Zwift, Garmin Strava and V02 Max

General Discussion
1

Hey folks.

I am learning out V02 Max and would like it to be recorded on my rides. Currently, it does not calculate in Garmin Connect.

This is my system:

Garmin Edge 820 for outdoor rides, but no power readers

NeoTacx 2 for my inside rides, and power is recorded. I use Zwift

All my rides (in and out) are recorded on Zwift, Garmin Connect and Strava (with Summit)

I understand for V02Max to be calculated you need to have a heart rate monitor and a power reader. For my inside rides, power and heart rate are both calculated. Therefore I do not understand why Garmin Connect is not calculating my V02 Max my inside rides.

If you can help me out with this it would be appreciated.
Don

2

That would be nice to add, or somehow Garmin needs to calculate it from the syncā€™d data.

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4

Thanks. I actually ran both Zwift and my Garmin at the same time this morning. I got my V02 Max reading. I ended up with two of the same activity in Garmin Connect, but I deleted the one made by my Garmin Edge 820, and the V02 Max remained. So I will just do that at least once a week. I hope to get a Training Effort reading as well, but I think I need to have more activities completed after getting my first V02 reading.

D

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5

Itā€™d be great for Zwift to licence the Firstbeat algorithm and provide that VO2Max measurement as well as Training Effect. Things like the Edge 830 also give recovery time advice I think.

Maybe I just need to update my 9 year old Edge 800 to something more modernā€¦

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6

how did you get garmin to give the VO2 max? Iā€™ve tried running my fenix 5x in indoor bike mode and connect HR and cadense sensors to itā€¦ and also then sync the zwift data to GC. but no VO2 anywhere on garmin

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7

To get VO2Max with indoor riding you also need a power meter.

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8

I do not know how I got my V02 reading
. I ran my Garmin and Zwift at the same time, and I got a V02Max reading from the Garmin. It just appeared in my Garmin Connect account.

9

Do you have power meter cranks?

13

its just cadence sensor on the crankā€¦ iā€™ll try connecting my kickr to my fenix today and see what happens.

14

just connected the kickr to my fenix and saw a power reading when i cranked with my handsā€¦ iā€™ll go do a ride this morning and see if garmin makes the calculation

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15

mission accomplished - it worked and garmin now shows a cycling vo2 max

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16

Hi, following this thread. I have a Garmin Fēnix 5s plus, a Wahoo Kickr and I use zwift. I have always connected the wahoo and the cadence sensor to zwift before starting.

I usually start the indoor cycling activity in the Garmin and start the ride on zwift a few seconds later, but the Garmin is not picking up the VO2 max in either the indoor activity or the zwift activity. What am I missing?

17

You need to pair the power output of the Kickr to the Fenix along with a HR monitor. It has to have both of those data points to work.

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18

Got you, thank you

19

Thanks for the advice! Itā€™s all working well now, power and cadence is fed to both zwift and Garmin, and VO2 is being measured.
This proved to be a very useful forum!

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20

Ok so Iā€™ve managed to hook up my hrm to zwift (turns out itā€™s blazingly simple when you use broadcast hr!). But garmin hasnā€™t generated a vo2 max. Will it only do that from a garmin device?

If thatā€™s the case anyone for any thoughts on workarounds? When Iā€™ve tried to sync the trainer to the watch in indoor bike mode, it then seems to drop zwift? Iā€™m running a fenix 6s, garmin tri hrm, and tacx bushido. Is the bushido too ancient to sync to two devices at a time?

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21

Forget Zwift for a second, your Garmin doesnā€™t know about that anyway. Connect your HRM and trainer (as a power meter) to your Garmin. Measure your rides on your Garmin independently to your Zwifting. Garmin Connect should calculate your VO2 Max.

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22

Thanks Ian. Only thing is though I do want to be able to use zwift at the same time (I do not have the willpower to turbo without it). As soon as the bushido pairs with the watch, it then drops connection with zwift. ā€¦

23

Hoping there is a solution that means I can do both! A shame garmin is not use the imported data from zwift to calculate the vo2

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24

ANT+ sensors should be receivable on any number of devices. If youā€™re using Bluetooth to Zwift, ANT+ should still be available on your watch. If youā€™re using ANT+ to Zwift, ANT+ should still be available on your watch.

1 Like