However the built in computer on my machine has been cranky for a while, and it doesn't always work. I have been using a Wahoo Tickr heart rate strap while working out, so I have some data that I can push into Strava using Wahoo Fitness, but this does not give any virtual distance information. Also - Strava doesn't show your heart rate stats in the Android app unless you have some other stat uploaded (such as heart rate)
What I did was buy a cheap bluetooth/ANT+ cycle speed and cadence sensor from Amazon. There are a lot of types of these but the one I chose claimed to be compatible with Wahoo Fitness. It has 2 x magnets that you attach to the 'moving' parts and a sensor with 2 'receivers' separated by a small amount of cable. The large part is the cadence sensor and would be designed to be near a cycle crank, and the smaller bar sensor is the speed sensor.
Attempt #1
I attached the magnets as follows
- the flat magnet, designed for cadence I attached to the side of the foot loop.
- I attached the 'spoke' round magnet to the the fly wheel.
These were attached loosely at first - you will need to wiggle things around to make sure that as the flywheel spins/ski moves forwards and backwards that the magnets are close enough to cause a reading, without hitting the sensor.
Then I used the provided zip ties to position the cadence sensor part on the spar in front of the flywheel, and the speed sensor near to the flywheel, level with the spoke magnet.
Use Wahoo Fitness and add the sensor.
Measure the circumference of the flywheel and change the wheel size in wahoo fitness to this value.
Start a workout in Wahoo Fitness. Now manually turn the flywheel and adjust the magnet position until you get a speed recorded. Repeat the adjustment process for the magnet on the foot binding to get a cadence reading. This is best done with your foot inside the binding wearing your normal workout shoes, as this will make the loop change position/shape.
This arrangement worked for me for several workouts.... right up until my husband used it, and his larger feet/different gait, caused the zip ties that wrapped around the track to be severed by the ski.
Attempt #2 (still working 3 months later)
So I had to rethink where the sensor were placed I noticed that on one side of the flywheel axle there was a box section and just enough space to fit the speed sensor. Some swearing later and I managed to get it attached. But the magnet designed to go on the spokes was too big to rotate past.
A magnet is a magnet right? The one designed for the cadence sensor was more compact and some testing showed that it working.
The larger spoke magnet was attached to the left foot binding.
This new arrangement has the advantage of the battery hatch being more accessible too!
This is what my workouts look like in Strava
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