This guide will help you understand what a GPX file is and how to create effective routes for use with TrainingPeaks Virtual.
A GPX (GPS Exchange Format) file is a standard file type used to store and share GPS data, including routes, tracks, and waypoints. It’s a simple and widely supported format that makes it easy to move location-based information between different devices and services.
TrainingPeaks uses GPX files to give you the most flexibility to create your ideal route, whether you’re importing a route from another app or making and saving your own custom route.
Uploading an existing GPX file
- Log in to your TrainingPeaks Account
- Navigate to Calendar
- In the left side menu, choose TPV Routes Library
- Click the blue + button
- Input the required fields and upload the file using the Upload GPX File button
- You can now log into TrainingPeaks Virtual, create an Event, and ride your route using My Routes
Common sources for GPX files include Garmin Connect, Strava, Komoot, Ride with GPS, and AllTrails.
Smoothing and Processing
- When TrainingPeaks processes your uploaded route, by default, we will smooth out jagged lines that can result from inconsistent GPS signals and correct the path to align with known roads and trails.
- The benefit of this automatic correction is a smoother ride and better navigation cues. While the final route may be slightly different from your original uploaded route, it will be significantly better for riding in Virtual.
Creating or editing your GPX route
Why might you want to edit your route? You may want to adjust the route that was recorded or created. There may be an error in the satellite GPS data that requires fixing, or maybe you want to change a section. It's also possible you want to shorten or lengthen the existing route.
The editors below are a few free, user-friendly options that allow you to load and save GPX files, but any GPX editor will produce files that are compatible with Virtual:
- GPX.studio: powerful, web-based tool for detailed tweaks
- Plotaroute: great for snapping to roads and planning
- Caltopo: excellent source for off-road and trail planning
Hints and Tips
For the best experience in Virtual, the most important consideration is minimizing the number of data points in the GPX file. Generally speaking, the fewer data points you have, the smoother the route will be when riding it in Virtual.
As a rough guide:
- When following a straight road, data points should be between 100m and 200m apart.
- When following a sweeping curve, data points should be between 25m and 50m apart.
- When following a tight turn, data points should be between 10m and 20m apart, with roughly 1 point for every 45 degrees of turn (for example, when plotting a 90 degree right angle turn, you only need 3 points - one at the entry of the turn, one mid way through, and one at the exit of the turn). Likewise, a complete 180-degree hairpin turn only needs 5 data points for it to be drawn correctly in TrainingPeaks Virtual (entry, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and exit).
- When creating an out-and-back style route, the two directions of road should be kept about 10m apart rather than overlapping them on top of each other.
- When creating a lap route, the start and finish locations must be within 100m of each other.
The following screenshot shows how these guidelines look in practice for a hairpin turn on a route.
FAQs
- My GPX won't upload. What should I do?
- Check that the file extension is .gpx. Ensure the file is not corrupted and is under our size limit of 25MB.
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Why does my route look different after I upload it?
- This is due to our automatic smoothing and correction process, which improves the route for a better in-world experience.
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Can I upload a ride I tracked on my watch/bike computer?
- Yes! Simply export the activity as a GPX file from your device's companion app (i.e., Garmin Connect or Wahoo ELEMNT) and upload it to your TrainingPeaks Account using the instructions above.