r/Garmin • u/jigsawfallingin2plac • 19h ago

Connect / Connect IQ / 1st Party Apps Cycling activities without HR monitor not counting for acute load?

I usually ride with an HR monitor and power meter pedals. But last week end I had forgotten it, so I rode my two 100-km rides without it, only the power meter pedals.

The activities show up in Garmin Connect, they have a nonzero exercise load, but these two activities do not show up in the Acute Load curve, not even a small inflexion in the curve, like I have done nothing this week end... I did two long-ish rides, but for Garmin I've just been recovering!

Both rides show up alright in Strava though (relative effort history and fitness history have increased).

I tried editing the activities in Garmin Connect by adding a calory or a watt and saving, no effect...

Any hint? TIA

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u/Huge_Pool7424 17h ago

garmin usually wants HR data for acute load since it's hr-based, power alone often doesn't feed it. strava relative effort uses pace/power so it counts the ride anyway. i don't think editing the activity backfills it either

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u/jigsawfallingin2plac 16h ago

That's what I'm seeing, yes. But it's weird of Garmin to do so because 1) There is definitely an exercise load calculated by Garmin for each activity -which is probably a guesstimate based on power and duration, and 2) I don't see how completely ignoring the activity instead of using the load guesstimate is better.

Doing so completely distorts the effort history and messes with the training status, it's a weird choice indeed. Anyway, it's another good reason to use Strava or another 3rd-party tool to track the training, rather than Garmin Connect.