Strava

I have joined Strava.

Thanks for the follow.

I have no idea how to use it.

Just click the thumb on everyone elses activities. Everything else is meaningless.

It's all automatic and seamless. You stop a ride, open the Garmin app and it syncs. You can also have Garmin Connect set up to automatically send rides to Strava. Very simple.

Damn.

Will need to get new Garmins then.

So I guess the key is:

PM and HR > Garmin > Garmin Connect (mobile) > Strava > Google Fit.

Then everything is connected and happy :)

That's exactly my setup except for the power meter. I have no regrets upgrading from the 500 to the 510, it was worth it purely for that feature.

The Bluetooth syncing makes it all completely hassle-free. Finish a ride, save it on garmin and if Bluetooth is already on it'll automatically sync it. That's it. You get a little notification from strava on your phone, press it and choose what bike you rode, name the ride (if you must) and tick whether or not it's a commute and click save.

How do you know which models have bluetooth syncing?

Looking at these three: https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=543199&compareProduct=561299&compareProduct=166370 none of them say.

Look here instead
http://www.gpscentral.ca/products/garmin/edgecomparisonchart.html

Looks like it's hidden away near the bottom under "additional". All three say:

Connected features via a smartphone: Yes
Compatible with Garmin Connect™ and Garmin Connect™ Mobile: Yes

But it appears the 520 explore doesn't support power meter. I think...

Cool.

So it's either the 520 or 820... depending on whether it's possible to use http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ to load extra maps (looks like you can't with the 520, but can with the 820).

So... 820.

Anyone want an 800 for £100?

That site doesn't seem completely accurate, at least in as much as it says the 510 doesn't have Bluetooth. I can confirm it definitely does have BT.

It says it has Garmin Connect Mobile compatibility :)

Because of your comment, I knew that the 510 worked so I should check different features as it might not be a generic bluetooth feature but a named feature.

@Velocio - I've got a 520 you could have for a good price - as it's you...

Lightly used. Bought it off @Señor_Bear of this parish but eventually went with a Elemnt instead.

Can you load maps onto it? That's a pretty critical feature for the way I use Garmins.

yes - although there are none on it right now.

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2013/05/download-garmin-705800810.html

Oh damn, that's where it fails. I'm Linux, I can't connect the Garmin to my machine, cannot install drivers... have to rely on SD cards to move maps the my 800 for that reason.

I really should just buy a Windows laptop and solve a lot of the issues I have with tech I don't control.

I'll have to buy the 820. I need the SD card to move the maps around.

Thanks for the offer though, I'd have bitten if it was Linux friendly for my bizarre tech setup.

Yes; much as windows can be massively annoying, it is still pretty ubiquitous.

Can't you just run a Windows VM?

You can manually upload to the garmin connect website any gpx (and probably other formats too).

If you want things on strava too then you can set the GC Web app to push to strava. I think I have mine set to sync to strava and ridewithgps for maximum opportunities for privacy invasion.

You should pair the power meter with the garmin to get power data into your GPS files.

Manual upload is boring though and you'll probably want to use Bluetooth pretty soon.

If you just want to track distance there is software available for Linux to do this and you don't have to upload anything but it's not quite as swish.

Oh and whilst you should be able to add custom maps to a Garmin and do firmware updates from Linux you'll want to plug in to a mac or Windows machine occasionally for some tasks like updating the built in maps

Manual upload is boring though and you'll probably want to use Bluetooth pretty soon.

this i've never got, you have to plug your garmin to charge it, so why is it a pain to upload to strava when you do?

My garmin syncs to garmin connect via bluetooth. Garmin connect then syncs to training peaks/strava.

It's so useful to have this happen just simple by turning bluetooth on after a ride, does it all automatically. Saves a lot of faffing, when using mutiple platforms; as they sync to Garmin connect.

I'm pathologically lazy and have an etrex. Charging that involves swapping AA batteries for ones off the charger.
I just leave Bluetooth on all the time so rides get uploaded whenever they finish.

The only manual thing I have to do is occasionally clear out old activities. Even having to do that is something I find disproportionately annoying.

Take a look at SportsTracker if you'd rather have something offline
http://www.saring.de/sportstracker/

This is the exception though as most people use the cycling Garmins which charge with a USB cable.

Given that plugging the USB cable in to charge is required with these Garmins anyway, it's insane to buy a new Garmin just for the bluetooth upload function @Velocio

Especially as you have an 800 which I've found to be very reliable aside from it's dislike of rides over about 160 miles.

When I plug my Garmin in to charge Garmin Connect pops up automatically and uploads my activity to Strava for me. It couldn't really be easier.

However as V said, you don't get that behaviour on Linux because there is no Garmin Connect app. You can however upload to the GC website by hand and I think I've seen open source software which can upload to GC (not sure if it was sportstracker)

I don't get it on my Chromebook so once I've plugged my Garmin in to charge I load Strava up in a browser tab, go to manual upload and select the activity from within the Garmin.

Exhausted from the effort, I then go for a lie down. Clearly I need to drop £250 on an upgrade to an 820 to relieve my fatigue...