Versa connected GPS - doesn't actually measure distance

[lmartin72]

I reached out to fitbit support recently with a question about the accuracy of the distance I see in the app. I use 2 apps, fitbit, along with another on my phone and they display significantly different distances. I know how far I am going, and for a 3.5 mile run as an example, fitbit only shows about 2.7. What I learned today was that the connected GPS is not used to measure the distance. fitbit ONLY uses your step count and the stride length you've entered to calculate distance. Not good in my opinion. This means I can't rely on fitbit to give an accurate measure of the distance ran. Hopefully, this will generate some updates to the fitbit app, and the fact that it is connected to the GPS on your device which can provide a consistently measured, accurate distance. Apparently the only value of the connected GPS is to see the route you covered on a map. I'll keep using my other app as it has been reliable in recording GPS based distance. 

[MarkMM]

That is incorrect. Try going for a run in gps mode without having the phone with you. You'd get 0 distance for the workout. Daily distance and steps would increase though. Those would increase sitting in a chair and swinging your arm.

There have been many people asking why they don't get distance in bike or run mode, while on a treadmill or stationary bike. It's because they're  not going anywhere. GPS tracks the distance.

Your connection might be dropping off if you get less distance than you should. I had gps issues for over a year, but it's been solid for a couple Months now. Actually, phone app shows less distance than the fitbit, every ride.

There is also an option to start a run in the fitbit app. This would be phone and gps only, without connecting to the watch. 

[lmartin72]

I'm not sure I can agree with you at this point. I adjusted the stride length setting, as directed by the fitbit representative, in order to test this. The distance was farther off than before. Not sure which device you are using, but I'm still testing and tweaking with my Versa (not Versa 2)to see where it goes. Appreciate your input though. 

[lmartin72]

I'll retract my previous reply after reading further into it. You are correct that it should be doing this when using connected GPS only. Otherwise,  distances are calculated based on step count x stride length for running and walking. 

[MarkMM]

Well, no one else is coming along. So I'll take another shot. I only have partial experiance as a bike rider only, but have been using connected GPS for nearly 4 years.

Most posts I've seen about stride length are by people who feel they're getting shorted on steps or walking distance without GPS. If a workout mode accurately tracks say, 2 miles on GPS, how can your distance be anything other than 2 miles, according to stride length? More often than not, GPS distance discrepancies have been more due to blue tooth connection dropping off and reconnecting, than anything else. When you finish a run, is your route perfectly mapped in your workout history, with no gaps? I was faithfully using Connected GPS for my first two years. In Spring 2018, the connection started dropping off during rides. This lasted over a year and I switched to samsung health app for milage. Now lately connected GPS has been flawless for me on my third Versa. I still see complaints on the forum though, so no clue what is happening 

Look at your mapped route post workout. If it's perfectly mapped every time with no gaps, then I don't know what to tell you. Maybe someone with more experiance can explain how stride length can make a different gps distance. 😀