Concept2 (ErgData) and Fitbit sync with HR

[Sanjiro-san]

I'm using Charge 2.

I set up integration between concept2 and Fitbit and it works - in terms of concept sending the data. Fitbit recognises it as indoor rower but does not show HR for exercise (as it does for other types of exercise). I discovered that when you set Workout on fitbit and row, then after sync you get double entry - Workout and indoor rower and both have HR. Unfortunately when you remove workout (as it's duplicated exercise), details of HR measure dissappear from the Indoor rowing exercise.

So... The question is how to get fitbit HR data during exercise correctly synced with concept data? 

I don't mind workarounds like set your fitbit - row - stop fitbit - sync - delete one of the entries, if only the result would be 'rowing with HR measures'. 

[LanuzaFitbit]

Welcome to the Forums @Sanjiro-san.

Thanks for sharing this with everyone.

Given that this is set up with a third-party app it wouldn't be possible for us to determine why this is happening. These integrations are developed by the third-parties and thus they should be able to take a closer look at what is going on. Maybe you could try getting in touch with them directly so that they can look into what is going on and if there is a way to get the HR to show without logging a workout.

Let me know if there are any further questions.

[tcjaz2000]

I'm in a similar situation- I have a Charge 3, and use my Concept2 with ErgData daily. The good: If you don't start exercise on the Fitbit, just connect your phone to the erg and row, when you sync the workout to your logbook, it immediately shows up in your Fitbit data- without heart rate, of course. But that's ok, because the HR data you collect from Fitbit is horribly inaccurate during the row. I use a Scosche Rhythm+, which shows up on the rower screen. If I'm hitting 160bpm on the rower, and glance at my Fitbit, it'll show as low as 110bpm. So I only use my Scosche/logbook info to see how hard I worked.

The best part is that the calories used is imported directly from your logbook data, so even though the heartrate is missing, and the step impact is affected because the Fitbit heart rate shows you're not working as hard as you are, at least you get the calorie impact. My daily 10k row is good for about 725 calories... 

[MichielJ]

Kindly explain how the ErgData logbook, when synchronized, talks to the fitbit. They are not linked at all. How can it possibly work? I’m very eager to monitor my Concept 2 exercise with my Fibit Charge 3

[Papa8]

The ErgData doesn't actually talk with the Fitbit directly.  When you sync your rowing workout from the ErgData app to your Concept 2 online logbook, the Concept 2 logbook immediately sends the data for that workout to your Fitbit dashboard and your rowing session shows up in your Fitbit dashboard as an INDOOR ROWER workout at exactly the time of day that you rowed.  Because your Fitbit knows what your heart rate was during that time, it's able to show you what your heart rate was during the rowing workout.  It all works pretty well, except that the Fitbit is notoriously inaccurate at recording your heart rate while on an indoor rowing machine.  But at least it shows you what it recorded.  For this all to work this way you have to go into your Concept 2 user profile under Applications and link your Fitbit account.

[robpurdie]

Because I know that my Concept2 logbook is pushing rowing workout data my FitBit dashboard, I'm guessing that if my HR data is included in what is pushed, FitBit is not over-writing the HR data captured by my FitBit tracker with the HR data pushed by my Concept2 logbook (which is captured, in my case, by a chest strap HRM). I know the HR data my chest strap HRM is capturing is being written to my Concept2 logbook.

It would be great if FitBit and Concept2 could work together to change this - it seems like there are a lot of us who would benefit 🙂 

[dctyne]

I've just started using my Charge 4 whilst still syncing rowing workouts with the Concept2 logbook via ErgData. I've now linked that with my FitBit account so that they also appear in there.

I wear a Polar chest HRM during rowing workouts, and the HR it shows in ErgData is pretty much the same as what the Charge 4 is showing, when I check at the end of a workout. I usually do a sprint finish, so my HR is usually up to the 170+ mark. However, whilst the Concept2 logbook shows that sprint finish peak, the FitBit exercise log doesn't: it's much lower. It looks like it's perhaps logging the first part of my workout, or maybe even the time just before it. It could be using the start time as the end time, or using some timestamp that's out of sync. Either way, it makes my indoor rower workouts look very pedestrian.

[dctyne]

I've sinced tried wedging my Charge 4 inside the side of my chest HRM strap during rowing workouts, and I'm now getting much more accurate readings from it, almost in line with the Polar one. A bit inelegant, but seems to work so far. Maybe the mechanics of holding onto a rower handle throws readings from the wrist off a bit?

[slayman]

I have yet to sync my Charge 5 and Concept 2 log but I have found that the HR recorded by the Charge is much less than that recorded by my Polar chest HRM via Concept 2 PM5. (110 vs 155). I might try your suggestion during my next row.

[Westerj]

Have noticed fitbit shows 110 when heart rate is over 140. Am trying wellue o2ring .as well.  This is indeed a sprint on concept2 modelD rower.