# Managing Multiple Bikes with Garmin



## biscut (Dec 15, 2016)

I bought a Garmin 820 in May of this year. So far it's been reliable. Even the touchscreen in rain. It does just start after I stop it but I think its due to the setting that starts auto after 6mph. 

This was my first year on road bike and I found I like it. Looking forward to next year I want to track most of my bike mileage. Not just road but my mountain bike rides and my Fatbike rides in the snow and ice too. I'll be leaving out my down hill MTB.

Any way to name your bikes or differentiate your rides on the 820? I can't seem to find a way. If this is a no, could I pick up another Garmin, say 1000 and use that for road and the 820 for mtb's? Are they able to be separated on Connect?


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## biscut (Dec 15, 2016)

I deserve the flame job...I see a thread on this stating you can have multiple profiles. Apologies.


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

I use mycyclinglog.com. you can separate the rides on Garmin connect, but I like mycyclinglog's simple interface. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J327A using Tapatalk


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## biscut (Dec 15, 2016)

Thanks...I'm looking for simplicity. time is limited and I don't want to spend it on data. Just want to see different bikes and the basic data we all love to track. I'm not racing anyone but me.


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## upstateSC-rider (Aug 21, 2004)

I added all of my bikes on strava so when I upload my ride (directly via cable) I just select which bike I was on, pretty simple.


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

biscut said:


> I bought a Garmin 820 in May of this year. So far it's been reliable. Even the touchscreen in rain. It does just start after I stop it but I think its due to the setting that starts auto after 6mph.
> 
> This was my first year on road bike and I found I like it. Looking forward to next year I want to track most of my bike mileage. Not just road but my mountain bike rides and my Fatbike rides in the snow and ice too. I'll be leaving out my down hill MTB.
> 
> Any way to name your bikes or differentiate your rides on the 820? I can't seem to find a way. If this is a no, could I pick up another Garmin, say 1000 and use that for road and the 820 for mtb's? Are they able to be separated on Connect?


Garmin used to have a function called Bike Profiles. I think they did away with this on the 820 and 1030. You had to manually change on the device what bike you were using on each ride and as the function was never data that was ported up to Garmin Connect or any 3rd party online database, you had to dig thru on the device the history to find out things like mileage of a particular bike, etc... 

Needless to say, this was and is a much easier task while viewing online. I use RideWithGPS for this and can track better details regarding actual gear and maintenance. 

There is also no possibility I would recommend going back to an 810 or 1000 merely to gain the Bike Profile function as the 820 is generally a far more reliable device.


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

^the 1030 and 820 has profiles as well, it was the 1000/520 era that got rid of completely separate bike profiles/sensors.

For my edge 1000 you can set up as many bike profiles as you want (well there might be a limit, but I had 5 at one point), and you can track milage on the unit this way, but when it uploads to garmin connect, it will use a default bike for an activity and it doesn't seem to care what, eg i have my road bike as default for cycling, but my profiles on the unit are 1 for road, which uploads as a "road ride" and another for mtb which uploads as a "mtb ride" and a 3rd as Race which also uploads as a "mtb ride", but all 3 will default to my actual road bike, as in it doesn't care what sort of cycling. Whereas if I upload a run, then it defaults to my selected running shoes. If you get what I mean, it would be nice to be able for Connect to include defaults for mtb/road whatever inside cycling.
But you just have to spend 3 sec in Connect to change the bike for the activity, then it gives you totals for each bike.
Similarly for strava as well.


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## faulker479 (Jan 12, 2015)

mik_git said:


> ^the 1030 and 820 has profiles as well, it was the 1000/520 era that got rid of completely separate bike profiles/sensors.
> 
> For my edge 1000 you can set up as many bike profiles as you want (well there might be a limit, but I had 5 at one point), and you can track milage on the unit this way, but when it uploads to garmin connect, it will use a default bike for an activity and it doesn't seem to care what, eg i have my road bike as default for cycling, but my profiles on the unit are 1 for road, which uploads as a "road ride" and another for mtb which uploads as a "mtb ride" and a 3rd as Race which also uploads as a "mtb ride", but all 3 will default to my actual road bike, as in it doesn't care what sort of cycling. Whereas if I upload a run, then it defaults to my selected running shoes. If you get what I mean, it would be nice to be able for Connect to include defaults for mtb/road whatever inside cycling.
> But you just have to spend 3 sec in Connect to change the bike for the activity, then it gives you totals for each bike.
> Similarly for strava as well.


