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
1 month 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 4 days ago in reply to Greg

    A lot of the issues that we deal with on Edge devices are actually issues within Garmin Connect.  So I tried to emphasize that here as well by saying that the workaround is completely done with the device turned off, so people know that it has nothing to do with their device.  The same thing is happening with regards to syncing rides to Strava.  People get frustrated thinking that they bought a piece of junk when the culprit is 100% on Garmin Connect.  The rides need to be synced to Garmin Connect first and often it never makes it there.  I also found a workaround to improve syncing rides to 100% reliability by disabling communication between the device to the Garmin Connect app on the phone.  Using WiFi only (bypassing the phone) my rides get synced to Garmin Connect (then to Strava) reliably.  These issues have been around for years and it's quite crazy the Garmin has no desire on fixing.  Sad.

  • 0 4 days ago in reply to Pdlpsher

    Here's hoping this thread will get noticed as it seems previous ones around this subject are outdated. 

    What I don't understand is why Strava segments work perfectly fine when a route isn't loaded. Since the functionality already exists, just keep that process working when a route is loaded and disable the function that is searching for segments within a route. I'm sure it's not that easy, but the pieces seem to already be somewhat in place.

  • 0 3 days ago in reply to billbiwer

    Indeed.  A good suggestion.  But just like all of the other Garmin bugs where all of the individual pieces are there but they just don't work together.  We could only hope Garmin is reading this.