Now if I could just work out why it refuses to register steps. Not that I'm bothered about steps - (but obviously I am....)
Have you got "activity tracking" in "settings" set to on, Cougie?
I'm getting narked with mine at the moment, as quite often after completing an activity when I go to save it, it just hangs on the saving screen. I then have to do a hard reset, which subsequently deletes the activity I've just done!
Mostly it is great, the only odd thing is the downloding of runs via wifi. I seem to have to actvate it to record a pretend 1 second- long inddor run, then it down loads this plus the actaul run U've done, and I just delete the 1second pretend one. Odd.
I'm getting cadence, but not steps, but then I don't want stpes, so I'm happy.
Basically it is the same as this. It gives you an estimate after your run saying how long before it thinks you should push yourself for a hard run......
But it's usually very conservative so the recover check depending on your effort seems to come on after a couple of different time periods and it say if it's ok to push or not. I think i've had about 2 times when it actually didn't come up saying good to go, just gave another message implying that i shouldn't push it to hard that run.
The 902xt has the recovery adviser. I switched it off. It seems to draw from hrm data so if you don't use the hrm for a run that run doesn't count. It also, of course, can't see other exercise that you take away from the device. So my rowing machine sessions weren't taken into account.
Maybe useful for a serious competitive athlete whose every workout is monitored and hrm'd and so on but pointless for a mid-pack old lag like me.
D'oh why didn't I think of that i like seeing the VO2 max estimates etc.. but the recovery advisor is just a pain, It beeps and i look down thinking oh i've gone x distance etc.. and it's just that... Thanks Muttley I think i was being brain dead and assumed turning that off would turn off the vo2 estimate.
On the fenix 3, it's Settings / My Stats / Recovery Advisor.
I don't know if recovery adviser and VO2Max estimator are linked ... but the VO2Max and race preditor were suspect in my case. I forget what number it gave me but it reckoned I could do a half mara in 1:35. My pb set 10 years ago is 1:36. And a 10K in 44 minutes. My pb set 10 years ago is 45 minutes. Etc etc. Flattering but no chance.
Interesting ! My race predictions are slightly the other way round.
Maybe because it slightly under records the distance for the parkrun I do - it has a few sharp turns each loop - it only gives me a bit under 3 miles for the race.
My marathon prediction is a bit optimistic - but I think thats down to me never quite achieving the perfect marathon !
The 902xt has the recovery adviser. I switched it off. It seems to draw from hrm data so if you don't use the hrm for a run that run doesn't count. It also, of course, can't see other exercise that you take away from the device. So my rowing machine sessions weren't taken into account.
Maybe useful for a serious competitive athlete whose every workout is monitored and hrm'd and so on but pointless for a mid-pack old lag like me.
The recovery adviser on Garmin devices is bobbins. Not only is it just a bald amount of time without context, but it always seems to be miles out compared to how you feel.
The Polar one is genuinely useful, on the other hand..
..whatever it is they're doing, it's right. It seems to accord nicely with fatigue levels, and makes really solid predictions. It also not only tells you about your knackeredness levels as a binary quantity, but tries to quantify it in a slightly more detailed (albeit more arbitrary) manner. You have useful levels to work with. Its value as a predictive tool to stop you overdoing it is really handy (at least for me).
It's probably the feature that means that my 920xt is firmly kept as a backup watch in case my V800 is indisposed. I far prefer having data solid available in Polar Flow for their recovery prediction.
I had an update on my Fenix 3 last night. I've done it and now its taken away my step reading ? It still shows on connect so I'm not too bothered but wondered if its a bug in the new system ? I might miss the fireworks you get when you hit your target though...
I've not got a fenix(not strong enough to carry one) but have looked into the Vo2 Max stuff and recovery adviser out of geeky curiosity. All of the info is on the 'first beat' website. They list he devices that use their algorithms and explain the rationale behind them.
Using a 620 with a scosche optical sensor seems to give thoroughly plausible rest suggestions but I'm not sure my vo2 is a s good as it suggests. Apparently the watch takes a while to zone into your numbers before becoming accurate.
I had an update on my Fenix 3 last night. I've done it and now its taken away my step reading ? It still shows on connect so I'm not too bothered but wondered if its a bug in the new system ? I might miss the fireworks you get when you hit your target though...
It might have just reset your setting and you need to go into widgets and turn it on again. It's still there on the latest stable and beta release.
My battery life has gone crap though ? Charged it fully on Saturday - used it for a bike ride of 5 hours or so Sunday. 1 hour class on Monday and its died today.
A lot of Garmins have an issue where they drain to nowt while switched off right now, but the Fenix 3 (which is unusually buggy, even by Garmin standards), seems to have drain issues that affect a lot of people.
Have you tried disabling Bluetooth? That can help, in some cases. Also, make sure that you're not using a third-party watch face. The standard watchface normally runs on a separate low-power ASIC, and is way more efficient than the prettier third party options.
Joking aside, sometimes "switiching it off and back on again" can actually help, too.
If you hold the up button for a few seconds to get into settings, Then System / About and check it's on 6.8 to check you have the latest firmware installed.
If you do use bluetooth. How far away is the watch from the phone overnight, as if you leave the phone out of bluetooth distance sometimes if it's right on the edge of connecting it seems to keep trying all night which can drain a lot of the battery.
Comments
Now if I could just work out why it refuses to register steps. Not that I'm bothered about steps - (but obviously I am....)
