Apple Watch and Stationary Bicycle

[Saturn007]

Was wondering how well an Apple Watch does in tracking distance traveled, “steps”, speed, etc. when using a stationary bicycle.

Our bike's pedometer, odometer, timer gizmo — the one that shows time, distance, speed, calories burned — is broken.

How well would the watch work with a stationary bicycle?

 

[sparksd]

The watch will only track time & heart rate - it does not have an interface for those other measures.

 

[jz0309]

Was wondering how well an Apple Watch does in tracking distance traveled, “steps”, speed, etc. when using a stationary bicycle.

Our bike's pedometer, odometer, timer gizmo — the one that shows time, distance, speed, calories burned — is broken.

How well would the watch work with a stationary bicycle?

what @sparksd said, I use my spin bike everyday and record distance manually.
Now, if you had "smart" one, I do believe that there are some out there that would connect with the watch and record speed, distance and such ...

 

[sparksd]

what @sparksd said, I use my spin bike everyday and record distance manually.
Now, if you had "smart" one, I do believe that there are some out there that would connect with the watch and record speed, distance and such ...

Another inexpensive option is a cadence sensor. I have this one and it has a pretty good iPhone app -

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L9XNFPY/

It can be linked with an HR monitor.

 

[flyersgl]

Another inexpensive option is a cadence sensor. I have this one and it has a pretty good iPhone app -

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L9XNFPY/

It can be linked with an HR monitor.

I second the cadence sensor. I use this same one on my spin bike using the Peloton app and it's terrific.

 

[sparksd]

I second the cadence sensor. I use this same one on my spin bike using the Peloton app and it's terrific.

Yeah, I have mine on a spinner, too. Really, the key measures on a stationary bike are cadence, time & HR.

 

[Blowback]

Another inexpensive option is a cadence sensor. I have this one and it has a pretty good iPhone app -

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L9XNFPY/

It can be linked with an HR monitor.

By 'cadence' do you mean 'tempo' or 'resistance'? My bike (guess most) already graphically shows the different resistance /difficulty levels as I'm exercising. What am I missing here? A graph of difficulty level in the Apple fitness app?

 

[sixtydashone]

By 'cadence' do you mean 'tempo' or 'resistance'? My bike (guess most) already graphically shows the different resistance /difficulty levels as I'm exercising. What am I missing here? A graph of difficulty level in the Apple fitness app?

It’s a sensor that measures how fast you’re pedaling.

 

[sparksd]

It’s a sensor that measures how fast you’re pedaling.

Yep. The best measure is really HR - it reflects effort expended while exercising and is an excellent training monitor. It can also show if you're overtraining (elevated resting heart rate).

 

[Saturn007]

Appreciate the info. Too bad, though. i had hoped that the watch measured distance traveled. Does this mean that it measures distance when walking via GPS and not wrist motion, as via an accelerometer?

Does that also mean that, if one has a NON-cellular watch and no iPhone with them, the watch CANNOT track your steps or distance?

I thought that it could also work just by motion (without GPS or iPhone), and so could do something similar on a stationary bicycle.

 

[Blowback]

Appreciate the info. Too bad, though. i had hoped that the watch measured distance traveled. Does this mean that it measures distance when walking via GPS and not wrist motion, as via an accelerometer?

Does that also mean that, if one has a NON-cellular watch and no iPhone with them, the watch CANNOT track your steps or distance?

I thought that it could also work just by motion (without GPS or iPhone), and so could do something similar on a stationary bicycle.

Good questions. Hope someone in the know has the answers....I always walk with my phone (much easier to change and control podcasts than on the watch). But, I've always assumed that the watch alone measure steps/distance. Will have to shoot to the Apple page and see what they say.....
The site is as clear as mud. More adverts than technical specs...noticed that the watch doesn't have a 'technical ' section up top as the other devices do.
From the Support Community the distance is measured by GPS (as I'll bet everyone assumes ) don't know why its not listed as such on the Apple Watch page. Maybe I just can't see it....

 

[sparksd]

Appreciate the info. Too bad, though. i had hoped that the watch measured distance traveled. Does this mean that it measures distance when walking via GPS and not wrist motion, as via an accelerometer?

Does that also mean that, if one has a NON-cellular watch and no iPhone with them, the watch CANNOT track your steps or distance?

I thought that it could also work just by motion (without GPS or iPhone), and so could do something similar on a stationary bicycle.

The watch does have GPS and can track/measure distance in the absence of a cellphone.

It can't track distance on a stationary bike as there is no data available regarding wheel revolutions (it would also need to know wheel circumference in order to translate wheel revolutions into distance).

 

[Blowback]

Appreciate the info. Too bad, though. i had hoped that the watch measured distance traveled. Does this mean that it measures distance when walking via GPS and not wrist motion, as via an accelerometer?

Does that also mean that, if one has a NON-cellular watch and no iPhone with them, the watch CANNOT track your steps or distance?

I thought that it could also work just by motion (without GPS or iPhone), and so could do something similar on a stationary bicycle.

Apple site says to (paraphrasing ): 'move wrist' also to 'move wrist' during calibration process....so....guess it's the wrist with gps that does the monitoring?

 

[nicho]

I thought that it could also work just by motion (without GPS or iPhone), and so could do something similar on a stationary bicycle.

What motion does your wrist make while riding a bicycle, stationary or otherwise?

 

[sparksd]

Apple site says to (paraphrasing ): 'move wrist' also to 'move wrist' during calibration process....so....guess it's the wrist with gps that does the monitoring?

