Treadmill accuracy issues

[MassDAD]

I have been using my Fitbit Charge HR for a couple of weeks now, and while I am finding so many aspects beneficial I have been encountering issues with accuracy regarding treadmill workouts.

Both step count and mileage in grossly under reported by my Fitbit, for instance today I did 3.83 miles of inclined walking and my Fitbit only recorded 5,608 steps and 2.4 miles.  I do not hold on to the rails at any point in my workouts and my arms swing naturally.  Every workout I've had on the treadmill I have had to delete the entry and manually enter the correct distance values, which then updates the step count.  It is winter in new England and not many brave souls are out logging miles in freezing conditions, I use my treadmill daily for workouts.

However, now I do not get credit for my manually enetered steps for daily challenges or badges.  

How can this Fitbit be so innacurate on both distance and step count on one of the most common methods of excercise?

[Paleman27]

Solution.  Get a Charge HR 2. I just got it yesterday and I was somewhat disappointed from reading this thread.  Not knowing what to expect I went on the treadmill this morning and set the Charge HR 2 on treadmill mode. I walked-jogged for 2.5 miles and the precision was almost to a dot (2.5 treadmill read vs 2.53 HR 2 read; a 1.1% difference). I also used at the same time my phone app in my pocket (LG Health) and the result was 5040 steps vs 5015 steps; a meaningless difference.  Very happy.

[Lisasasa]

Good to know but it would be nice if they'd update the software for those of us who got a Charge previously. I got mine in February- it may even be an "2" - idk. where do you find the treadmill option?

Sent from Lisa's iPhone

[Rich_Laue]

@Lisasasa this area is for tge Chatge HR, which us very similar to the Charge. For treadmill you would want to put your tracker into its workout mode by holding in the button until the unit vibrates.  When down you hold the button again. Now after syncing go to the event record and tap the pencil, now it can be renamed to treadmill.

[Paleman27]

@Lisasasa  For treadmill you would want to put your tracker into its workout mode by pressing and depressing quickly the side button until you see "run" then you tap the screen to change the type of workout you want; in this case "treadmill".  When you have arrived at "treadmill" in order to start hold-press the side button until you see that the stopwatch starts running then release. To pause tap the screen to continue tap the screen and to stop the workout hold-press the button until it stops the release quickly.  Note: when you are tapping the screen make sure the tap is done on the upper part of the screen (right where the time displays when you have it on watch mode). I hope this helps!

[DoubleMM]

I would say that your stride length is not the same on a treadmill, walking and or running. It takes some getting used to when you first start to run on the treadmill. I'd adjust your stride ratio in the advanced settings, maybe that'll work???

[dlspsu81]

Lots of good discussion here and I offer my experience as just that... my experience, but maybe what I have learned will help someone else. I thought my treadmill steps/distance were being under-reported. So I did a few trials and found that my stride length (which was on auto) was incorrect. I did a GPS walk for 2.77 miles at about 3.7 mph. I recorded 5,376 steps. If you do the math (2.77x5280x12/5376) you get my walking stride at 32.6". The auto setting had me at 28". I also did a 1.93 mile run at about 6.5 mph. I recorded 2,948 steps. The math is (1,93x5280x12/2,948) equals stride of 41.5". I manually entered these and now my treadmill pace & distance on my tracker match the pace and distance on my treadmill,

[viking17]

I am new to my Charge 2. As others have reported, this dievice always under-recorded my actural miles and steps if I excercise on a treadmill. I have been searching for the answer on how to get correct miles/steps and still don't have a clue! So frustrating!

Also can the Charge 2 show the wlaking/hiking route/path on a map if I have my iphone with GPS on with me?

[Rich_Laue]

@viking 17, as we have been trying to explain, no one wants to hear, your tracker does not have the ability to measure your stationary virtual distance while on a treadmill.

The tracker needs to calculate the distance. The formula is actually very simple, steps times distance per step equals calculated distance. 

Distance per step is what is called the users side. 

Calculated distance is at best an educated guess, and fairly accurate when the stride is properly entered into the settings. 

Please remember that the users stride while on a treadmill will be different from when walking/running outside. 

Take the distance the treadmill says, the steps the tracker says, now go to an online stride calculator like https://www.walkingwithattitude.com/fitness-tools/stride-length

 Go to your personal settings nap settings on your Fitbit account, enter the stride you calculated. Problem solved. Yes it is this easy. 

