Mapmyride.com, wrong elevation?
08-11-08, 07:16 AM
#1
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Mapmyride.com, wrong elevation?
When I map my daily ride on mapmyride.com, the elevation is really low, maybe I am just a wimp, but it seems like there is much more climbing than map my ride shows. Also, when other people link to their maps the elevation doesn't seem very much either. I here everyone on here talking about climbing 1000'+, whereas my route is only about 800', what gives?
08-11-08, 07:21 AM
#2
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This is common with online mapping services that rely on topo data alone to calculate elevation: a lot of error. I've had many occasions where MapMyRide has underestimated the total elevation gain by 50 or 60 percent.
It would be better to use a barometric altimeter to assess the climbing on your ride.
It would be better to use a barometric altimeter to assess the climbing on your ride.
08-11-08, 08:04 AM
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Online mapping sites calculate total climb by looking up the altitude only at the points put down on the route. This usually misses small terrain undulations between the points resulting in an underestimate of total climb.
BTW, calculating total climb accurately on a ride of any length is a difficult problem with many error sources.
BTW, calculating total climb accurately on a ride of any length is a difficult problem with many error sources.
08-11-08, 08:53 AM
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Freebie on-line topo data is too sparse to calculate an accurate cumulative elevation gain. If your route has big hills, you are better off looking at the high and low points for the hills and adding up the elevation manually.
08-11-08, 09:04 AM
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Oh, don't get me started. I am so frustrated with every online mapping site out there. I can't get anywhere close to accurate elevation information to save my life. I'm having the opposite problem though. Sanoodi and Bikely are grossly inflating elevation gain. On climbs that I know the exact data I'm getting over double when I map it. Grrrrrr. 
08-11-08, 09:06 AM
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I totally agree, but if you're trying to map a route out ahead of time, that's where the problem lies.
08-11-08, 09:14 AM
#7
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on the same 30 mile ride, mapmyrode.com gives me 300' of climbing, where as bikelt.com gives me over 1200' my uneducated guess puts the ride at 900/1000 feet of climbing.
It would be nice if there was a free site that had at least a degree of accuracy to its numbers.
It would be nice if there was a free site that had at least a degree of accuracy to its numbers.
