Strava have confirmed live segments can not be used while riding a course - is there a definitive Garmin position on what works and what doesn’t

Scoob198
2 months ago

Hey folks - got a reply from Strava today, as their site provides info that Garmin courses and segments don’t work together (their reply is quoted below)

For context - I’d asked them about live segments, after reading something on their website and asked them if this was a Strava or a Garmin thing (their response is below)

There are threads on this, in the forums here, and I’m trying to understand if there is a definitive guide on a way to use live segments while riding a ‘course’ (Garmin’s language for following a route)  

As Garmin’s are advertised as being live segment compatible I’m still (as a new user) trying to get my head round why Garmin have chosen to code this in a way that makes following a route (eg unfamiliar territory) and also timing ourselves on segments on the way, as mutually exclusive  

I’ve seen posts about people trying to use Strava routes, Garmin connect routes and Komit routes, and it feels like it would be useful to have a single deconomics guide on this (or is it simply “Garmin’s don’t do live segments in the way that I (or many others) would like“ (I’m also aware that segment within segment doesn’t work from another question)  
—-
“Thank you for reaching out to Strava support. At this time, Strava Live Segments cannot be used when following a course via your Garmin device.
This is currently a limitation on Garmin's end.”
 

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to anderfo

    I think editing an existing course by moving the start or end point slightly is enough for Strava to go back and match the course to your currently starred segments.

    Then unstar and restar the course to force it to sync to Garmin Connect.

  • 0 1 month ago

    Honestly - it's a waste of life to have all these combinations: add to favorites/delete/keep track of the 100 segment limit. I've already cured myself of that. I went back to Wahoo and everything is simple again

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to odyn44

    Totally agree. I’ve just got a Karoo. First ride yesterday and everything just worked and the UI and screen are incredible!!  For sale edge 1040 anyone? Smile 

  • 0 1 month ago

    alright, I gave it one more chance :)

    The way as  mentioned here -damn, it works, quite stable. 

    You do not need to unstar/star segments. The key steps are:

    - route must be imported from Strava (you can create route in strava or you can upload gpx file to strava, from connect and any other source)

    - sync route to garmin device, edit route (just click edit and save) on strava and do the sync again -> then when you chose this route on Edge, you will see segments on a last screen in garmin device.

    Of course you must have Strava segments enabled on Edge (instead of Garmin's). Then, after first sync, you will see all your starred segments in Trening -> Strava Segments. But if you want them on poping up during a course, you need to do those steps described above.

    Tested on 1040 with v27.14. Probably it will work with other Edge devices ;)

    anyway... still it is far from good but it works and its better then nothing. However ... not gonna update to 1050 ;-) waiting for Karoo4 (with a better  battery) 

    EDIT: no need to edit+save route. Sync -> unstar route -> sync -> star route -> sync- that's working also. useful if you want to "update" multiple routes

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to Greg

    I did all that when I was in Calpe for a week. I managed to get the start and finish flags to show in the route on connect in the app and on my 1040, the segments showed loaded for the ride and the screen was enabled to pop up. Guess what, nothing when I got to the segments! 

    Very frustrating when you've ridden to Col de Rates to try and set a PB and then nothing. That was the last straw. Incidentally back on home on my local training loop with no route loaded and no setting changed up pop the segments.

    The Karoo just works as expected and the climb view is way better too showing the whole climb rather than just part with th next 500m worth of gradient along the bottom in 100m blocks. Just charge it like your phone Smile 

  • 0 1 month ago

    I've been using the workaround for a couple years now without issues.  Over time I've refined my process as I discovered that Strava first communicates to Garmin Connect, then to the device.  So to make this process easier and faster I leave my device off at all times.  The process- leave your device off to start.  Once the course is created for the first time on Strava, I open my Garmin Connect app on my phone to 'sync' the course to Garmin Connect.  Then I just delete the course on Garmin Connect (still using the phone).  Then I go to Strava and 'un-star' and 're-star' the course.  This forces a re-sync to Garmin Connect (still with the device turned off)  There's no need to edit it on Strava.  Now the same route will reappear on Garmin Connect on your phone.  Open the route and choose map.  You should see the new purple flags on the map.  Once you're satisfied that all segments are shown on the map (still using the phone), turn on your device.  Now the correct route with the embedded live segments will be downloaded to the device.  Just remember that whenever anyone here says the word 'syncing', it's really communication between Strava and Garmin Connect.  I would use the word 'download' to describe communication between Garmin Connect to the device.  Once you understand how everything works you start to realize you could save many steps by not involving the device until the fix is done on Garmin Connect.  Last thing, there are some segments (uphill- as Garmin will always disregard downhill segments for live segment purposes) that will never appear on a course despite using the workaround.  This is a very small percentage of the total segments.  I've asked Strava about it and they don't know the cause, but put the blame on Garmin.  I hope this helps.

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to Pdlpsher

    Cool that you got it to work with a "workaround" 

    Personally I prefer to turn on my device load a route and the have the segment pop up without a 10 steps workaround process.

    It's a bit like Stockholm syndrome on here. Don't get me wrong I've used Garmin since 500, only tried something else once, the original wahoo bolt as I was growing frustrated with Garmin but came back to a 810 due to wanting radar, then 520 plus, 530 and the 1040. Having tried something different I can't believe how back Garmin's UI and UX is.

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to Pdlpsher

    true, just noticed that unstar/star route works as well (just updated my post). However, you also can do that with your device is on. Just need to sync twice (from connect to edge).

    Once you star a route on strava it automatically syncs to Connect, so saying "sync" I mean synchronization between Connect and Edge device 

  • 0 29 days ago in reply to j4m1eb

    Nobody likes workarounds, including me.  I've spent a decent amount of time chatting with a Strava support employee (a local rider) about the issue.  He didn't give me the specifics of the issue but it's something that will require both companies to work together to find a solution.  I also got the impression that Garmin isn't looking at it as a high priority (crazy, right?).  I'm still dreaming that one day it'll just work right without the workaround, but I'm not optimistic to be honest.