Do you Strava ?

Deleted my account ages ago. Mind you, I stopped riding ages ago too. Hopefully the 2 people who gained KOMs appreciated my gesture 😉

I have various reasons for recording mine, but then I also record my running, walking, paddling, swimming etc. It all goes on Garmin Connect which automatically feeds Strava. It's really not much of a faff. TBH I'd drop the Strava bit if some of the add-ons I use (e.g. VeloViewer) didn't require it as a data source.

If your ride isn't on Strava, did your ride even happen?

Yes, but the same as Colin, it's linked through Garmin connect so I don't really need to do anything.

It’s a nice diary of rides innit

I long ago gave up trying for KOMs or even PBs. It is however a great resource for looking back at rides, routes etc, getting ideas for new rides, associating photos with rides plus the features such as mapping, popularity heatmap and automatic route generation are brilliant.

Best site by a mile for route planning.

I used to. Competing against myself on local trails that I've ridden many times made them more fun for a while. I ended up getting a bit too into it though, it got to a point where I'd have an enjoyable ride, get home, check strava, find that I hadn't beaten any of my times and feel deflated. Ended up deleting it.

It did teach me some lessons though. When I concentrated on trying to ride smoothly I was fast. When I tried to ride fast I wasn't.

Writing this has reminded me of a quote but I can't remember the source. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

No faff for me as Strava is linked to my Garmin connect so everything automatically uploads

I only really use it to log my daily mileage and to see how i do on big rides

According to strava ive currently done 41'000 miles in the last 10 & half years, so roughly 4000 miles a year

I like it for keeping a track on my level of activity and use it for road, gravel, MTB, Wattbike, swimming, yoga and bigger than regular walks.

I have all the smart stuff, segments, notifications etc switched off as I found them to be an unwelcome distraction.

My Garmins on the bikes, my Garmin instinct and my Apple Watch all load directly into it, as does the Wattbike, so it all just appears !

Used to care about data and KOMs. But a couple of years ago I sacked it off completely. I decided I needed less tech in my life and the last place I want tech is on a bike. So all gone. Nothing recorded at all now.

No faff as Wahoo automatically uploads after each ride. If it motivates you to ride further or more often, then it's worth a bit a faff.  I went to the free membership last year, and rode quite a bit less (job role change also affected it as I'm now on my feet all day outside so not cooped up in an office).  So I'm now paid up again and it helps me get out.

I stopped with the pandemic and never went back for running or cycling. I used my Garmin when training for the SDW in a day but generally I don't record anything anymore. If I'm not trying to achieve a particular thing then I have no interest in what it tells me.

i user it to make sure im getting enough riding in, especially over winter

also useful for tracking when forks need servicing etc

My Strava feed defaults to Private but I'll occasionally make runs and rides visible to Followers. That's more for sharing routes and photos.

If I’m not trying to achieve a particular thing then I have no interest in what it tells me.

Yeah, I've reached an age when I have to concentrate a bit harder on getting - and staying - fit whether I've an "event" planned or not, so I tend to record it all anyway.

Find it useful for finding new rides which someone in my various clubs complete.
Mind you the irritating reminder telling me I'm no longer a local legend makes my blood boil. Don't have much in life but that's one of them.

Yep

Generally to compare my rides with myself, but there is the competetive edge when a few are out together. I find rides are more fun when NOT chasing trophies though

22 KOM's, 116 top 10's 😉

A lot are ebike though, so how much merit they hold is probably contentious. I'll take the DH ones, the rest have too many variables (and I'm deristricted)

I record all my activities on Strava though, not just bike - to see how active I've been over a month/year

I do Polar that is basically just for a diary more than anything. That syncs over to Strava only cos none of those I ride or ski with have access to Polar. I could delete the account entirely (again).

The only faff is pressing the start button on the watch. And a long press of the stop button when I finish.

I like it for a record, to guage fitness, and to see what mates and the odd pro are doing. Nice to see what colleagues who live abroad are riding too #cyclingstillthenewgolf. Not interested in koms, up or down.

I really like Strava. It’s just my favourite social media.

I loved seeing where friends are and what they are doing. No moans or politics.

I’m a geek and love all the numbers. Height gained etc.

Plus it’s a useful planning tool

I do some mild target setting but that would easily be done with a note book

Oh yes, and for Timmy Mallet

Mind you the irritating reminder telling me I’m no longer a local legend makes my blood boil.

I have most of the notifications turned off, I only get them for my own ride uploads and comments/kudos on them.

I am faster than a mate on all segments but he is faster than me on the full trail.....Did he juice????

I think its Shite 🙂

Nope.
Never have never will.
I have no need to compare myself to anyone else and don't think it would help me.

I gave up racing years ago and if I ever felt the need to measure my self against others would return to that.

I do however record my rides on a Garmin so I can keep track of if I'm being a lazy slacker/doing a bit much/when stuff needs servicing.

Riding with some of the faster none pros in the area I live in and seeing all the pros that also live here tells me that I don't need any more sticks to beat myself with.

I use the free one and almost all my stuff is set to Followers...vast majority of the stuff it offers I get free from Garmin and I'm invested in that. I don't route plan - other than checking a map and having a general idea of where I'm going.

I do tend to use it to Kudos friends stuff though, so although I don't use it really myself, as a social nosey tool, it is useful!

Yep, but only the free version to use for personal reference and to see where mates have been riding TBH, not fussed for KOM's/segment times ect

Oh yes, and for Timmy Mallet

Same here! Love that man.

Yes

Yep I record all my runs, rides, hikes, gym sessions on my watch which auto syncs to Strava. I enjoy keeping a log of my training and being able to look back at it.

