Biking with Blaze not recording steps

[anitacan]

I just got a Blaze and am disappointed to find out it doesn't seem to register steps for biking like the Charge HR which would give me about 10,000 steps for a 20 mile ride.  In looking through the community, I've seen that some people don't want steps for biking, and that the Surge and the Blaze are designed this way, to minimize steps for biking.  Guess I'm not one of these people.  I guess I will have to wear my Charge HR when I go biking.

[Kait5991 · Accepted solution]

I was also a little disappointed when I discovered this too. I feel like we should be able to choose if we want it to count steps while recording biking or not.

[anitacan]

That would be the ideal solution.

[SunsetRunner]

Is there.a solution?

[anitacan]

No.  We were just thinking it would be nice if you could configure whether or not you wanted steps to be counted in biking.

[Rich_Laue]

Many people feel that while biking, your cheating of you receive steps. 

Kind of like when mobile track gives you 2 million steps in 1.5 hours.

I see the request was not heavily voted for

[mooreplusone]

I would like more accurate counts as well. Sad that I have to downgrade my device to do so. I split my time between running / biking about 40/60

[5morganpk]

Very disappointed that Blaze does not track steps while cycling.  Cycling is my main form of excercise and I work very hard at it.   I dont understand the thought the it is cheating.  Basically for every one mile I walk with my Fitbit flex it takes 4 to 5 miles on the bike to get the same amount of steps. 

I will continue to wear my flex on my cycling shoe and leave my Blaze at home when I ride. 

A very unhappy customer of this Fitbit Blaze flaw!!!!!

[anitacan]

Yes, when I cycle I use my Charge HR. I find it takes me about 20 miles to
get 10,000 steps on my bike.

[Rich_Laue]

20 miles make sense, 1 cpedal crank may take you as far as 24-28 feet 

Besides while Biking a person isnt stepping, and if the Fitbit is on the arm it will only count bumps in the road.

[Jaggy]

So just what is Fitbit doing to let us record steps on a stationary exercise bike. I need to monitor my efforts on an exercise bike. Otherwise I fall short of my daily target. I'm a very unhappy first time Fitbit Blaze user! Please can others who feel likewise lodge a protest in this forum. Maybe then Fitbit will respond positively to our justified complaints.

[Rich_Laue]

This subject is way more complex than moust in this thread realize.

There is a request to have all steps removed while biking, as they currently are when logging a period of time as driving, i assume yoy won't be voting for that request.

Their thought is that while on a bike a person isnt walking and the steps recorded affect the true dail step count.

So what's my point,  this is not a simple subject, but needs the pros and cons hashed out. For every person that adamantly wants biking recorded as steps, i can find one that is just as adamant to have them removed. 

Some find it unacceptable the fitbit records the bumps the bike goes over as steps, this is a problem with every step tracker on the market.

So how do we please all?

[anitacan]

I think it would be nice for them to put a toggle in the profile setup to
turn on or off step counting when biking.

[Akshatha]

I was very disappointed today. I biked for more than 6miles today and I had also kept my activity tracker on for biking but still my blaze shows only 0.41 miles 😞 . 

[Rich_Laue]

Are you sure the connected gps was conected, and the phone was with you? 

[Jaggy]

Hi Rich,
Tks for your reply.
I am using a stationary indoor exercise bike. Blaze does not recognise this!
I have reached an unsatisfactory temporary solution: I wear Blaze on my ankle (strap just fits), so for a distance of say 9km it records 2000 paces. This way I am at least recording this activity.
Regards

Sent from my iPhone

[Akshatha]

@Rich_Laue: My dashbord has my biking distance along with the map tracking my path so definately it was connected to my phone and yes my phone was with me. I waited for a while to check if my tracker gets sincked to the distance I biked. But even now I don't see any updates on my tracker 😞

[Rich_Laue]

@Akshatha I guess it would depend on how the exercise bike is being used. 

Spinning is both an auto detectable and manual exercise.. There is also the bike exercise that can be added, choosing. Bike with GPS off would be a good option.. I'm not sure how well the HE works on the leg, this would have an affect on calories burnt recording. 

[Jaggy]

Tks Akshatha,
I'm not aware that the gps can be turned off for a bike. Without gps I can't see how distance could be measured. Wearing Blaze on the ankle is the only fix I can suggest, though hardly a satisfactory solution.

Sent from my iPhone

[Akshatha]

@Rich_Laue, @Jaggy: I will try wearing it on the ankle next time. Thank you :).