Ionic counting steps from cycling

[SunsetRunner]

I got my Ionic only a few days ago and really love it. The GPS location seems more accurate than my other devices which is great.

Background: I have a gps bike computer which syncs with strava and I also have the Ionic which i sync with strava.

I tried a bike ride using the Ionic to record the ride, worked well synced well (although a bit slow) but the impact result was +1119 steps, +592 cals and +53 mins. Today i went for a ride but used my bike computer, it synced with strava but did not sync with fitbit. The Ionic instead 'recorded' an auto biking activity (28km) which had an impact of +0 steps (it was actually 1900+), +776 cals and +85 min.

The issue is that it also recorded 50 floors while i was riding giving my two unearned badges.

I love my statistics but this is annoying me. My only guess is that Fitbit is converting my bike ride to a step equivalent. So my 28km / 257m elevation bike ride equals 1900 steps/1km/50 floors.

Is that what is happening?? I have turned off auto detect activity for cycling to test tomorrow, but i suspect it was just make an auto activity of another type.

It annoys me that even though i rode over 28km, fitbit only shows about 1km. How come it doesnt use the cycle km, but does use the cycled active time? I know Fitbits have always been very much step based, but whats the point of adding all other types of activity when in the end it is still only about steps?

Is there a solution for this? Riding my bike on a bike path should not impact steps especially when the Ionic itself knows and auto adds a cycling activity.

[NellyG]

The steps recorded while cycling are 'false steps' caused by bumps in the road. I actually find my Ionic records far less of these than my Alta HR does. When you think about it a wrist tracker records steps because of arm movements and footfall vibrations, so bumps must feel very like steps to it. The floors climbed are because of air pressure differences - you have ridden up and down hills and if the wind was blowing that will affect it too. Even weather changes affect it as the barometric pressure rises and falls.

The Ionic has no way of measuring distance when you are on your bike (unless you are using GPS) so doesnt give you a measurement for that.

I simply ignor the flights climbed and steps gained by cycling, but if they annoy you, you can get rid ofbthe steps at least by logging a Driving activity at the same time (in the app tap exercise tile (running man), tap stopwatch icon in top right, start to type driving and select from drop down list, fill times and log it, and it will remove the extra steps.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi, thanks for your reply.

Given that i was on a perfectly smooth bikeway and it knows it was a bike ride, it is strange that it gives steps at all.

I did try the driving activity but when you do that, it doesnt count active minutes. That is more important to me than steps. Do you know of any other activities that delete steps but still give active minutes?

I really think Fitbit need to address this. It isn't the all-round device they believe it to be when it is so step focussed. No point being able to record activities other than walking or running if you dont have specific stats for other types.

[NellyG]

No, there are no other activities that delete steps.

[Venkats]

Not sure why the programmer can't code a conditional logic in his code, to eliminate the step. Unfortunately it has been this way since a long time across product lines. Smart track logic needs a review.

On the flip side, there are quite a bunch of folks that simply are obsessed with Steps and they may not like removal of steps.

[Angrybirddee]

I'm considering purchasing an Ionic. I use a home static exercise bike. Is there an option for entering my time/distance spent on the bike?

[SunsetRunner]

---

@Venkats wrote:

Not sure why the programmer can't code a conditional logic in his code, to eliminate the step. Unfortunately it has been this way since a long time across product lines. Smart track logic needs a review.

On the flip side, there are quite a bunch of folks that simply are obsessed with Steps and they may not like removal of steps.

---

I agree, you would like to think that if it is smart enough to auto detect that you are riding, it would be smart enough to know you arent stepping. It is basic logic.

[SunsetRunner · Accepted solution]

I have a solution...of sorts.

• Do your bike activity

• Add a driving activity at the same time to 'delete' the steps

• Add a custom activity when you are sleeping for the same duration as the bike activity with 1 cal.

I did this and instead of having 2500+ steps, I have 6. The reason I add the custom activity is that i want the daily activity time tracked. Also, I added mine at midnight and it doesn't remove it from your sleep stats.

Not a great solution, but Fitbit aren't doing much to give us one.

