Question on VAM

[dodgeman]

I have a question on VAM, I use an app called Ride With GPS that calculates it every time. I understand the concept, it’s how fast you climb hills. The best way I can think to ask the question is by an example.

Say you take a 5 mile ride and 1 mile is up a long steady hill, 4 remaining miles is flat. Your VAM is 350. You do the exact same ride, you climb the same hill in the same time, but the remaining ride is an additional 9 miles of flat ground. Is the VAM still 350 or does the additional 5 miles of flat ground lower the VAM?

 

[rayray]

Following. I’d like to know as well.

EDIT: It seems it’s based solely on the ascent.

Ride Metrics - Ride With GPS Help

Any activity you record in Ride with GPS contains a host of data points on distance, speed, elevation, and more. Let’s dive into the data from a ride recording and learn how to use this information to look back on… Read more ›

ridewithgps.com

• VAM: VAM stands for velocità ascensionale media, and can be translated as “Vertical Ascent in Meters”. VAM refers to the speed of elevation gain in meters per hour, or (meters ascended x 60) / number of minutes ascended.