Revert to old version of app?

[slipstick]

After the last update the Active 10 app no longer registers me pedalling on my exercise bike as "brisk walking". It always used to and it still registers biking as walking but no matter how fast I go it's never brisk. It's not exactly a big deal but I'd quite like to go back to an earlier version. Anyone know if that's possible?

[WG19]

Hi, I had a similar problem last year with the app, and contacted PHE (point of contact for the app), I never received any response. I had no option but to delete and reinstall the app and lost all of my data. The same has happened again a few months ago, so I had to delete and reinstall the app and once again lost all the data. PHE did respond this time and asked for further information, but disappointgly after a couple of months and follow up emails here has been no response from them! The app is great when it's working, but has proved unreliable.

[roseabi]

I had a look and couldn't find a way of reverting to older versions of the app - I think the developers do not make them available.

From what I understand about the way it works, I'd think that Active 10 was never really a reliable measure of 'active pedalling'. I can't explain why the update to the app would have changed your measurements, you would need to contact the developers about that. I suggest you post a review on your relevant app store and provide your comments there.

You might want to look into other ways of tracking your activity. A simple way would be to use perceived effort - getting yourself slightly out of breath could be used to indicate a brisk pace on the exercise bike. You could try alternating between 'gentle' and 'brisk', and using a stopwatch set yourself a goal time (say 10 minutes!) to keep going at the brisk effort. And to track your progress simply keep a diary. If you get into it, you might like to think about purchasing a device such as a smart watch, that can monitor your times more accurately, and include other data such as heart rate. Obviously these thing come at a price though!

Anyway, good luck with your fitness journey xxx

[slipstick in reply to roseabi]

Indeed there are all sorts of ways of tracking activity. I'd just got used to the convenience of having it all in one simple place. The Active 10 app was probably never intended to work with exercise bikes but the fact is that it used to and now it doesn't. So it's less useful to me.

I have tried the developers but no reply. Oh well, it was free so I've definitely had my money's worth from it😁.

[roseabi in reply to slipstick]

😊😊😊

[drun]

I'm no expert I think the app uses location data which determines if you are walking briskly. I've tried it and thought that I was walking briskly when the app says I wasn't, the definition of brisk walking is that you can still talk but can't sing, it's hard work that's why the NHS recommends just 10 minutes of brisk walking daily.

I think the best use for the app is to be moving rather than staying is one place, sorry this reply isn't much use to you.

Keep up the good work on your exercise bike.

🙂

[slipstick in reply to drun]

The app recognises brisk walking even if I switch location tracking off completely. So I think it's mainly based on cadence derived from the accelerometer. Which explains why it recognises stationary cycling as walking. It's the distinction between brisk and not brisk which is more difficult to explain. I've asked the developers more than once but never had any answer.

[Stairs10 in reply to slipstick]

I've found that I get different results just by changing which pocket I put the phone in. There's a route I take and if I walk it in the same time (by my watch ), it registers more brisk minutes if the phone is in my trouser pocket but fewer brisk minutes if it's in my jacket pocket.