Convert Bike Distance (or Spinning) into Steps

[GayleB-S]

Hi. I'd like to see additional information for my bike ride so that it shows the distance as well as that distance converted into steps.  I know to be healthy you should do 10,000 steps and it feels like a let down when you do a 26km bike ride to not show any steps!  Very disappointed this is not tracked correctly on my Charge 2. 

Moderator edit: Labels & title

[Eve.danke]

Hi,

So I just started biking the other day, and even though my HR tracks the calories of course I still have to put in the mileage manually as it isn't GPS activated when it tracks it automatically.

Also on the dashboard it gives you the mileage for walking, it would be nice to have another line for mileage biked as it's not counted toward steps obviously only the few steps which it does register.

The mileage you bike does not count towards your daily goal as you didn't actually walk them. It would be nice though if that could be added as an additional/optional daily goal

Thanks,

Eve

Moderator edit: Labels

[luclado]

i've participated in a step program at work and to provide fair recognition for effort when we entered our  bike distance travelled the application would convert 3 to 1 the distance travelled and would convert to steps

i would see this as a feature you could activate or not that would let the fitbit app convert your outside bike distance travelled into steps. if we use a ratio of 7km = 10,000 steps then a 21 km bike ride would result into 10,000 steps added to your activity and daily count.

i'm sure other bikers would like the idea... at the same time it would allow for fair competition

luc

Moderator edit: Added Labels

[CapnHarry]

I agree that this is a needed tool but would prefer to use Purdue University's WalkTheMoon conversions(130, 170, 200 steps per minute for easy, moderate, and vigorous pace) and tie it to HR to get the exertion levels instead of a fixed per mile ratio.

[chamtalpuravida]

I would love that. Could not Believe My many miles where not registered steps!

[Vissott]

I do nearly 20 miles a day and get hardly any steps! Doesn't seem fair. Please fix! I have charge hr Fitbit.

Moderator edit: Labels.

[strernd]

I would it like more if biking was no steps and just shown as extra acitivity, because biking isn't "making steps".

[Vissott]

Yes but I'm in competition so I want more steps! Surely it should be able to do some calculation via calories burned equivalent or something?

Sent from my iPhone

[strernd]

Which is a special case then. For competitions you would need a comprehensive
value that covers all activites. Something like burnt calories in relation to
body stats. (Maybe something like average MET value *1000)


Bernd Strehl

mail@bstrehl.de

[kramnibroc]

I like both the bule conversion method as well as the Purdue equivalency, especially since i am a PU grad.

I hope this gains momentum and an ultimate change!

Thank you,
Mark

[BobSmall]

I agree this would be a great idea.  There are multiple ways of doing the calculation, just give the option of doing it.  Come up with a couple of options on how to calculate and let the user select which option to convert steps from bicycling.  Those that don't want to convert can leave that option turned off.

[19Sophie51]

Since I can't really run or walk due to back problems, I have acquired a tricycle to ride to and from work (a little over 3 miles one way). 

I have tried my tracker on my thigh, around my calf, around my ankle, on my shoe, and tied to the pedal.  The pedal seems to be the most accurate in terms of recording strokes, although it obviously only records half the pedal strokes.  I think the best conversion to steps would be a count of pedal strokes, because that most closely resembles a step -- and in my case, the effort I put in a pedal stroke is more than the effort I put in a step.  Therefore it seems to me that in "bike mode" the simplest thing to do to make it accurate in terms of leg effort would be to strap the tracker to ankle/foot/pedal, and then double the strokes detected and record them as steps.  Obviously, the milage would need to be figured by GPS, since the distance covered by a stroke or full cycle has too many variables -- size of bike tires, tire inflation, gear one is in, road surface, and strength of operator, etc.  Right now I just make a note of my milage in the comments section.

I had even considered getting two trackers so I can attach one to each pedal, and getting an ap that allows for multiple trackers.  I am in fierce competition for steps with my sister and two daughters, so I want to get "step" credit for my biking, since I am exercising very vigorously with my legs!

