If this has been answered elsewhere, please feel free to point me to that thread. I see snippets of this discussion going on here, but wanted to see what the group thoughts were on the best strategy for managing my fitness data. Here’s my situation.
Data sources:
Wahoo Elemnt Bolt
Garmin Vivoactive 3 (via Garmin Connect)
Zwift
Data destinations:
Strava
TrainingPeaks (current ‘hub’ for my data, looking to discontinue in favour of Intervals.icu)
Intervals.icu
I don’t use Garmin Connect. It’s crap. It’s only the conduit for getting my Garmin device data elsewhere. Same with Wahoo’s platform. I will not be renewing my TrainingPeaks subscription now that I have subscribed to Intervals.icu. The overlap is too large and Intervals.icu is a superior product for a much more reasonable price.
Ideally, I would prefer that my ‘hub’ be a true data management tool like DropBox, not something like Garmin Connect or Strava. I would also like to avoid 3rd part sync tools if at all possible (unless there is a convincing reason to). The Wahoo platform seems to be an issue given it’s limited connectivity options …
Yes, @MedTechCD I’m not hostile to them. Their platform is poor though for a company that commands such a large audience and customer base (and has the financial means to do something with it, but chooses not to).
Zwift is the main issue, they don’t support Dropbox. Wahoo can upload to Dropbox. Intervals.icu can push your workouts from Garmin Connect to Dropbox. Anything you manually upload to Intervals.icu will also be pushed to Dropbox.
So for now you would need to manually upload fit files from Zwift to Intervals.icu to get them pushed to Dropbox (or do the reverse, Intervals.icu can download from Dropbox and upload to another hub Dropbox folder).
I need to make a plan for Zwift. I have been in contact with senior people there but they aren’t interested in integrations with small platforms at this time. Maybe if enough people ask for it they will implement Dropbox upload one day.
I haven’t looked into the issue and not using Dropbox but could you make Dropbox sync the activities folder of Zwift (Windows can’t probably symlink convincingly enough)? Or would it be problematic with in-progress activities?
You could of course write a small program that would auto-watch the directory and check when the current activity is released from write-lock and then push the file on through and API or to Dropbox etc. But who would want to run a separate service for hat…
Ah! Thanks @david - I had not realized Wahoo supported DropBox! I could perhaps do the following to remove TrainingPeaks from the loop, given that I will have Garmin Connect as long as I have Garmin devices (which is likely forever):
I can then connect Strava to Garmin Connect so it too gets my workouts, although it will then only be an end-point instead of the hub it is for me right now …
Then of course there will be the transition and how that impacts Intervals.icu. Right now Intervals.icu gets everything from Strava. I’d have to redirect it all to have the new source be Garmin and add the DropBox destination. Sounds complicated!
@Andrii_Magalich, thanks for the advice. I have never used either platform. I’m a ways off buying new devices that would give me access to those platforms though. Something for the future, maybe.
Check-out the RunGap app if you have an iOS device. Wahoo → RunGap → Intervals / DropBox is simple. RunGap has lots of interesting integrations including Garmin Connect and Zwift
The ‘trick’ to using RunGap with Wahoo is that you share the data from Wahoo to RunGap by using the export function in the Wahoo app and send the data to RunGap. Takes a couple of clicks. I can send more info if needed.
Seems convoluted, but that way all my data ends up in DropBox (for long term storage & safekeeping) and it gets to Strava for social stuff and Intervals.icu for analysis.
It could be simplified is Zwift would get around to allowing Intervals.icu to connect.
I would like to add the following:
Currently my rowing activities from a Concept2 indoor machine are uploaded to the Online Concept2 logbook. From there it’s synced to Strava and intervals.icu.
It seems al my primary sources (Wahoo fitness->BOLT, Garmin Connect->Fenix, Wahoo SYSTM, Concept2) are synced to Strava. Which is fine as I do like the integration and community aspect.
However, it makes you very much depended. What is Strava changes their user agreements? What if privacy is “misused”, and so on…
A central hub, as @Clifford_Smith mentioned would be great. Especially an independent, privacy focused one.
Where to find?
