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?

[SunsetRunner]

Hello, I'm extremely disappointed this has not been fixed yet, it seems like such a simple bug. When cycling I'm not making any steps and my calories burned will be tracked through my HR measurement. Double counting renders the whole fitbit useless. And I don't want to manually log driving online. I bought a fitbit with HR so things can be measured AUTOMATICALLY, otherwise I could make my own excel spreadsheet instead..

[Platham3574]

When riding my motorbike. It captures this as outdoor cycling on my Fitbit blaze. It also lashed logs steps at the same time.
Can this be corrected at all? I don't always remember to power off the Fitbit and I have tried changing from dominant to non domininent with little effect.
I know this is an issue for other bikers and wonder if cyclists have the same issue with incorrect step logging

[ebol]

Could not agree more. I cycle everyday and purchased the fitbit based on the ability to differentiate cycling from walking/running. At this stage, it fails to do this. This is misleading as the product is advertised as capable of differentiation in 'multisport mode'.  Fitbit are unable to provide a solution. Logging manually is not a solution since I want the GPS/HR data. I am taking my Surge back for a refund. 

[BadgerB]

I'd like to strongly endorse a new setting option to negate steps logged as part of an activity which has been categorized as biking or stationary biking.  Please make it disallow the steps recorded whether the biking activity is auto detected or the Biking mode is activated for the ride.  

Also why can't the route map information be reported back to the Fitbit app when the ride is auto detected and the iPhone with GPS and a Bluetooth connection to the Charge 2 is along for the ride?

I have a Charge 2 and want to wear it to get my HR information.  I also use Strava to track my rides.  If I use the Biking mode to track the ride on Fitbit so I can get the map information in my Fitbit app and track the ride with Strava then I get a double entry in Strava which is actually more annoying than the added steps.  The auto detect method with the CHG2 gets me the HR information but not the map in the Fitbit app.  Since I use the free version of Strava I do not get HR information in Strava with either method.

Therefore the ultimate goal for me would be to use Strava to track my ride and have the CHG2 auto detect it with map information transferring to the Fitbit app with no bogus step count for the ride.

[Malte79]

Hey, this discussion is ongoing for almost 2 years now!!

Of course the step counter cannot be 100% accurate. But in my opinion, it simply doesn't make sense to count steps under certain conditions. I am also a bike commuter and I am really disappointed seeing my Charge 2 counting steps while biking (manually activated and de-activated). In general, it should technically not be a big deal to exclude the steps counted during specific activities. Another example: I woke up this morning having already 42 steps on my counter (my Charge 2 recorded sleep without being awake, and I am not a sleepwalker).  

Is there anything ongoing fixing those issues?

Thanks,

Malte

[JWDalsager]

Is there any news on this? It's been here for a couple of years... 

[LarryLM]

I never got an answer. I lost my second fitbit because of their
ridiculously cheap holder and decided it wasn't worth buying a third. Life
is just as good without it.

[JWDalsager]

I understand - but the feature is still a good idea, so I just wanted to ask 🙂 

[Esexell]

I'm new to Fitbit and just found out the steps whilst biking problem. 

Voting for this as a 'New Feature' seems crazy as it's clearly a bug and likely a very easy one to fix. It's very worrying that this issue has was reported 2 years ago and hasn't been resolved yet. Is this typical of Fitbit's reaction to bug fix? 

[as05199118]

Just here to register my support for this bugfix.

It would be nice to see this upgraded to "Under consideration".

Fixing old, broken features, and building a solid platform is more important than new, flashy features, imho anyway.

[namtrab]

Yes yes yes! We need an easier method to negate steps while biking. Just a basic feature of putting the Fitbit (in my case, a Charge 2) into a cycling mode that will track all aspects of Fitbit EXCEPT steps would be perfect. Or, if not cycling specific, just a simple "Non-step activity" choice on the device would be ideal. Activate a non-step activity while cycling, and then put it back in "Normal Mode" when finished cycling.

Seems like such an easy fix that would solve a problem for a lot of people.

[chemieglennie]

I agree with previous comments regarding not counting steps. I put my blaze in "spinning" mode yesterday and it still recorded 5000 steps during that activity. Surely an option to not count steps when spinning or cycling mode is activated is a pretty easy software fix. Just like it works when you select driving. 

[KJRye]

Just got a Fitbit Flex 2 yesterday, and on my bike commutes have run into this same issue.I wanted to register and throw my voice into the mix here as well.

I think it's incredible that this issue has not been corrected or even addressed in any way. There are support questions going back over 2 years now on this topic!