[Worganhunter]

If I have to "set" the band for it to work properly - why can't I set it through my phone interface?

[Rich_Laue]

@Worganhunter, clarification needed, what do you mean by set the band?

If i use the treadmill i start the multitrack mode called treadmill. This is done from the wrist. The onlything i know of to set in the app would be the stride.

[Lpawlik]

Having same issue. Mine is and has always been off by 2-4 miles on every single treadmill run. Today I did an 8 mile run and my tracker shows I did a little over 4 miles. I have a picture saved to give to customer service but thought I'd check here first for help. Extremely frustrating. Anyone have a resolution at this point???? Help!!!

[Kristen777]

Someone told me to put the Fitbit on my shoelace. I have tried that. It is still not completely accurate, but it is still more accurate than wearing it on my wrist.

Sent from my iPhone

[Rich_Laue]

I will reiterate @Lpawlik while on the treadmill your tracker is unable to measure distance. Why? Because the user is not moving, and it is a virtual distance.

The tracker is able to count steps, as long as the arms are swinging naturally.  IE not holding on, which can cause many health problems.

So the first step is to check the Step accuracy, by doing a step count test.

Start the recording mode, then start running, count your steps, i count every left step and multiply by two. Now stop at some number 100, 200, 500, this will give a total step of 200, 400, or 1000.

Now check how many steps the tracker recorded.

OK we now have to set up your stride using your steps per mile.

Remember i said the tracker can not measure distance, it needs to calculate distance. Steps times stride equals distance.

[Rich_Laue]

@Kristen777, that is only so you may hold on to the hsnd rail and still have steos counted. It will not fix the distance.

Do a search for the health hazards of holding on to the hand rail of a treadmill, the dangers are frightening. 

[Kristen777]

Well, there is no reason for me to look it up, because I don't hold on to the handrails.

Sent from my iPhone

[Rich_Laue]

I assume your steps are being counted correctly, and it is just a case of setting the stride.up.

As for the hand rail, that was addressed to anyone on this thread. 

[Lpawlik]

Enough with the handrail theory! That has NOTHING to do with the issue. My fitbit charge hr 2 is off every single time I am on the treadmill regardless of what the distance is I run - 3 miles, 5 miles, 8 miles, etc. Whether I wear it on my ankle, shoestring, hand, etc. it does NOT work whatsoever. I have calibrated my steps and manually entered them, I have used the treadmill option which mind you is an available on my HR 2 and NOTHING works, period. It is ALWAYS off by a minimum of 2 miles on a 3 mile run and up to 4 miles on an 8 mile run - it's frustrating! I have had it for 2 months now and it doesn't work on the treadmill. Period. My running option works likely due to it being GPS vs. steps but when it's 100 degrees outside and 90% humidity, I want to run on the treadmill and would like for my tracker to work considering I bought the one that had the treadmill option. Now please is there ANYONE who has had this issue and/or worked with the customer service to have it resolved OR did you end up going with a different brand? Thank you!

[Paleman27]

Lpawik

I understand your frustration. I'm looking at the possibility of a
defective device (or a defective treadmill); two miles out of three is a
lot. My experience has been not more than 2% of inaccuracy. For example
my HR 2 might say 2.5 miles and the treadmill 2.54

[Rich_Laue]

Distance = Steps × Stride

it is this simple.

Either

The stride is set wrong 

The steps are being miscounted

Which is it?

You say steps are correct therefore it can only be one thing, the stride setting.

Calculate and set your stride.

Problem solved as long as your distance is off by the same percentage every run, this is the problem.

Use this formula

CorrectStride = CurrentFitbitStride × CorrectDistance / FitbitDistance

Now if the percentage of distance ioff changes, then there is something else going on.

Do you often change the treadmill speed.

Change the style of your run?

[Lpawlik]

It's different each time as far as a %. I do change up my run anywhere between a 5-7 mph speed and run for approximately 1 hour - 1 hour 40 minutes every time.

I actually have contacted customer service and it's a device issue, so I hope others who have this issue will just call to get it corrected vs. doing what I did and wait for weeks to try and resolve it.

For reference - I have a Charge HR 2 which has an option for treadmill so the theories of everyone talking about holding bars, not swinging your arms, blah, blah, blah shouldn't matter since it'd be similar to a pedometer tracking your steps. So in a nutshell, save yourself the headache and call their customer service - 877.623.4997.