Run different timing gate sets during one activity

I’ve also been testing the Timing Gates feature. I haven’t encountered your specific issue – I think it’s enough to go to the menu, select Timing Gates > [choose Timing Gates] > Ride.

My problem is that I might have misunderstood how the feature works. It seems that Timing Gates only work within a single activity. Once the activity is saved, all the lap times are erased. When you start a new activity, you start again with no times recorded.

I thought it would be possible to race against times from previous activities – something like more accurate, personal Strava segments. In my opinion, Timing Gates only working within one activity makes them kind of useless.

It was actually the main feature why I bought the Edge MTB, so I really hope they improve it in the future to make it truly useful

I haven't used this function yet so a couple questions.  When setting us gates can I track my ride normally ?  My plan is to set gates on the ride I do most often.  Then come back to it in say a couple weeks and run thru the gates to see improvements.  I'm going a 25 miles gravel course and it's pointless if my first run is set up, then my second run will always be better cause I'm not dinking around with gates.  I'm only doing 2 laps at a crack, I want to compare this and that week more than each run per day.

One set of gates per activity.  I have several activities set like GRAVEL - FLAT & GRAVEL - ELEV because when I'm doing the no elevation gravel routes, I don't need any of the elevation fields or screens. This has worked out well.  But if gates are one per activity, couldn't you just create an activity for the specific trail and call it something like HAPPY TRAIL or whatever the name of the trail is ?  You can copy activities and rename them.  I couldn't find anything about how many you can have but it's at least 6, which is what I have.

Any comments or advice would be appreciated.

Just a comment on Garmin in general, they are really good about improving their devises.  My last computer would have a noticeable upgrade about every 3 months with something new or improved.  I mean they update all the time, but most are unnoticeable.  But then the noticeable ones come and they were always worth the wait. I mention this because it's pretty silly that I can't add gates on Garmin Connect to one of my courses.  Then not have to be physically there messing around with gates on the first run.  I can see where setting up on site would be beneficial for some, but having the ability to do it before the ride is what I think most people want/need.  And tying gates to specific course is what everyone wants.

Its a brand new function, it will improve.

When setting us gates can I track my ride normally?
Yes.

One set of gates per activity
You can create and run multiple Timing Gates within a single activity.
Once created, they will appear in the list, but you need to manually start and stop each one.

Then come back to it in say a couple weeks and run thru the gates to see improvements.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Garmin only shows improvement or decline within a single activity.
It’s a rather pointless feature in its current form — I’ve stopped using it myself.

For your use case, I recommend creating a personal Strava or Garmin segment, where you can compare times across different activities and track your progress more effectively.

Today I tested the Timing Gates again. You can really use only one set of timing gates per activity. If you want to use a different set, the device won’t allow it. You have to end the current activity, save it, and start a new one. Totally useless feature

Thanks for the replies.  Today I set some gates, actually set 10 before the end of the ride. Thursday I am going to test.

In any case, I have to agree, they seem pretty useless unless you are going to ride a whole day on the same trail which doesn't apply to a lot of people.  I am sure they will update as I haven't read any good feedback on them from anyone that's actually used them.

For me, I really just look at the end of my ride to see how I have done day to to day.  More to see how I am doing over time rather than how I hit that one section on that one day.  But it would be nice to know if I bust out a sprint in a certain section, was in better than last time.

I think it's only really useful for downhill riders who spend the whole day on a single trail. For me, as an enduro rider, it doesn't make much sense. I ride multiple trails in one activity, which I wanted to measure using the Timing Gates.

Dear Garmin, please improve the Timing Gates feature as follows:

1. It must be possible to switch to a different set of Timing Gates within a single activity. It makes no sense to end, save, and start a new activity just because the Timing Gates have changed.

2. After selecting a Timing Gates set, there should be an option to choose whether I want to race within a single activity or compare against all-time results.

3. In Garmin Connect, please create a dedicated Timing Gates tab in the Training section (in the same place as Segments). This tab should include all available data for each Timing Gate (with filters such as: day, all-time, YTD, 1 year, etc.). Ideally, it should also be possible to create a new Timing Gate directly in Garmin Connect (with the condition that the trail was previously ridden with 5Hz GPS).

I hope you’re reading this, Garmin, and that you’ll continue improving the Timing Gates feature.

Oops! I just bought the Edge MTB thinking the timing gates worked the same as on the Point 2. :(
This is a reliable software improvement; I hope the Garmin team decide to implement it .
The Point 3. custom timing gates that save your results through your activity history... I don't understand why this feature wasn't defined just like that from the beginning. 

Imagine riding a race where you preloaded the timing gates for specific segments (rock gardens, uphills...) and see in realtime +1:00, +1:10... compared against your personal record from the previous trainings, this is a valuable feature and Garming is so close to get it.
Please improve Timing Gates .

I've messed around with this feature more. First all the data imports into Connect so a comparison can be made, just not on the bike. It's clumsy but the data is there.

I did figure out a work around. Keep in mind i have been using this on my gravel bike. Instead of using a specific point for the gates, use time. Set a gate say every 10 mins. Then next ride they'll be there and you know if you hit gate 1 at 9:30 you 30 seconds faster or gate 5 at 51:00 you're back a minute. 

Not ideal but for gravel it works. I have an older garmin i used for MTB. I generally only watch my heart rate. I look at other stuff when I'm done but not when I'm riding.

Also the gates are viewable in Connect with the map. There's a little number for each gate.