iPhone GPS messing up on Strava

pipipi

Just frustrated really.

I like Strava a lot. I have been out on a few rides and been interested to see how I match up on Strava (there's always lots of people faster) but nice to see progress.

However I've been out today on a segment that I've been practising on, and looking to get a really great time....

and the Strava iPhone hasn't matched the segment! It has me going through a field a few metres off to one side, and looks like a really bad tracing! Just frustrated that I put the effort in and it hasn't recorded it properly.

(but maybe there are even more people with faster times who also didn't get times recorded)

Does this happen to other people? Does it happen to Garmin?

Cleat Eastwood

the gps signal is lighter than air and probably whats happened is that the strong wind has blown it off course - you need a gps device that only receives lead lined gps signals - these are heavier signals and are used by the military - if you can't afford one simply put your device in the fridge and let the gps signal attract ice thus making it heavier. HTH.

mr_poll

This happened to me - Have a Nokia Lumia and the GPS is normally spot on but one hill runs alongside a motorway and it caused the same issue as you had.

This is a little geeky but if you download your ride into a .xml file and open it in excel - you will essentially get a list of gps co-ordinates, each line contains the timings and two 5 digit co-ordinates (long and lat). Google a site that gives gps co-ordinates on a map (you can do this through google maps but its a faff but there are dedicated sites).

Work your way through the file to find the "off track" co-ordinates - change them using the ones you get off the GPS plotter website, then up load to strava and bobs your uncle.

It took me a chunk of time to sort so it might not suit - but I had put a load of effort on that hill so I was damned if I was going to miss out on knowing how i did.

snoopsmydogg

or you could just get an idea of the start and end points, look on strava on your pc and work out roughly how fast you did it.

wont give you a time on Strava but will give you an idea of how well you did and leave you more time to get out on your bike to get better

willhub

Put simple, Strava on mobile phones is a load of rubbish.

mattshrops

mr_poll wrote:

This happened to me - Have a Nokia Lumia and the GPS is normally spot on but one hill runs alongside a motorway and it caused the same issue as you had.

This is a little geeky but if you download your ride into a .xml file and open it in excel - you will essentially get a list of gps co-ordinates, each line contains the timings and two 5 digit co-ordinates (long and lat). Google a site that gives gps co-ordinates on a map (you can do this through google maps but its a faff but there are dedicated sites).

Work your way through the file to find the "off track" co-ordinates - change them using the ones you get off the GPS plotter website, then up load to strava and bobs your uncle.

It took me a chunk of time to sort so it might not suit - but I had put a load of effort on that hill so I was damned if I was going to miss out on knowing how i did.

A LITTLE GEEKY? :roll:

Cleat Eastwood wrote:

the gps signal is lighter than air and probably whats happened is that the strong wind has blown it off course - you need a gps device that only receives lead lined gps signals - these are heavier signals and are used by the military - if you can't afford one simply put your device in the fridge and let the gps signal attract ice thus making it heavier. HTH.

willhub wrote:

Put simple, Strava on mobile phones is a load of rubbish.

He shoots he scores.

jim453

This happens with Garmins/Brytons/Holux's etc too. Mine tends to do it occasionally in mist or fog or very overcast conditions.

The boffins at Strava will correct it for you if you email the support team and link to the ride/segment. They're good like that. If it's way,way off then there is little they can do. Just ride it again. Presumably that stretch of road will be around for a while, there's no rush, is there?

As for replotting each GPS co-ordinate manually. Unbelievable.

jgsi

willhub wrote:

Put simple, Strava on mobile phones is a load of rubbish.

nah, spending on another gps gizmo is a load of rubbish you mean. .. bear in mind the OP says iPhone.. that says it all really

shockedsoshocked

Email them, they'll resovle the issue.

pipipi

Thanks everyone!

I won't email Strava, just have to give it another go, and hope that it works properly that time.

And as soon as I get a really good time someone else will win it back. I have a feeling that I'm busting a gut to get a little bit faster, and the current KOM just semi-cruised it and will easily pick up the pace.

And sorry for not having a Garmin (the iPhone was a hand me down from a contract and I've just been interested to see how well it has coped). I would like to get a Garmin but I reckon that £150 would be better spent on a bike fit or wheel upgrade. I like the idea of being able to follow a route on the best Garmins though. And there is plenty more weight to lose from the rider before I get too hung up on gadgets.

slowondefy2

If you're using an iPhone I'd suggest recording your rides with MotionX GPS, then exporting the .GPX file to your email and uploading that to Strava (it's easy enough, if you email '[email protected]' with the .GPX file attached, from the email you have registered with Strava it'll get automatically added to your account).

You'd still be dependant on the bit crappy iPhone GPS, but MotionX is the best app (IMO) at reliably recording the data.

If you make a route you can also import the .GPX file into MotionX and use it to follow the trail on-screen - it's how I plan routes through the maze of country lanes near me.

deadhead1971

We did a little test on our Sunday club ride, and found that iPhone tracks are very inaccurate!

