Strava adiction

my club is having a lot of fun with this in the FoD, sad to hear segments are being removed, no doubt land owners/authorities will catch on

Just signed up.
Can see how it can get competitive. Uploaded a couple of my London Commutes.

Got the Upper Street, Islington KOM! I’ll put a bit of extra effort in now!

I’ve just added a couple of downhill segments on the Quantocks (The Chimney and Somerton Combe) does that make me a bad person

Each to their own but it has become a bit of a problem in Aus where people are thrashing down trails yelling out “Strava Run!!” and expecting everyone to get out of their way.
I know there are a couple of segments on the Taff trail in Cardiff which is a busy multiuse path used by walkers, kids, horses and dogs – having people pushing hard there is pretty dodgy too IMO.

Can i do a batch download of my gpx files from endomondo and upladd into strava?

The Chimney and Somerton are pretty unlikely to be classed as multi use.

Yes, download the gpx files and them email them from your Strava registered email address and they will all appear.

I have the app but suspect it will chew the battery so I’m using Oruxmaps on my android phone and just emailing the gpx file once done.

@gee

I need to go and get my Belgium bun KOM back…. The last time was on a rigid SS so may have to go better equipped next time…

yer i need to switch to a 26er… giant (size not make) 29er is not helping though the twisty bits… well that is my excuse and I’m sticking to it.. 😉

bum my concrete hill KOM has gone as well.. 🙂

http://app.strava.com/segments/937978 – 10 secs quicker is good going i reckon…

sure this will go soon as well:

http://app.strava.com/segments/1026555

I do think there should be an element of caution in creating segments for descents in trail centres.
That has the potential to make it dangerous for everybody not just the person chasing the KOM.
I only really push climbing segments hard.

I pushed the trail centre descents hard before Strava and as hard after. If I’m feeling “On it” I will go hard leaving gaps etc, sure had some close calls and some crashes but otherwise it’s a bit boreing… race to top of hill and coast down ffs is this a roadie game?

bum my concrete hill KOM has gone as well..

Lewis King is a former pro DH rider, now racing XC – silver medal in the vets national champs last year and a victory in the first NPS this year. Good rider.

yer i need to switch to a 26er… giant (size not make) 29er is not helping though the twisty bits… well that is my excuse and I’m sticking to it..

Plenty of Gee’s times are on 29ers, that excuse doesn’t really work anymore!

Been using it for a year or so now. Its certainly a fantastic training tool.

Heres my profile if anyone wants to see what riding in Colorado is like:

http://app.strava.com/pros/111848

So far this year:

> 1,870 miles

> 136 hrs 13 mins

> 60 rides

That’s one ride every 3 days, not too bad!

I pushed the trail centre descents hard before Strava and as hard after

In theory a trail centre shouldn’t have any random dog walkers in the middle of the track after a blind bend. Move to a bridleway with a ton of horse meat round that blind bend and your talking a very different scenario!

But from experience the number of times you go round a trail centre corner to find someone mending a puncture in the middle of the track is unbelievable!

Like most things use your head and think before you decide to race a section.

But from experience the number of times you go round a trail centre corner to find someone mending a puncture in the middle of the track is unbelievable!

Having your packed lunch on the boardwalks at Afan is a popular thing to do too.

Just downloaded and glad someone’s added some downhill routes on the quantocks cause I know I’ll never be that quick up a hill

DT78 – Member
So how long before the first strava related incident is reported then…. Someone trying to get kom and running over a rambler on a blind bend…

Already happened…

Did bicycle web site contribute to cyclist’s death?

That’s a bit sobering

I ended up in A&E after crashing at the bottom of Yoghurt Pots on Holmbury yesterday. First thing I did when I got home? Checked my time on Strava – PR! Made all the pain go away….

I’ve found the Strava app on my HTC Wildfire S to be very hit and miss on the GPS missing bits out then drawing straight lines when it catches up.
However, MyTracks (googles own GPS) already on the phone works perfect then I upload the gpx file from phone to Strava 🙂

Just uploaded my 1st ride on this – bit cross that I dropped my chain on a good downhill stretch that turns out to be a segment. Reckon I could have been top few as I’m fair as long as it’s not uphill (got 9th out of 30 on one climb which amazed me)

I think we have a bandit though (or else he eats that special beef quite a lot). Granted it’s a short stretch and not that steep a climb, but … :

35.6 mph 148 bpm 0:33
25.0 mph – 0:47
24.4 mph – 0:48
23.5 mph 153 bpm 0:50
22.6 mph – 0:52
21.7 mph 115 bpm 0:54
21.7 mph – 0:54
21.7 mph 169 bpm 0:54
21.3 mph – 0:55
21.3 mph 173 bpm 0:55
21.3 mph – 0:55
21.3 mph – 0:55
20.9 mph 133 bpm 0:56
20.9 mph – 0:56
20.9 mph 154 bpm 0:56
20.2 mph 139 bpm 0:58
20.2 mph 164 bpm 0:58
19.9 mph – 0:59
19.6 mph 150 bpm 1:00
19.2 mph – 1:01
18.9 mph – 1:02
18.9 mph – 1:02
18.9 mph 145 bpm 1:02
18.9 mph 154 bpm 1:02
18.0 mph 141 bpm 1:05

am i alone in thinking KOM’s should be limited to uphill?

Doesn’t seem too far out if he’s fit? There’s a short section of road near me with a slight downhill into a fairly short up climb (0.5 miles, 2.3% avg) which took me 1:37 seconds at an average speed of 20mph.

am i alone in thinking KOM’s should be limited to uphill?

