The Internet of Bikes: Prout's Neck Out and Back

The Prout's Neck Out and Back ride heads south to the turnaround point on the tip of Prout's Neck and returns northbound on the same route.  The temperature was still cool although the sun is much warmer. It is a relaxing route that is suitable for a recovery ride or an easy spin in advance of competition. Frame and Wheel did this ride two days in a row to see how consistent the GPS is in capturing the ride data.

The GPS recorded a distance of 18.4 miles both times, which suggests that the system is pretty good at capturing distance. However, the elevation was not so consistent: the April 8 ride saw a maximum elevation of 32 feet and a minimum elevation of negative 79 feet, a total elevation gain of 776 feet, a maximum grade of 10% and a minimum grade of negative 8%. The April 7 ride had a maximum elevation of negative 7 feet and a minimum elevation of negative 92 feet, a total elevation gain of 624 feet, a maximum grade of 5.9% and a minimum grade of negative 4.0%. Some of the reading are clearly nonsense, and Frame and Wheel notes that the maximum elevations differed by 150 feet.  Google Tracks explains that the GPS system measures elevations less precisely than longitude and latitude. However, the relative changes in elevation are more precise. 

Google My Tracks recommends that the GPS signal is strong and unobstructed before setting off, so that a good starting point can be registered. Frame and Wheel started one minute recordings four times: each time elevation, maximum elevation and minimum elevation was a different negative figure (if only it could simply be zero each time, then the charts at least would look more sensible). Unexplainably, minimum and maximum grades were negative 4.0% and 5.9%, respectively, each time. 

Frame and Wheel will try to make sure that there is a steady reading before starting the ride, which means activating My Tracks while outside and with a few minutes to spare before moving. Although elevation is interesting data, Frame and Wheel notes that the important data is duration and distance. The GPS system seems to be pretty good at tracking both, although time spent wandering around the convenience store looking for Fig Newtons is also included in the average moving time and thus factored into average moving speed. Each ride was 60m in duration, for a total of 120 minutes over the two days.

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View Prout's Neck Out and Back II in a larger map