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Use 520 for cycling and hiking?

Former Member over 9 years ago

Hi all,

I just got a 520 for cycling, but I'd also like to use it for hikes. I set up a separate "Activity" for hiking, but when I sync to Garmin Connect it marks my hikes as bicycling, and I have to manually switch them to mark them as hiking. Is there any way on the 520 to define an Activity as not-cycling? Or is it hard-coded that every activity recorded on the 520 is on a bike?

Thanks!

-Eben

0 Former Member over 9 years ago

See this thread: https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?331046-Activity-profile-with-activity-type

There are others like it. This seems to be a somewhat popular feature request. I know at least the polar running watches support this within their own ecosystem, and I think the garmin forerunner might as well? Not sure why the edge series doesn't.

For now, what I'm going to try to do is turn off cellular data for my connect app (I'm on iOS), and then try to remember to turn off wifi before my activity. Then do my activity, and let my edge sync with my garmin connect via bluetooth. Then I'll edit my activity, and turn on wifi to let it sync. I haven't tried this yet, but hopefully it works.

Of course, if we could simply specify an activity type per activity profile, we wouldn't have to go through any of this.

0 Prozorowicz over 9 years ago

For now, what I'm going to try to do is turn off cellular data for my connect app (I'm on iOS), and then try to remember to turn off wifi before my activity. Then do my activity, and let my edge sync with my garmin connect via bluetooth. Then I'll edit my activity, and turn on wifi to let it sync. I haven't tried this yet, but hopefully it works.

No, it will not works.

0 Former Member over 9 years ago

Ugh, lame! This indeed doesn't work. I think it's because the act of syncing your Garmin Edge device to Garmin Connect amounts to syncing into the cloud. You are not really syncing onto your mobile device first, and then from there to the cloud. Well, I mean, yes, that IS what's happening...but the actual sync operation which must succeed atomically is the sync from Garmin edge to cloud. If any part of the whole pathway is blocked, none of that operation takes place. The mobile app then just displays the contents of the cloud.

Oh well...that really really sucks. Too bad there doesn't seem to be any good alternatives. Basically I want primarily a cycling computer, but have it be flexible enough to do other sports as well, and have it work well with training peaks.

0 Former Member over 9 years ago

You know it is extra work, but it is common across the board, from vivoactive users using indoor walk for aerobics, or garmin forerunner 10/15 users using them for their bikes. Actually, using the 520 for a hike is actually less of a problem than using the 10 for cycling because of PR's.

0 Former Member over 9 years ago

It becomes more work as you increase the number of services Garmin syncs to. Also, I found out that a friend's Polar watch does allow setting activity type per activity profile. I feel that this is deliberate nerfing of a product in order to get you to buy more stuff.