Charge 3 not logging distance for biking

[KB195]

Hi, I start the exercise on my watch for bike mode and look at my phone and it says "Fitbit - Connected GPS is running" but my watch says connecting. So when I finish my exercise no speed, distance map information is logged.

But if I start an exercise through my phone for example walking, that works fine. But on the phone you only have limited choice of exercises. Walk, hike and run.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome on board @KB195, it's nice to see you around here! Fitbit devices calculate distance by multiplying your walking steps by your walking stride length and multiplying your running steps by your running stride length. We estimate your stride lengths using your height and sex. With Fitbit Charge 3, we evaluate that data to automatically update your running stride length. For best results, run at a comfortable pace for at least 10 minutes.

If you prefer to measure your walking and running stride lengths yourself and enter them manually, see How do I measure and adjust my stride length?

Note that when you're tracking an activity with GPS, Fitbit calculates your distance using GPS data rather than steps. If you begin moving before you get a GPS signal, the tracker will calculate distance using steps and stride length as described above until a GPS signal is found.

Turn on the Always Connected option in your device settings to improve the Bluetooth connection with your phone. Note that turning on this feature may cause the battery on your device to drain more quickly than normal.

Have you checked if the mobile phone you're using is included in our list of supported devices? 

Your Charge 3 uses connected GPS which works with the GPS sensors of your phone. Probably, your phone lost the connection while you were running. This may have happened as a result of different environmental factors such as tall buildings, dense forest, steep hills, or a thick cloud. That may interfere the signal. 

I'd recommend turning off Wi-Fi on your phone when using GPS for a better experience. 

Also, try the following:

• Open the Fitbit app to reestablish a connection with your tracker.
• Reboot your phone.

Additionally, I'd recommend taking a look at: How do I use the Fitbit app to capture GPS data?. If you keep getting the same message, can you please sending a photo showing it?

[lowway]

Hi KB195,

What Maria failed to mention was this is a recent issue for Charge 3 (maybe other fitbits as well) since the android update 19 Feb.  My Charge 3 worked perfectly until then.  When raising this with support, I was told it was a known issue for Bike distance tracking and the fitbit engineers were working on this....and to be patient!!

[DDT4U]

i wish they would add bike to the phone too! very irritating that i no longer can see my route biked! very dissapointed....

[KB195]

Its a terrible product. Poorly tested and lots of functionality doesn't work

Get Outlook for Android

[P_M]

I have the same issue. Did any update get released?  I think Maria's answer below doesn't really touch on the actual problem which is related to cycling and not running.

[Zardoz99]

I think the easiest solution here would be for FitBit to add Biking to Run, Walk & Hiking to the "Track you Exercise" phone option. Out of all those activities the GPS is most important for hiking and biking so it seems like a no-brainier to me. I'm not sure what the folks at FitBit were thinking.  

[Zardoz99]

I should state that I have the same issues as the others here. I can get the Charge 3 to connect to the phone but then 30 seconds later it disconnects and speed and location are no longer recorded. I have also gone through all the recommended procedures.

I do find it silly that you have the Run, Walk & Hike GPS option on your app but not the Bike option. The fact that you can travel far and fast with the bike means it makes sense that you need a GPS. My phone clips to my handle bars and the Polar app does a nice job of showing me where I'm going and my heart rate while I'm doing it. I see no hardware reason why the Charge 3 and Fitbit app can't to the exact same thing. It seems like a "simple" software change 😉

As for Walking, Running and Hiking do you really need to see the map? Hiking the GPS is not working half the time because of the heavy canopy and running well who has time to look. Biking has the biggest need. Thanks.

[lowway]

Seems the software has been updated again as my Bike Tracking is again
working on my Samsung Galaxy Android. The issue seems to be a delay each
time Android does an update. i.e. Fitbit take up to a month or more to fix
any issues discovered in Android updates. A little more pro-active action
would fix this issue as it wasn't a problem with previous versions of
Charge.

[Zardoz99]

After the last firmware update my Charge 3 has been working well including the bike logging. I had to change my goal from steps to calories as you could ride 100km and still not meet your daily step goal, but I understand why some want it that way. 

I still wish they had Cycling on the drop down with Run, Walk & Hike but it is at least working now. To make up for this missing functionality I have been using the Polar Beat app to log my bike trails and give me verbal cues as to my average speed and lap times. Works well.  

[koondog88]

And there still working on this. I dont think it will be fixed unfortunately. 

[KB195]

you pay for something and they can't get the basics right !

[Zardoz99]

Can we get MarreFitbit or another moderator to comment on this? Can you give us the FitBit rational as to why the Biking exercise is not part of the "Track your Exercise" phone option. What was the reasoning for separating it out?

Please explain, there must have been a reason. 

[Minjritch]

I have a Samsung, and I am still having an issue with my charge 3 tracking my biking distance...☹️

[PineyJim]

Same

[50HI]

While waiting for fitbit to figure this out, I'm using Samsung health.  It gives a map with tracking using phone gps along with duration, average and top speed.  I'm very happy with that app.  Too bad I bought the charge 3 and it can't properly track cycling or at least give proper instructions to make it work.