[SunsetRunner]

---

@Angrybirddee wrote:

I'm considering purchasing an Ionic. I use a home static exercise bike. Is there an option for entering my time/distance spent on the bike?

---

It only has Bike or Mountain bike, but you can add custom activities.

The Ionic itself has Treadmill and Elliptical but weirdly not exercise bike.

[bbarrera]

---

@SunsetRunner wrote:

---

---

It only has Bike or Exercise bike, but you can add custom activities.

The Ionic itself has Treadmill and Elliptical but weirdly not exercise bike.

---

@SunsetRunner @Angrybirddee

You have to add Spinning to Ionic's shortcut list, from the app:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Ionic/Stationary-bike-Spinning/m-p/2216762

[bbarrera]

---

@SunsetRunner wrote:

Background: I have a gps bike computer which syncs with strava and I also have the Ionic which i sync with strava.

---

A few more things to consider...

I use a bike computer and chest strap, one way to eliminate false steps is:

- only record with GPS bike computer, let it sync to Strava

- during ride not wear, or turn off Ionic (resulting in no HR, and no steps)

(assumes you've completed the one-time Fitbit-Strava sync at strava.fitbit.com)

Then Fitbit *might* fetch ride from Strava, and will create a manual activity with basic stats. I'm not sure if this will work, because this:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Third-Party-Integrations/Third-Party-Apps-Informational-Post/m-p/1446764#M12188

states that it needs to be recorded in Strava app. So maybe bike computer to Strava will not sync all the way to Fitbit.

If Fitbit won't fetch from Strava, then I have another recommendation. This is what I actually have been doing for a couple years:

- record with Garmin bike computer

- Garmin syncs to Endomondo

- Endomondo pushes to Fitbit (start time, duration, miles, and calories)

Now with the Ionic (I don't have one yet) on the wrist, as long as biking is disabled in SmartTrack, you will get both HR/steps and manual activity. 

I think the moral of the story with Ionic/Blaze/etc is that you either live with false steps to get HR, or use chest strap with bike computer and look at bike ride's HR outside of Fitbit. Unfortunately Fitbit does not allow importing HR or GPS. And Fitbit doesn't connect with my power meter and cadence/speed sensor. And Fitbit doesn't allow you to follow a route, like I did on my bike computer yesterday while riding a new route. Most importantly, looking at your wrist during a ride is ridiculous if you have a bike computer. So a lot of silly games with cycling and Fitbit.

[Yuriferro]

I found a solution to count steps while riding a bike.  Attach your watch in your ankle and if you have a big ankle wrap it around with an ace wrap. I rode 36 miles and count 11000 steps.   

[bbarrera]

Better than nothing, but hardly a solution. The problem is that Fitbit challenges are measured by steps. 

[Yuriferro]

Yeap I agree is not a solution but at least count steps. Thanks

Sent from my iPhone

[nitenurse]

save your money , i get very few steps cycling and the ionic doesnt sync correctly

[Lukwe]

Yes you can 'ignore' steps form cycling, but if the final calories count is based both on the cycling activity itself (heartRate) + these false steps you're totals for the day are completely Wrong !!

[FrenchiVIII]

---

@SunsetRunner wrote:

I have a solution...of sorts.

• Do your bike activity

• Add a driving activity at the same time to 'delete' the steps

• Add a custom activity when you are sleeping for the same duration as the bike activity with 1 cal.

I did this and instead of having 2500+ steps, I have 6. The reason I add the custom activity is that i want the daily activity time tracked. Also, I added mine at midnight and it doesn't remove it from your sleep stats.

Not a great solution, but Fitbit aren't doing much to give us one.

---

Hi there,

I'm posting this in the various sections of the fitbit community since it's a common issue to all fitbit frequent bike users.

There's already a topic about it in the feature suggestions sections, maybe if we can all vote there the developers will hear us and give us at least the option to automatically discount steps taken during cycling activity...

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Suggestions/Option-to-remove-steps-earned-when-cycling/idi-p/899386

[tomylee]

I did have a discussion with the Fitbit support and they said this is a intended behavior.

I am really wondering.......