Blog post here with screenshots comparing the iPhone track with a Garmin Edge 800 track

http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2012/07/iphone-gps-fail/

Pross

willhub wrote:

Put simple, Strava on mobile phones is a load of rubbish.

Must depend on your phone, my Galaxy SII has always been spot on.

willhub

Pross wrote:

willhub wrote:

Put simple, Strava on mobile phones is a load of rubbish.

Must depend on your phone, my Galaxy SII has always been spot on.

I bet it's not 100% accurate compared to the GPS, have you gone on a route with a Garmin running and comapred average speed and segment speeds?

Sometimes segment average speed is lower on the phone and sometimes it's reporting I've gone faster on that segment compared to the GPS.

My OneX is a little bit more accurate, both clocked 15.7mph up the Cat and Fiddle.

I rode from the top of the cat to Wythenshawe in Manchester, 22 miles and the phone reported 24mph average, now I did not have the Garmin at this point, the only comfort I have in hoping the speed is accurate is that I can do around 1 hour in a 25 mile TT and I was going at 25 mile TT pace.

NWLondoner

Strava on iPhone is a little unrealistic. I climbed 1300 mtrs on a 60km loop in London on Sunday with a top speed of 80kph!!!

snoopsmydogg

willhub wrote:

Pross wrote:

willhub wrote:

Put simple, Strava on mobile phones is a load of rubbish.

Must depend on your phone, my Galaxy SII has always been spot on.

I bet it's not 100% accurate compared to the GPS, have you gone on a route with a Garmin running and comapred average speed and segment speeds?

Sometimes segment average speed is lower on the phone and sometimes it's reporting I've gone faster on that segment compared to the GPS.

My OneX is a little bit more accurate, both clocked 15.7mph up the Cat and Fiddle.

I rode from the top of the cat to Wythenshawe in Manchester, 22 miles and the phone reported 24mph average, now I did not have the Garmin at this point, the only comfort I have in hoping the speed is accurate is that I can do around 1 hour in a 25 mile TT and I was going at 25 mile TT pace.

did a 70 miler on sunday and bumped into another strava user doing the same run. Got talking and realised we actually lived quite close and do a lot of the same routes so have started 'following' each other (ooh er )

i use a htc phone with android app and he uses a garmin but when comparing routes we both did about the same mileage yet he managed to climb an extra 1000ft more than me :shock:

OP if you want accuracy get something made for the job (garmin), if (like me) you just want to know if you are getting better/worse then apps are ok.

TheEnglishman

NWLondoner wrote:

Strava on iPhone is a little unrealistic. I climbed 1300 mtrs on a 60km loop in London on Sunday with a top speed of 80kph!!!

My iPhone had me deeper than the Dead Sea crossing Battersea Bridge last week.

pipipi

Strava have just changed from google maps to erm, something else. Maybe the height isn't as reliable on the new maps (yet).

Or maybe some Higgs Bosons are saying hello?

TheEnglishman

It's not the maps it's the iPhone. I think it tries to do something clever with storing the route it *thinks* you've travelled. Possibly to help battery life, possible because their programmer is trying to be too clever.

I'm waiting to see what, if any, changes when iOS 6 comes out

It's no biggie for me, but the Garmin Zumo I salvaged off my ex motorbike has a noticeably more accurate map of the route I traveled.

pipipi

when does IOS 6 come out?

TheEnglishman

Sometime this year. I actually can't wait, but I want it for the accessibility options and Siri updates. But that's due to my personal situation at home and not to do with cycling.

http://www.apple.com/ios/ios6/

Pross

willhub wrote:

Pross wrote:

willhub wrote:

Put simple, Strava on mobile phones is a load of rubbish.

Must depend on your phone, my Galaxy SII has always been spot on.

I bet it's not 100% accurate compared to the GPS, have you gone on a route with a Garmin running and comapred average speed and segment speeds?

Sometimes segment average speed is lower on the phone and sometimes it's reporting I've gone faster on that segment compared to the GPS.

My OneX is a little bit more accurate, both clocked 15.7mph up the Cat and Fiddle.

I rode from the top of the cat to Wythenshawe in Manchester, 22 miles and the phone reported 24mph average, now I did not have the Garmin at this point, the only comfort I have in hoping the speed is accurate is that I can do around 1 hour in a 25 mile TT and I was going at 25 mile TT pace.

There was a thread somehwere on this forum recently linking to a blog where someone had run a few routes using a Garmin, iphone and Galaxy S2. The iphone was miles out in places, missing points leading to the track cutting across fields etc. whereas the S2 was pretty much spot on with the Garmin. I can't find the thread now though.

pipipi

You can't find the thread cos iPhone has steered it into commuting!

I'm still saving for a garmin!

And I just wondered if there was a definite date on the IOS6