Jarrettsin

Been thinking about getting the Bolt for a number of reasons, currently I have a Bontrager Trip 300 with DuoTrap S sensor. Which should be no problem to pair with the bolt, but I also have a Fitbit blaze which has a HR monitor and is Bluetooth and I wanted to know definitively that it will pair with the Bolt. It doesn't pair with the 300 the sensor is ant+ / Bluetooth but not the head.

Would also not mind hearing any opinions on the Wahoo companion app.

Jarrettsin

It's Bluetooth so I was hoping it would but just found this on DC Rainmakers websites that put's it in question.



It say does not re-broadcast HR data ????

adamrice 

As far as I can tell, no Fitbit will work as an HRM for other devices (I've got a Surge and have looked into this too). The company wants to keep you ensconced in their walled garden.

Seattle Forrest

Fitbits do what they do, but they aren't part of the fitness "ecosystem" where you can use just about any HRM or speed/cadence/power/etc sensor with just about any computer, as long as they support the same protocol.

Jarrettsin

Yes I now have the Wahoo Bolt and it's a no go, they communicate in a proprietary way only with their program. Loving the bolt and have a new Garmin HRM on it's way!

Jarrettsin

Man I have no luck, I purchase a Garmin Vivosmart3 which is Bluetooth and Ant+ and is suppose to pair with the Wahoo Bolt but no luck the Wahoo won't find the Garmin!
I've tried from the the app, from the unit direct, I left the house to avoid WiFi interference, nada nothing.
Yes I'm wearing it and keeping it awake the whole time.
Any help or suggestion would be appreciated

zacster

Check the battery. Does it have a plastic bit that needs to be pulled out? Does it have enough power left to broadcast? I had problems with my Wahoo sensors and a fresh battery solved it.

Jarrettsin

All charged up that's not it. The Vivosmart is working it's finding Garmin Connect, but the Bolt is not finding the Garmin.
The Bolt found my Duo Trap S sensor on my bike and that works getting speed and cadence.

TXCiclista

Companion app auto-calculates the HR zones 'incorrectly' (0-65, 65-75, 75-85, 85-95, 95-100), but you can always enter your own values. Otherwise, it's great.

The Bolt itself is fantastic. I love mine. I don't know if it will pair with the FitBit, however, though it'll pair with just about anything with BT capabilities, so I wouldn't expect problems there.

sierrabob

Not sure if this is the problem, but did you put the Vivosmart in broadcast mode? Go to settings/Heartrate/Broadcast Mode and select. You should see the HR broadcast icon on the watch. Then try pairing with the Bolt.

Jarrettsin

Now that the kind of help I'm looking for, like turning on broadcast mode! Unfortunately no where under setting can I find Broadcast mode! I've looked everywhere trying to find something not turned on.

I did write both Garmin and Wahoo, Wahoo answered the next day, they don't feel the Vivosmart3 rebroadcasts!!! I have NOT heard back from Garmin yet in 3 days.
I don't get it WHY make it both Bluetooth and Ant+ if it's not going to rebroadcast You don't need both to talk with your own app!, is it me? Am I missing something or is that stupid ??
Not happy with Garmin and I'm going to do what I can to return the Vivosmart, don't even want to exchange for one that broadcast...I'm done.
Very happy with the Wahoo Bolt so far, guess I'll buy their arm band HR monitor.

Update: a phone call with Garmin confirms the Vivosmart3 does NOT rebroadcast! he had no answer for why Bluetooth / Ant+ if not rebroadcasting!!!
RMA issued

sierrabob

That's shocking news! I remember troubleshooting this same issue with a friend's Vivosmart a few months ago. Not sure which model. I just swiped to the heart rate screen executed a long press, i.e., press and hold, then voila, it displayed the broadcast icon. It's a very cool feature.

Jarrettsin

That's because some of the models do broadcast, I think if I have went with the older Vivosmart HR I would not be having this conversation. But I decided to go with the newer model and I checked on the website which said both Bluetooth / Ant+ I couldn't imagine it wouldn't work, isn't that the point of doing both?

The Garmin connect app was nice I liked it's breakdown, It was like the Fitbit used to be! Every time they upgrade the Fitbit Dashboard it got dumber and dumber instead of more info it gave you less.

sierrabob

Well, take a look at this link and see if it applies to your watch:

​​​​​​https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webh...A1B73CB6E.html

It's a great feature. I would not give up on it just yet. It seems to be in all the Garmin smartwatch user manuals, even the Vivosmart 4.

sierrabob

As I think about this some more, I realize that the terms "rebroadcast" and "broadcast" aren't the same. The Vivoactive series does not receive a signal from a chest strap and rebroadcast to another device. However, according to my experience and the manuals, when properly setup, Vivoactive devices will broadcast the optical sensor hr value from the watch itself to compatible devices. I believe all you want is for the optical hr sensor to be picked up by the Wahoo Bolt. It should work.

Jarrettsin