On the 520, you can setup different "profiles" too. But I believe this is for having the ability to have different Data fields on your screens for a particular kind or riding. For example: Road profile could have page 1 with 6 data fields for speed, time, cadence, power, HR and Distance. Mountain Bike profile page 1 could have, say, 4 fields for Speed, Time, Distance, Cadence. Then you could have an Indoor Profile with it's own set of data fields. Even with this, I still have to assign the bike and other gear used in Garmin Connect and Strava.

Is this what the 820 and 1030 do? It was my understanding that it was and that they were not going back to the true profiles on the Garmin.


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

faulker479 said:


> On the 520, you can setup different "profiles" too. But I believe this is for having the ability to have different Data fields on your screens for a particular kind or riding. For example: Road profile could have page 1 with 6 data fields for speed, time, cadence, power, HR and Distance. Mountain Bike profile page 1 could have, say, 4 fields for Speed, Time, Distance, Cadence. Then you could have an Indoor Profile with it's own set of data fields. Even with this, I still have to assign the bike and other gear used in Garmin Connect and Strava.
> 
> Is this what the 820 and 1030 do? It was my understanding that it was and that they were not going back to the true profiles on the Garmin.


The 810 had Activity Profiles and Bike Profiles. Bike Profile could let you track the mileage for different bikes used, IF you manually changed the profile before each ride. That info stayed on the unit and was not exported.


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

faulker479 said:


> On the 520, you can setup different "profiles" too. But I believe this is for having the ability to have different Data fields on your screens for a particular kind or riding. For example: Road profile could have page 1 with 6 data fields for speed, time, cadence, power, HR and Distance. Mountain Bike profile page 1 could have, say, 4 fields for Speed, Time, Distance, Cadence. Then you could have an Indoor Profile with it's own set of data fields. Even with this, I still have to assign the bike and other gear used in Garmin Connect and Strava.
> 
> Is this what the 820 and 1030 do? It was my understanding that it was and that they were not going back to the true profiles on the Garmin.


That's exactly how the1000 works and I believe the 1030 and 820


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## JDCowboy (Jun 7, 2004)

Give up and buy two computers. Garmins suck if you want to use them on more than one bike and track records easily. I tried it on a new 1000 recently and gave up. Customer support basically said it can't be done.


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

JDCowboy said:


> Give up and buy two computers. Garmins suck if you want to use them on more than one bike and track records easily. I tried it on a new 1000 recently and gave up. Customer support basically said it can't be done.


Or you could automatically (and painlessly) send the data to Strava, RideWithGPS or Garmin Connect. All allow you to track bike info. Seems cheaper then buying a 2nd $250 GPS unit.


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## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

Steve B. said:


> Garmin used to have a function called Bike Profiles. I think they did away with this on the 820 and 1030. You had to manually change on the device what bike you were using on each ride and as the function was never data that was ported up to Garmin Connect or any 3rd party online database, you had to dig thru on the device the history to find out things like mileage of a particular bike, etc...
> 
> Needless to say, this was and is a much easier task while viewing online. I use RideWithGPS for this and can track better details regarding actual gear and maintenance.
> 
> There is also no possibility I would recommend going back to an 810 or 1000 merely to gain the Bike Profile function as the 820 is generally a far more reliable device.


I have an 800 and like Steve said it allows you set set up multiple bikes with different names and equipment (e.g. sensors). I am surprised that Garmin would do away with this.


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

They haven't, it's just very slightly different.


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

mik_git said:


> They haven't, it's just very slightly different.


Could you maybe expand on what they do currently ?


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

Haven't used the 1030 but u believe it and 820 are the same as 1000 520, you make a profile for a bike, and it tracks the mileage which you can look up at any time.
I font believe they've taken it away, but I could be wrong of course.


