Save me from the Strava bores!

I ride because I like riding bikes even on shit trails with shit views, I don’t know how fast I am and I don’t care.

More he got all offended by a conversation between random strangers that he wasn’t part of enough to come online and decry that it should be a banned topic if he is listening…

To be clear, I never said it should be ‘a banned topic’. I didn’t even say I had a problem with them talking about Strava in general, my issue was the wittering on about the minute detail of it all and that it was boring.

My point was; and this is where I feel I should be allowed an opinion without being advised to keep it to myself for fear of it ‘not going well’ or being told I should take up golf; that I wished people would see there’s more to this sport/pastime/activity than the performance stats you get from Strava.

If people disagree, fine, I really don’t have a problem with that. If you’re going to take pee or criticise , just do with style like WCA.

Nowt wrong with Strava but its a bit sad if thats the only thing you take from a ride.

I like to get some Instabangers to hashtag the shit out of as well – so everyone can see how awesome and #enduro I’ve been.

So not only do we have to be sympathetic to your eavesdropping prowess we have to abuse you with Style, there really is no pleasing some folk.

The reason I mentioned Golf was because you sound like my Brother in law who Incidently thinks he’s invented Cycling, knows everything about cycling, talks over the top of people when they want to mention anything cycling related and wants everyone to hear him.
He’s done just about every hobby known to man kind and as a result I’ve got a lovely Orvis Zero Gravity Fly rod, my son has his hand me down cricket stuff as well as tennis bats, he’s kept hold of his Golfing shite though and I’m anticipating some biking clobber and maybe his S-Works Spesh?

WCA is bang on. Nowt wrong with Strava but its a bit sad if thats the only

thing you take from a ride.

Bit like this really:
Duggan – Member
… consider cycling just a less boring form of going to the gym.

If that’s what you want then fine, no-ones going to stop you, not even Poisonspider. Other people are allowed to form an opinion on your attitudes though. I suspect you get a lot more out of it than you realise its just that you are focussing on (in my and many others opinion) a very narrow and dull aspect of the sport as a whole.

Well, narrow and dull to you but not me, clearly? Yes you’re allowed an opinion of course but I’m allowed to consider it unnecessarily judgemental.

It seems to me that the snobbery isn’t flowing the way most people think it is. I’m more than happy for people to get whatever they want out of cycling and people who enjoy pottering around taking photos as they go, touring or audaxing (or whatever) should all spend as much as possible time doing the thing they enjoy. It seems that this attitude isn’t extended the other way though- I’m seemingly resented for the fact that I just like to go out and ride as fast as I can.

In the interests of full disclosure I’m not at all fast and only really use Strava to log my miles, mainly as I have a knee injury so need to cap them.

My attitude to riding was the same before Strava came along- I just liked to burn some calories and do some exercise, heaven forbid.

I also like a nice view every now and again, who doesn’t.

So not only do we have to be sympathetic to your eavesdropping prowess

Erm…not sure I said that?!

And zero points for style.

Completely misrepresenting what I’ve said is v.poor. 🙄

So you didn’t overhear another’s conversation then? Did you make it up to make yourself sound popular anticipating everyone would agree?

Zero points for honesty.

What seems to be happening here, is that some people are complaining that Poisonspider expressed a dislike for someones attitude. The same people are expressing a dislike for his attitude but seem not to spot the ironing in the situation.

No-one is suggesting that you shoudln’t do as you please, but merely pointing out that there’s far more to life, and a nice bike ride, than the speed at which you go down or up a hill, and that if you focus solely on that, it makes you a bit boring.

xyeti – Member
So you didn’t overhear another’s conversation then? Did you make it up to make yourself sound popular anticipating everyone would agree?

(good grief) 🙄

No, I meant I never asked for anyone to be ‘sympathetic’ to my ‘eavesdropping prowess’.

You are making it about eavesdropping, my issue was with Strava bores.

Had you said ‘So not only do we have to be sympathetic to your views on Strava bores…’, that would have made sense.

And ‘everyone’ never agrees on STW!

