# Does exercise bike mileage count towards yearly Strava mileage?



## simon the viking (23 Nov 2019)

Mrs V is considering getting an exercise bike - I've suggested an interactive roller and subscription but she's not listening as it would have to be in the dining room so....

If i use said exercise bike would a manual entry on Strava be an acceptable thing to do....

I was going to stream old tour de france stages while im on it as i find exercise bikes boring....

Thoughts and opinions please


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## screenman (23 Nov 2019)

It counts as time maybe, not miles.


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## Edwardoka (23 Nov 2019)

You can categorise rides as being indoor trainer rides and no-one will get annoyed, so long as it's flagged as such.

The real question is how much you trust the numbers provided by the exercise bike.


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## Venod (23 Nov 2019)

I always count the miles on the trainer, but they are videos with gps files so the mileage is accurate, there is no wind potholes etc, but there is also no freewheeling, turbo miles are harder than road miles IMO.


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## screenman (23 Nov 2019)

Venod said:


> I always count the miles on the trainer, but they are videos with gps files so the mileage is accurate, there is no wind potholes etc, but there is also no freewheeling, turbo miles are harder than road miles IMO.




I disagree, time is harder (maybe) on a turbo miles not so.


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## Milzy (23 Nov 2019)

If you’re training in ERG mode on smaller rings to keep your power line smoother the miles won’t be calculated properly anyway.


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## PaulSB (23 Nov 2019)

When discussing annual miles this time last year a friend said to me "That's real miles."

Sorry but I don't think turbo, Zwift or whatever count as cycled miles. Great exercise or training but not road miles and that's what count.


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## Ming the Merciless (23 Nov 2019)

If it motivates her to ride more and more then yes. What others think doesn't matter, does she want to see her totals increasing and trying to beat mast weeks and last months figure?


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## derrick (23 Nov 2019)

Venod said:


> I always count the miles on the trainer, but they are videos with gps files so the mileage is accurate, there is no wind potholes etc, but there is also no freewheeling, turbo miles are harder than road miles IMO.


If it's accurate it would say zero miles.You have not moved.


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## simon the viking (23 Nov 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> If it motivates her to ride more and more then yes. What others think doesn't matter, does she want to see her totals increasing and trying to beat mast weeks and last months figure?


At the moment she's hardly cycling as her office has moved and she walks it but wants to get fitter and thinks an exercise bike may be the answer... a friend is selling a treadmill which I'd prefer but she wants an exercise bike ( we tipped one 5 years ago...)

The mileage on Strava is me as taken commuting has taken a hit in the really wet weather.


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## I like Skol (23 Nov 2019)

No.


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## Milzy (23 Nov 2019)

PaulSB said:


> When discussing annual miles this time last year a friend said to me "That's real miles."
> 
> Sorry but I don't think turbo, Zwift or whatever count as cycled miles. Great exercise or training but not road miles and that's what count.


A watt is a watt pushed no matter what.


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## Hacienda71 (23 Nov 2019)

It makes me laugh seeing people's average speeds and claimed power going through the roof in the winter on Strava as they start logging their Zwift rides. 
By all means use a turbo or exercise bike and record the activity to motivate, they are great for targeted training, but it isn't directly comparable to banging out miles on the road or trail.


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## cosmicbike (23 Nov 2019)

If it's acceptable to you to ride some 'miles' on an exercise bike and load them onto Strava as a manual entry then carry on. What anyone else thinks is completely irrelevant.


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## tom73 (23 Nov 2019)

It's your strava account and your own sats so who else should care if you add them or not. 
It's up to you in the end your not likely to be trying to claim any KOM so go for it if it's going to keep you motivated till you can get the bike out. 
I add turbo miles to my year total mostly as I dont have a turbo only bike. So it helps keep track of miles the drive chain get's though. 
Plus my own sweat and pain has to worth something  
Though I don't add to strava only because i've yet to get round to linking it.
Even if i had my account is locked so no-one can get hot and bothered anyway.


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## HLaB (23 Nov 2019)

Strava counts it. Personally I would keep it completely separate and perhaps only measure time and power. Resistance on one indoors trainer/ bike is different from another and is very different to outside where you do an actual distance. But but hey ho, do what motivates you, virtual miles are better for your mind and body than no miles


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## lazybloke (23 Nov 2019)

Milzy said:


> A watt is a watt pushed no matter what.


Agree, it's a measure of exertion/energy expenditure/whatever. 
Doesn't particularly matter how you measure it. 


(but Watts are not miles)


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## PeteXXX (23 Nov 2019)

Winter miles on the turbo only count if you leave the window open and get blasted with freezing rain and snow 🌨


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## PaulSB (24 Nov 2019)

Milzy said:


> A watt is a watt pushed no matter what.



Yes. I'd agree but a watt isn't a mile.



cosmicbike said:


> If it's acceptable to you to ride some 'miles' on an exercise bike and load them onto Strava as a manual entry then carry on. What anyone else thinks is completely irrelevant.



I absolutely agree with this.

The thread title though asked if exercise bike miles count towards yearly totals. While I don't mind how individuals treat this I just feel road riding is miles the rest is exercise and strength building.

I'm not someone who gives kudos for every ride posted. I only do it for those where I know the effort which must have taken place. Where I know a comparison. On Zwift etc. I have no idea what is an achievement, I've no comparison so I never give kudos on indoor miles.

The one exception is when I know someone is working to come back from injury or accident. That is very much intended as encouragement.


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## simon the viking (24 Nov 2019)

Thanks for all the comments..... seems 50/50 split... 

A few people follow on strava me but as i only really use it to track my mileage.. i cant see anyboy getting uppity if i do upload the odd ride.

To be honest i think it will sit in a corner collecting dust again but who knows?