Uphill, or nearly flat imo. Don’t mind sections which have a negative gradient to them so long as they’re longer with flat sections in.

I don’t think they should

Well, “KoM” should be uphill but I don’t see why there can’t be flat or downhill segments as well

I do think steep road hills should not have tables if they’re in a 30 limit though.

The climb i got top 10 on is pretty steep and I reckon easily 40-45able downwards but I never go above 30 as it’s residential with lot of driveways etc on it. It has no speed restriction at all I don’t think but I’d report it if they started a table for it

Whatnobeer – he’s 40% better than the next best rider and all the rest follow a close progression downwards. He’s either pretty much pro-level or owns a moped IMO
(Not being a bad loser; I’m not, err, on that list at all – I’m a page 3 boy 😳 )

Would agree at a net uphill for KoM, although would allow a short downhill section in the middle if the over all climb is pretty obviously defined.

Flat/downhill road “time-trial” sections (and bridleways etc.) could become a liability issue, if no racing is permitted. OK an uphill TT might be classified as a race too, but can’t see too many speed limits being broken there.

As for loops (trail centres etc.), how well does it correlate the followed route? If you cut off a corner somewhere (either cheating or trail closure etc), would it be clever enough to realise you skipped a bit of trail?

Seen a couple more people have posted segments around here, so might give it another go. But then I reduced my PB from 23 to 19min on 1 climb, and can see another guy posted 19min on a variation of that climb. But I don’t go out to race.

I’ve been timing myself over various sections of the Quantocks for the best part of 20 years, are you going ban all timing devices on bikes next 🙄

Ban downhill sections? Christ, you guys are boring, I’m going back to Pinkbike.

Ban downhill sections? Christ, you guys are boring, I’m going back to Pinkbike.

+1

Anyone else find the ‘VAM’ measurement pretty useful?

I’ve started to take more note of it, and its a great way to compare effort on completely different climbs.

Finding now that I can judge how well I was riding based on the VAM, and see where I can improve….

Highest I’ve got is 1500 so far: http://app.strava.com/segments/712667

Just to add an extra level of geekiness to the conversation….

all my added segments are downhill as no boring person has added them yet!! Yep change name from KOM to Biggest Balls or something but finally something to settle the pub argument as to who was quicker!!

Anyone else doing the Specialized 100,000ft challenge?

Yep, I’m in the Specialized challenge. I think I’m 38% of the way through. Looks like the winner is from my locale of Lynton though, which makes me proud as I’m currently so far away from Devon!

but finally something to settle the pub argument as to who was quicker!!

Except it doesn’t as due to the vaguries of GPS tracking and the way the log is picked up by Strava the fastest rider can have ridden quite a bit shorter distance. Of course you can flag those rides so your mates times get removed until checked…

or owns a moped IMO

😆 this makes me happy

Part of my drive home from work is a hill that lots of roadies are Stravaing and I’ll admit to being very tempted to drive it at about 18mph (just to keep it feasible) with Stava on just to mess with peoples’ heads 🙂

Racing uphill, great.

The downhill KOMs are providing great entertainment for me at least.

Always happy to lose a KOM to Neil Donoghue. (b-line 2nd part at Llandegla linky)

seems some people are bulk importing old data, which, imo isn’t really cricket as a trail may have significantly changed in a year. Still, got 2nd on cutgate langsett descent (linky) and a few others….

Anyone want a virtual race?

dasnut – really you can only directly compare yourself to riders who were riding in a group at the same time as you.

Trails change day to day and week to week and they can’t have a KOM for ‘wet and claggy mud’ and another for ‘dry and dusty’.

My 2p is that I’m normally only ‘racing’ myself – if I can better my own best time for a climb then that’s a ‘win’ for me.

I’ve just signed up and looking forward to trying a few routes, just to see how close to the bottom I am.

After you’ve uploaded a route via android – can you download back to your pc in a gpx / tcx format?

Ta

Am inteested in using Strava, but have a Nokia phone from an age where Sinclair C5s were the cutting edge.

If I buy a Garmin Edge 200, will I be able to use this to track/upload Strava times? Does the App used on smart phones simply allow you to turn the recording on/off? I presume you just have to select a segment from the GPS file recorded if you are using a specific bike/walking type GPS?

Being able to climb quicker proves one thing. Faster descending proves so much more…..

Faster climbs = fitter (unless its a particularly techy climb)
faster descent = more skill, more balls, more control, more awesome!

I think in general – MTB’ers use it to race downhill, roadies to race uphill?

An accident racing downhill on the road usually ends up much more serious.

faster descent = more skill, more balls, more control, more awesome!

time and place, racing bridleways is going to end in tears. If you can be sure that the track is empty fine, but blind corners, speed, horses, dogs, not a good mix.

If I buy a Garmin Edge 200, will I be able to use this to track/upload Strava times?

Yes

Does the App used on smart phones simply allow you to turn the recording on/off?

Yes – if you ride a ‘segment’ (what the sections of trail/road that are being discussed are called) during your ride, it’ll automatically put you into the leaderboard for that segment once you upload your ride

I presume you just have to select a segment from the GPS file recorded if you are using a specific bike/walking type GPS?

No – as above, it happens automatically once you upload your ride.

Clubber – thank you. Have got one on order to help motivate me to burn off the extra Easter Egg calories.

Will be hiding my home location when I register, more for the shame of being so slow rather than bike security!