Well one of those attitudes is very judgemental, much like your own post. The other just a reaction to that.

cumberlanddan- you’re labelling people who enjoy something you don’t enjoy as “boring” and then wondering why they don’t like it.

Yeah but. They weren’t actually talking to him were they? If he was moaning that he went to the pub & all his mates could talk about was Strava then fine. But it wasn’t his conversation. The point is that he should not be getting bored by people who are nothing to do with him. I am sitting in a cafe just now, a lot of people are having conversations, some of which I suspect I might find rather dull. So what? It is nothing to do with me. Why is it worthy of me commenting on a forum about it?

spot the ironing in the situation

Thanks cumberlanddan, I realise you were offering support but that typo really made me laugh.

@ Cumberlanddan
But he chose to air his dissatisfaction on a public forum, what are we supposed to do agree with him?

If he didn’t want opinions that differed from his own he should either stay at home all the time, buy earplugs, speak his mind and tell others to STFU or be more tolerant of others. None of the above should warrant a topic on a cycling forum, you would expect some bloke on a motoring forum to gob off about cyclists being boring and although we aren’t all the same and contrary to popular belief not all cyclists are on STRAVA why didn’t the OP either move away so didn’t have to listen or tell them. Why wait till you get home lock the door behind you and fire up the computay?

And Ironing? Seriously……..

imnotverygood – Member

Why is it worthy of me commenting on a forum about it?

To which, the only sane response is “Why is it worthy of me commenting on a forum about someone else commenting on a forum about it?”

Sometimes people overhear things they like and they sometimes overhear things they don’t like. Some people find some things interesting and some things some people find uninteresting. Some things people find so interesting that they deem them worthy of comment and perhaps some other people might also find it interesting and perhaps comment. Some things are even worthy of comment by their lack of interestingness. Some comments are complete drivel. You are free to choose your stance, but choose wisely.

I am a strava bore and proud. I even log my commutes and turbo sessions in the kitchen. I have annual targets and also use it for training plans and targeting events.

I find it motivating and useful to regularly look back at previous years performances etc.. It has also meant I’ve meet some local riders who I wouldn’t have without it.

There are some very fast boys not on there. Each to their own I say. It is just something else to add to the mix.

And yes when I get the chance I do race too….

But it is the phrase ‘save me from….’ that I suspect is setting this off. He doesn’t need saving. They weren’t talking to him.

Maybe he just needs Saving from himself, poor bastard,

“Choose wisely” or Cumberladdan will think you’re boring 😆

Reckon I can live with it.

Yeah but. They weren’t actually talking to him were they? If he was moaning that he went to the pub all his mates could talk about was Strava then fine. But it wasn’t his conversation. The point is that he should not be getting bored by people who are nothing to do with him. I am sitting in a cafe just now, a lot of people are having conversations, some of which I suspect I might find rather dull. So what? It is nothing to do with me. Why is it worthy of me commenting on a forum about it?

Ok. There’s two issues here.

One is about ‘eavesdropping’ and the other is about Strava bores.

I can see why some people may find listening in on other peoples conversations objectionable, I just don’t necessarily think it’s a massive issue in this instance. However, I’ll take criticism for that on the chin and review my moral compass in that respect (read: whatever!).

Had I posted a generic comment about Strava bores obsessing over every last detail of their stats and seemingly missing out on the wider pleasures of cycling, especially when they drone on and on about it. I suspect it might have generated a different set of responses.

Then, maybe not. 🙄

Klunk – Member

I ride because I like riding bikes even on shit trails with shit views, I don’t know how fast I am and I don’t care.

This is the only reason I ride – each to their own I spose. A bit like any hobby there are those that just enjoy it and there are those that get all anal about stuff!!!

What is Strava anyway – no idea don’t care

Duggan, I’ll meet you in the Cortyard Cafe same time as last week, let’s see who can send over the edge next week 😉

Bring an ebike if we can’t bore some one in the cafe we will piss them off on the trails.

But it is the phrase ‘save me from….’ that I suspect is setting this off.

So within 3 words the STW massive have formed an opinion.