No - that's for calibrating the compass. There is no such thing as GPS calibration, just the downloading of satellite ephemeris data.

 

[Saturn007]

What motion does your wrist make while riding a bicycle, stationary or otherwise?

It makes nice sweeping horizontal motions. Why? What does *your* wrist do?! 😎

And, when walking, my wrists (note the plural 😎) move in arcs, like a pendulum, back and forth.

An accelerometer should be able to monitor that and determine the number of “steps”.

Here’s the thing. If the watch can count steps inside of a house, saying my going up and down the stairs, then why couldn’t it do something similar when I’m on a stationary bike— and convert it to a distance? I find it hard to believe it's using GPS to count my steps!

From what's been stated, my iPhone SE must use GPS to track my distance walked…. even if it has no cellphone service and WiFi is off.

What's weird is that it's pretty inaccurate! I take the same route each time, yet it produces different distances and a different, variable, number of steps each time! They also differ from those of another SE in my other pocket — or, when either is in my windbreaker jacket pocket! Maybe those GPS satellites are moving around! 😎

I thought the counting of steps was done by the accelerometer — i.e., gauging a range of movement back and forth while I’m striding — in which case, it’s perfectly reasonable to assume the watch could do the same, even on a stationary bike!

But, alas, apparently it cannot! Time for a niche stationary bike watch app!

——————

P.S. I just briefly tried the iPhone in my pocket while on my stationary bike and it counted 39 steps! (OK. It was actually 37 but — for those who know Buchan's book or Hitchcock's movie — The 39 Steps has a much better ring to it!)

 

[sparksd]

It makes nice sweeping horizontal motions. Why? What does *your* wrist do?! 😎

And, when walking, my wrists (note the plural 😎) move in arcs, like a pendulum, back and forth.

An accelerometer should be able to monitor that and determine the number of “steps”.

Here’s the thing. If the watch can count steps inside of a house, saying my going up and down the stairs, then why couldn’t it do something similar when I’m on a stationary bike— and convert it to a distance? I find it hard to believe it's using GPS to count my steps!

From what's been stated, my iPhone SE must use GPS to track my distance walked…. even if it has no cellphone service and WiFi is off.

What's weird is that it's pretty inaccurate! I take the same route each time, yet it produces different distances and a different, variable, number of steps each time! They also differ from those of another SE in my other pocket — or, when either is in my windbreaker jacket pocket! Maybe those GPS satellites are moving around! 😎

I thought the counting of steps was done by the accelerometer — i.e., gauging a range of movement back and forth while I’m striding — in which case, it’s perfectly reasonable to assume the watch could do the same, even on a stationary bike!

But, alas, apparently it cannot! Time for a niche stationary bike watch app!

——————

P.S. I just briefly tried the iPhone in my pocket while on my stationary bike and it counted 39 steps! (OK. It was actually 37 but — for those who know Buchan's book or Hitchcock's movie — The 39 Steps has a much better ring to it!)

Distance traveled will never be exact or exactly the same with GPS. GPS does not give a precise measure of location - it's a very good approximation but it is still an approximation (though much better now with Selective Availability turned off. Also, the measurement time interval of the recording device matters - how long between measures of location and then the calculation of the distance between the two measurements. The measurement of distance is a straight line calculation. If you measure at one point and there is a tight turn in your walk, run, etc. before the next location fix, the calculated distance will be shorter than the actual distance traveled because it cut across the turn. But it's still significantly more accurate than a mechanical measure of arm movement and stride length approximation. Two different GPS devices used on the same walk/run/cycle will almost always show different distance traveled measures.

How would distance be measured by using arm swing motion on a stationary bike? Impossible.

 

[nicho]

It makes nice sweeping horizontal motions. Why? What does *your* wrist do?! 😎

Here's an exercise bike.

Colour me confused.

 

[Saturn007]

Ah! I see where the confusion is!

Our exercise bike has handles that move with the wheels — Aero 750. I think they are now called “cross cycle“ bikes. You get both upper body workout as well as legs. You can deliberately pull or push against the handles.

See, e.g., https://www.bidnow.us/lots/33030

or a newer model by a different company at

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/st...cle-upright-exercise-bike-in-black/1061343382

So, the hands and arms move — and even with the iPhone in my pocket, it registers steps and “distance”!

Which is why I had hoped the Watch could do the same! It would help in winter months or very hot summer days when biking in a nice warm or comfortably cool basement is called for…

 

[Night Spring]

Ah! I see where the confusion is!

Our exercise bike has handles that move with the wheels — Aero 750. I think they are now called “cross cycle“ bikes. You get both upper body workout as well as legs. You can deliberately pull or push against the handles.

See, e.g., https://www.bidnow.us/lots/33030 or a newer model at https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/st...cle-upright-exercise-bike-in-black/1061343382

So, the hands and arms move — and even with the iPhone in my pocket, it registers steps and “distance”!

Which is why I had hoped the Watch could do the same! It would help in winter months or very hot summer days when biking in a nice warm or comfortably cool basement is called for…

In this case, the watch would probably pick up your arm movements and convert it into some kind of steps/distance, but it may not have any relation to how far your exercise bike thinks you traveled, because the watch wouldn't pick up your pedaling.

 

[Saturn007]

Thanks, Night Spring! Makes sense. You're always providing informative, timely responses.

I hadn't realized that most exercise bikes these days are just pedalers, with your arms stationary!

Much appreciate your insights here and in other threads!