UKC

How is the average grade calculated on the graphs on UKC? I was starting to think there was something wrong with the calculation, as it logged me as average HS consistently for 4 years, even though it feels like I’ve been climbing more regularly at higher grades as time has gone on (eg lots of HVSs this year).

For people who log all of their climbs, the graphs are a really interesting feature, which enables you to monitor your progress and easily figure out how many climbs you’ve done in a year etc. I’m a bit disappointed I’m not on course for hitting the 200 climbs this year mark, but it is just a number, and I haven’t done too badly!

My average grade for 2010 on the graphs has just gone up to MVS. How is this calculated? Is it based on just leads, or are seconds counted? Does it have to be done clean to count towards the average, etc. I guess the odd V Diff solo now & then would bring the average down considerably.

Not that any of these statistics really matters – it feels like I’ve had a good climbing year, which is the main thing!

In reply to Chris Sansum:


Exactly, just another way to quantify something that you can't really quantify and ultimately give the impression of something being a lot less than it actually is.

personally i think the graphs are utter bollox.

In reply to Chris Sansum:
the average grade is a bit misleading IMO, the mode would be more interesting to show the grade that you are now relatively comfortable leading.
Although you shouldn't really need someone else to tell you what grade you are comfortable leading.

In reply to Dark Mavis:

There should be a score in the logbooks for how much you enjoyed the climbing, then the graphs will really show if you are progressing!

In reply to gethin_allen:

I think it would be good if there was a function where you could click a button to break it down further, eg average leading, average soloing, average top-roping, average dogging grade etc. That would give a more accurate idea of how you were progressing.

In reply to Chris Sansum:

I think the graphs would be a lot more helpful if they differentiated on style of ascent.

In reply to Chris Sansum:

I was checking the logbooks last night and noticed that there was a discrepancy between the number of sport and trad routes I had climbed and the total number of climbs. It turns out that total climbs includes everything, including dogged and 'did not finish' ascents, whereas the trad/sport/bouldering tally doesn't.

As for the average grade, I assume that it assigns one point to each grade and then averages that. I think that the low weighting arises because it counts HD, MVS, HVD, VD, S, MS etc each as individual grades (whereas I don't - I consider the M and H to be a modifier of a main grade below VS). This means that doing a Diff brings down your average by more points than you would expect. I may be wrong, but that is my best guess at the moment.

In reply to Monk:
I consider the M and H to be a modifier of a main grade below VS


Except, of course, HS which is a full grade.

In reply to gethin_allen:

The mode would show the most climbed grade you do but not neccessarily your most 'comfortable' - you may do a lot at one grade as warm-ups for example but be quite happy with grades above.

In reply to Chris Sansum:

The graphs page was knocked up several years ago as a temporary 'fun' feature. Since then Logbook usage has grown significantly and the graphs have become more important. We have several ideas for ways to improve them and will be working on this when we get a bit of time and budget.

Thanks

Alan

In reply to Chris Sansum:

Your graphs show your mean grade at the top in the "Average / Max grades by year" section and your mode grade in the "Climbs by grade" section.

In the mean section it always seems that a V.Diff will knock more off your average grade (if you're normally climbing VS) than an E1 will add to it. I guess it's because of the way the lower grades are split up with HVD and MVS adding an extra couple of grades that you don't encounter all that often.

In reply to Alan James - UKC:

I'd suggest that that's still their main value!

In reply to Chris Sansum:


Sod that average crap.... Just treat it as a trophy cabinet like i do! )

In reply to Cragrat Rich: nah, I prefer to treat it as a score sheet in an anal attempt to climb more routes than the year before;-D

In reply to Cragrat Rich: I guess by your trophys you are playing in great style and doing well in division one when you could be griding out results in the championship ?:-O

In reply to Offwidth:

Being a bit of a wide boy today aren't you Offwidth

Anyway... I'm a Sheffield Wed fan born and bred, must have got the idea from them

In reply to Cragrat Rich:

I've had two dnf's this year anyway... that's pushin it that is!!

In reply to pebbles:
Me too. Best stop climbing now for the year so I can have an easier time next year then...

In reply to isi_o: I realise the fundamental problem involved..!