[RRauzer]

So today, the weather was good so I did this:

Now, I've noticed the Climb/Decent on Trailforks have seemingly been far off from what I presume is reality on certain rides of mine before, but this seems like a doozy today. I use the app on my iPhone which I keep in my pocket.

Has anyone done this route with a fancier gps that they logged and can tell me the climb? Since it was straight out and back on three complete sections of trails, is adding up the total numbers in TF even accurate?

When I got back into mountain biking last September after a multi-decade (yup) gap I honestly didn't think I'd care care about any metrics, but... having lots of fun now and interested in my progress on the various fronts.

Also, to-date, I've only ridden alone so have had no one to gauge myself stamina-wise by. I just found/signed up for a local Meetup group because it'd be fun to go with others at times and case in point, there is a ride down in that S.C. demonstration forest tomorrow that said 2500ft and "being comfortable w/ long climbs". I would of gone but didn't want to potentially be a boat anchor, hence interested in a better understanding of what I'm actually doing.

 

[noblige]

If you throw in Peter's Creek loop it's 5k feet, so this is should be less that 4k.

 

[Lambow]

I have noticed that trailforks climb/descent can be way off, also ride time vs total time, which throws off your avg mph

 

[SikeMo]

Trailforks has nice little snippets about trails, but if you want accurate information, use ridewithgps.com

 

[Callender]

I did that ride this winter, but dropped down into Stevens Canyon and climbed up Charcoal Rd. I think it was about 4500 ft. according to Strava. It was beautiful out there today!

 

[mstrkrft69]

I've noticed that Trailforks bones my elevation on a pretty regular basis. Bit of a bummer since I'd like to get accurate info on my rides.

Case-in-point. . .

I'd love to think think the standard loop at China Camp involves 4500' of climbing, but.
. . . . uuuhhhh No. So is TF recording every time I stand up and sit down on my saddle?? I mean I dig accuracy like that but I'd like to get a fair estimate of my days. MTB project lists that ride as 800' of climbing. So how does TF get so drastically off? It also recorded the ride 1 mile longer than the MTB project stats.

So what works the best?? Or is my pixel just a piece of sh!t? Not really interested in using two devices on my rides, ala Garmin, but maybe that's what needs to happen.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Sid Duffman]

Never done that exact route, but I ride from hwy 9/35 intersection, skyline trail, JNT, down to the reservoir, and back, and it’s a shade under 3000ft elevation gain according to Strava tracking.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[5k bike 50cent legs]

I’m guessing that ride is about 2000 ft of climbing, if I’m reading your track correctly. The good news is if you can do this ride you can ride the ‘usual’ loop Buzzards to Flow to Hihns Mill etc at Demo with no problem.

 

[Buzzaro]

I've noticed that Trailforks bones my elevation on a pretty regular basis. Bit of a bummer since I'd like to get accurate info on my rides.

Case-in-point. . .

I'd love to think think the standard loop at China Camp involves 4500' of climbing, but.
. . . . uuuhhhh No. So is TF recording every time I stand up and sit down on my saddle?? I mean I dig accuracy like that but I'd like to get a fair estimate of my days. MTB project lists that ride as 800' of climbing. So how does TF get so drastically off? It also recorded the ride 1 mile longer than the MTB project stats.

So what works the best?? Or is my pixel just a piece of sh!t? Not really interested in using two devices on my rides, ala Garmin, but maybe that's what needs to happen.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

I especially like how it thinks 4500ft/hr is normal.

 

[5k bike 50cent legs]

I especially like how it thinks 4500ft/hr is normal.

I wonder how many people have used this as a fitness gauge, only to go somewhere and get in way over their heads. Old Growth Classic, 55 miles, 8000 ft of climbing, pffft that's nothing, I climb 4500ft in less than an hour, no problem!

 

[boomn]

I too have found that Trailforks seems to sum up every last bit of elevation change along the way. I sync my rides to Strava as well and the same GPS recording processed through their calculations provides a much more "normal" calculation.

 

[elenius]

Another source of misinformation is gaiagps. If you plan a route using that tool, it gives you a very high elevation number, compared to other sources.

Of course, there is no real truth to the matter - it depends on how detailed your elevation model is. If you add up every pebble, you could end up with a very high number... Some standard would be nice, so people can share and compare data effectively.

 

[paintballeerXC]

Does no one really use actual GPS devices anymore? Garmin or Wahoo?

 

[RBoardman]

Does no one really use actual GPS devices anymore? Garmin or Wahoo?

Strava iPhone app is usually fairly accurate to my Garmin computer. Trail forks is good for navigation and elevation profiles, but useless for elevation gain as shown above.

OP: That ride is about 3550' elevation gain for the route you did.

 

[Stmpjmpr]

There's been conversation on the Trailforks bug topic on that other forum about this. They say they're working on it.

 

[rockcrusher]

I wonder how many people have used this as a fitness gauge, only to go somewhere and get in way over their heads. Old Growth Classic, 55 miles, 8000 ft of climbing, pffft that's nothing, I climb 4500ft in less than an hour, no problem!

Lol!

I use mapmyride, usually fairly accurate for elevations here around the seattles.

 

[RRauzer]

Does no one really use actual GPS devices anymore? Garmin or Wahoo?

I'm just starting (as in the last 24 hrs) to research some of the low/mid tier ones, along with the other apps mentioned in the thread. I think I'm like how a lot of people start out continue onwards: Get a bike, have fun, want to find trails, someone mentions TF, use it, have more fun, and then get the itch to "level up" by wanting to know some of your metrics.

 

[boomn]

Does no one really use actual GPS devices anymore? Garmin or Wahoo?

Even with a dedicated GPS device, if you upload the recording to TF you will get a very optimistic sum of your elevation changes. And if you upload the file to Strava you will get a completely different number. There isn't a standard for how it should be calculated

Also, I believe both of these sites might be doing some adjustments to your elevation recorded in GPS against topo maps and/or history other riders to try to help error correction and less accurate devices. Does anyone know more about that or if its even true?

 

[274898]

I have done that exact route. Black Road to Saratoga Gap up and back. It is about 20 miles and 3000K vertical feet.

 

[Sidewalk]

Any ride not recorded with a barometer enabled GPS, I ignore. iPhone, Android, older GPS, etc. Climbing data is meaningless to me. Baro isn't perfect, but close enough.

I have done races that were advertised as having WAY more climbing than reality, because they mapped it out instead of riding it. Then you see everyone comment on their Strava "Wow, my GPS is way off on the climbing!"

It is about 20 miles and 3000K vertical feet.

That's half way to low earth orbit! :lol: