I also found heart rate readings from my Fitbit are very inaccurate compared to my Garmin chest strap (which seems accurate based on my perceived effort). I searched the Fitbit Community forums [https://community.fitbit.com/] and many have reported inaccurate heart rate readings with Fitbit wrist monitors while rowing. I suspect the wrist motion while rowing might cause a gap between the Fitbit sensor and the skin.
I have my Concept2 rowing sessions pushed to my Fitbit account. I’ve found that if I wear my Fitbit while rowing that inaccurate HR data shows up in my Fitbit rowing activity. If I don’t wear my Fitbit (and just wear a Garmin chest strap) Concept2 pushes time and distance for each rowing session to Fitbit, but not the heart rate data shown in the Concept2 log.
So I gave up wearing my Fitbit while rowing. I’d rather have no heart rate data in Fitbit than have inaccurate data. Fitbit doesn’t give me credit for any steps taken, but I do get credit for active minutes and an estimate of calories burned.
Concept2 Logbook does not sync heart rate to Fitbit
Re: Concept2 Logbook does not sync heart rate to Fitbit
I emailed Concept2 support back in February and asked if it would be possible to push heart rate data to Fitbit. Their response was:
"We are not able to test this out ourselves, but it would appear that the heartrate is not able to be sent to the FitBit app. We are sorry for this. I wonder what would happen if you were to wear your FitBit while working out? If FitBit would join that heartrate with the uploaded workout?”
The answer to what would happen while wearing the Fitbit while rowing is the problem we are experiencing (inaccurate HR readings). And yes, Fitbit joins the heart rate data with the uploaded Concept2 workout.
I’m just guessing, but I suspect Fitbit’s software API doesn’t allow for heart rate data to be pushed in. Why would Fitbit allow a third party to push heart rate data into their service when that’s what their product is supposed to record?
"We are not able to test this out ourselves, but it would appear that the heartrate is not able to be sent to the FitBit app. We are sorry for this. I wonder what would happen if you were to wear your FitBit while working out? If FitBit would join that heartrate with the uploaded workout?”
The answer to what would happen while wearing the Fitbit while rowing is the problem we are experiencing (inaccurate HR readings). And yes, Fitbit joins the heart rate data with the uploaded Concept2 workout.
I’m just guessing, but I suspect Fitbit’s software API doesn’t allow for heart rate data to be pushed in. Why would Fitbit allow a third party to push heart rate data into their service when that’s what their product is supposed to record?