The TrackLAB elevation profile isn't a drawing, it's a tool. Underneath the chart there are three layers you can switch on one at a time: Slopes, Climbs and Zones. Each one answers a different question.
Slopes — how hard is each part?
It colours the whole route according to the gradient of each segment:
| Category | Gradient | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Flat | -3% to 3% | Ground for cruising and recovering |
| Moderate climb | 3% to 8% | Runnable, or the small chainring on a bike |
| Steep climb | >8% | Fast hiking, poles, heart-rate management |
| Moderate descent | -3% to -8% | Fast, free ground |
| Steep descent | <-8% | Punishes the quads: keep the damage down |
Tap a category and you can work through every one of its segments in turn, highlighted on the map as well. It's the quickest way to see whether a route "with 1,000 m of elevation gain" spreads it out gently or packs it into two walls.
Climbs — which climbs decide the day?
TrackLAB automatically spots the climbs that matter and categorises them cycling-style (from 4th category up to HC), combining length, elevation gain and average gradient.
- Length and elevation gain of each climb.
- Average gradient and the kilometre mark where it starts.
- Category, so you can compare them against each other at a glance.
Use it to plan: in long races, going too hard up the first big climb mortgages the rest of your day.
Zones — how long will I be up high?
It splits the route into altitude bands and tells you how much of the course sits in each one. This matters more than you'd think: above 2,000 m there's less oxygen to go round, performance drops and the temperature falls by several degrees.
If you're going to spend hours at altitude, this layer tells you whether you need to acclimatise and what to pack in your vest.
One tip: one layer at a time
The profile deliberately shows a single layer at a time, so the chart stays clean. Switch between Slopes · Climbs · Zones and tap any segment to see it highlighted on the map. The ⓘ icon on each layer opens its key.
Open your next route in the analyser and try flicking between the three layers.