There is no “correct” answer! The tool we use for plotting our Ride Routes, RidewithGPS (“RwGPS”) explains some complexities here .
A recommendation there advises to always use the same tool, as that will at least give relativity: a Ride with a higher metres-climbed will feel like more climbing than a Ride with fewer metres-climbed. Bike North’s Library of Routes are all generated with the same tool.
Even then, there’s scope for a “feel” contradiction. Our 53km Ride “Katoomba to Emu Plains” supposedly has 211mts of climbing, which might surprise for this overall descent. But after the initial climb past Leura shops, most of the remaining 95M of “climbing” is in “big dippers”, with momentum from a dip minimizing climb effort on the shorter upside.
Beware Google Maps with “Cycling” option.
Over several comparisons, I found that Google Maps gave metres-climbed in the range 50 – 60% of the RwGPS Route. That could give you a tough ride if you’ve developed your own route with Google and you’re assuming the same climbing calibration as our Routes database.
Richard Kelly, Oz Wanderer