Garmin Forrunner 255 Music no training load with Zwift

Bugs and Support
1

Can somone please explain to me why , even though I use a new Garmin forrunner 255 Music Zwift + Garmin Connect + Zwift Connect , and the watch is paired with Zwift and transmits heart rate from a chest strap connected to the watch, I still don’t get any training load data in Garmin Connect from these Zwift activities.

Zwift sends a full activity to Garmin Connect , with all the data Zwift recorded, plus the real data from the Forerunner 255 Music (HR rate).

I’ve read every forum post, followed every suggestion — including those offered by ChatGPT. I even went for an outdoor run so that my VO2Max would be written , because supposedly that’s required before Zwift data counts toward training load in later sessions . But that turned out to be a lie — and has nothing to do with Zwift integration at all!

I want my training load calculated by Garmin! But all I get is an empty value for training load .

Can somone Explain this to me, please!

2

Hi @Marc_Schoe,

Thank you for posting in the Forums! I am Nelson from Zwift Support.

I understand you want your training load calculated by Garmin and not Zwift. I wanted to share that Garmin calculates Training Load (and related metrics like Training Effect) on the device at the time of recording. When you use Zwift Connect, even though your Forerunner 255 Music transmits heart rate from a chest strap, the activity isn’t recorded natively by the watch as shared in this post on Garmin Forums.

Some riders found a solution in dual recording: while using Zwift, also start a “Bike Indoor” activity on the Forerunner 255 Music. This ensures that Garmin captures all the required metrics, allowing Training Load to be calculated properly. We also recommend contacting Garmin directly for detailed information.

If you need any assistance, just contact us at Zwift Support and we will be there for you.

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3

Thanks for request, i could try a last thing tomorrow and if it not working i give up -.- Some Garmin forum guys mean that i need a real ride with the garmin device to calculate virtual zwift rides. Maybe this is the key but i have not high hopes because i tried this with the dual recording method and nothing happend. Maybe typ: Indoor-Cycling was the issue but no one knows that. Would maybe my last Garmin device because i can’t support bad implementations from a huge international brand.

4

This is just how it is; this is how Garmin Connect works.

This is why people like me only record on my watch, for all the data it receives, and keep everything else separate.

This is also why I’ve purchased devices that do communicate with each other.

Up until end of last year I had a Fenix 5S+ and an Edge 830. Load between the two devices “should” be connected, however they are not, as they are generationally apart.

Now I have a Fenix 7SPro and an Edge 1040S, and things finally “work together”.

TLDR: This is just how it works, keep it in the same generation of devices and things communicate, otherwise, anything outside of same-lineage means it doesn’t get calculated.

This is how Garmin makes gets people to buy new products for the record.

6

This is absolutely marketing fraud, because, as I described above, Zwift is supposed to send data to Garmin Connect, receive VO2max HR rate data from the watch, and then send it back to Garmin Connect. The watch syncs it and calculates everything from there – that’s what’s stated everywhere. If that doesn’t actually work, it’s outright fraud!

Edit: I test in the early morning a real ride and yes as expected its not working! The watch dont use the real ride to calculated the Zwift rides! Awesome product -.- User want there training in one activity and not in ghost records. It’s impossible to make sense of things afterwards, as you end up with duplicate entries and ultimately have to delete one of the Zwift activities manually. I genuinely wonder who came up with this system. As someone working in IT, it’s incredibly frustrating because it just doesn’t make any logical sens. This experience doesn’t make me want to buy more of their products – it actually ensures I’ll never buy from them again

7

When you buy a product from Garmin, you’re also paying for their “software” side of calculations to be done as well, WHEN you use said product.

As it stands, you’re basically saying you’re mad that Garmin isn’t giving you something for free.
This is how it works with every product that can upload activities to Garmin, this is indeed how they market newer products with more calculation features (see Stamina on the recent generations).

This is like going up to a McDonalds, asking for a Wendy’s Frosty and getting mad that they don’t have one.

Use the product, you’ll get what you’re asking for.
I do it, many others do it, and we don’t have problems with it; we just block Zwift from uploading virtual rides to Garmin (which is fine, as the speeds are unreal)

8

Did you record your outdoor ride on your watch as an outdoor ride? Is the ride showing in Garmin Connect?

