# Fitbit Questions

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitbit-questions/718493>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 25, 2015, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitbit-questions/718493 "2015-04-25T01:56:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitbit-questions/718493/1 "2015-04-25T01:56:29Z")

</div>

Does the Fitbit pick up bicycle motion? What about motion on an elliptical machine?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitbit-questions/718493/2 "2015-04-25T02:42:57Z")

</div>

It does pick up on the eliptical. I have read it does not pick up biking motion (it isn’t gps based) but can’t personally confirm that.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitbit-questions/718493/3 "2015-04-25T03:30:49Z")

</div>

I have a fitbit one. That is the one you put in your pocket or clip to clothing. When I ride my spin bike I clip it to my shorts about 1/2 up my thigh. If I am seated it only counts the times that the foot of the leg the fitbit is clipped to goes down. If I stand up in the pedals it counts both feet going down.

If I am walking or running it counts each time a foot goes down.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitbit-questions/718493/4 "2015-04-25T03:34:30Z")

</div>

It does count elliptical. I don’t know if it counts bicycle exercise.

I do know that it doesn’t count going up stairs in a fire stairwell, but it will count going up in an elevator as stairs if you don’t hold very still. I think - and could easily be wrong - that it’s got some way to check air pressure, and the fire stairwells I’ve tried are over-pressurized to keep smoke out, and the elevators are not.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitbit-questions/718493/5 "2015-04-25T04:20:47Z")

</div>

I have the Fitbit one, and it doesn’t count the recumbent bike at all. I don’t have it clipped on, rather I have it in my pocket.