Q: How does Garmin auto transition decide when you change sport?

Garmin doesn’t publish how it works. In this race, Fenix 9 Pro switched when my movement changed. It started T1 as I left the water and started the bike after the mount line. It then kept me on the bike until I reached my rack, so T2 covered only the shoe change, and it started the run as I left the rack.

Q: How does Apple Watch auto transition decide when you change sport?

Apple says its Multisport workout uses the watch’s motion sensors to recognise the movement patterns of swimming, cycling and running. In this race, Apple Watch Ultra 3 ended the swim at the bike mount line, got the bike dismount right and started the run at the dismount line.

Q: Do auto transition times match the official race results?

They don’t. Official transition times run from one timing mat to the next, and neither watch can detect the mats. Both watches overran the official T1 by more than 40 seconds. Fenix 9 Pro recorded T2 14 seconds short, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 came within two seconds of T2 only because its errors cancelled out.

Question 1

How does Garmin auto transition decide when you change sport?

Accepted Answer

Garmin doesn&#8217;t publish how it works. In this race, Fenix 9 Pro switched when my movement changed. It started T1 as I left the water and started the bike after the mount line. It then kept me on the bike until I reached my rack, so T2 covered only the shoe change, and it started the run as I left the rack.

Question 2

How does Apple Watch auto transition decide when you change sport?

Accepted Answer

Apple says its Multisport workout uses the watch&#8217;s motion sensors to recognise the movement patterns of swimming, cycling and running. In this race, Apple Watch Ultra 3 ended the swim at the bike mount line, got the bike dismount right and started the run at the dismount line.

Question 3

Do auto transition times match the official race results?

Accepted Answer

They don&#8217;t. Official transition times run from one timing mat to the next, and neither watch can detect the mats. Both watches overran the official T1 by more than 40 seconds. Fenix 9 Pro recorded T2 14 seconds short, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 came within two seconds of T2 only because its errors cancelled out.

Question 4

Does Apple Watch record T1 and T2?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The workout summary lists T1 and T2 with their times. The combined map in the Fitness app doesn&#8217;t draw the transitions as separate lines, so they look like part of the swim, bike or run. Exporting the workout with HealthFit shows the transition paths.

Question 5

Can I correct a wrong automatic transition?

Accepted Answer

On Garmin, you can undo a transition during the race by long-pressing the lap button or pressing Down, and you can edit the transitions afterwards in Garmin Connect. Apple Watch has a manual transitions option in the Multisport workout settings, which lets you move to the next leg yourself.

Question 6

Which Garmin watches have auto transition for triathlon?

Accepted Answer

Garmin added it in January 2024 to the Fenix 7, Epix, Enduro 2, and Forerunner 255, 955, and 965, among others. Fenix 9 Pro has it, and Garmin asks whether you want it on when you start the triathlon activity.

Question 7

Should I use auto transition in a race?

Accepted Answer

Use it if you would rather not think about buttons. Your overall time is unaffected because the race clock never stops, and the watch shows the right data screens on each leg. Turn it off and press the lap button if you want transition times you can compare with the results.

Tag: auto transition

Fenix 9 Pro auto transition in a race – handy, not accurate