indoor activities detailed speed data ignored

[hophoff]

When uploading indoor activity data like running (indoor) or biking (indoor) to Strava, we can add detailed speed data to the FIT file (in the Record section), but it is ignored. It is also visible on the site https://developers.strava.com/docs/uploads/ that speed data isn't processed by Strava for activity uploads. Detailed distance data can be added, but speed data is not derived from the distance values either.

I understand that Strava doesn't need detailed speed data for activities with GPS data, but for indoor activities, our app users would like to see their speed in Strava. Wouldn't it be nice to add the interpretation of speed data for non-GPS activities, or derive the speed from the detailed distance data?

[hophoff]

Thanks for your reply. We upload activity data from another source (not the Strava Mobile App) and even while we can provide the speed data, Strava ignores it. So I don't understand your workaround: if the indoor activity is tracked with another app/device, and is uploaded to Strava with our app, the speed data in the FIT file is ignored. Our feature request is to process the speed data in the FIT file upload if there is no gps data. 

[Bryant · Accepted solution]

Hey @hophoff,

You are correct that GPS is needed to provide Speed Data when recording from the Strava Mobile App. You're certainly not the only one who wants this implemented.
However as a workaround, you do have the option to record an indoor activity with a third party device (or sensor) 

as long as the data is compatible with the Strava uploader.