GPS and steps module separate on the Ionic and Surge?

[dude]

I have been puzzled why the distance as shown during GPS running is wrong - as reported by many people, and why steps/cadence are not available from the GPS trace. 

It seems that distance shown whilst running comes from a step count times step length, something that trackers without GPS do.

I have come to the following conclusion, there are two separate (software) modules and they do not communicate.

This is why topic https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Surge/Export-steps-cadence-from-GPS-activities-to-Strava-and-TCX-fil... not going to happen anytime soon, if ever.

Ionic development should address these issues, but although there have been several this year, I don't see that any have addressed the list of feature requests. The latest update did not even mention any user visible fixes.

Disappointed with progress.

[bbarrera]

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@dude wrote:

I have been puzzled why the distance as shown during GPS running is wrong - as reported by many people, and why steps/cadence are not available from the GPS trace. 

It seems that distance shown whilst running comes from a step count times step length, something that trackers without GPS do.

I have come to the following conclusion, there are two separate (software) modules and they do not communicate.

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@dude Disagree with your conclusion, and here is why - its easy to show that GPS distance is possible - you can record walks/hikes/runs with bike mode and it will use GPS for distance. And you don't need GPS to calculate running cadence (just steps and time between steps). The data is there and can be extracted, Fitbit just doesn't do it.

The simple explanation is that Fitbit uses "steps x stride" for consistency across all the trackers. While tracking a walk/hike/run, GPS is used to update the stride. After completing the activity, GPS is also used for the map.

As for running cadence... Fitbit has always been focused on keeping things simple, seeking to broaden coverage of basic health metrics like sleep and now smart features (music, payments) instead of going deeper into sports. As a result, Fitbit product management has turned a blind eye to more serious sports metrics and data. Just a few things Fitbit doesn't support, but easily could:

- running cadence

- external HRM (chest straps)

- foot-pods for increased accuracy both outside and on treadmill

- cycling sensors for cadence, speed, and power

[Rich_Laue]

Currently, there is no need to export GPS data to import to your Strava. 

Link your Fitbit account with your Strava account. And your GPS tracked runs.. With the GPS data is passed on to Strava .this tends to counter attract your claim. 

The request @dude is so that people can send their past GPS recorded events, those events done before linking up to Strava. 

[bbarrera]

@Rich_Laue I think you are confused. @dude has or had a Garmin Forerunner 220 and his 2014 file example clearly shows the Garmin 220 outputting run cadence in TCX file. (Garmin Connect has sync'd to Strava before Fitbit launched Surge and TCX export).

Fitbit sync and/or export will not output run cadence.

It is technically possible for Fitbit to display run cadence (steps per minute), for example for a 60 minute run your tracker knows you had 9100 total steps and therefore cadence = 9100/60 = 152 spm (steps per minute).

[dude]

I have linked them, and no, there is no steps data passed to Strava.

It is possible to get step counts via the API, but it is so coarse as to be unusable in relating it to the GPS track.