[SunsetRunner]

Definitely agree with this! I carry my old Fitbit One in my pocket when I do ride my bike simply so it does count the steps during my ride (which my Blaze on my wrist does not capture). Would be great to not have to carry the One anymore though!

[dk7575]

I agree ....But for all of the devices....

[GayleB-S]

Thanks for all the votes. Hopefully they can do a software update and no new hardware needed!

[genej101]

It's a bigger problem than biking.  It doesn't work with the Bowflex Tread Climber either - not a treadmill or an elliptical but a workout as intense as running and the Charge 2 counts about half the calories burned and actual steps taken.  Very frustrating.  As it is with biking that didn't work even with the Charge HR and it really should.  

[Rich_Laue]

Here is a pr3dicument, we have another suggestion to have all steps, counted by bumbs, removed durring a bike ride. For some reason donce tye user is not actually stepping, they don't want any steps recorded. 

My question should the bike ride be converted to steps based on the distance, 20 miles of steps taken in an hour? Or these running or walking steps. 

Do we c9nvert them based on the equivalent calories burnt?

[GayleB-S]

That's an interesting and frustrating one Genej101. 

Rich_Laue I'm not sure how to work out the steps in the ride distance. I don't think it can be the same number of steps as if walked it. When you're riding your legs move so you're stepping or running so to speak. I know when we did Steptember it had a conversion of a bike ride into steps but don't know what that was based on. 

[hottpepper]

I would love to see some sort of conversion option for cycling to steps OR additional challenge options based on active minutes or calorie burn.

[cfw43]

Well how about you use a simple formula. As I am in Europe I will use kilometers for the example. Let's say I bike ride 1 kilometer which equals 1000 meters or 100000 centimeters. Let's also say my step stride is 80 centimeters. If I use a formula such as  (distance of bike ride / length of step stride) = number of steps; in my example that would be 100000 centimeters / 80 centimeters = 1250 steps. The length of step stride is different for each person, therefore the results would be "correctly calculated" for each person. Those steps could be added to the days activities' steps. But I have a question here. If I complete a bike activity, and I also walked to the shopping plaza or to work that day, doesn't the Fitbit activity log show 2 activities? One for walking and one for my tracked bike activity? Do I want to mix apples and oranges here? That is, show a bike activity of say 10 kilometers and then also show a walking activity that shows a combination of the steps I really did walk that day and the steps "converted" from my bike activity? Maybe I do OR maybe I don't. If I do isn't that like double counting the same activiy (kilometers in bike ride activity and converted bike ride steps in normal walk acitivity)?Then Fitbit would need an option for the user to be able to either include or exclude the converted steps from the normal walking activity. This activity stuff is fun. Wheeee.

[Rich_Laue]

So what your saying is to ignore all coasting and consider this the same as walking those miles, along with the fact that bicycling uses less calories per mile than walking. Also how do we factor in this request, that also has more votes, https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Suggestions/Eliminate-step-count-when-Surge-is-in-bike-mode/...

[cfw43]

I am using a Charge 2, so I can't talk about the options used on the Surge. I read the request you mentioned. I did try to say that Fitbit would probably need to give the users the option of either including or excluding the number of steps calculated. I do understand your points. I rode my bike and tracked the activity the other day. It tracked distance, duration and calories just fine it seems. Steps were recorded as N/A and it DID record or add to my Active minutes. Which is fine for me. But evidently some users want to be able to convert their Bike activity into steps. Also I manually recorded a Spinning activity. Fitbit recorded distance, duration and calories and also recorded 110 Steps, (based on what I'm not sure) and also DID NOT add to my Active minutes. When I set up my Charge 2 I turned off the automatic start option on all activities because I wanted to make sure that I started and stopped them manually from the Fitbit and not have them automatically start based on 10 minutes having passed etc. etc. I don't know if that should somehow affect recording outcomes or not. Seems to me if left on then everything becomes approximate.

