An inelegant work around to get Garmin Training Effect

This works pretty well just not as nice if TE was a Zwift feature, but, hey, Zwift is a lot of fun.
I am using a NEO 2 with Zwift running on an iPad. My bike computer is a Garmin Edge 1030. What works is to set the Garmin indoor cycling to only pair to NEO Power and your Heart Rate monitor. The Garmin will then track time, heart rate, power and strangely cadence. I find it best to pause both Garmin and Zwift. Save Zwift first until it goes to Strava or whatever, then save the Garmin.

Garmin Connect will post this data to Strava as well. If you want just delete it from Strava or Edit it to note what it is. I have done 3 rides using this method. It took two to fix operator errors. :wink: I’m not sure which Garmin devices do Training Effect.

The Neo has a built in cadence sensor. I don’t find it very reliable - I get lots of flat spots and half readings, but it’s there.

I sometimes do this to get my TE as well (plus left/right power), but I usually don’t bother because deleting things from Strava/Garmin/Xert is a faff.

I noted that about cadence showing because I did not pair to cadence or speed to the 1030 only power. The problem with cadence on the neo if I understand correctly is it is an optical thing as the heel of the foot passes a sensor. This can be a problem for those with smaller feet.

It is easy enough to delete from Strava. I tend to do an edit on every virtual ride because Strava defaults to my road bike and not the one on the trainer.

Yeah, mine are an 8. I hear some people tape spoons to the cranks to lengthen them.

If you do it this way and then go into connect to edit the ride to contain the distance and elevation as per Zwift would that cause an issue?

I want to benefit from the training effect but also want Zwift/Strava/Garmin to all show same distance and elevation…I’m thinking this is not possible

Nope. That’s exactly what I do. I edit the time (usually a slight discrepancy), max speed, distance, and elevation gain in my Garmin file to match what Zwift file says. Doesn’t affect any of the Training Effects data

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Oh that’s awesome, I will try that tonight then. Thank you

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You mean to edit in Gamin Connect, right. I don’t think there is a way to edit in the Edge. I just did this morning’s ride on GC, Thanks

Yep, after my ride has been saved (Garmin and Zwift) I log on to Garmin connect and edit the Garmin file stats to match the Zwift file stats.

Kind of a pain but since Training Effects is exclusive to Garmin as they’ve paid FirstBeat (who makes those stats) a licensing fee whereas Zwift has not.

Now if Zwift decides to license FirstBeat then it’ll make life easier but I’m not holding my breath for that happening.

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That is incredibly helpful though, my google searches in the best way to manage data flow did not clarify it for me in that way :+1:

I’m happy to at least get some data showing TE. It just bothers me that the 1,000 miles I ridden Zwift shows nothing. I don’t know who accurate Firstbeat® TE is but at least it gives an idea about how I am trending. Double thanks, Daniel.

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Just to come back round to this. I saw on a Garmin forum that people have recorded with Zwift and Garmin simultaneously, then deleted the Garmin connect upload (leaving the Zwift ride imported in) and it calculated training effect etc while having stats correct.

Edit: might not even have to record and delete, apparently recording then discarding still updates the training effect metrics

@Stephen_Noble I’d be interested in that experiment but from my experience it isn’t correct. Here are my Garmin Connect files from today’s ride. First one recorded on Garmin Edge 830, the 2nd is the Zwift import:


You can see the training effect is blank in the Zwift file. Everything I’ve read is that because it is licensed only products that have paid FirstBeat the licensing fee are eligible to display that data.

Some testing needed for sure but I’m reading that it is processed on device as it happens so that the save is not required as it has already analysed the effort during the workout. But yes, needs some testing to see

That’s how I understand it too. The calculation is done on the device (e.g. my Edge 830), not in Connect.

That’s true. My work around just gets the Garmin device to do TE without doing distance and speed. This then syncs to GC. I had quit running the Garmin alongside Zwift because it doubled my mileage. I don’t cheat like that. My one cheat is to do all my solo Zwift rides on a TT bike to get more XPs.

I’ve been trying to do exactly this with the Garmin and zwift this week on my flux, but I keep getting resistance dropouts when climbing while using the Garmin as well as my iPad. Anyone else had this or know what might be causing it?