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Winter's coming - how to track indoor bike use?

Looking ahead, I'll be swapping my outdoor walks for indoor stationary bike use. (The manual only talks about a treadmill that I can find.) So, the watch can track my HR, but probably not any kind of step/distance equivalence for the bike. Is it possible to enter the data from the bike's display? Will the watch perform any calculations based on this?

I'm trying to be proactive and think through what I'd like to track and what will provide some continuity of data between winter stationary bike use and outdoor walks. For my walks, I'm most interested in HR and pace/speed. Another key metric for me is total number of steps per day.

Semi-tangential afterthought: does the smartphone app sync with the online/browser program, or are there some limitations there?

Top Replies

Former Member over 4 years ago +1

Using the treadmill function you can save and calibrate so you input the treadmill mileage manually.I'm at a loss as to why you can't also do this on indoor cycling!!???

All Replies

0 Former Member over 4 years ago

Same question : )

0 tmk2 over 4 years ago

enso said:
Is it possible to enter the data from the bike's display?

Not on the watch, but in Garmin Connect after upload.

enso said:
Will the watch perform any calculations based on this?

No. The watch won't recalculate anything. Garmin Connect will do some basic recalculations (like for example calculating average speed based on the distance you enter), but that's about it.

enso said:
Another key metric for me is total number of steps per day.

No kind of biking - either outdoor or indoor - will give you any steps, unless you do something weird with your arms while cycling.

enso said:
does the smartphone app sync with the online/browser program,

Both the mobile app and the Garmin Connect website are just an interface to the online Garmin Connect cloud, where all your data is stored. So both the mobile app and Garmin Connect website should show you the same data after sync.

0 Former Member over 4 years ago

for indoor biking, since the watch won't track distance, you could also get a tracker for your cycling shoe, it will track the distance based on the revolutions of your foot.

0 Former Member over 4 years ago

Using the treadmill function you can save and calibrate so you input the treadmill mileage manually.I'm at a loss as to why you can't also do this on indoor cycling!!???

0 Former Member over 4 years ago

I have the same question--if it can figure out a treadmill, why not a bike? If we set it to treadmill, would it come close? Meanwhile, I found the Wahoo Cadence Sensor for $40 online, but that means I have the Garmin, the bike sensor, and then a third device that shows up on your phone. Clunky.

0 Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to Former Member

I am going to try an indoor bike ride with the watch set on Treadmill at the gym tomorrow!

0 enso over 4 years ago in reply to Former Member

ibbo68, I'm curious how that went...

0 Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to enso

I'm just going now.Will report back later.....

0 Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to Former Member

Non starter I think.It still did not record any distance or pace.I think it might if I use treadmill>workouts>intervals but then I'm not sure if it will accurately convert it to the correct mileage.

Frustrating.

I'm sure Garmin could configure it into an update!?