcast them via BT to the zwift app.

Please Garmin, hear our request and create this activity Slight smile

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to 7509713
    • The challenge is for cycling - not virtual cycling. They are different activities. They require different skills. Furthermore I can go much faster on my rollers than I ever can on the road. I still have measurements if HR, Power, cadence, distance. It doesn’t make it the same as riding in the real world. If you want to ride Zwift then ride it. Just don’t get it confused with cycling. 
  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to 7509713

    On Zwift the air doesn't get thinner as you ride, The sun doesn't beat down on your back or the rain soak your shoes. The bike doesn't wobble as you hesitate on the bends. I've ridden it a few times - it is nothing like riding indoors. You don't have to choose your line. Just forget it - Zwift is Zwift - a marketing success it seems but not cycling.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    Really bad that this thread is 2+ years old and there's no official answer from Garmin.

    Just got a vivosmart 4 thinking it would seamlessly pair with Zwift on my ipad, but no... it doesn't sync or broadcast HR data through Bluetooth, which is exactly what I wanted it for. I guess it's my bad for not doing the research ahead of time. However it also seems that Garmin hasn't properly included this feature on any of their newer hardware either. Also didn't want to get a dedicated chest strap only for HR, but it looks like the best option is to just get a Wahoo and return my 0 days old vivosmart.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to 8726573

    Forerunner 245/745/945 and Fenix 6 watches can now broadcast HR over bluetooth. But still no virtual cycle activity. 

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    One more upvote here.  Please add this feature.  I'm a dedicated Zwift user and I hate not having my heart rate recorded!

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    Virtual ride for zwift please. New fenix 7 owner and first time garmin user. Watch is excellent, but for my personal use this is needed to make experience complete.

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    Very much needed feature. Any reply from Garmin on this? I have so much stuff from Garmin, watch, and Tacx trainer (which I believe belongs to Garmin now), costing so much, so I would expect better software. It's only integration with Zwift that needs to be better. You don't need Zwift for that. 

    One way to solve it easily implement following. 

    1. Introduce new option based on Virtual Run, but classified as cycling title Virtual Ride. (This should be trivial) 

    2. Now, Zwift will send the data to Garmin Connect, as well as we get Virtual Ride with only HR and time. However since both activities took place at the same time it would be easy to match the two up and optionally let users to merge the two - especially that both will have matching heart rates stats. This again should be relatively easy to detect it, and merge metrics into one set shouldn't be difficult for any dev. 

    - Metrics from zwift would include FTP, cadence, power, distance, etc, while metrics from garmin watch would compute other garmin metrics - such as training status in addition. In effect though I would see single Activity containing all metrics. 

    If you open source your software community would have done so easily ;) 

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to 9246681

    So true. We need this.