RunBridge troubleshooting

Most issues fall into a few patterns. Work through the sections below from top to bottom.

1. My watch doesn’t see RunBridge

Symptoms:

  • RunBridge never shows up when adding a sensor.
  • Garmin search just spins or finds other devices but not RunBridge.

Checklist:

  1. Is the LED on or blinking?

    • If completely off, the device is idle:
      • Unplug RunBridge, wait 5 seconds, plug it back in.
      • Try a different USB port / adapter.
    • If you see any blink pattern, it’s powered.

  2. Be in the right Garmin menu:

    • Go to
      Settings → Sensors & Accessories → Add New → Foot Pod
      (or “Running Speed/Cadence” on some models).

  3. Move the watch closer:

    • Stand within a couple of feet of RunBridge.
    • Avoid having your phone actively connected to lots of BLE devices.

  4. Reboot the watch:

    • Power the watch off and on, then try to scan again.

If it still never appears, email support@runbridge.dev with:

  • Watch model
  • Treadmill model
  • What the LED is doing

2. Distance doesn’t change on the watch

Symptoms:

  • RunBridge is paired as a footpod.
  • Treadmill is running.
  • Distance on the watch stays at 0.00 or only moves slightly.

Checklist:

  1. Check treadmill compatibility.
    See Compatibility. You need an FTMS-enabled treadmill.

  2. Make sure the treadmill is actually broadcasting:

    • Some consoles only send FTMS once you start a workout and press Start.
    • If the belt isn’t moving, some treadmills send zero speed.

  3. Make sure the footpod is active for your activity:

    • During an Indoor Run, go into the activity settings and confirm:
      • The footpod sensor is enabled.
      • Pace source may need to be set to the footpod on some watches.

  4. Remove competing sensors temporarily:

    • If you also use Stryd or another footpod, try disabling it for a test run so Garmin has only one footpod choice.

If you still get no movement, capture:

  • A short video of the treadmill running and the watch screen
  • LED state on RunBridge
    and send it to support@runbridge.dev.

3. Distance doesn’t match the treadmill

Symptoms:

  • Distance changes, but it’s clearly off vs the treadmill display over a full run.

Checklist:

  1. Double-check which source Garmin is using:

    • If you have multiple sensors, Garmin may be using something else.
    • Temporarily disable / forget other footpods and test again.

  2. Ensure you stayed in System Ready:

    • During the run, LED should be solid green
    • If it kept bouncing between states (fast blink, scanning), the connection to treadmill or watch may be unstable.

  3. Check treadmill behavior:

    • Some treadmills pause their internal distance when belt speed goes to 0 temporarily.
    • Very short on/off intervals can cause odd results.

If the difference is large and consistent, we’d like to see logs or a video. Email support@runbridge.dev.

4. LED pattern looks wrong or frozen

If the LED is on but in a pattern that doesn’t match the LED States page:

  1. Unplug RunBridge.
  2. Wait 5 seconds.
  3. Plug it back in and try the sequence again:
    • Power RunBridge
    • Power treadmill
    • Pair from Garmin
    • Start Indoor Run

If the LED is still in a strange or stuck state, grab:

5. Nothing here helped

No problem. Send:

  • Treadmill brand and model
  • Garmin watch model
  • What the LED is doing (color + blink pattern)
  • Brief description of what happens

to support@runbridge.dev.

We’ll walk through it with you and, if it ultimately won’t work with your setup, we’ll work out a return or refund according to the Support & Policies.