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Old March 11th 19, 04:41 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
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Default GPS Units = Show road steepness?

On Sunday, March 10, 2019 at 3:29:43 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Sunday, March 10, 2019 at 1:46:44 AM UTC+1, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
Talking about GPS units on another thread reminded me of something else I wondered if they do. Does a bicycle GPS unit show you the steepness of roads? There's an area that I frequently ride where on road has short but very steep hills, another road a mile or so east of it has much more gradual hills whilst a third road to the west of the first one is a major highway that can be ridden with a bicycle. What I'm wondering is this: if someone unfamiliar with the area got there and used a GPS unit to show those three roads, would the GPS unit show them the different gradients of the roads? Or is that another function that they'd need to download or otherwise install?

Cheers


GPS can show the actual gradient but it uses some sort of averaging algorithm which means it has a delay. This makes it pretty useless IMO. Besides this what are you gonna do if you know the exact gradient at that moment? GPS can tell you exactly were you are. For navigation you need a routable map and navigation software. Often people have a too high expectations of a GPS based cycling computer and end up never using the navigation capability and just have an expensive cycling computer or head unit as they are called now because speed sensors, cadence sensors, power meters, radar, lights, action camera's, HRM and your phone all connect to the unit and show their information on the head unit or can be operated using the head unit.

Lou


You are correct that actual gradient is absolutely useless except for human curiosity and bragging rights to the gradient climbed.
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