Frequently asked questions

Answers for the Lap Track Racing beta, including file privacy, video synchronization, Strava access, race boundaries, laps, and course analysis.

FAQ index

Files, privacy, and Strava

What file formats and recording rates are supported?

Lap Track can analyze FIT, GPX, TCX, RaceBox CSV files, and VBO (Dragy Lite) files from RaceBox. Standard activity files work well for normal race analysis. High-frequency VBO (Dragy Lite) files recorded at 10 Hz or 25 Hz provide denser GPS traces and can support more detailed route, lean-angle, bumpiness, and smoothness analysis when the source file contains the required telemetry fields. The app does not invent sensor data that is absent from the file.

Where is my activity data processed?

Files loaded directly into Lap Track are analyzed in your browser. The file-analysis workflow does not upload the original file to Lap Track’s servers. The optional Strava workflow is different: it uses Strava authorization to fetch the activity and temporarily sends the selected activity data to your browser.

Why are the beginning or end of my Strava activity missing?

Strava privacy settings can hide the start and end portions of an activity. If the app only has the regular activity-read permission instead of permission to read all authorized activities, private activity data may also be unavailable. Lap Track cannot reconstruct GPS points or streams that Strava does not return. This can make automatic race start, finish, and lap detection inaccurate.

For the best analysis, authorize the Strava beta integration with the requested read-all activity scope and make sure the activity’s privacy settings permit the needed data. You can instead download the original FIT file from Strava and load it directly when privacy filtering affects the activity.

Race setup and lap analysis

How do I adjust the race start and end?

Load the activity, then use the race-boundary controls in the analysis view to move the start and finish to the correct datapoints. The charts, map overlays, lap review, and summary recalculate from the selected race window.

How do I tweak lap detection?

Lap detection can be enabled from the menu. Lap Track uses the GPS track and the lap overlap radius to identify repeated crossings near the course start/finish. The overlap radius is normally best left at its default. Increase or decrease it when the start and finish are not detected correctly because of GPS variation or a wide start/finish area.

How do I edit or review laps?

Use the lap selector and lap review to inspect individual laps. Selecting a lap updates the charts and map to that lap. You can compare the same course positions across laps through the six virtual course sectors and the course sections; these are based on track position, not manually named corners or straights.

Why can lap boundaries still be imperfect?

GPS accuracy, missing points, pauses, privacy filtering, and activities containing warm-up or cooldown can all affect boundaries. Check the full course map and charts, adjust the race window first, then tune the lap overlap radius and rerun lap detection.

Is Strava access permanent?

Strava access is part of the Lap Track beta. The owner athlete account is protected, while other athletes can use the remaining connection slots. Lap Track may revoke an older non-owner authorization when the connection limit is reached so another athlete can connect. Revoked athletes can authorize again when a slot is available.

How do I synchronize a YouTube race video?

Open the Video tab and paste a YouTube link. A timestamp in the link is used when available. Otherwise, play the video to the moment that matches race start and choose Mark current video position as race start. The one-second adjustment controls fine-tune the alignment. During playback, the video position drives the telemetry indicator in the charts and map, along with available metric and lap overlays.

Can a shared activity include video?

Yes. When creating a shared link, you can save the selected tab, YouTube video link, synchronization point, and optional autoplay setting. The viewer receives a read-only analysis and can open directly on the shared tab. Lap Track stores the link and synchronization settings, not a copy of the YouTube video.

Advanced analysis, AI, and support

What do smoothness and bumpiness scores mean?

They are relative analysis scores derived from available high-rate telemetry. Smoothness summarizes how consistently a turn is negotiated using signals such as gyro rotation and GPS heading change. Bumpiness summarizes high-frequency movement and acceleration changes. The scores are useful for comparing laps or sections from the same recording setup, but they are not calibrated medical, structural, or safety measurements.

How does All Activities comparison work?

When multiple matching activities are loaded, choose All to compare routes, charts, playback, and course sections together. Each activity keeps its own reference values for metrics such as power and heart rate, while shared course positions provide the comparison frame. The summary can show each activity’s fastest lap, optimal lap, and available gain for the selected race window or lap.

How can I report a problem?

Use the contact page with the browser, file format, and a description of the issue. Do not send activity files unless you are comfortable sharing them.

Where are the race-boundary controls?

Open Menu / Race & Lap Tuning to adjust the race start and finish datapoints.

What happens when I copy race details for an AI summary?

You are responsible for deciding what race details you copy and where you paste them. Review the copied prompt and remove anything sensitive before sharing it with an AI service or another third party. Lap Track does not control how an external service stores or uses content you provide to it.

What exactly is copied by Copy AI prompt?

Click the sparkly AI button in the navigation to open the AI race summary dialog. The dialog explains the contents and its Copy to Clipboard button copies a guided analysis request followed by structured race data. It includes the activity filename and point count, race start and finish, total race duration, settings such as FTP and threshold heart rate, lap summaries, section and sector comparisons, power, heart-rate, cadence, speed, elevation, and temperature metrics when available, plus the current analysis context. Review the content before pasting it into an AI service, because you control where the clipboard contents are sent.

Why is Copy AI prompt unavailable for Strava activities?

Lap Track does not show the AI clipboard export when an activity was loaded through Strava because Strava’s API policy restricts use of Strava-derived data in connection with AI applications. To use the Lap Track AI prompt, download the original activity file from Strava and upload that FIT, GPX, or TCX file directly into Lap Track. The prompt remains a manual, user-controlled export for locally loaded files.