So far my best function is to find that you can put a skull and crossbones watchface on it for Piratey occasions.
Have you got "activity tracking" in "settings" set to on, Cougie?
I'm getting narked with mine at the moment, as quite often after completing an activity when I go to save it, it just hangs on the saving screen. I then have to do a hard reset, which subsequently deletes the activity I've just done!
Stupid garmin.....
Have you got the latest firmware pudge?
That's annoying pudge!
Also how do you sync it exactly.
Mine syncs by itself when it wants to but I've no idea how to force it to sync.
Mostly it is great, the only odd thing is the downloding of runs via wifi. I seem to have to actvate it to record a pretend 1 second- long inddor run, then it down loads this plus the actaul run U've done, and I just delete the 1second pretend one. Odd.
I'm getting cadence, but not steps, but then I don't want stpes, so I'm happy.
If it doesn't download I just go into settings / wifi / and then it autoconnects (as i've turned the option on)
Lovely watch. I'm sure I'm using about a tenth of its capabilities.
tricialitt: The no steps, you possibly if you are interested in counting them need to turn on Settings / Activity Tracking
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAN2JKpDL60
Basically it is the same as this. It gives you an estimate after your run saying how long before it thinks you should push yourself for a hard run......
But it's usually very conservative so the recover check depending on your effort seems to come on after a couple of different time periods and it say if it's ok to push or not. I think i've had about 2 times when it actually didn't come up saying good to go, just gave another message implying that i shouldn't push it to hard that run.
The 902xt has the recovery adviser. I switched it off. It seems to draw from hrm data so if you don't use the hrm for a run that run doesn't count. It also, of course, can't see other exercise that you take away from the device. So my rowing machine sessions weren't taken into account.
Maybe useful for a serious competitive athlete whose every workout is monitored and hrm'd and so on but pointless for a mid-pack old lag like me.
D'oh why didn't I think of that i like seeing the VO2 max estimates etc.. but the recovery advisor is just a pain, It beeps and i look down thinking oh i've gone x distance etc.. and it's just that... Thanks Muttley I think i was being brain dead and assumed turning that off would turn off the vo2 estimate.
On the fenix 3, it's Settings / My Stats / Recovery Advisor.
I don't know if recovery adviser and VO2Max estimator are linked ... but the VO2Max and race preditor were suspect in my case. I forget what number it gave me but it reckoned I could do a half mara in 1:35. My pb set 10 years ago is 1:36. And a 10K in 44 minutes. My pb set 10 years ago is 45 minutes. Etc etc. Flattering but no chance.
Maybe because it slightly under records the distance for the parkrun I do - it has a few sharp turns each loop - it only gives me a bit under 3 miles for the race.
My marathon prediction is a bit optimistic - but I think thats down to me never quite achieving the perfect marathon !
Receiving mine tomorrow.
The recovery adviser on Garmin devices is bobbins. Not only is it just a bald amount of time without context, but it always seems to be miles out compared to how you feel.
The Polar one is genuinely useful, on the other hand..
..whatever it is they're doing, it's right. It seems to accord nicely with fatigue levels, and makes really solid predictions. It also not only tells you about your knackeredness levels as a binary quantity, but tries to quantify it in a slightly more detailed (albeit more arbitrary) manner. You have useful levels to work with. Its value as a predictive tool to stop you overdoing it is really handy (at least for me).
It's probably the feature that means that my 920xt is firmly kept as a backup watch in case my V800 is indisposed. I far prefer having data solid available in Polar Flow for their recovery prediction.
Using a 620 with a scosche optical sensor seems to give thoroughly plausible rest suggestions but I'm not sure my vo2 is a s good as it suggests. Apparently the watch takes a while to zone into your numbers before becoming accurate.
A link:
https://www.firstbeat.com/consumer-products/garmin/
It might have just reset your setting and you need to go into widgets and turn it on again. It's still there on the latest stable and beta release.
My battery life has gone crap though ? Charged it fully on Saturday - used it for a bike ride of 5 hours or so Sunday. 1 hour class on Monday and its died today.
I used to easily get a week out of it ? V odd.
Have you tried turning it off and back on again? (yes, seriously!)
I had similar issue with mine recently, and read on the Garmin forum that this seemed to fix it. It worked for me.
Failing that, stop going on such long rides - show off!
Ah - forgot to mention that at least an hour was in the cafe...
Charged it fully before the gym yday. Used it for one bike class - it was fine.
Used it for pool swimming - it recorded 100 m where it should have been 1000.
It's been flawless in the past.
Used it for spin this morning.
Now I'm getting the low battery warning !?
Grrrr.
cougie,
You're not switching it off, are you?
I'll take that as a "no"
A lot of Garmins have an issue where they drain to nowt while switched off right now, but the Fenix 3 (which is unusually buggy, even by Garmin standards), seems to have drain issues that affect a lot of people.
Have you tried disabling Bluetooth? That can help, in some cases. Also, make sure that you're not using a third-party watch face. The standard watchface normally runs on a separate low-power ASIC, and is way more efficient than the prettier third party options.
Joking aside, sometimes "switiching it off and back on again" can actually help, too.
If you hold the up button for a few seconds to get into settings, Then System / About and check it's on 6.8 to check you have the latest firmware installed.
If you do use bluetooth. How far away is the watch from the phone overnight, as if you leave the phone out of bluetooth distance sometimes if it's right on the edge of connecting it seems to keep trying all night which can drain a lot of the battery.