[szaman]

Fitbit: does it mean that this issue is not going to be fixed any time soon? I am Fitbit HR model user, and I would like to buy new generation of the HR. If it is not fixed I will consider buying alternative device from your competitors.

During summer I commute on my motorbike and I found that my HR device counts "steps" for my rides. So it is not only bike, it is also motorbike.

I am a software engineer and based on experience with many different software companies (including ones that I work/worked for) I can say that it is uncommon to ignore such a critical bug by a vendor.

[Mattfbvelo]

I don't see why you have to cheat the Fitbit by logging cycling as driving to get steps within the activity taken off. I cycle 1hr+ everyday and my HR Alta does a great job of detecting the activity however it adds on roughly 1500 steps per hour. I started doing the driving work around however I can't be bothered now. Please ask the developers to make product just null the steps from the period in which it detected cycling.

[Andy7846]

I'm a new fitbit user (charge 2) and a regular cyclist. I ride almost daily but also enjoy walking and I'm looking at taking up running.

I must say the charge 2 is a fantastic device. However, it is a big disappointment for me that it counts steps while on the bike. Surely when I've started a bike activity it shouldn't count steps until that activity is finished. Please fix this, it will make the whole fitbit experience a lot better for us cyclists.

[Micelle_h]

Just got a Alta HR and like everything about it except this inability to *easily* remove cycling steps.  For me, this renders the device significantly less useful.  Fitbit software is otherwise good. This issue is significant enough for me that I will not buy and/or recommend this for cyclists until it is fixed. Basically really annoying for users with what is an objectively low bar for Fitbit to tweak their application, the work arounds shift the burden to every user. Ridiculous.

[katieh91]

Having recently started cycling to work on a road bike along typical British roads, I've found that my step count magically jumped up from an average of around 4000 on work days, to nearly 8000. Looking at my Fitbit app I noticed steps counted in my daily total during the time I am on my bike. I want my Charge 2 on my wrist during rides to track my heart rate, but don't want falsely tracked steps as this means I am unable to accurately compete in weekly challenges. After 2 years of comments from Fitbit users it would be good to see some action being taken to fix this.

[PaulSorrell]

I support the idea of not counting steps after selecting an exercise as like others my step count is exaggerated by several thousand while cycling. This evening my step count was just over 6000 when I set out on a ride and 24 miles later had registered a further 6500. Makes step count pointless for me. Interestingly these "steps" don't seem to register the same length as real steps as normally 10000 = 5 miles but my 12500 are showing 3.25 miles.

I've no real preference for how this is done but some sort of setting option that enables the user to do either would probably suit most as there seem those who want to register steps while cycling. I'm sure there are easier ways of double counting activity though 😉

[SriramKantipudi]

Hi Team,

can you please set the option to track the motorbike(Not cycling) when we ride on the motor bike My fitbit blaze is counting the steps and floors too.

[MarlenS]

Hi @puregto, thank you for being part of this Community!

I'd like to mention that the bike mode for the Fitbit Surge should not be giving you steps, I invite you to take a look of the information posted here. If you would like to give it a try you can also restart the Surge to avoid any kind of software issue:

1. Press and hold the Home and Select buttons (left and bottom right) on your Fitbit Surge for 10 to 15 seconds, until you see the screen flash or start to dim.
2. Let go of the buttons.
3. After your screen turns completely off, wait 10 seconds and press the Home button to turn your Surge back on.

Thank you again for the awesome input in the Feature Suggestions board. 

[SriramKantipudi]

I am using the Fitbit blaze and do we have manually enter all the times ?

if that is the case then no use of automated process right...

[DuvalDK]

I really love fitbit products, but i do a lot of my training on bike and my tracker counts steps

Could it be possible to add a "on/off" function in steps count, either in the "bike track mode" or in the watch settings.  

[acarodp]

I think the system should allow to optionally remove the steps from ANY activity. When you edit the activity, you should have an option to remove the steps counted during it. Even cooler if one could make it default for that type of activity, but it is not that important. Not juts for cycling, horseback riding or whatnot. Nobody would ever be so stupid as to remove the steps taken during a running activity so why have to choose which ones have the option enabled and which not. By default steps are counted during any activity. You don't want to in a specific case? You can take them out. Easy to understand, solves the problem.

[PaulSorrell]

The key for me is to enable the user to choose how they want the activity to be recorded. My preference would be a setting option that enables either globally or activity by activity the ability to set how steps are recorded or not. Default would be status quo. Not keen on having to manually remove steps as a solution.  

Given age of this thread I can't see Fitbit doing anything, a shame and will influence what I purchased next