Ok, so I’ve recently upgraded from an ancient ‘dumb’ trainer to a Wahoo Kickr Core and I’m looking to piece together an environment of apps that talk to each other.
I have had a Garmin 935 for a few years and love it, no intention of changing from this. But it’s not off the cards if it won’t work with the full set up.
I have a few simple aims:
track workouts
track body composition
I also want each workout to land in either Garmin or Strava as they will talk to my health insurance app which gives me tangible benefits.
Equipment I’m likely to add is a Wahoo Tickr HRM and a body composition scale, possibly the Garmin one (purely because it will talk to Garmin Connect, so I assume this will help achieve my ultimate goal).
I’ll likely include Zwift at some stage, but I’d prefer the whole environment didn’t hinge on this, purely because I tend to avoid paying subscriptions if I can.
I’d like to keep as much as possible in the one pane of glass, and don’t want to have to manually move data for that to be the case.
I’ll do most of this through my iPhone, if that makes a difference.
I’m hoping that others have come out the other side of this journey and have some guidance for me.
Any tips are appreciated.
You should be fine (generally) with Garmin/Strava and your new equipment. Pretty much everything you do can get uploaded to
I’m curious though, you bought yourself a Kickr Core so I am wondering what you plan to do with it if you’re wanting to avoid subs? I’ve been using a smart trainer for the past 8 years or so. Using The Sufferfest (now SYSTM) since 2015 on an annual sub, Zwift (seasonally since about the same time) and very occasionally FulGaz, Rouvy, indieVelo and the former RGT.
I think all these apps upload workouts to Strava/Garmin. Not sure about the scale. I have a Withings Body Comp scale that with a little workaround and magical trickery, auto uploads to Strava.
So, while I use Strava primarily (set to private atm) for a general overview and history of my workouts, if I really want to analyze rides I use intervals.icu (which can get all it’s info from Strava, Garmin, Wahoo etc)
I’ve so far been unable to have my Garmin watch (Forerunner 935) recognise the Kickr via ANT+ or Bluetooth, so have been recording rides on the Wahoo app. Those files don’t seem to want to sync to Garmin Connect, but they are going to Strava.
This is why I’m leaning towards the Wahoo HRM, as then the data is all recorded by the same platform before being sent to other places.
I have this feeling that my watch is a limitation, and that other Garmin watches or headunits will recognise the Kickr and record direct to Connect.
I have heard good things about the accuracy and features of Withings products, and am only leaning towards the Garmin for easy integration with Connect.
Probably the main reason I moved to a direct drive smart trainer was because my old trainer was incredibly loud, which, with an open plan house and very young kids who still need naps, limited when and how often I could ride. The option to take advantage of things like Zwift/Trainer Road etc is a bonus which I’ll likely dip in and out of.
I’m just riding for general fitness so I’m not overly concerned about analysing workouts, it’s more important that they actually happen in the first place. I find tracking weekly/monthly/annual distance targets motivating, so top level data is typically enough for me.
I had Strava Premium for more than ten years, then the price increased by more than double. I didn’t see that level of value, so I cancelled. I’d prefer to avoid subscriptions just so that my training isn’t budget dependent. I’ll likely drop in and out of Zwift, but don’t want to rely on a subscription for cross platform integration.
I think I’m on the right path, I just need to figure out how to get Garmin to recognise Kickr.
Yeh, it could be your watch. I’ve never worn one tbh. I’ve always just used an app like SYSTM (which does upload to Garmin) or Zwift or whatever. I’ve read on the interwebs that other 935 users have had success connecting their Kickrs manually but they have to do it each time they do a workout! That would dement me!!
If you keep using the Wahoo App, you can always manually upload to Garmin Connect after it’s saved on Strava but that’s admittedly a bit of a pita. If you don’t care about Garmin Connect as long as it’s all going to Strava then you’re really fine as you are right now no? Or is the Wahoo App not picking up your HR from your 935?
Yeah, Wahoo isn’t picking up the wrist based HRM in the watch. I don’t really expect it to, hence the Tickr HRM.
I think I’d prefer to consolidate everything in Garmin as much as possible. I may need to invest in a Garmin cycle headunit just for indoor sessions; I’ll weigh that decision based on cost vs ball ache of manual connection each time (once I figure how to do that).
My Garmin Fenix picks up my Wahoo trainer with no issues. Hubby has a Forerunner 900 series of some description at home I will confirm if it can also see my Wahoo trainer.
And finally, you can do HR broadcast off most Garmins, it is an extra “workout” type you need to install, see photo below:
More food for thought, thanks.
I know the Fenix has a few features that the 935 does not, and looking through the workout options to add, HR Broadcast isn’t one of them. Perhaps it is on the more recent 945.
