Garmin Instinct Solar and Zwift - problem

Hello,

Recently I wanted to register my free ride in Zwift with Garmin Instinct. Before launching Zwift I added separate cadence sensor, HR strap and Elite Direto XR-T to Sensors and Accessories menu. Trainer was found as Spd/Cad - 8777. I went into this sensor settings and added Wheel Size 179mm (auto shows crazy values). Then I started Zwift, launched Bike Indoor activity on Instinct watch. Unfortunately speed was showing only time to time, mostly I saw only horizontal lines instead speed numbers. I deleted all found sensors and repeated procedure, but effect was exactly the same.

Fenix 7 has no problem at all to work this way, but it looks soft there is more sophisticated and can find trainer as Direto.

Do you have any suggestions how to solve this problem?

Regards Rafal

Hi @Rafal_Bard

Welcome to the forums!

Best I can tell, the Garmin Instinct Solar is only potentially compatible with Zwift cycling as a heart rate monitor. Is that what you’re trying to use it for?

Generally all data is transferred from Zwift to Garmin Connect directly. One thing I miss it doesn’t feed VO2MAX calculator in Connect. I suppose there is no such issue with Fenix 7. I’ll test it tomorrow, for now I can see Fenix correctly shows speed and other parameters.

1 Like

VO2Max doesn’t get calculated with the Instinct watch.

Heh, I suppose that’s the answer. It’s a pity. Of course Instinct 2 would solve this problem but for now there is issue with washed out screen, so I’ll wait with update to see if Garmin plan to fix it.

Thanks for info.

Is there option to get VO2max from Zwift? I guess program has all data needed to count it?

Garmin Watches calculate the metrics directly on the device, so it depends on the model which metrics you can get. The cheaper ones have fewer metrics and lack things, like training status, VO2Max etc.

I double record my Session inside Zwift and on my fenix, therefore have the trainer paired as a sensor + HRM as well. All the metrics the watch can calculate is being done right after I save the activity on the watch.

Garmin allowed recently to re-calculate metrics from imported activities, like Zwift uploading a session to a connected Garmin account. But that also depends on the watch model which metrics are available, because the watch calculates it and uploads it back to Garmin.

1 Like

Thanks Mike. Ok, I can see there is no way to get this info with Instinct.