Freezing Saddles 2014 Prizes

[Steve O]

It’s gonna be tough to top this:

http://app.strava.com/activities/107285677

[Fast Friendly Guy]

@Steve O 75218 wrote:

It’s gonna be tough to top this:

http://app.strava.com/activities/107285677

Why thank you, Steve. I can’t say what’s the matter, but I’m feeling a little fishy today.

[kwarkentien]

@consularrider 74853 wrote:

They’d have had to take the broken handlebars and bash me in the knee. Luckily I have two other bikes, so this was only a minor morning delay.

So should I even ask what happened to your hybrid, consularrider?

[PotomacCyclist]

I would recommend that people not mimic the former route of the Marine Corps Marathon for GPS art. Particularly the section along the Mall and around the Capitol Reflecting Pool. Because, uh, well…

http://www.marinemarathon.com/Assets/Maps/2012+MCM+Map+-+reduced.pdf

[cvcalhoun]

Well, that could be a unicorn. If you had an unusually pure mind…

@PotomacCyclist 75273 wrote:

I would recommend that people not mimic the former route of the Marine Corps Marathon for GPS art. Particularly the section along the Mall and around the Capitol Reflecting Pool. Because, uh, well…

http://www.marinemarathon.com/Assets/Maps/2012+MCM+Map+-+reduced.pdf

[Rob_O]

I have decided to scrap the Team Turtle prize due to major conflict of interest.
Anyway, here is the current leader board for the Team Billy Goat Prize. Impressive riding by the Rusty Studs, currently sitting in 8th place in the team points race. Keep it up!

Team Elev. Gain per Mile (feet per mile)
Rusty Studs 45.89
Team 9 from Outer Space 45.07
Team Slackers 43.21
Bollard Busters 38.36
Action News Team One 38.19
Scoundrels and Nerf Herders 34.45
Lucky 7 Samurai Sandbags 34.35
Team Bacon – Is Sizzling 33.73
Sloppy Seconds 29.55
Lentement mais Surement 23.46

[Rob_O]

Another update for the Team Billy Goat Prize. Keep finding those hills because you don’t wanna miss out on the spectacular prize to be awarded to the winning team.

[TABLE=”class: grid, width: 500, align: center”]
[TR]
[TD]Team[/TD]
[TD=”align: center”]Elevation Gain [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 202″]
[TR]
[TD=”width: 202″]Team 9 from Outer Space[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 235″]
[TR]
[TD=”class: xl65, width: 235, align: center”]44.45[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 202″]
[TR]
[TD=”width: 202″]Rusty Studs [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 235″]
[TR]
[TD=”class: xl65, width: 235, align: center”]43.90[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 202″]
[TR]
[TD=”width: 202″]Team Slackers[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 235″]
[TR]
[TD=”class: xl65, width: 235, align: center”]41.60[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 202″]
[TR]
[TD=”width: 202″]Bollard Busters[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 235″]
[TR]
[TD=”class: xl65, width: 235, align: center”]39.74[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 202″]
[TR]
[TD=”width: 202″]Action News Team One [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 235″]
[TR]
[TD=”class: xl65, width: 235, align: center”]39.49[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 202″]
[TR]
[TD=”width: 202″]Lucky 7 Samurai Sandbags[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 235″]
[TR]
[TD=”class: xl65, width: 235, align: center”]35.21[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 202″]
[TR]
[TD=”width: 202″]Team Bacon – Is Sizzling[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 235″]
[TR]
[TD=”class: xl65, width: 235, align: center”]33.71[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 202″]
[TR]
[TD=”width: 202″]Sloppy Seconds[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 235″]
[TR]
[TD=”class: xl65, width: 235, align: center”]30.75[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 202″]
[TR]
[TD=”width: 202″]Scoundrels and Nerf Herders[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 235″]
[TR]
[TD=”class: xl65, width: 235, align: center”]29.32[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 202″]
[TR]
[TD=”width: 202″]Lentement mais Surement[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE=”width: 235″]
[TR]
[TD=”class: xl65, width: 235, align: center”]26.07[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[DismalScientist]

This information may be only measuring the percentage of miles that are uploaded manually, whether due to GPS failures or privacy concerns.

[Steve O]

The elevation gain numbers may be very inaccurate. I always correct my elevation in Strava rather than rely on the Garmin to get it right. Particularly if there’s a large gap in your ride (say, you record both 1/2s of your commute as a single ride), then the elevation gain may be off by a lot.