And I'd still prefer a treadmill (or interactive turbo)


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## mustang1 (24 Nov 2019)

Cycling is a bit like being a pilot. You can sit in a flight simulator but it won't count towards your flight hours like when you're training for a PPL for example.


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## Heltor Chasca (24 Nov 2019)

As mentioned upthread. Turbo miles are quality miles. Outside miles are bike handling and social skills as well as the ethereal benefits of being outside. 

And after all, they are your stats so it shouldn’t matter to anyone where they come from. It all has health benefits.


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## Stompier (24 Nov 2019)

As others have said, indoor training is better measured in terms of time spent rather than miles cycled. But these are your metrics, so the only thing that matters is that you measure them consistently.


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## Venod (24 Nov 2019)

screenman said:


> I disagree, time is harder (maybe) on a turbo miles not so.



I don't know what turbo you use, but I have ridden the same routes on the turbo as on the road, the times are very close, but uphill is always slower and harder on the turbo, downhill is quicker, no brakiing etc, this is using a Tacx Neo.


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## Venod (24 Nov 2019)

simon the viking said:


> A few people follow on strava me but as i only really use it to track my mileage.. i cant see anyboy getting uppity if i do upload the odd ride.



I save Turbo rides as Virtual rides in Strava, using Tacx software it loads them automaticaly as Virtual, to compare turbo rides with road rides I upload the file to Garmin Connect then export it to a TCX file, then load it to Strava. (good for comparing segment times)


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## tom73 (24 Nov 2019)

PeteXXX said:


> Winter miles on the turbo only count if you leave the window open and get blasted with freezing rain and snow 🌨


That's the best bit got wet though last week and never left the house. Zwift made out it was lovely and sunny.


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## simon the viking (24 Nov 2019)

I nearly talked her in to a turbo trainer with her Boardman Race on it, but we both decided reluctantly it wouldn't be practical... we were going to get a cheap exercise bike from Argos when Mrs V spotted a Tunturi E5 on Ebay at £45 original price over £600 bargain bought on buy it now at 5 
0' clock and fetched locally at 7.... 

Shes about to give it a blast!


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## simon the viking (26 Nov 2019)

Having had a few goes on the exercise bike... ive decided its too warm, too dry.... and with no potholes... or cars trying to destroy you and your bike... its not right to include it in my mileage for the year


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## Milzy (27 Nov 2019)

PaulSB said:


> Yes. I'd agree but a watt isn't a mile.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You could go down hill for a mile & turn the cranks a degree & push 1 watt. 
Getting the K’s in is good but quality exercise is better weather indoor or outdoor. Strava really should have 2 separate totals, it wouldn’t be that hard to do.


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## simon the viking (27 Nov 2019)

The exercise bike has got loads of program settings as expected of (an old) top of the range bike.. so that wiuld simulate different routes with uphill sections etc... just no paper manual and cant be ar***d to print one off the net...

So I'll just keep pedalling while watching tv


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## Venod (27 Nov 2019)

Milzy said:


> Strava really should have 2 separate totals, it wouldn’t be that hard to do.


You can filter your miles its easy to see how many virtual and how many real miles you have done, it might not be obvious to other people, but that's not a problem.


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## CXRAndy (29 Nov 2019)

I cant be arsed separating the rides. Its obvious to those who follow my Strava, what is indoors and what is outside. 

I personally count indoor far more valuable than outdoors. It shows when I spend 2,3 months working on my turbo, to find outdoor riding relatively easy


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## Milzy (29 Nov 2019)

No.


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## Salty seadog (29 Nov 2019)

I wouldn't claim them but then I wouldn't use a trainer.


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## Jimidh (29 Nov 2019)

Why does it matter whether someone else thinks it counts or not. You are only measuring yourself against yourself. I count both and as I’m consistent it means that I’m comparing apples with apples.


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## stephec (29 Nov 2019)

cosmicbike said:


> If it's acceptable to you to ride some 'miles' on an exercise bike and load them onto Strava as a manual entry then carry on. What anyone else thinks is completely irrelevant.


This, you can close the thread now, unless willy waving is also a consideration.


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## Milzy (26 Oct 2021)

Hacienda71 said:


> It makes me laugh seeing people's average speeds and claimed power going through the roof in the winter on Strava as they start logging their Zwift rides.
> By all means use a turbo or exercise bike and record the activity to motivate, they are great for targeted training, but it isn't directly comparable to banging out miles on the road or trail.


Well the speeds will be wrong due to no atmosphere & wind etc but the power is +- 2% on a decent power meter.


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## HLaB (26 Oct 2021)

Indoors miles don't count for me, it's easy to rattle them off depending on the resistance settings etc. Time and/or power is a better way to compare. But if you want to use them, hey ho, as long as you're not comparing them to someone on a completely different indoors or out set up, go ahead.


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## Hacienda71 (26 Oct 2021)

Milzy said:


> Well the speeds will be wrong due to no atmosphere & wind etc but the power is +- 2% on a decent power meter.


Yep, with a power meter you use on the turbo and outside like for like, but a lot of the cheaper turbos with built in power don't seem to be all that accurate or they need calibration.


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## JtB (26 Oct 2021)

As far as I’m aware Boris has not yet introduced any UK legislation since leaving the EU to prohibit static miles from counting towards the overall Strava miles, so do whatever floats your boat. Certainly my hard earned WattBike miles (which are more difficult than my cycled miles) count towards my overall Strava miles (not that I have a clue what they ever add up to anyway).


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## johnblack (11 Nov 2021)

I log mine on Connect which is only for me, as I use them to track my progress and performance against previous efforts, I have to add miles and cadence manually. But I don’t add them on Strava, because I can’t be bothered and I have no need as I already have a record of them.


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