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

mik_git said:


> Haven't used the 1030 but u believe it and 820 are the same as 1000 520, you make a profile for a bike, and it tracks the mileage which you can look up at any time.
> I font believe they've taken it away, but I could be wrong of course.


Not for 'nuttin, but instead of posting information that you really don't know is accurate, maybe check ?.

The manuals for the 820 ad 1030 shows that they've done away with bike profiles. As stated prior, the Bike Profile stored info. resident to the device after a completed ride and never ported up to Connect. They retained Activity Profiles and you might possibly set individual Activities as separate bikes - Racing, JRA, Commuter, Mt 1, Mt 2, etc... as that gets sent to Connect.


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

Ah I see your right, my bad.
Sorry, every one kept saying it couldn't be done on the 1000, except it could. An for the quick play and reviews it looked like it worked the same as the 1000 (820) without delving into it, so you know, assumptions and all that...

So that is dumb, I always thought it was a bit crumby it wouldn't transfer across to garmin, the bike, but oh well. But if they don'teven store bike data, I can see how that would not be useful for a lot of people.


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

but... from the edge 1030 manual (p 17) :http://static.garmin.com/pumac/Edge_1030_OM_EN.pdf

and the 820 (p 16) : http://static.garmin.com/pumac/Edge_820_OM_EN.pdf

and edge 1000 manual (p15): http://static.garmin.com/pumac/Edge_1000_OM_EN.pdf

profiles are exactly the same, activity profiles and user profiles are on both and the 1030 even tells you how to look at your totals history (p 16).

I think we need to get someone who owns one of either 1030 or 820 o have a look and say if it does (just because it says it in the manual, doesn't mean the didn't change it in an update).


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

See here's how it works on my 1000, which was the first device to do away with "bike profiles" and only have activity and user profiles

View attachment 320636


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

mik_git said:


> See here's how it works on my 1000, which was the first device to do away with "bike profiles" and only have activity and user profiles
> 
> View attachment 320636


I think we are back to square one, with the 1000, 1030 and 820 not having bike profiles.

I'm certain a clever user could figure out how to track mileage on a particular bike by creating different activity profiles for each bike, then view accumulated mileage on a particular bike. No clue if it's possible to look at the history for an activity. When I looked at the manual for an 810 to find out how to look at history for a particular bike profile, the manual said zip and short of actually getting my 810 out of storage, booting, etc.. I've no clue and never bothered.

I found Connect and now RWGPS far easier to log a ride on a particular bike and view it online then wading thru the menu system of an 810, which is what I generally recommend.


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

sorry I didn't say it had bike profiles, just that you can track milage of different bikes on them...it's slightly different.

Maybe because I started with the 1000 (using fr610 before that), I knew that for the 1000 they had changed how it worked, but had no idea what "bike", "activity" profiles were, I just call them profiles and when I say "set up a profile for a bike" I meant set up a profile, call it whatever you want, a bike name might be applicable, and then you can track the milage... I think that has cause the confusion, me not knowing the nomenclature .


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## biscut (Dec 15, 2016)

This is why Garmin garners such hatred. So much of the 820 I like but to have any sort of ordeal to use track data for different bikes is just wrong on so many levels. Pure conjecture but I'm going out on the proverbial limb and going to say a VERY high percentage of 820 users have more than 1 bike. 

Frustrating when a company has such market share they can simply not write these items into their program. Sure, it costs them time and money to support it but if there were enough competition in the market you bet your ass it would be there and at least relatively easy to use.


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

Just curious, do other computers (non garmin), do they push bike data to platforms (say strava as a popular choice), ie when they upload a ride,when it arrives in strava does it have the bike attached, or do you still have to specify it? (I'd guess strava, doesn't accept it either way and always uses default. (But I've only ever used connect, strava and endomondo)


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

mik_git said:


> Just curious, do other computers (non garmin), do they push bike data to platforms (say strava as a popular choice), ie when they upload a ride,when it arrives in strava does it have the bike attached, or do you still have to specify it? (I'd guess strava, doesn't accept it either way and always uses default. (But I've only ever used connect, strava and endomondo)



Wahoo Bolt (and I assume the Elemnt) don't do Profiles. There's no data being sent that tracks mileage for equipment. Thus you end up doing this in the online app, which in RWGPS is pretty painless. 

