Understanding the Elevation Graph: Why It’s Important for Your Ride
As you embark on your first mountain biking adventure, you’ll notice an elevation graph included in our trail guides. This graph provides a visual representation of how much elevation you’ll experience on the ride. Here’s why this information is helpful and how it can enhance your riding experience:
What is an Elevation Graph?
An elevation graph shows the changes in altitude along the trail, indicating where the trail climbs and descends. It typically has two axes: the horizontal axis represents the distance traveled, and the vertical axis represents the elevation above sea level. By following the line on the graph, you can see where the steep sections, gradual inclines, and flat areas are located along the trail.
Why Knowing the Elevation is Helpful
Preparation and Planning is key.
Effort and Endurance: Understanding the elevation changes helps you gauge how much effort will be needed at different points of the trail. Knowing where the climbs are can help you pace yourself and conserve energy for the more challenging sections.
Food and Energy: Knowing when a steep climb is coming up allows you to time your energy gels or snacks, ensuring you have the energy to tackle the ascent while feeling your best.
Rest Stops: The graph can help you identify good spots for taking breaks. For example, you might choose to rest after a long climb or before a steep descent.
Mental Preparation: Seeing the elevation graph helps set your expectations for the ride. Knowing that a steep climb is coming up can mentally prepare you to tackle it, reducing any anxiety or surprise.
Scenic Views: Climbs often lead to rewarding views. Knowing where the high points are can give you something to look forward to, enhancing your overall enjoyment of the ride.
Progress Tracking: As you ride, you can track your progress against the elevation graph, giving you a sense of accomplishment as you overcome each climb and descent.
Interpreting Steepness on the Elevation Graph
When looking at the elevation graph, the steepness of the line indicates the grade of the trail, which is crucial for understanding the difficulty of the climbs and descents. A gentle, sloping line suggests a mild grade, typically around 3% to 5%, which is ideal for beginners. This means for every 100 feet you travel horizontally, the elevation changes by 3 to 5 feet. Such gradual inclines are manageable and provide a great way to get comfortable with uphill riding without being overly strenuous. (see screenshots below)
To mentally prepare for climbs, new riders can use the percentage grade steepness to anticipate the effort required. For example, if the graph shows a consistent 3% grade, you can expect a slow and steady climb that allows you to maintain a comfortable pace. Conversely, a steeper grade, such as 10% (see above), would indicate a more challenging climb, where you might need to shift to a lower gear and exert more effort. By understanding these percentages, you can better pace yourself and approach each section of the trail with confidence, knowing what to expect from the terrain.
Closing Thoughts
Understanding the elevation graph is a key part of preparing for your mountain biking adventure. By knowing the elevation changes, you can better pace yourself, anticipate gear shifts, and enjoy the ride with confidence. To help you prepare, we'll always include an elevation graph in all our trail guides.
Happy trails!
