Home› General Training Discussions

Elevation? what number is the right one?

scott dinhoferscott dinhofer
in General Training Discussions

did a 110 mile ride today. got wide ranging #s of Elevation

Ride with GPS - 7200 Ft

Garmin 910XT - 9600 ft (Corrected in WKO+)

Joule 2.0 - 5035 ft

 

what is the correct #?

Comments

  • kjanracingkjanracing
    Eleventy.
  • Al TruscottAl Truscott

     Scott - the latter half of this thread contains several comments about elevation recordings.

    The short answer is - they are all correct, within the confines of the algorithm used by the device, the sensitivity to changes and the inherent inaccuracy of each individual measurement of elevation change upon which they rely. Bottom line - compare apples to apples, IOW, when comparing different rides, look at the elevation on just one of the devices. My own preference - I don't use Garmin (Sat. based), I do use Joule (barometer based). I came to this conclusion riding in the mountains, where the Garmin/GPS seems to add elevation changes where none exist. Joule/barometer is much closer to the elevation change as described on, say, a USGS map, for a road which has no downhill sections.

  • cgres123cgres123
    @ Scott, you have all the toys.... wow
  • scott dinhoferscott dinhofer
    @Al - read the other thread and it would seem that all of this is a completely inexact science...

    here is another question. given the limitations of the devices, GPS lacks the correct sensitivity to deal with elevation so much as distance, and Joule is limited by pressure changes, would one feel that a map drawn on a program like mapmyride.com or ridewithgps.com is more accurate? I would think the data there is pulled from USGS charts which tend to be more accurate.

    Of course now that i wrote that i am wondering "what device did the USGS utilize to create the chart??!!!"

    there is no "right" answer, is there?!!
Sign In or Register to comment.