The AAA requires climbing to be worked out to the nearest 250 metres. This page describes the ways of doing so which are acceptable for AAA.

Because this is a bit of an inexact science, please contact the AAA delegate directly if you have questions about the calculation methods, or feel free to start a discussion on the AUK forum if you believe it's relevant to other members.

Audax AAA Tool

For rides in England, Scotland and Wales*, Audax UK has its own internal assessment tool which uses Ordnance Survey (OS) data to calculate overall climbing, and also if any sub-section of the ride is eligible. Note this is still technically a prototype and an official version should be published under the audax.uk domain at some point.

*As OS data doesn't cover Northern Ireland, rides there need to be treated as overseas rides as per below.

The source code to this tool is published here - in the /doc folder is a copy of the presentation given to the 2018 annual reunion about this for those interested.

Overseas Rides

After failed attempts to extend the above tool globally to sufficient accuracy, and to align with the method used by ACP & LRM for their altitude assessments, rides in non-OS areas now use openrunner.com to calculate climbing amounts.

To use this, go to the Route Planner, select 'Import', upload the GPX of the planned route and get a readout of the total climbing amount. AAA points then need to be calculated manually from this. The AAA delegate can do this on your behalf.

This applies to both DIYs and overseas BRM calendar events, but for the latter there is usually a published Openrunner route that should be submitted as part of any claim for AAA points.

Planned Routes versus Recorded Tracklogs

With the rise of mandatory route DIYs, the planned route is now used for AAA assessments of these - prior to 2025 the recorded tracklog was used post-ride. This aligns with how calendar rides and perms are assessed, ensures repeated/group rides all get the same values, and riders know beforehand what the points will be so no unexpected surprises on marginal routes.

This also improves the accuracy of the climbing figures as noise in the tracklog, typically from poor GPS signals due to limited visibility of the satellites (whether in the Cheddar Gorge or the City of London) can affect values significantly, so it is advantageous to work from a planned route that is 'snapped' to roads where possible.

Historical Methods

Detailed below are the pre-2018 methods used but none of these are recommended now.

UK RIDES

• Use Bikehike.co.uk for GB routes and tracklogs.
• Load routes and tracklogs in the form of gpx files on the Course Creator page.
• Then click on the option to Resample Elevation Data. This is essential to get an acceptable figure.
• The resampled elevation figure hasgenerally been found to give results similar to a contour count.
• Note that loading a gpx file to bikehike that’s bigger than 2 MB results in an “Upload Error: 1” message, and the file isn’t processed, so it may be necessary to reduce its size first. Memory Map and Garmin Basecamp will both do this, as no doubt will other app’s.

OVERSEAS RIDES - Tracklogs

• Use RidewithGPS.com for non-GB tracklogs.
• Load them in the form of gpx file by clicking on the Upload button.
• Do NOT click on the “Replace Elevation Data” button.
• The elevations in the tracklog give reasonable results for all but poor quality tracklogs, of which there are a couple of examples here.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

OVERSEAS RIDES - Routes

• The best website found for this is GPSies.com, which generally produces an acceptable figure.
• Click on the Create button, and either draw the route or upload it. A variety of formats are acceptable.

CONTOUR COUNTING

This is the original AAA method, and is still the standard by which all other methods are judged. It's consistent and accessible, it doesn't need any computer software or electronic means of recording altitude.

For more information about contour counting, click here.

GPS TRACKLPGS

Climbing can be worked out from GPS tracklogs produced when riding an event, either by uploading the tracklog to a variety of websites such as Strava, Garmin Connect, RideWithGPS, etc., or by processing them through AUK validation software. Sometimes the GPS device itself gives a climbing figure. Be warned though that the results vary enormously from device to device and website to website, can be very different from a contour-count based figure which is the standard, and may or may not be acceptable for AAA.

For more information about GPS tracklogs, click here.

MAPPING SOFTWARE

PC-based software such as Memory Map, or mapping websites such as bikehike, RideWithGPS, BikeRouteToaster, Google Maps can be used to draw a route. Some give a climbing figure, or the route can be exported as a GPX file for processing as though it was a tracklog to produce a climbing figure. The same warning applies as for GPS Tracklogs, and the resulting climbing figure may or may not be acceptable for AAA.

For more information about mapping software and websites, click here.

ALTIMETER READINGS

Some cycle computers and heart rate monitors give altimeter readings and record metres climbed. They require calibration at the start of an event against a known height above sea level. Results can be inconsistent, which is why three independent readings are required, preferably from three different dates. This method is little used now.