forerunner 945 does not calculate steps when recumbent cycling. How can I add estimated steps to the activity?

You can’t 

Garmin devices only counts steps when something that can be identified as a step is registered. Converting activities that got no steps to steps will not work.

Step counting is turned off during cycling activities. If you still want to see how many steps you take during a bike ride you will have to log your ride as something else and then afterwards change type to cycling. There will not be many steps since your arms are mostly still.

You would need to swing arms while biking and record it as a non-bike activity.   Could try strapping to ankle and see if that prevents the need to swing arm.  

I have long since found that steps are not a very good metric for activity.  I often bike for many hours a week, or even 3-7hrs in a day...  I get nearly zero steps those days.  Track/view Calorie burn or Active Minutes is the better source of data for training.  Plus Garmin rolls that data up very nicely into different reports.

Why you should count steps while cycling? Sounds like calculating how many laps in the pool you have done while running...I don't get the point

Why you should count steps while cycling? Sounds like calculating how many laps in the pool you have done while running...I don't get the point

Some manufacturers count steps on everything and use steps as activity counter and some people think that Garmin should do the same stupid thing.

jmto said:

some people think that Garmin should do the same stupid thing.

I don't want my Garmin counting everything I do with steps either, but I don't think it's stupid.  Many corporations have sites where employees can sync their fitness devices and they give discounts on medical insurance based on steps. Maybe an on/off option for those that want that feature. 

The easiest way for you is to put the watch on the ankle and start an activity that isn't biking (since those doesn't count steps). Then after sync you change the activity type to cycling. That way you will get the steps.

Easier is if you get yourself a bike computer. Then you can log the activity with that and just have the watch on your ankle without starting an activity.

e7andy said:

The easiest way for you

who knows said:

I don't want my Garmin counting everything I do with steps either

My response was that I didn't think it was a stupid idea for those who wanted it and I gave an example.  I'm one who doesn't want steps counted for any activities and think steps should only be counted when outside of any activities.