One for the Stravanauts - can you go faster with Android?

deadhead1971
deadhead1971 Posts: 338
edited March 2013 in Road general
Having heard a lot about the inconsistencies of Strava data, most recently the idea that the android app records faster segment times than a garmin (!), I did a little experiment and collected some data.

http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2013/03/st ... droid-app/

Good reason to take those leaderboards with a little pinch of salt, perhaps?
Alan
http://www.scarletfire.co.uk

The Ultimate List of Strava Add On Sites!
http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/strava-sites

Comments

  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Are you using just a Garmin 800 or do you have the speed/cadence sensor too?
  • deadhead1971
    deadhead1971 Posts: 338
    Yes I have the speed / cadence sensor too.
    Good point, I should add that to the write up. Thanks!
    Alan
    http://www.scarletfire.co.uk

    The Ultimate List of Strava Add On Sites!
    http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/strava-sites
  • springtide9
    springtide9 Posts: 1,731
    It depends on the device and what settings there are for recording and the segment length.

    e.g. On the Garmin devices there are two recording settings: (a) every 1 second or (b) smart recording.
    When Smart recording is enabled, then the device may only be recording a GPS location every 3 or even 5 seconds.

    Smartphones generally record less frequently than deducted GPS units, and not all Smartphones will have the same recording options. Then there is the question about GPS accuracy.

    Strava then has to try and match up the start and end of a segment with the supplied data, so it doesn't take a rocket scientist (although they probably know a lot about GPS!) to work out that can be some deviation in the segment recording between devices.
    Simon
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    Digital EPO + 12% = KOM
  • pride4ever
    pride4ever Posts: 510
    People who take Strava serious= nerds. I use it to show my fat mates how the other half live, apart from that its just a laugh surely?
    the deeper the section the deeper the pleasure.
  • displacedaussie
    displacedaussie Posts: 356
    Veloviewer takes this into account and provides information about the actual distance covered by someone on a segment:

    http://veloviewer.com/NewLeaderboard.php?segmentId=3261974
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    pride4ever wrote:
    People who take Strava serious= nerds. I use it to show my fat mates how the other half live, apart from that its just a laugh surely?
    yer - but a serious laugh ...

    I lost my KOM this weekend ... by 2 seconds ... on a 2 mile segment ... got to get that back! :)
  • Cleat Eastwood
    Cleat Eastwood Posts: 7,508
    do have the galaxy phone on the bike or do you start it and stick it in your pocket?
    The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
    momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.
  • lotus49
    lotus49 Posts: 763
    Cleat Eastwood wrote:
    do have the galaxy phone on the bike or do you start it and stick it in your pocket?
    My Galaxy S2 goes in my jersey pocket.

    I don't particularly want to look at it during the ride and I can't help thinking a huge phone strapped to my bars looks a bit naff.
  • Cleat Eastwood
    Cleat Eastwood Posts: 7,508
    Its just one thing I found when I used my garmin in my pocket on the winter bike (which doesnt have a mount for it) the speeds where significantly higher, I found out that this was down to garmin rapidly moving in the pocket which was recorded as rapid acceleration. I asked a mate to try it out on his bike and his times were about 4-5 mph higher too.
    The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
    momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.
  • lotus49
    lotus49 Posts: 763
    Cleat Eastwood wrote:
    Its just one thing I found when I used my garmin in my pocket on the winter bike (which doesnt have a mount for it) the speeds where significantly higher, I found out that this was down to garmin rapidly moving in the pocket which was recorded as rapid acceleration. I asked a mate to try it out on his bike and his times were about 4-5 mph higher too.
    That's pretty weird. I wouldn't have thought that a tenth of a second' of rapid acceleration immediately followed by rapid deceleration would have made any difference. My S2 appears to measure speed by distance/time not acceleration*time, which seems like an inherently unreliable way of doing it.

    I haven't had any problems keeping my phone in my jersey. It may not be massively accurate but it certainly isn't miles per hour out.

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