I check the app regularly and like to give support to friends sharing their activity when they are grinding away towards a goal.

Everything I upload is private but if  I've got photos or been somewhere interesting I make visible to friends. Group activities (races, social rides) I set to public so the people I've met there can find me.

I find the KOM element cringe and I think the app would be better without them.

Nope.
Never have never will.
I have no need to compare myself to anyone else and don’t think it would help me.

I gave up racing years ago and if I ever felt the need to measure my self against others would return to that.

I'm glad you're not on it. I'd be sick of seeing the riding you're doing when I'm stuck in work!

It's only a tool for comparing yourself to others if that is what you want from it. You'll get the odd local tosser who thinks he's a legend because he's got a couple of KOMs on trails with 30 riders or from when a now destroyed trail was in perfect condition, but anyone who has ever tried riding with properly good riders know where they stack up in the grand scheme of things.

Yep. Was a free member for many years, but decided to start paying a couple of years ago.

I find the general metrics and info useful, route planning is great, and the heatmaps are great for finding new trails.

I find KOMs something of a poisoned chalice. I like racing myself to beat previous times, and I'm (slightly) proud of some of my better KOMs 😁

Nice to see, and give encouragement, to mates too.

I’m using it as a training log and a bit of social media. I don’t chase KOMs or bother to look at them. Zwift links seamlessly, as does Garmin. I like to register my walks too. Normally with Henry. And add a nice photo or two. No point in social media without something to look at.

I’m a paying member. Like here, if you’re not paying, hit the product.

anyone who has ever tried riding with properly good riders know where they stack up in the grand scheme of things.

😂 Tell me about it.
I thought I was a competent rider until I moved here.
It's tough when your new riding mates are mostly earning a living from riding bikes/reviewing bike stuff /tuning suspension and all around 20 years younger.

I’d be sick of seeing the riding you’re doing when I’m stuck in work!

I'll start sending you more pics to wind you up then.😁

Does deleting strava even count if you don’t tell everyone you’ve deleted strava…

No. Next question.

“I really like Strava. It’s just my favourite social media.

I loved seeing where friends are and what they are doing. No moans or politics.

I’m a geek and love all the numbers. Height gained etc.

Plus it’s a useful planning tool

I do some mild target setting but that would easily be done with a note book”

+1 for this, I’ve used it since 2013 and been naming rides since about 2015 and it’s great to look back through, with the rides named I can remember pretty much all of them, and so many great pictures, to look back on.

Yup. Found all sorts of "secret" trails thru Strava.

I mostly use it so I can remember where I've ridden!

That’s another good point above. Whenever I want to ride a random area/country, I search Strava segments and look for the steepest and longest downhills, then filter the top 10 by week or month and you’ll find some good rides.

As others, I jus use it to record my rides and have used in for 10+ years but always the free version as when trying the full version on a free trial I got nothing from it that I needed which is basically start Strava on Phone, put phone in pocket, stop and upload when I get back home.  I would take my phone anyway so not much hassle to record the ride and get a nice 10+ year record.

I used to go for KOMs years ago when I was relatively fast on gravel roads but now those bastard people who are actually fast (road riders on gravel bikes) are using the same routes I can wave goodbye to any chance of even getting in top 100.

The free fatmap OS map access is really useful. Well worth it for that alone now that VR has gone away.

Me.

I just couldn't see the point.   When i set out on my big bike ride i started doing it and quickly reaised i dont care one jot.  So i packed it in.    A good day on a bike is great.  No one cares how many miles

Haven't bothered for over year and I have a Garmin watch that could upload everything.

I'm riding for me, for fun. Really couldn't give a chuff about data acquisition. I've been riding long enough to know if I'm feeling fit or not.

I've never used it. Which seems odd now as pretty much everyone does/has. I'm just not into logging rides beyond what the GPS does for routing and measuring time + pace, and I have low GAS levels for much digital faff creeping into riding or the social media aspect of things like that.

Plus, my pace up the local hills compared to the average Cat 1/2 roadie... I'd rather feel fast in ignorance on a solo ride than know I'm slow via facts!

I'm not out for KOMs but I like the record of where I've been and what I've done, the heatmaps, route planning, and seeing what friends are up to.  I don't think I'm a slave to it, and it's zero faff to use it.

Exactly as Mr Salmon (and a few others) says. It, linked with a HRM, also helped enormously when I was recovering from an op and subsequent ups and downs.

Strava is many things for different people.

It acts as a journal.

I do a bit of vague days analysis - hours, power, cadence.

I do lots of sports and it's a good place to record it all

I often plan routes on it, that auto transfer to my Garmins. The heat maps are useful for sealing out stuff that does not necessarily look possible on a map.

I keep it all private by default. I'll post stuff public if it might be interesting.

I use it to have a little insight into the activities of friends - kayaks, runners, cyclists. Across 4 continents.

I never ever look at KOMs. Well that's not true - my near neighbour has 3 full pages of them which is incredible to look at but other than than, not interested in the slightest. I don't know where I am on them (probably no where as most of my rides are private) but I do look at and compare my own times on certain segments from time to time.

My 4 pet strava hates :-

People who fill my feed with nonsense like a 1km walk to the shop. Most get the boot, but a few have stayed as they do interesting stuff every now and again.

Strava's teeth ichingly shite new automatic bot generated kudos every time an activity is loaded. I'm not a American with a ego to flatter - **** off with this shit.

I wish custom personal goals were easier to create ( number of paddles a month, a goal based on power maybe).

And lastly - I make the odd route I've planned available and public. Millions of us do. So why does Strava not make them more easily searchable? It feels like a missed opportunity.