Mapmyride.com distances long?

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2009-08-04 9:20 PM

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Subject: Mapmyride.com distances long?
I use mapmyride.com to plan out my bike routes when I'm taking a new route.  I've noticed that the distances on mapmyride are consistently quite a bit shorter than what my Garmin says when I've completed the actual Ride.   Today for example mapmyride said the distance would be 39.8 miles, but my GPS recorded a distance of 36.6.  Longer rides seem like the distances are off by a similar percentage.  I guess it isn't a huge deal since I use the GPS as my actual distances to log, but I wish I had a better idea of how far I'll be going since I usually have a specific mileage in mind when I'm planning out a route.

Not sure if many BTers use the software, but does anyone else have similar issues?

2009-08-04 10:06 PM
in reply to: #2328528

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Subject: RE: Mapmyride.com distances long?
I'm not sure about distances, but (at least around Cincinnati) the elevations can be a little skewed. When I first started hitting hills really hard, I'd ride up a few 20%+ grade hills, and mapmyride would say 10-12%. I was puzzled at first, because I trusted mapmyride, and figured if I can barely get up a 10% grade, how the hell am I gonna handle 20%? Turns out, there was one hill in particular that kills me every time, and after talking to guys at the LBS, i found out that it was between 22-25% depending on what section of the hill I'm on.

I think Mapmyride does a great job for really logging some decent miles, but shouldn't be taken as the Bible of ride stats.
2009-08-04 10:22 PM
in reply to: #2328528

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Subject: RE: Mapmyride.com distances long?
I've had a similar experience with running.  I have a "10km" running route that I mapped on Mapmyrun.com, but when I race, I always seem to be much faster, even if the effort level doesn't seem as high.  It's cool on race day, since my times are better, but it's annoying when I have a really good training run and my time is slower that it should be for the distance.  One day I'll invest in a Garmin and my problems will be solved
2009-08-04 10:24 PM
in reply to: #2328620

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Subject: RE: Mapmyride.com distances long?
Beil - 2009-08-04 9:06 PM
I'm not sure about distances, but (at least around Cincinnati) the elevations can be a little skewed. When I first started hitting hills really hard, I'd ride up a few 20%+ grade hills, and mapmyride would say 10-12%. I was puzzled at first, because I trusted mapmyride, and figured if I can barely get up a 10% grade, how the hell am I gonna handle 20%? Turns out, there was one hill in particular that kills me every time, and after talking to guys at the LBS, i found out that it was between 22-25% depending on what section of the hill I'm on.

I think Mapmyride does a great job for really logging some decent miles, but shouldn't be taken as the Bible of ride stats.


With Mapmyride and BT's Route Tracker, you have to be sure that you place a point at the top and bottom of every hill. If you do that, the gain computation is as accurate as is possible because they look up actual elevations from a database that is the most accurate data that exists for public use. Here's an example of a hill here that is 653' of vert:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/map.asp?route...

Here's the same hill without a point on the summit. BT Route Tracker computes the elevation as only 7 feet:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/map.asp?route...
2009-08-04 10:33 PM
in reply to: #2328651

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Subject: RE: Mapmyride.com distances long?
breckview - 2009-08-04 11:24 PM
Beil - 2009-08-04 9:06 PM I'm not sure about distances, but (at least around Cincinnati) the elevations can be a little skewed. When I first started hitting hills really hard, I'd ride up a few 20%+ grade hills, and mapmyride would say 10-12%. I was puzzled at first, because I trusted mapmyride, and figured if I can barely get up a 10% grade, how the hell am I gonna handle 20%? Turns out, there was one hill in particular that kills me every time, and after talking to guys at the LBS, i found out that it was between 22-25% depending on what section of the hill I'm on.

I think Mapmyride does a great job for really logging some decent miles, but shouldn't be taken as the Bible of ride stats.
With Mapmyride and BT's Route Tracker, you have to be sure that you place a point at the top and bottom of every hill. If you do that, the gain computation is as accurate as is possible because they look up actual elevations from a database that is the most accurate data that exists for public use. Here's an example of a hill here that is 653' of vert: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/map.asp?route... Here's the same hill without a point on the summit. BT Route Tracker computes the elevation as only 7 feet: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/map.asp?route... />


I'm pretty sure thats only an issue with the BT thing. On mapmyride I have HUGE gaps inbetween setting points and it gets a decent estimate of all the ups and downs for the whole route.

For shorter, very steep hills as a PP said, I've found mapmyride does an ok job with them only if you isolate the hill, meaning don't map anything but the hill you want to look at, otherwise the grade gets washed down by the flats just before and after such a hill.

And as for the OP.. I do find that mapmyride is often off by a small amount, but not the percentage you are noticing (almost 10%). This is just my experience but for a ride of lets say 80.0 on mapmyride, I'll get something like 78.8 on my garmin 705.

Edited by doctorbob18 2009-08-04 10:34 PM
2009-08-04 10:52 PM
in reply to: #2328662

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Subject: RE: Mapmyride.com distances long?
doctorbob18 - 2009-08-04 9:33 PM
I'm pretty sure thats only an issue with the BT thing.


Whoa. You are correct.

Here's the same hill mapped with only two points and the gain is correct.

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/co/breckenridge/81912494442357078...

Thanks for the info!

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