I recently picked up a Garmin edge 830. I’ve been using the Venu2 watch for some time for general health metrics and I push trainer road workouts to Garmin connect. I’m wondering if it’s worthwhile to dual record on trainer road and the 830. I’ve read lots on how to do this, my question are the Garmin cycling metrics worth the effort of dual recording? I can see training effect and recovery metrics being interesting, but I’m not sure if it would change my training or not. As Coach Jonathan says we should be trying to make training easier not more complicated. If I can gain unique insight from the Garmin metrics I’d like to do it, but I also wonder if this will be one of those complications I’ll ignore after a few rides.
As someone who dual-records because I like all my metrics, I’ll be the first to say you probably shouldn’t bother! They really aren’t that actionable, especially considering that the TrainerRoad activity that syncs to Garmin Connect does correctly update your recovery time / training load etc. and that even syncs back to your Edge 830 (and probably Venu) by way of Garmin’s Physio TrueUp.
So keep it simple!
P.S. I really do it for the Garmin badges 
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I record everything to Garmin Connect and then push it to TrainingPeaks and Strava and also have a copy in WKO5.
I think of Garmin Connect and TrainingPeaks as places where all my data can live and be backed up. If Strava goes out of business or wants to charge me for accessing my data then I still have access.
What if you stop using TR? It would be nice to have your training history somewhere accessible.
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There’s an old thread on the dual recording some where but I do it mainly because it gives me more stats to look at and as a back up for my poor IT.
I also dual record, mainly to cross check my PM and trainer. I do have plans to go “all in” the Garmin ecosystem with my next fitness watch (I have a Suunto now that works very well and is still going strong after 6+ years).
one record, through TR which is then uploaded to Garmin Connect. Interesting trivia from today’s ride. Not that it means anything. Garmin assumes my speed halves when my cadence does. I guess this accounts for different millage estimation between the two.
I dual recorded workouts for about six months, but after that I stopped and just push my TR workout to Garmin. I don’t feel I’m missing anything that matters. YMMV.
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Something to consider - If you ever do leave TR there is an extremely high chance you’ll end up using TrainingPeaks to run your workouts as it is the go to app for coaches and almost all non TR off the shelf programs. You can also create erg workouts in TP and automatically push them to Zwift (or your head unit of choice). And once you’re in there all the time, there’s a decent chance you’ll want to use TP as your calendar too as it is a great app for that. So, while you’re setting up additional syncs, consider setting up a free TP account and get your data in there now going forward. You’ll either never need it or, you’ll be happy you don’t have to import several years of it.
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Intervals.ICU is also available and (in my opinion) is a nicer experience than TP.
TP being the number one hub for syncing between services is a reason to get it in the future, but ICU can do a lot of the data stuff.
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I did dual record for a while, as losing the cycling dynamics bothered me, until I realised I never looked at them, and the hassle of double recording was not worth it. I now only use the 1040 for outside rides.
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one record, through TR which is then uploaded to Garmin Connect. Interesting trivia from today’s ride. Not that it means anything. Garmin assumes my speed halves when my cadence does. I guess this accounts for different millage estimation between the two.
I think TR records a “corrected distance” to Strava (e.g. likely mostly or solely function of power), while garmin records the “trainer distance”, which will be gearing dependent.
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I Hugely prefer ICU to TP, and cancelled subscription to TP and stopped using it altogether. I’m happy to pay ICU to keep it alive.
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Probably not worth it, although there is some good stuff in the Garmin metrics although there is a learning curve.
FWIW I bought a 530 in late summer of 2019, and started dual recording for a couple reasons:
- to record temperature because my trainer is in the garage (hot in summer, cold in winter)
- to evaluate the new metrics not available on my 520
- to record HRV
Personally I like the Garmin metrics, but it took 6 months to figure out how to use them.
Performance condition is great to monitor increases in fitness, but with TR you now have AI FTP for that. Same for FTP estimates. That said I’ve had those for years now, versus waiting. And I do like seeing training effect on any ride - workout or unstructured group ride - but I also have WKO for that.
My coach doesn’t push for progressing power on zone2/endurance unless its after a break, and both Garmin and WKO give proper credit for those rides at all times of the year. Without getting into details I can easily predict fitness increases simply based on trending the aerobic training scores of Garmin/WKO and correlating that with trends in performance condition. Garmin does track that in vo2max estimates, and WKO uses different methods to estimate VO2max and those align with Garmin.
For most I’d think it is too much bother, but for some there is good stuff hiding in the Firstbeat metrics.
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I primarily use Intervals.icu. I only use Strava for social reasons and don’t really care about what I share there. In fact, I think I have it turned off. So I just sync to bike computer and then to Intervals.icu. I only use TP when I am doing a structured program through their service.
I record on my Edge unit just in n case something goes wrong, as a backup. Once the TR upload goes up without issue, I delete the activity and stick with Tr’s upload.
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Interesting. I’ve found this to have zero correlation to how I’m feeling. I assume this is the metric that first pops up on your screen around 10 into a ride with +/- x?
yes, and I don’t look at it during a ride. Unless I feel really off. I’m pulling it up after the ride and glancing at it, and then mentally track if its consistently around +3 on my Mon/Tue/Wed block of training.
Performance condition gets updated in Garmin from TR rides. I think only after the TR import happens, then sync from a device that calculates metrics (watches, and I think edge). There’s a DCR article explaining that (but might be outdated)
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here is an example of Performance Condition, where I started out and felt like crap (and could see a high HR-vs-power), then stopped for a few minutes to try and reboot the body/brain. It worked and I slayed the intervals and Performance Condition goes from a low of -3 to a sustained +2:
I didn’t look at Performance Condition during the ride. Definitely felt a difference after stopping to take a break and get my s**t together.
The DCRainmaker article shows the following as being supported:
- Training Load
- Recovery Time
- Training Effect
Unless something has changed, I don’t believe Performance Conditions works with the “sync to Garmin Connect, and turn on your bike computer and let it sync and process”
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Back up
The one time you lose a ride it can all seem worth it
verification: If you have two power sources, it works as a verification too. I had my pm paired to my trainer, the battery died in the pm and I didn’t notice because TR kept going with the trainer which was 20W too easy for a few months of wasted training
I’m now a fan of the Garmin ecosystem, I think the health and training data is worth it