You can most definitely get training effect data on Garmin Connect from rides recorded on Zwift without wearing your watch. That is what I do. At least in the past, the key was that you need a “seed” ride — an outdoor ride recorded on your watch as an outdoor ride. Why does this matter? I don’t know. But it does. If you did record a seed ride, it might take a day to synchronize, so try again.

The only metric I’ve noticed that doesn’t “translate” is stamina. I don’t know why. If I wanted stamina, I’d have to dual record.

(I vaguely recall that some people said they got their seed ride by recording an indoor ride as an outdoor ride, but I’m not certain.)

You can find a similar discussion under “Zwift and Garmin fitness calculations” from October 2024.

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If you say it works for you than i have hope :wink: Yes I do but i dont reach VO2MAX for the last outdoor rides(i have a very low hr rate). My last hope is that i need to reach a VO2MAX value that garmin can calculate it. I think i need to hold VO2MAX more than 10min or somthing like that for Status:VO2MAX it try it later today hand i hope i have enough rest energy

10

Sorry Andrew but thats not a part of the discussion there is a solution i promise and i dont need to buy an EDGE for it!

11

Appologies then I must be confused what you’re looking at.

What I do know is that between my multiple devices, my training load was not shared between mixed generations.

My Edge 830 and my Fenix 5S+ didn’t share TSS, and my Fenix 7SPro didn’t share TSS with my 830, but it does with my 1040S.

That said, my point stands that for some of the calculation sides of Garmin, you have to remain within their devices and generations to get inter connectivity, my statements of that are fact.

Your particular issue however, I guess I’m not understanding where the fault lies.

What I do know is that I’ve been recording my Zwift rides on my Garmin watch since I started riding, because I get more, and better data on the Garmin side of things, and I have had no issues.

A lot of data you can get on the Connect side of things is stripped away when importing rides from say Strava or Zwift, etc. etc.
Some of which data is used for training load information.

Vo2 Max calculation on Garmin requires a power meter and an HRM to be attached to your recording device, and a 20+ minute effort.
If you don’t have a power meter, you can’t get Vo2 data.

If you have a PM, do a 20+ minute ride, and still don’t get it, confirm your maxHR is accurate in your Garmin profile.

I even get estimations on my commutes some days!
Which of course I decline lol

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12

Are your sure a Powermeter is requiered and the HR is not enouh? I think the main problem in my case is that the watch is new and i cant ride out for VO2MAX since i have it. So there is no user feedback that i need to do that :wink:

13

Yes, a power meter is indeed required.
(note that a common “simple” Vo2 calculation only uses 5 minute power and weight; Vo2 is mL/kg/min)

Note that your trainer… is likely to have a power meter; so if you record a ride with your watch with everything connected (trainer, HRM), you can get that stat (in the case that your outdoor bike doesn’t have a power meter).

14

Wahoo Kickr Core should work or?

15

It measures power, so it should work; again, if you record using the watch.

Just note that you can end up with doubling up of stats if you have Zwift continuing to import rides.

I have no idea if the Forerunner produces a distance guess based on power; my Fenix 5 did not, but my 7 does; so you run the risk of getting double mileage on connect (this is why I have Zwift not sending rides to Garmin).
Not the end of the world; you can always delete either side.

To further clarify why I only record on my watches is so I get respiration, stamina, temperature, sweat loss estimations, among a few other datapoints.

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16

I may be misunderstanding the actual question, but if you are just looking for Zwift to populate many of the Garmin metrics, it can be done—one you have a “seed” ride recorded on your watch.

And you do not need an outdoor “seed” ride at VO2 max for Zwift to calculate your VO2 max for biking — you just need a trainer that can send power figures to Zwift. (I’ve never ridden outside with a power meter, and my Garmin calculates VO2 max for biking based on my Zwift rides recorded solely on Zwift.).

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17

Thanks to you all, I realized that I have a poor setup for this. The Van Rysel D100 can’t connect to Garmin, and I don’t have a power meter for outdoor rides and the manual for Forrunner 255 Music is different or not specific enough to the Garmin generally post that you can do a seed ride on indoor trainers. That’s why I had to be so specific. Thank you so much. Some friends of mine have the Wahoo KICKR Core, so I can do the seed ride there. I was already feeling a bit desperate. Thats the only device i would upgrade next year :wink: