Option to remove steps earned when cycling

[MikeyW]

Like most cyclists who have a fitbit, I track my activity using Strava (or some other RunKeeper, etc...) and as a result it syncs to the fitbit app and fitbit knows that I have completed a cycling acti ity.

However, it also counts steps during that period and allows those steps to contribute to my daily total - despite the fact that it knows that from x time to x time I was cycling.

Currently to remove these steps I would have to then manually enter my activity as driving and it would then remove those steps from the total.

Surely it would be a simple fix for all cycling activity modes to have the same affect on the step total as the driving modes, and for steps to no longer be counted?

The trouble is, for people like me who commute to work by bike it means the step counter is pointless on days I cycle (which is 5 days out of 7).

However, I understand that some are happy with the way it works at the moment and don't have HR monitors so just put their products in their pockets. So perhaps it would be best to have an option in the settings called "Count steps when cycling" or just "Cycling steps" and perhaps it's best that it's turned on by default so that essentially nothing changes for people who are happy using it the way it is, but for those who don't want to it'll solve the problem?

[puregto]

My Surge counts thousands of steps when in bike mode. Even on a fairly short ride of 5 mi. on mountain bike, 15 mi. on road bike.

It should be easy to update firmware to shut off step count when in bike mode.

Moderator edit: Added labels 

[MichaelSchulte]

I was surprised to find out that it doesn't already do this.  I just started biking to work, which is about a 10 mile ride.  Even if I put my Fitbit in my bag, it still counts around 4,000 to 5,000 steps.  Then if I want to log the activity as cycling using the distance and ride time, I'm essentially double counting the exercise.  It would be nice if it would automatically cancel out those steps when logging the cycling activity, like the driving activity does.  Afterall, if I'm on the bike during a certain window of time, I can't also be walking, right?

[Baltoscott]

I would support adding an option for the used to negate steps when cycling, but not a change that would do that automatically. Like you @MikeyW, I bike commute and generally get 1-2 hours of activity/day through riding my bike. I get "bike steps" from that activity by putting my tracker (Charge HR or One) in my pocket where it counts steps as I peddle. To me these "steps" are just as legit as steps from skating, skiing, bouncing on a rebounder, or using an eliptical - none of which are walking steps. Because I record my rides on a Garmin that is linked to Fitbit through MyFitnessPal, they are automatically added to my Fitbit activities correcting the calories my tracker recorded, but not overwriting the steps (similar to linking Strava)

The reason I want my bike steps to count is challenges -- both against other fitbitters and outside Fitbit in third party apps where I can compete against people using other trackers.  I am not aware of any tracker on the market today that does not count "steps" 24/7 regardless of whether the user is really walking. They just don't pick up steps as quickly or accurately as when the user is really walking/running. (I get about 2/3 the steps/hr when I ride with a tracker in my pocket as when I walk quickly) On the other hand, I totally understand why many Charge HR and Surge users do not want steps to count while biking. To get an HR record, the user has to wear the tracker on the wrist, and if you wear the tracker on the wrist while biking the only "steps" you would get are the ones your tracker pickls up by counting bumps in the road. So an OPTION to remove steps from a biking activity makes sense.

[Baltoscott]

… or create two cycling activities, one that keeps tracker recorded steps and one that doesn’t, and let the user decide [Edit - alternative, modify the current bike activity to allow the user to set a default that does or does not record steps during the activity].

The title was just to get your attention.  Because Fitbit already turns all your movement into “steps” , walking, running, cycling, skating, skiing (swimming, if you have a flex, or put your tracker in a plastic bag) it ALREADY counts steps when you cycle.  But I would like to see an option to turn off steps when biking if that is what the user wants to do.

"Bike steps’ in particular bug some cyclists who get good calorie info from the HR function of their Surge or Charge HR and consider the “steps” their tracker records on bike rides to be statistical pollution.  Well, they have a point!  A Surge or Charge HR is meant to be worn on the wrist and the only “steps” from a wrist-worn device come from bumps in the road.  They bear no relation at all to your effort and I agree that there should be a mod so the users AT THEIR OPTION can suppress fake steps. 

On the other hand, not all bike steps are fake.  Some cyclists (I’m one) are very challenge motivated and like to participate in Fitbit and third-party step challenges without giving up cycling.  (There is only so much time in the day!). When I ride my bike, whether I have my One or my Charge HR, I stick it in my pocket so that I get step credit for my leg movement.  It is not as efficient in accumulating steps as walking fast, but it is something for my effort and doesn’t make me choose between a step competition and a bike ride (I get about 1/3 more steps/hour walking 4 mph than riding 12-14 mph, so I don’t bike because it makes getting steps easier).  And, because I can use Strava, or link my Garmin through MyFitnessPal to create a cycling activity that corrects the calories my Fibit recorded for the ride, WITHOUT overwriting the steps the Fitbit recorded, I get the best of both worlds.  

Still, my needs are not the same as everyone else and I appreciate and support the desire of the many cyclists who would like an option to negate the steps their tracker records when biking.  I just hope that if Fitbit makes that change, they make it an option the user can decide, or not decide, to use.

I you agree with an option that will let a user remove steps when the riding a bike (or skating or using an elliptical), but OPPOSE a change that would automatically delete steps for such activities, please vote for this change.

EDIT - If you agree with a modification to the bike activity that would allow the user to set the default to either recording or not recording steps, please vote for this suggestion.

Thanks.

Moderator Edit: Labels

[TJMac77]

That's pretty funny. I did a track day, a couple hours on country roads, then a 200 mile ride home ... Wait for it ... 13980 steps!

