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Inaccurate Strava elevation


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I've recently noticed my endomondo reading way high ascent and descent. So I started running strava at the same time. I'm finding strava way more accurate. It seems endomondo has been doubling height gained. A recent run strava showed as 1080m whereas endomondo showed 2200.

 

Does running both apps use a lot more battery?

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I've recently noticed my endomondo reading way high ascent and descent. So I started running strava at the same time. I'm finding strava way more accurate. It seems endomondo has been doubling height gained. A recent run strava showed as 1080m whereas endomondo showed 2200.

 

Does running both apps use a lot more battery?

That's so odd, seems there is no consistency, what phone do you use?

 

I will test Endomondo as well.

 

I didn't notice any extra battery drainage compare to running just one app last week and two this week.

 

Will try run three or more next week and see what happens to battery and elevation stats.

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In short, dont use that thing you make phone calls with to track your rides ... get a device that was designed to do just that, get a Garmin!

Enough said, took the words outta my mouth!

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So, one shouldn't use the Elevation Correction function on Strava then? I have a Garmin 510, which I would think is quite accurate, it's always lower than those I ride with until I do the correction that is...

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So I tested three apps today and much to my surprise, because it proved to be very wrong on the road cycle the other day, Strava was most accurate (compared to the route GPX file I was given). Then came Runtastic Mountain Bike and then Endomondo, which seems very wrong...

 

post-49286-1419861501,7011.jpg

 

post-49286-1419861512,1821.jpg

 

post-49286-1419861523,2893.jpg

 

It is still odd that different apps interpret the data provided by the phone's gps differently..

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So I tested three apps today and much to my surprise, because it proved to be very wrong on the road cycle the other day, Strava was most accurate (compared to the route GPX file I was given). Then came Runtastic Mountain Bike and then Endomondo, which seems very wrong...

 

attachicon.gifImageUploadedByTapatalk1419861499.440559.jpg

 

attachicon.gifImageUploadedByTapatalk1419861509.457563.jpg

 

attachicon.gifImageUploadedByTapatalk1419861519.440268.jpg

 

It is still odd that different apps interpret the data provided by the phone's gps differently..

 

The duration of your 3 recordings are different, especially for Endo, that could be why the rest of your data differs cause you didn't record the same period of movement ?

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Endo is the only one that doesn't have autopause whereas the others do. Good point though, will test again with all apps running constantly to eliminate the time factor.

 

Edit: thinking about it though, time shouldn't influence elevation gain (the main difference I'm looking at), wether you do a trail on 10min or 10hours the elevation gain should be the same, but nevertheless will test again with same times..

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Endo is the only one that doesn't have autopause whereas the others do. Good point though, will test again with all apps running constantly to eliminate the time factor.Edit: thinking about it though, time shouldn't influence elevation gain (the main difference I'm looking at), wether you do a trail on 10min or 10hours the elevation gain should be the same, but nevertheless will test again with same times..[/quote

 

Yup, time should have no influence on elevation surely.

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I noticed elevation of strava mobile is between 50% and 100% higher than when I got my garmin. Definately overquoting elevation.

Your mobile cant keep up with har fast you ascend

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Endo is the only one that doesn't have autopause whereas the others do. Good point though, will test again with all apps running constantly to eliminate the time factor.Edit: thinking about it though, time shouldn't influence elevation gain (the main difference I'm looking at), wether you do a trail on 10min or 10hours the elevation gain should be the same, but nevertheless will test again with same times..[/quote

 

Yup, time should have no influence on elevation surely.

 

Unless you moved during the period of time difference ....

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So I have done some more test rides running the three apps simultaneously and without auto pause, I have also ridden on and off road.

 

I will continue to ride and test the apps to get a larger test field, but for now it seems that the most consistent and accurate app of the three is Runtastic Mountain Bike which varies by 0-5% more or less, then Endomondo which reads about 20% less and Strava is odd, sometimes it is spot on and other times it over reads by anything up to 150%.

 

As I say though, more rides will give a better data set to work with.

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So I have done some more test rides running the three apps simultaneously and without auto pause, I have also ridden on and off road.

 

I will continue to ride and test the apps to get a larger test field, but for now it seems that the most consistent and accurate app of the three is Runtastic Mountain Bike which varies by 0-5% more or less, then Endomondo which reads about 20% less and Strava is odd, sometimes it is spot on and other times it over reads by anything up to 150%.

 

As I say though, more rides will give a better data set to work with.

Thanks Raydek, the info is really helpful. What do you use as your reference info - do you upload the gpx file to some or other website that does accurate calculations?
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Thanks Raydek, the info is really helpful. What do you use as your reference info - do you upload the gpx file to some or other website that does accurate calculations?

No worries...

 

I don't modify the files from the apps at all, as I wouldn't want to do it each time after a ride.

 

I compare the apps to data recorded on the exact same route (sometimes same time, sometimes not, but that shouldn't make a difference) by GPS devices (watch or bike computer) with barometric altimeters.

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I did 20km tonight. Garmin 34m gain. Strava 286m. About 98% of it was perfectly flat at sea level. I know this because I was riding next to the sea on the springtide low water beach. Strava is trying to make us feel better about our rides???

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