I think the thought process is that you are using the device while on the bike and riding, thus certain info is useful to you - speed, distance, time, elevation, workout or lap data, power, etc... plus navigation if using a route, but the total mileage used on your Specialized for the year is maybe not something you need or care to know at that moment. Thus they (Wahoo) leave it to other software - RWGPS, Strava, or wherever the data goes in the cloud, for you to analyze after.

The posts by biscuit indicated he didn't desire to look at online data after the fact, which I read to mean he didn't care about uploading his rides and entering info, but wanted that data on the device. My thought is it's much easier to see the data on one of the cloud apps then to dig it out of the device, but that's just me.


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## 768Q (Jun 23, 2012)

I currently have 7 different road bikes and run the Garmin 520, after each ride the connect deal puts it in my Strava which in turn has all my bikes in there as I always like tracking how much mileage each bike gets, course I name my ride and select which bike I was on, etc. as of today here is how it looks after 5 years on Strava: 

1999 Lemond Zurich: 606 mi
2006 Wilier Imperiale: 2267 mi
2010 BMC SLC01: 2169 mi
2009 Cervelo R3: 2445 mi
2012 Cervelo S2: 4273 mi
1999 Trek USPS (Kevin Livingston's orig. team bike): 442 mi
2015 Cannondale Super 6 EVO (Just bought new) :111 mi
retired 2012 Pinarello DogmaK: 3613 mi
retired 2004 trek 5200: 3535 mi

total miles since strava 19,564


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## scott967 (Apr 26, 2012)

This is slightly OT, but I would really like to be able to track mileage on wheelsets or tires. I can change equipment on Garmin connect, but it then becomes the default. I don't see any easy way to specify what equipment was used on a given activity (nor an easy way to get cumulative data broken down in different ways). My Garmin 800 allows IIRC 6 bike profiles, though I only use one so can't comment on the utility of that feature as a tracking tool (I can see that for things like tire circumference/speed sensor calibration that's valuable). Maybe I should be using the Garmin profiles to deal with wheelsets?

scott s.
.


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

you can do it in garmin connect, yeah it defaults, but you can change it from the dropdown in the activities page, you don't even have to go to the actual activity, jsut the page where you can select the activity. (it the little shoe icon, stuff needs to be in "other", not bike).
then you can set goals, like track milage of 1 million miles for a set of wheels and it show you that on goals page.

With connect it'll either be by default added to a type of activity, eg cycling,so doesn't do me much good as mtbing comes under cycling, so a set of wheels would default to everything... but if you dont set to default, then you have to add it to each activity.
Can also be done on strava, but again it'll default to whatever you set, for whichever bike.

With strava it's added ot the bike, so I guess (dont know) makes it harder if you have multiple things liek wheels, but fine if you just swap things out at the end of their life


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## faulker479 (Jan 12, 2015)

Steve B. said:


> Wahoo Bolt (and I assume the Elemnt) don't do Profiles. There's no data being sent that tracks mileage for equipment. Thus you end up doing this in the online app, which in RWGPS is pretty painless.
> 
> I think the thought process is that you are using the device while on the bike and riding, thus certain info is useful to you - speed, distance, time, elevation, workout or lap data, power, etc... plus navigation if using a route, but the total mileage used on your Specialized for the year is maybe not something you need or care to know at that moment. Thus they (Wahoo) leave it to other software - RWGPS, Strava, or wherever the data goes in the cloud, for you to analyze after.
> 
> The posts by biscuit indicated he didn't desire to look at online data after the fact, which I read to mean he didn't care about uploading his rides and entering info, but wanted that data on the device. My thought is it's much easier to see the data on one of the cloud apps then to dig it out of the device, but that's just me.


I just got a Stages Dash last night and though I haven't really had a chance to play with it, there are different profiles that can be setup. They are not meant to track mileage, but they house different sensor pools and data screens. Profiles are designed for different bikes/types of rides. 

I have been keeping track of different components in Garmin Connect and Stages wont directly push files to GC. So i will either need to find a new program to use or manually push a file to GC.


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