Tom

Sent from my iPhone

[MikeyW]

I see, thank you for pointing that out @Baltoscott I hadn't considered that, because like you said, I use my watch for the HR when I'm cycling (and in 25mins it always tends to give me about 2-3,000 steps, which is frustrating).

So yes, perhaps an option in the settings called "Count steps when cycling" or just "Cycling steps" and perhaps it's best that it's turned on by default so that essentially nothing changes for people who are happy using it the way it is, but for those who don't want to it'll solve the problem?

[Baltoscott]

An option for cycling that allows the user to turn off step counting when cycling makes a lot of sense to me @MikeyW. I think non-surge owners would appreciate a biking activity added to the phone app that worked like that very much. (Surge owners would like to do that with the cycling activity that is now built into the watch). I just don't want "no steps" to be the cost of using any bike activity that Fitbit may have under development.

[JonR43]

For me I am not stepping when riding the steps shouldn't count to the daily total so don't want them added and to have to manually remove so would like that optiom

[Baltoscott]

@JonR43 - I agree that either option should be as seamless as possible. For someone who doesn't want the steps recorded the bike activity could be set to default to "no steps." For someone who does want the steps recorded, the default should be "record steps."

[dhinds]

We should be able to track biking. Not so concerned about steps while biking, just the ability to track biking without having to use Map My Fitness and then transfer (manually log) the data to my Fitbit app. Would love to be able to eliminate the extra step.

[JonR43]

Yes the link with other sources needs some work..... Manual switch to strava is a pain!'

[Baltoscott]

@dhinds - Thanks for voting.  I have not tried linking MapMyFitness, but if you record the ride using Strava and link your Strava and fitbit accounts, there is no need to manually record the ride.  The strava ride will automatically show up as a bike activity and your calories will be updated on your fitbit account. (It sometimes takes a while for the fitbit and strava servers to accomplish this, but usually it is up to date without an hour or less after the ride in my experience).  What that process will not do - which some people want - is override whatever steps your fitbit recorded during the ride (whether those steps are basicallybumps in the road because the fitbit was on your wrist, or closer to real steps because you put the fitbit in your front pocket or your sock so that your leg motion is recorded as steps). An easy process that allows users to turn off or leave on step recording while riding a bike is the main point of this feature request.

[JonR43]

Ballots it for me the floor with recording bike on Strava to come over to Fitbit is that I don't get the heart rate data which is what I want going to Strava.... Only way to do that seems to be record manually as bike in Fitbit and if goes to Strava..... What I would like is to be able to record as bike at the time and have the steps and floors elements switched off/ disregarded during that activity.... 48k on the bike yesterday put my step count out by nearly 2000 steps and 100 floors!!

[Capper20]

The Surge bike mode currently counts steps and floor elevations as well as providing fitness information about the biking session. This is spurious data that is confusing to the user. When an exercise mode is activated that doesn't need this data it should be deactivated and not counted. I managed to do 47 flights of stairs on my bike last session. Not useful.

[Tommy1939]

Hi just read your stairs calculating in sync with your bike ride, I have just bought a surge and both yesterday and today on a couple of 5 mile rides have experianced likewise, have you found a way to diable the stairs just for the bike ride or is this part of the 'fun' even if its complicated. Like you my surge shows that I have done 18 floors but in fact have only done 2.

[Capper20]

Not yet. I read somewhere that someone had heard that it would be fixed but not seen anything official. I'm lucky if I can bunnyhop up a kerb let alone 47 flights...

[Tommy1939]

OK it sounds like work in progress so now I kind of know I wont waste to much time worrying about it, but suspect its something they will resolve in due course?Regards Tommy Tommy Moran (BSC Hon.Mem)TM FILM LIGHTING CONSULTANCY LTD

[ajh499]

I think it would be worth discounting steps while cycling not only from the FitBit "Bike" activity, but also, if possible during cycling activities imported from other sources. Endomondo, Strava, etc..

[speedbump]

Totally Agree Come on Fitbit FIXIT

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@puregto wrote:

My Surge counts thousands of steps when in bike mode. Even on a fairly short ride of 5 mi. on mountain bike, 15 mi. on road bike.

It should be easy to update firmware to shut off step count when in bike mode.

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The step count is totally distorted and should not be counting when the device is in bike mode Could be simply fixed with software. Also seems to distort the calorie data as well. Pretty much renders the device pointless. Have sent an email to fitbit so will see what they say.

[etl]

Please add the ability to print the food diary.  I am working with a nutritionist and I need to be able to show her my food diary, not just calorie intake. 

[Georgefleeuk]

After completing my first mtb ride with my new surge, I clocked up 12k steps, and didn't put my foot on the floor once! I would suggest basic logic of "recording a bike ride, disregard steps for time on bike".

[SilviaFitbit]

Hey @puregto! I totally love this idea because it would be easier for people that use Surge to track bike. 

Thank you for visiting the Feature Request Board. 

[Jazz79]

Agree. This would also be good for other activities like softball and yoga. I started double counting when I wore the tracker and the. Logged the exercise. Now I manually log but then loose out on steps... 😞 please add this feature!

[LarryLM]

I use a ONE.  I would really like to see it adapted to turn on and off either from the unit or the App.  It counts about 3,000 steps when I ride to work and antother when I ride home.

Having to connect it to the computer is ridiculously cumbersome and would require me to take the connection with me whenever I ride the bike so that I can turn it off when I'm about to cycle.

PLEASE FIX THIS.

[wederbrand]

I commute with my bike every day. Each way is counted as roughly 5000 steps. Steps I didn't take. In fact, I didn't take a single step.

I agree that this must be configurable. The feature is already in fitbit with "driving". We just need to be able to call it Cycling and see the HR-graph.

This is such a simple feature it's a shame fitbit haven't already fixed it.