How can I calculate stride length?

[donlolo]

My step is 14" - my stride is 28". I measured 100 steps on Fitbit and counted 100 steps taken. It came out very close. When I changed to a 28" stride setting, it only gives me credit for half my steps. Do I set my Steps as 14" or 28"? Is Fitbit measuring my steps or my stride?

[SteveH]

This is strange. Changing your stride should only affect your distance, not your step count (fitbit uses the calculation distance = stride x steps)

With fitbit your stride length is the length of each step. I'm not sure about your terminology: a step of 14" seems very small. I'm fairly short but my stride length is well over 2 feet. Can you clarify what you understand by step and stride.

My suggestion would be to let fitbit use a default value for your stride (based on gender and height) unless you know it is definitely wrong. If you do want to change it then use this procedure: http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1135

[donlolo]

Lay down a tape measure, take a step. My step is 14" my stride is 28"
fitbit counts steps, not strides. Do I set my fitbit to 14" or 28"?

[SteveH]

I'm afraid I'm still confused by your very short step size - it just doesn't sound right to me. My advise would be to let fitbit use the default. 

Perhaps I'm just being thick here. I'll drop out of this conversation and hope someone else will be able to help.

[donlolo]

Steve, Lay down a tape measure, take 1 step. What distance is your step? Your stride should be roughly twice that distance, or most pedometers suggest that you take 10 steps, measure the distance from start to finish, and divide by 10. The result is your stride length. My concern is that Fitbit's "stride" default is loosely a stride calculation based upon your height. But the end results are measured in steps. Again, steps and strides are not the same thing. When my Fitbit is set for a 28" stride length and I take 100 steps, my Fitbit is crediting me for only around 50 steps. That means I need to walk twice the distance to reach my goal. Maybe my Fitbit Surge is faulty?