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Cycling and step count

Gabs
over 6 years ago

Hi - is there really no way to get steps while cycling? I cycle to and from work several times a week and I don't think I get a single step during those rides. I simply can't make my 10k daily step counts on the days that I ride due to the time it takes and that really annoys me, especially as I am working out way more on that bike than I would just walking around the block to get my steps!  I'm not suggesting a step a cycle or anything, but surely there's a way for Garmin to calculate an equivalent step count per X pedal strokes etc?  

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    Gabs, like you, coming from Fitbit, I was surprised to see a low step count while cycling. Case in point, yesterday morning after cycling, my Garmin Venu showed 1300 steps. My Fitbit had over 10,000 steps. Granted, my ride was recorded on my Garmin 830, but if your daily step count goal is set for 10,000, many days unless you do a lot of walking or secondary exercise after cycling, you might not reach your goal. 

    I can confirm with Dirtkahuna's post, if you want to get steps for cycling, strap your Garmin to your ankle. I did this earlier this evening for the first time and it worked. I started with 3k steps (slow Sunday for me, took it easy!) and ended my ride with close to 11k steps. Going forward, I will be strapping my Garmin to my ankle to get credit for cycling. For me, I just wore a crew sock and kept the Venu with the band still attached, behind the sock. It worked flawlessly. Your sock generally doesn't shift while cycling so the watch stayed secure from start to finish. 

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

    I just did through the laces of my trainer just got home after quite a few miles and only the strap remained attached to my ankle -the actual garmin had fallen out en route! ! Not really much use.

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    It won't be recorded in teh watch but you could calculate it using something like:
    (Cadence X 2) X number_of_minutes_cycled. Cadence is the number of steps per minute for 1 leg. 

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to mtsarpilot

    The driving need is my employer's health insurance rewards me for steps not for cycling.

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to linknc

    I've had friends as me about the lump on my ankle. I tell them that I'm wearing a court-mandated tether. ;-)

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    Fitbit does this and not by movement, but likely by calculating speed and distance when cycling, then providing an estimate of equivalent step activity. I have to agree that this is a shortcoming for Garmin and I preferred the way Fitbit dealt with this. Although yes, technically they are not "steps", there are very few "goal" options with Garmin. The way I deal with it purely from a personal fitness/activity goal aspect is I have a 3,000 calorie and a 10,000 step goal per day. If I meet or exceed either one of those I consider the day to be a success. If I meet or exceed both , then I have a huge plate of nachos! (kidding). Coming from Fitbit, I find Garmin too complicated in some ways and not flexible enough in others. I think a lot of these companies try too hard to make a watch do everything and things it really can't do well. Like strength training . . . how is it supposed to count leg movements when you're sitting on a weight machine and only moving your legs? Still, as an overall estimate of how much more activity I'm doing in a day, it's worth it even with all the shortcomings and stupid complexities. 

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    I agree, that insurance companies need to change their policies. I'm required to get 7,000 steps per day for 20 days a month, or weigh myself 10 times per month. 

    If I'm cycling 30 miles 4 times during the week it doesn't count. Neither do the 50-75 miles on the weekend. 

    Weighing myself is a joke. I usually hold weights and random objects while weighing myself on their cellular reporting scale. The weight doesn't even matter, it's the weighing in. It's more ridiculous than the BMI calculations.

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to linknc

    In addition to my post from a couple of years ago, I've also found that keeping the Garmin in your pocket during cycling activities, counts steps as well. I found this out during the beginning of a ride a few days back. I had forgot to strap my secondary Garmin to my ankle/sock area. I stopped, took my Venu off of my wrist and put it in my right pocket. At the conclusion of the ride, I had thousands of steps counted. 

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to linknc

    I don't even recall how I stumbled upon this forum.

    Pockets are good when you're not wearing cycling shorts. I think I was trying to figure out how to use Zwift with the Garmin to track steps. 

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to OSU_Buck_eye

    This old post!  I have survived not getting steps counted when I ride, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to try now. I could never strap the thing to my ankle as the strap is too small, but might go the pocket way...