FAQ: Elevation in Export does not match sum of individual files.

Post by **fulmar2** » Mon Dec 28, 2020 5:13 pm

I get a lot of questions like this, so I decided to make a FAQ on the topic:

When I combined the files my elevations went form 10,000 and 7,000 to just over 16,000' when the activities were combined. What is going on?

1. HOW TO GET STRAVA TO SHOW THE CORRECT ELEVATION

Elevation is computed in many different ways - and this is a huge bane of the Strava platform. But you have a little control too. If you export as FIT from my tool, you even manually override the elevation (see point 3 below). As of this writing, Strava will "trust" data if it meets these 3 criteria:

Comes from a barometric device
Is a FIT file (TCX and GPX are no longer "trusted")
Has elevation points throughout the file (i.e. raw trainer files may not work, but GOTOES also has a "fake track: solution below).

If you meet these 3 criteria by making sure the GPS type is one of the barometric devices in the list (a Garmin 500, for example), exporting as FIT and making sure you export an elevation "stream" (not the same as a total ascent value)... Strava will utilize the data recorded in your file as opposed to correcting your ascent from their database.

If Strava has "corrected" your elevation, you can undo it (see image from Strava Activity Page below). You need to click the 3 dots and then click "Revert Elevation Correction" or "Correct Elevation".

: How to revert corrected elevation on Strava

2. WHY DID STRAVA OVERRIDE MY ELEVATION?

There are a number of reasons why Strava overrides elevation - and Strava frequently changes their policies in their efforts to be as accurate as possible. Rather than try and modify this FAQ with their current policies, here is a link to Strava's elevation policy..

3. GOTOES TO THE RESCUE: Override the GPS Elevation!

You can override the totals ascent shown on Strava directly from my tool. To do so, you need to export from the tool as FIT, and then include the elevation by checking the "Total Ascent" in the Streams. Strava no longer respects total ascent in TCX files, and there is nowhere to specify total ascent in GPX files. Note that exporting FIT files from my tool is a feature only available to Donors.

If your file doesn't have Total Ascent already embedded (for example, you uploaded a GPX file instead of a TCX or FIT file), then you can select the "Override Elevation" option and insert the total ascent in the box labeled "Override Total Ascent." Make sure you also check the green "Elevation" Stream, as Strava is now looking for the individual data points as well.

Also, if you uploaded an INDOOR / TRAINER WORKOUT, you can use the "Create Fake Track" checkbox to override elevation on activities that do not have location data (latitude / longitude).

: How to make Strava show the correct elevation / Total Ascent.