Strava newb here (just got a GPS logger). Seems like a great idea, but the reality is not so good. Not many users (yet) where I live. The segments (climbs) in my area seem to be nearly all automatically generated... which means their start and end points are difficult to identify and their names make no sense. It's a mountainous area, so there are many climbs that are well know to locals. I noticed that I could make my own segments, so I gave that a try... starting and ending at the appropriate landmarks (and identifying them in the title) and naming the climb what the locals call it. The segment shows up on the map only if I zoom in on that small area, and isn't on the list at all. Strava seems to favor its own auto-generated segments. Also, dirt trails and roads are all listed the same, with no way to tell the difference. I also noticed that someone from out of town made a segment on the ski rd that starts in a non-traditional place and ends ~100ft past the natural top, where most people stop and turn around.

Any ideas? Or is this just the way it is?

It would be nice to have someone local moderate the segments and routes... delete irrelevant or near duplicates, fix titles and descriptions, designate paved or no, etc. I thought it would be a great resource for visitors (it is a tourist area) as well as a motivator for locals. But the way it is, it's a bit of a mess...

That's just the way it is right now. I don't think segments get auto generated, so what you're seeing has actually been created by two legged critters who rode those segments.

I don't know how they generate what they do, but I know I have a few rides where, according to their map, I've ridden across bodies of water.

I dont mind the way it is. You can make your segments for your rides where you want them.

Strava does auto-generate segments for climbs if nobody has laid out the segment already.

RRuff, create your segment, and make sure to check on it from time to time. Once enough people start clicking "show hidden segments" and then click on your nicely named segment strava will start to automatically figure out that it is the preferred segment and the other one will sink down to oblivion in the list. Might take months for this to happen if nobody is using strava but you.

To help things along, hover over the auto-generated segment in your ride results list and click "HIDE" over on the right of the screen. Then, click "show hidden segments" and click "unhide" on the one you created. Again, this hints to strava what it should do in the future.

Thanks for that insight into the Strava algorithms! With time hopefully this will get cleaned up a little.

Don't know if you can answer this, but I have another question relating to GPS functioning in the mountains. I tried going up the ski road today which has a lot of switchbacks. The GPS track going up is terrible... has me wandering off the road, cutting switchbacks and even riding circles. OK... so I thought maybe the GPS has difficulty in this area... but the track going *down* (much faster) looks perfect... smoothly follows the road all the way. I have it set to record every second, so if anything the uphill data should be better. Was this an erratic glitch, or could this be "normal" somehow?

^^ I'm not 100% certain of this but I suspect the greater errors on the way up are due to the GPS continually finding and using different satellites as they fly through the sky. Over a small period of time the position reports shouldn't vary much but each time a new satellite is used some error will be introduced. This is why even when stationary you'll notice the position (and speed) bouncing around. On the ride down, since you are going much faster successive points are using the same set of satellites so there is less error.

Just my theory.

Some GPS correction routines do have a 'velocity filter' which takes into account the unlikelihood of changing direction very quickly and thus can smooth out your line. Maybe this kicks in on the descent.

The GPS satellites are stationary and none of us move fast enough or far enough in our rides to switch satellites. It's possible you might loose coverage from one satellite, but the filtering of your $50K, military grade combination toilet seat/ navigation sensor/computer should take care of that just fine.

GPS satellites are not geostationary.

GPS satellites are definitely NOT stationary. They are in Medium Earth Orbit at ~12,600 miles above the surface of the earth. That means they orbit earth approx. 1 time every 12 hours. They do go into and out of view from a person on the surface of the earth. For comparison the ISS or shuttle orbit at a lowly 245 miles above the surface of the earth. They circumnavigate the globe every 92 minutes.

Another 41 Crisis.

you aren't following a triathlete's route, are ya?

Strava auto identifies a segment if it's a "category" climb, by whatever category criteria it uses to identify segments automatically.

Yes.

Its hard to rename them. I haven't figured out how to do it.

Sometimes the times it generates may be inaccurate, or accurate by certain frames of reference, because the effects of gravity and the speed of the satellite causes time dilation.

If the cyclist goes really fast, read: has a really great average moving speed, additional dilatory effects of time will occur.

Its really quite simple.

That's according to your GPS.

Well, you're partially right. WAAS signals only come from geostationary satellites. On a Garmin unit, the geostationary satellites are anything with a number over 32.

This should be obvious, but since WAAS is only available from geostationary satellites, your GPS accuracy will typically be really crappy on north-facing slopes that shield your receiver from a clear view of the equatorial orbit.

Damn, man, what's your average speed?

WAAS, (Wide Area Augmentation System), is not part of NAVSTAR. It's an enhancement funded and operated by the FAA. NAVSTAR is funded my the U.S. taxpayers and operated by the U.S. Air Force 50th Space Wind at Schriever Air Force Base near Colorado Springs.

The GPS on my phone is apparently not good enough to use with Strava. My last ride showed me going from Wisconsin to Missouri (I live in Ohio) in something like 34 minutes (it was a 2 hour ride). Average speed of around 2,000 mph. I think I'll just stop trying until I get a new phone.

I don't have a fancy phone, so bought one of these: Holux GPSport 245 https://dx.com/p/holux-gpsport-245-gp...FQhgTAodW1PRvA

BTW... these aren't supported like some devices, so you have to save as a GPX and upload it.

BTW, the route ending 100ft past where most people turn around was probably intentional. Some people do things like that to create a distinct route they can have the KOM title at.

Fast enough to throw up a rooster tail.

That may explain the odd behaviour you noticed with your up and downhill tracks. I looked at a recent garmin track of mine and it clearly showed me riding on the correct side of the road going up and downhill. Just curious if you can point to a track you've uploaded from the Holux device. I had a quick look at their web site and they don't mention whose GPS chip they are using. It's possible it's just not as accurate as the chips used by Garmin.

Sorry... lost track of this thread...

It's an MTK 3318 single chip... which I read was a good one. I'm planning on going up that same climb today, so I'll see if the results are any better.

Looked good today... no problems with the GPS going up or down.