Device contradictions! Strava/Garmin

RedSunshine365

I have a Garmin Edge 305 and I also use the Strava iphone app. (Yes, I'm a data-junkie).

I'm confused about how different the data is between the uploaded activity direct from my Garmin to the Strava online profile vs the data from the strava iphone app vs what my Garmin devise says.

Here's an example for a ride I just completed yesterday:
Upload from Garmin: http://app.strava.com/rides/19145688
--880 calories (what?? this seems LOW) The ride time was 2hours50min

Data from iphone strava app: http://app.strava.com/rides/19069148
--1,330 calories (again, seems a bit low). The ride time was 3hrs11min.

Data direct on my garmin:
--2002 calories.

*I ride with a heart rate monitor which is recorded with my Garmin device (not the iphone strava app).
*I have my Garmin device auto-pause when I go below 2.5 mph (so I dont' record rest times). I thought strava did the same thing.

Any ideas why my garmin device said 2000 calories but the Strava application (from both my garmin upload and the strava app) show 800/1300 calories?

What seems more realistic? 800 or 2000??

rides4sanity

I so wished strava auto paused (or that I knew how to set it up). Every stoplight, stop sign & wait at top of hill for friends and my avg mph goes to pot. I use strava data for elevation bcs I can't figure out how to pull it from my node 2.1, and so that my rides are confirmed for challenges, but I use mph from the node and calories form the hr monitor. I do find that I work more eficiently now than I used to so my burns are lower on avg than they used to be, sigh...

cloggsy71

I use 'CycleMeter' on my iPhone (along with the Wahoo ANT+ speed/cadence meter and the Wahoo ANT+ HRM) and export the data from that (via a .tcx file) and upload it to Strava. I always used to use Cyclemeter as my 'yard stick' for calories burned, but have noticed (like you) that Strava lowers the calories burned by about 15/20%.

From now on I am going to use the 'Strava' calories as my yard stick and see how that changes things according to weight-loss?

TheBigYin

As far as I know, Strava does it's own calculation, based on working out a "virtual power output" based on the rider weight, the terrain (slope), pedalling speed and lots of other bits and bob's - only thing it doesn't take into account is the weather (i.e. you'll be cranking more power out doing 20mph into a headwind, than with a tail-ey). It then uses an assumption of the riders "muscular efficiency" to work out a calorie consumption. It certainly comes in closer in terms of kcals than most of the other sites I've used - Endomondo, MapMyRIde and Garmin Connect (via the app) being almost as pathetically innacurate as MFP's own guesses.

Best bet, if you're actually going to eat back the cal's is to use the lower reading (usually, at least in my experience, Strava) and be on the safe side. Maybe eat a few hundred over (say 1200 on a 1000cal) if it was mainly into a headwind...

Thing is, without an actual power meter (£1000 upwards) it's all a bit "best guess" anyway.

RedSunshine365

I believe it does autopause. In fact, you can see that my "elapsed time" was 3:45, whereas my moving time (via strava app) was 3:11.

I so wished strava auto paused (or that I knew how to set it up). Every stoplight, stop sign & wait at top of hill for friends and my avg mph goes to pot. I use strava data for elevation bcs I can't figure out how to pull it from my node 2.1, and so that my rides are confirmed for challenges, but I use mph from the node and calories form the hr monitor. I do find that I work more eficiently now than I used to so my burns are lower on avg than they used to be, sigh...

cloggsy71

(i.e. you'll be cranking more power out doing 20mph into a headwind, than with a tail-ey).

"Objection!" There's no such thing as a tail wind! Even when the forecast says there is :sad:

Cmonnowguys

Yup. It does autopause. If you check your avg mph during the ride, then it will go down with stops. Once you hit finish ride, it subtracts all your stops and your avg mph goes back up to only include your speed during moving time.

I believe it does autopause. In fact, you can see that my "elapsed time" was 3:45, whereas my moving time (via strava app) was 3:11.

I so wished strava auto paused (or that I knew how to set it up). Every stoplight, stop sign & wait at top of hill for friends and my avg mph goes to pot. I use strava data for elevation bcs I can't figure out how to pull it from my node 2.1, and so that my rides are confirmed for challenges, but I use mph from the node and calories form the hr monitor. I do find that I work more eficiently now than I used to so my burns are lower on avg than they used to be, sigh...

KitTheRoadie

"Objection!" There's no such thing as a tail wind! Even when the forecast says there is :sad:

I concur! :sad:

fatboypup

i think strava sucks

bethlikesbikes

I use a Garmin 500 and upload that to Strava. One thought, there is a setting under your user profile on the Garmin itself (at least there is on the 500) where you can input your activity level. This may help it better calculate calories. What I used to do was to just take a number between the two programs and use that as my MFP caloric input. I started using a powermeter, so that's very accurate, and I find that the in between number I was using on MFP is pretty accurate. I've also noticed that on rides less than two hours, Garmin underestimates and on rides over 2 hours, it overestimates.

Frannybobs

I had a Polar FT4 as an HRM long before I got my Garmin Edge 800. I then found Garmin to be VERY stingy with their calorie burn figure. So I have started going out with both (so 2 straps and transmitters, perhaps a bit OTT, lol!).

I am keeping a spreadsheet of Garmin cals and Polar cals, and the percentage difference, but of course it varies - but it's usually out by 20-40% so quite significant. What I now do for calories burned I use the Polar but I deduct the BMR of what I would have burned over that time doing nothing. Seems to give a more realistic figure. I ain't paying for a New Leaf test :laugh:

meredithaloring

Hi there,
If you've set up your garmin correctly (with your height, weight, VO2 Max, Resting Heart Rate and zones heart rate) that data will be the most accurate. The other services (Strava, etc) use a more generic calculation that doesn't take into consideration your heart rate- they use speed, height and weight instead. You can imagine in some scenarios this may be close to accurate, while in others (headwind, if you're drafting off of someone else) they could be extremely inaccurate. The MOST accurate way that you could get your calorie data would be from a power meter, but they are pricey. I will say that most people I know tend to OVER estimate the number of calories they burn on the bike. I for one am 5'5 and 115lbs, I am a very strong rider (I can ride faster than most men) and I work hard in most of my rides. If I'm not doing intervals, I tend to come out around 500 or 550 calories per hour (that's data from my power tap) and my husband who is a competitive athlete and weighs 185 averages around 700 calories per hour on a steady outdoor ride. You're likely somewhere nearer to 500 than 700 .