Originally Posted by
hsuehhwa
Strava elevation was inflated by 30-40% in a lot of segments (Newport Coast, Pelican Hills, Ridge Park, Vista Ridge, Santiago Canyon...) here in Orange County, South Cal. For example, Strava will give you two very different readings for the same loop clock- or counterclockwise. On the other hand, my Garmin 800 (with barometer) has been quite accurate. In the end, I don't mind taking the inflated strava reading though
Yep, Santiago canyon gives me a solid 500-700 more elevation going from Cooks to Jamboree. Northbound. Around my house in Laguna, simply doing a lap in the neighborhood would net you 160 FEET in elevation, if you hit "correct elevation" on the ride. I never do it anymore, it's totally broken, but not Strava's fault. The resolution of these maps are super low so it will read as if you are instantaneously jumping up and down the mountain side 3-50 feet at a time. This is why if you click on Analysis in strava, and highlight a small portion of the spikey elevation profile, it will show UP DOWN UP DOWN UP DOWN and +35% grade -32% grade + 36% grade etc. It's a mess, and really destroys all my club leaderboards.
It's pretty hard to tell someone to stop correcting their elevation without sounding like a dick. It's not the Garmin's problem, everyone runs 500-520's. I wish strava would let club moderators checkmark a setting that forces our leaderboards to only show uncorrected elevation gain (even if someone corrected their ride already). Then we wouldn't have newbies believing they climb 3,000 feet a day like nothin, when in reality they are doing 700 feet. It's really bad for you mentally because you are being lied to and when the time comes to actually do 3,000' in a club ride, you will be utterly screwed. I'll go submit a request to their devs right now actually.