I use a Wahoo Kicker Snap, and an ipad for my rides. I use a BT cadence sensor, I use a Garmin Fenix 6 to broadcast heart rate. I sync to Strava where I like to keep all my outdoor and indoor data. All works great with the trainer, cadence and wrist HR from the fenix going to the ipad.
My challenge: I want to get my Vo2 max for biking from the Garmin…BUT as I understand it, I need to use the Fenix to track the workout rather than just HR broadcast in order to get my cycling V02 max to update. But! I want to have my ipad continue to show the TR workout progress and steps graphic etc. I could use the fenix to run the trainer but I lose my ipad screen for TR.
What is the best way to do this? I have chest HR (polar H7) strap as well should that be in the mix. I also have an ANT to bluetooth converter dongle. The combinations and permutations of stuff is confusing me.
I do this with the 945. You can set it to broadcast heart rate during a workout. Then start a free ride trainer workout on the watch, and just run TR like you always do.
You can connect the watch to the trainer without the watch controlling it. Before I bought my HRM and only used a Fenix 5X that’s how I did it. Watch broadcast HR to phone. TR running on phone in control. Watch receiving power values from trainer. So the watch simply records your workout and to it the trainer is essentially a power meter.
Welp, here is where I got to…I think the issue is that my HRM strap is only BT…that can only connect to one device. ANT seems to just broadcast so multiple devices can feed upon it, The Kickr goes BT to my ipad, my cadence sensor also BT but I can’t get HR to the ipad unless I run BT band…which can only connect to one device…leaving the fenix to only wrist. But I can wear my second BT HRM strap and get it covered as well. The Fenix gets ANT from the trainer and BT from the second HRM.
Why not just use the Fenix HR? I know wrist mounts aren’t the most accurate but for indoor rides it takes out a lot of the variability that comes from bouncing around the road and are usually pretty good.
The wrist mount HR will do that as well. I think the only difference between using the wrist and the chest strap is the chest strap is generally more accurate. Garmin will still tell you VO2 and performance condition and such if the only HR source is the watch.
I believe that the Fenix will re-broadcast the HRM strap data if set, under wrist heart rate, to broadcast during activity. At least it seems like it is. I am getting HR at TR over BT when set this way and the Fenix says external strap is connected.
I have done quite a few workouts that were not recorded on my Fenix, and yet it still updates the VO2 max. HOw? I don’t know. But my Garmin COnnect shows no activities, yet my VO2 has updated.