DT78 – Member

summary – likes strava

Nothing wrong in any of that DT78, the point in question is whether or not the instant you finish a ride you whip out the ‘strava enabled device of choice’, check your stats and talk only about those stats for the next half hour. If so, congratulations, you can consider yourself a Strava bore. If on the other hand you check your stats, pat yourself on the back and proceed to consider and discuss a less trivial aspect of riding/life then you are unfortunately just normal.

Speaking of eavesdropping on offensive conversations, I was in decathlon the other day (great start, I know) and there was a guy in full Lycra, helmet, clippy road shoes, pushing his fairly expensive looking road bike around the shop looking at bits of kit. I overheard him later asking the guy at the workshop “fix his flat tyre.”

Now that really offended me.

Nothing wrong in any of that DT78, the point in question is whether or not the instant you finish a ride you whip out the ‘strava enabled device of choice’, check your stats and talk only about those stats for the next half hour. If so, congratulations, you can consider yourself a Strava bore. If on the other hand you check your stats, pat yourself on the back and proceed to consider and discuss a less trivial aspect of riding/life then you are unfortunately just normal.

This.

Imnotverygood has summed it up nicely I think, it’s how it was posted, the Only person in that scenario that could have “saved him” was himself. Had the title been worded slightly different I think my reaction would have been slightly different.

@opusone

You overheard someone and then posted it on a forum. You bastard!

I would be glad if people in my local cafes were just talking about Strava timings. I fear the conversations would be a lot more like listening to a Daily Mail column but then I don’t go to those cafe’s. Maybe I should so I can post about how awful it was…..

seemingly missing out on the wider pleasures of cycling,

Why should you think that?
I’ve been cycling for forty years, toured, go to the shops, go to the pub, go for a bimble, MTB in centres and routes at home and abroad, belong to a couple of clubs, road ride in groups on my own and TT, Virtual ride on Zwift.
Just about every way you can use a bike including obsessing about stats on Strava, Training peaks etc.

None of these are exclusive.

Had the title been worded slightly different I think my reaction would have been slightly different.

Seriously? 😯

Your whole moral standpoint on ‘eavesdropping’ etc etc blah blah is based on the words ‘Save me’???

Bit of a kneejerk reaction don’t ya think?

You overheard someone and then posted it on a forum. You bastard!

He absolutely had it coming.

He absolutely had it coming.

Good job you didn’t start you post with,

“Save me from mechanically inept road cyclists”

Yes a bit like your reaction to hearing something that you don’t like the sound of, I might start a seperate thread with the words “Save me from”.

But in reality, I don’t need saving I just need to be aware of others around me and try to tolerate them, maybe speak to them and engage in their conversation politely, maybe ask them how they are finding their bike? How many miles are you doing, don’t eat the soup it’s got a fly in it that sort of shit,

If you cannot see that blaming others for your own failings isn’t their fault then there’s no point even trying to debate why you think it’s acceptable to even try and understand where you have gone slightly wrong.

Good luck.

Why should you think that?

Because part of the conversation (yes I listened in, get over it) was about future rides and their focus on other people joining them simply because their Strava segment times were getting too close to each other, and ‘we can’t have that!’

Good job you didn’t start you post with,

“Save me from mechanically inept road cyclists”

When I pointed the guy out to my girlfriend and told her what he’d said, she said “stop being such a bloody snob.”

“How can I be a snob when he’s got a more expensive bike than me and he doesn’t even know how to fix a puncture?” I replied.

She walked off without saying anything else. I assume that was because my point was irrefutable.

Maybe they had a sense of humour…

Good luck.

Thank you.

I think you need to give up on this one now, admit you were hasty in posting and thank everyone for correctling you so comprehensively.

I think you need to give up on this one now, admit you were hasty in posting and thank everyone for correctling you so comprehensively.

Guffaw!

If you like.

xyeti – Member

blah blah blah… there’s no point even trying to debate why you think it’s acceptable to even try and understand where you have gone slightly wrong.

Good luck.

Hows the view from that there high horse?

I really don’t understand why you seem to be so animated about some other people’s conversations.

I don’t think Poisonspider actually wants to be saved. I believe its called rhetoric. Do you think that I think you are actually sat on a horse?