Runner, new on Zwift and Cyling - Various Questions

General Discussion
1

Hi there,

I bought a new Van Rysel D500 trainer. I have no experience with trainers, and I’m not a cyclist, but I wanted to increase my Z2 and general cardio load alongside my running. I started using my own bike about a month ago, and recently decided to get the Zwift Ride because I prefer having a dedicated, clean-looking setup in the middle of my living room.

Now, I’m a bit confused about how to integrate my workouts and data into Garmin. I connected Garmin Connect to Zwift, and the rides upload correctly as Virtual Rides. I can see all the data, but I’m not sure if Garmin is using it to calculate my FTP, or if it’s using the FTP that Zwift gives me every now and then.

For example:

Once, I manually updated my FTP on Garmin Connect.

Later, Zwift gave me a new FTP.

Garmin didn’t update automatically.

Then at some point, I noticed a change — but I’m not sure when or how it happened.

So right now, I don’t understand how Garmin handles FTP from Zwift.
Is it:

Automatic but delayed?

Automatic but using its own calculation instead of Zwift’s?

Not automatic at all unless I update it manually?

I’m using a Forerunner 970 and I have a ton of running metrics. But for cycling, I only see the FTP tab in Garmin Connect, and on the watch I only see VO2max and FTP. Am I missing something? Should there be more data or progress charts?

Also, is there a better way to import Zwift rides into Garmin?
Should I start an indoor cycling workout on my watch at the same time? And if so, how would the watch get the trainer data?

I hope this makes sense. I’m just trying to understand how to use Zwift and Garmin together, how to log my training properly, and how to get more cycling metrics — because right now I barely see anything. A lot of cyclists seem to use Garmin, so I’m confused why I don’t have much data at all.

2

Wrt FTP - Zwift will not send FTP values to Garmin. You will need to either manually enter it on Garmin, or set your watch to also auto-detect FTP changes. I prefer the manual way, then I know what is there and why it’s there.

As for the missing metrics, if I understand you correctly - I’m not sure what Garmin does when you do not record it on your watch and if the effort is used from Zwift data to correctly figure out things like Body Battery and other stress factor. So I record it, and for that make sure that you also have your trainer set up as a sensor and linked to your watch. Then you will get detail like cadence and power as it happened during the ride.
You will NOT get Zwift internal “created” data correctly, such as correct speed, distance, and no elevation - all of that is only deducted from the imaginary wheel size of the trainer.

3

When I first got my Garmin watch, I did record a few rides on my watch, as well as Zwift. But on a couple rides, I had forgot to start my watch. I realized that I still got all my stats. So I don’t dual record anymore.(Unless I dual record with my power pedals) If you do a bit Of a search, I think you will find a couple forum topics on the subject. I think we decided that you have to dual record one ride, and it should show all your stats after that. Sorry if my information isn’t totally accurate. My memory is going :sob: