Charge 3 doesn't show real time stats while biking

[SunsetRunner]

Hi everyone,

My charge 3 won't show my speed or distance while using the exercise app. When I put it in 'bike' mode, it does connect with my phone. The time starts running, but my speed remains 0,0 and so does the distance. Sometimes when I ride the bike for like 30 minutes or so, it sais I drove 0,5 km. But usually it doesn't show anything. My fitbit does count steps while riding the bike. 

When I go to the fitbit app, it does show as an exercise and my gps did track my route, so I don't know what's wrong. Can anyone help me? 

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome on board @SunsetRunner, it's nice to see you here! I'd recommend restarting your Charge 3 by following these steps.

To track an exercise:

1. On your tracker, open the Exercise app.

2. Swipe left to find an exercise.

3. Tap the exercise to select it.

4. Tap Start to begin the exercise, or tap Set Goal to choose a time, distance, or calorie goal depending on the activity.

Note: If the Exercise uses GPS, you'll see a phone icon in the top left as your tracker connects to your phone's GPS sensors. When the screen says "connected" and Charge 3 vibrates, GPS is connected.

5. Tap the play icon to begin tracking your exercise. Charge 3 shows several real-time stats including heart rate, calories burned, and elapsed time. Tap the middle stat to see additional stats.

6. When you're done with your workout or want to pause, press the button.

7. Press the button again and tap Finish to end the workout.

8. Swipe up to see your workout summary.

9. Tap the check mark to close the summary screen.

Give this a go and let me know if you can see real stats on your Charge 3! 

[Mojomatix]

Thanks for the advice, but I have exactly the same issue. Just came back home from a bike trip. In the app, it shows me the GPS track, that I've cycled, but distance and speed are 0. Of course, I know how to start the exercise app on the watch. That's really bad! 

[SunsetRunner]

Restarting the fitbit doesn't work.

I know how the exercise app works and my fitbit is connected with my phone. The GPS does track, but it doesn't show speed or distance. 

[SunsetRunner]

Yeah, this problem exactly!

[SunsetRunner]

Mine has been doing the same thing for 3 weeks. I have had it for 6. The support team promises to share it amongst eachother which I guess in some way they see it as a fix. I tell you all this because you out to be confident in getting 0 satisfaction. Today I completed 2 18 km bike rides, both of which were accurately tracked on the map however 1 was .62 kms and the other was .1. 

Enjoy your overpriced unattractive watch all!!

[TroyT]

Yes I'm afraid I have the exact same problem. I wait for thew connected message on my Charge 3 but still no distance or speed data. Also Rides are not being captured in Strava. Not happy.

[SunsetRunner]

It's not so bad, it's helpful to have 90% of your efforts erased! The watch isn't even heavy enough to be a paperweight!

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[RiseAndShine]

@SunsetRunner, I had the same issue when my GPS was tracking the route correctly, but Fitbit app was interpreting it with ridiculously low mileage. After a bunch of tests figured out the core of the issue - it was Power Saving mode on my phone that was pretty much killing real time stats (since distance was interpreted incorrectly, then avg speed was 0 mph as well etc.). Once I disabled the power saving mode, distance in Fitbit and on the map started to match. Here's my original post with few other tips on what might impact / improve GPS connection. Hope some of it might be helpful!

[SunsetRunner]

I am pretty sure I had the power saving mode onbfor a bit. Thank you. I'll keep you posted

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[SunsetRunner]

@RiseAndShine omg thankyou! My phone is on saving mode. I'm gonna try this tomorrow, hope it works!

[RiseAndShine]

@SunsetRunnerand @SunsetRunner, I hope GPS starts working for you - please, keep us posted!

Power Saving mode was also responsible for very poor initial connection to the phone... Charge 3 was trying to connect for a really long time, and often couldn't do it. I had to trigger syncing from the phone and only then tracker would connect. Disabling Power Saving fixed this pesky issue as well - now my tracker connects to the phone very quickly and keeps connection well.

[MichaelCapel]

I thought my Charge 3 wouldn't track my cycling.

I found I had to select Bike from the excercise menu on the Fitbit, (not in the app), this gave me the option to select a target by distance or time and to start the activity. 

On completion I found the bike ride on my excerise activity, so yes it does track cycling .

Hope this is helpful

[KenFit1]

Moderator and customer service.  Please see the large number of users who all day the smoke thing... the tracker does not track distance or speed in bike exercize mode. Can you all please address these concerns and fix the such issues?

[SunsetRunner]

I just tried using the bike tracking for the first time today in my Charge 3. Same as others... I get “GPS connected” and it acted as if I was moving (showing a few MPH) for a few seconds... so off I went... looked at my Charge 3 a few minutes later and is shows 0 MPH.  I checked a few more times and it still showed nothing.  Got home and it wasn’t even in bike mode anymore. Like it just gave up.  IPhone 11, Location Services “Always On”.  I don’t think it has a “Power Saving” mode.  

[carlosscvh3]

I am getting the same issue, did you ever find out why I can cycle for 75 minutes and have gone no kilometres? Any help please.

[SunsetRunner]

 I quit trying.  I've had this thing for about 9 months and I haven't had a single firmware update.  There's lots of issues brought up here, and if they were concerned about customer service, there certainly would have been updates.   I think they don't really fix anything unless it's urgent and the latest model.   Now that the Charge 4 is out, I really doubt they'll ever look back at unresolved Charge 3 issues.

Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen a decent reply to any issues here other than canned responses and links to generic info that doesn't resolve the issues.  Sad.   Just my opinions... hoping I don't get flamed.  I really wanted to like this watch, but it's buggy as all hell.   Having to reboot/restart it a least once or twice a week when it won't sync is getting old.

[MarcoM4127]

The canned response is NOT helpful.

[jkm49]

My suggestion is they want everyone to go premium. I have the same problem. The nagging to go premium this past while is non-stop. I'll toss the fitbit in the bin before I would consider premium.

I am disgusted with Fitbit products sometimes giving incorrect information. 🦍

[iainwest]

The experience described there by the Fitbit user is exactly the same as I have experienced.
I tried stopping and restarting the bike tracking a number of times during the bike ride, because I noticed it wasn’t tracking the distance correctly, but it did exactly the same thing.

I’m a bit confused by the solution given below the original user’s question/description. That just describes the series of steps that one always takes to track the bike ride. The result is the problem described. So I’m not sure how that is a solution ? (Maybe I’ve missed something, so I shall read through again).