I happened to notice this discrepancy one day when SClaeys and I both rode the Tri360 ride together. His altitude gain was much greater than mine even though we rode the same ride (I even added a few more miles at the end, which should have increased my altitude gain over his)

Here’s his ride: http://www.strava.com/activities/102380562 – 3,094 feet = 122 feet per mile
And mine: http://www.strava.com/activities/102383814 – 2,195 feet = 75 feet per mile

That’s a really big difference. So it’s hard to know if these rankings are accurate or not. There’s also the problem with manual entry rides, too (although I wonder if those could be removed from the data?).

@Rob_O 75459 wrote:

Anyway, here is the current leader board for the Team Billy Goat Prize. Impressive riding by the Rusty Studs, currently sitting in 8th place in the team points race. Keep it up!

Team Elev. Gain per Mile (feet per mile)
Rusty Studs 45.89
Team 9 from Outer Space 45.07
Team Slackers 43.21
Bollard Busters 38.36
Action News Team One 38.19
Scoundrels and Nerf Herders 34.45
Lucky 7 Samurai Sandbags 34.35
Team Bacon – Is Sizzling 33.73
Sloppy Seconds 29.55
Lentement mais Surement 23.46

[cyclingfool]

Similarly, my commute route, which is admittedly rather flat, is calculated at 0 feet elevation gain going to work and as around 50 feet going home, even though the elevation of those end points is pretty similar. My GPS is an eTrex 20, no barometric altimeter, so Strava calculates the elevation automatically. Same commute on my phone using the Strava app is about 75 feet gain going to work and something higher coming home. I prefer to use my Garmin, so I’m getting a lot fewer feet than I could be. I went through a round of emails with Strava tech support about this w/o a fully satisfactory response other than some mumbo jumbo about how their elevation algorithms calculate. To truly have 0 feet gain over a 7.5 mile commute route seems crazy, especially when some of the segments along the route are themselves listed as having some gain, but I gave up trying to understand or caring.

I’m not a premium Strava member, so I get what I pay for (and was frankly impressed that they even took the time to give me individualized attention), which is the same approach I take to any of the BAFS contests/prizes, since I have paid 0 cents to take part. Best available data is good enough for me, even if it’s inaccurate.

[Steve O]

@cyclingfool 78186 wrote:

which is the same approach I take to any of the BAFS contests/prizes, since I have paid 0 cents to take part.

BAFS is my life!!!!

[vvill]

Elevation accuracy with GPS logging/barometric pressure/temperature sensitivity has been talked about a lot before.

– GPS with barometric pressure derived elevation is generally more accurate than using topographic data (especially if you ride say, over the Potomac) or other such “corrected” elevations, but:
— Temperature and changes in temperature affect pressure readings, and the Edge 500 does not compensate for this (it’s very slow at responding to temperature changes anyway).
— Elevation detection on the Edge 500 can be screwed up if the sensor doesn’t have decent airflow, or at least access to the air (look at the holes underneath). I’ve noticed this particularly when I’ve ridden in a downpour and it gets wet.
— I’ve read that if you turn on your GPS first and leave it outside for 10+ mins you’ll get better elevation readings. I haven’t tested this. I usually turn mine on 5-10 mins before anyway so I don’t have to wait for “Locating satellites…”
— I would assume if you’re using “Smart Recording” as opposed to 1 second recording, you will lose granularity, so this might reduce your recorded elevation (especially if you ride fast)

Manual entries will record 0 elevation.

In the context of FS, at least everyone is subject to the same conditions. The numbers are what they are, ballpark, and everyone’s devices record with the same ballpark accuracy.

[cyclingfool]

@Steve O 78187 wrote:

BAFS is my life!!!!

I certainly didn’t mean to detract from the central role that BAFS plays in our lives. I BAFS, too!!!

Rather, I was trying to point out that I pay noting to use Strava, and I didn’t pay an entrance fee to take part in BAFS. So, if there are a couple unresolvable technical glitches that might impact the outcome of a sub-contest or two, I’m not gonna sweat it.

[Rob_O]

I view those numbers kinda like figure skating scores from Olympic judges. It’s not perfect but it’s the best we got. Now get back out on the ice…..BUT DON’T FALL! :p

[CPTJohnC]

Are we still taking new ‘pointless prizes’? Is this thread the comprehensive compendium of what’s being offered?

I have an idea for one but I certainly don’t want to duplicate…

[Author]

Posts