So here is what I have seen happen:

Bike Activity Tracked by Fitbit: Fitbit tracked distance, duration, calories; Steps  recorded as N/A; Active minutes recorded and added.

Spinning Activity manually input: Fitbit showed distance, duration, calories; Steps were recorded (how or why?); Active minutes not recorded or added.

If, to site a crazy example, I walk to work in the morning and I go for a Spinning class at lunchtime, then I walk home after work, and at home my children want to go for a bike ride..... I guess at the end of the day after I sync everything Fitbit will show an activity for walking a number of steps with associated data recorded; a Spinning activity showing all the data that I manually input/recorded and will also show some Steps, but not add to my Activity minutes; and a Bike activity that was tracked by Fitbit showing all associated data, with Steps recorded as N/A but no Activity minutes.

I will see three activities (Walk, Spinning, Bike) logged for the same day. Fine. I'm OK with that. Seems correct. The point I am trying to make is that Fitbit isn't being consistent. The Walk activity record is complete. The Spinning activity shows Steps but does not add to Activity minutes. The Bike activity shows Steps as N/A and does add to Activity minutes. No wonder people are confused. How do I measure my fitness? What goals have I set for myself? How do I measure myself against others.

If most users want to track the number of steps they walk/run in a day to see if they are reaching or exceeding their "number of steps" goal then I can also understand why they would want to consider adding equivalent bike or spinning Steps to their overall Steps goals. Why not? Counting Steps seems to be the common denominator for most users. Elite runners and joggers keep track of miles or kilometers, The majority of users want to keep track of their Step goals.

In the end the users are trying to somehow measure their level of fitness, either against their own goals or as measured against others.

How do they do that? Total steps! With associated data, calories burned etc.

So do I have a real answer? No, I guess not. But I wanted to answer you with some food for thought and give you an example of what I have found so far. Only had my Charge 2 for about 2 weeks.

It appears that Fitbit it trying to be everything for everybody and that is very difficult. Good luck.

[GayleB-S]

I've found a work around suggested by my daughter. I've been tying my Fitbit Charge 2 to my bike shoe so I guess it's counting every second step (as elliptical activity) and at least it gives me all the data including steps. I've noticed when I walk my grandson pushing his pram it sees it as elliptical as well - I guess because my arms aren't moving. 

[cfw43]

Very interesting. I notice you mentioned "while pushing his pram it sees it as elliptical as well". I assume then that you are letting the Charge 2 automatically select the type of activity after so many minutes (15 min default?). But this only suggests other questions. What if I have selected "ignored" for all of the suggested automatic activities? (I like to start my activites manually) What if I really don't want to tie my Charge 2 to my foot when bike riding? (Why should I have to figure out a work-around?)

I totally agree with your previous statement "it feels like a let down when you do a 26km bike ride to not show any steps!  Very disappointed this is not tracked correctly on my Charge 2."

Maybe we all need to stop using "steps" as a Main Goal and change it to Distance. That can be changed on the App. Select Charge 2; select Main Goal and change the Main Goal to one of the five in the list. (Steps, Distance, Calories, Active Minutes, Floors).

If you walk 1km and you have tracked how many steps you take, then later if you walk 5km or 6km or 10 km you will have a very good idea of how many steps you have taken.

I think the value of steps is "overrated". In fact just a marketing gimmick to get everybody off the couch (and buy a fitness tracker) and start walking because everybody can at least walk around the block and use whatever their preferred tracking device they have to count their steps.

[Dawn123]

When will you be adding a miles biked conversion to steps? The global corporation challenge app had this two years ago, so this should be a simple addition to the Fitbit app. 

Much appreciated by those that bike both in the gym and on the road. 

[jrmiller23]

I vote for this! It would make sense to have this as an option in settings where the user could select to convert or remove cycling steps based on their preferences (you know, for those that are adamant). Personally, I would love to see them convert because I compete a lot, but I understand that it's not apples to apples here.