Strava.com - Put your money where your mouth is

iPete

DonDaddyD wrote:

Some of the Strava times seem ridiculous to me.

Let me make it clear I probably wouldn't get close to the times of some of the riders anyway, but I've ridden along many of these roads and on the commute and I can't see how you can average such a fast time and do so safely on a consistent basis.

Consistent basis? If you ride the same road all week, every now and then an opportunity will present itself. The moons will be aligned, a tailwind will propel you forth and the traffic light gods let you proceed unhindered, its on you to grab that opportunity. Strava isn't about consistency!

il_principe

iPete wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Some of the Strava times seem ridiculous to me.

Let me make it clear I probably wouldn't get close to the times of some of the riders anyway, but I've ridden along many of these roads and on the commute and I can't see how you can average such a fast time and do so safely on a consistent basis.

Consistent basis? If you ride the same road all week, every now and then an opportunity will present itself. The moons will be aligned, a tailwind will propel you forth and the traffic light gods let you proceed unhindered, its on you to grab that opportunity. Strava isn't about consistency!

+1 Or you get a great draft from a bus/car etc.

DonDaddyD

okgo wrote:

Example?

All the ones faster than mine.

The descent down Wimbledon Hill. Unless its 7am in the morning - even then. I cannot see how you can safely descend down it and average 30+mph.

Must just be more skill and guts than I have.

jzed

So looking at Wimbledon Hill its a 4-5% gradient.Getting an average of 33mph seems completely viable. (especially given people are clocking close to 30 up Balham hill)

ETA: A comparable hill outside my front door has the KOM's at 39.9mph.

DonDaddyD

JZed wrote:

So looking at Wimbledon Hill its a 4-5% gradient.Getting an average of 33mph seems completely viable. (especially given people are clocking close to 30 up Balham hill)

Up it is fine, I could go up it much faster if I didn't hold back everything for the rest of the commute.

Going down it is a different story. Yes its smooth but at the bottom you've got lights before the road levels off then the shops begin and in about 20 meters a second set of lights. I've lived there for 4-5years and I haven't had an opportunity to go balls dangling down it.

It'd take a very brave soul.

bigmat

Any downhill segment 30mph+ isn't just doable, its to be expected. Obviously traffic, lights etc can get in the way but sooner or later somebody will get a clean run at it. As pointed out above, there are plenty of (short) uphill segments with 30mph+ averages.

jzed

DonDaddyD wrote:

JZed wrote:

So looking at Wimbledon Hill its a 4-5% gradient.Getting an average of 33mph seems completely viable. (especially given people are clocking close to 30 up Balham hill)

Up it is fine, I could go up it much faster if I didn't hold back everything for the rest of the commute.

Going down it is a different story. Yes its smooth but at the bottom you've got lights before the road levels off then the shops begin and in about 20 meters a second set of lights. I've lived there for 4-5years and I haven't had an opportunity to go balls dangling down it.

It'd take a very brave soul.

Sunday morning 7am. Check there's a favourable wind. Observe the timing of the lights. Try and hit it perfect.

hegyestomi

okgo wrote:

Example?

http://app.strava.com/rides/25270778#451572949
To keep up that speed you need to ram the 6 speed ramps full on. Even a bike with serious shockers would badly bounce.

jzed

hegyestomi wrote:

http://app.strava.com/rides/25270778#451572949
To keep up that speed you need to ram the 6 speed ramps full on. Even a bike with serious shockers would badly bounce.

27mph average may be possible with a wind funnelling, but that KOM isn't credible, hitting 47mph. Don't think so.

iPete

hegyestomi wrote:

okgo wrote:

Example?

http://app.strava.com/rides/25270778#451572949
To keep up that speed you need to ram the 6 speed ramps full on. Even a bike with serious shockers would badly bounce.

Not implausible, if you take on the Queens ride segment you will need to hit the speed bumps at around 30mph.

http://app.strava.com/segments/1122423

Nearly went into orbit. :shock:

rjsterry

JZed wrote:

So looking at Wimbledon Hill its a 4-5% gradient.Getting an average of 33mph seems completely viable. (especially given people are clocking close to 30 up Balham hill)

Hitting that speed would be easy, so long as you didn't mind ploughing into the back of the traffic at the lights right at the foot of the slope.

Clever Pun

DonDaddyD wrote:

JZed wrote:

So looking at Wimbledon Hill its a 4-5% gradient.Getting an average of 33mph seems completely viable. (especially given people are clocking close to 30 up Balham hill)

Up it is fine, I could go up it much faster if I didn't hold back everything for the rest of the commute.

Going down it is a different story. Yes its smooth but at the bottom you've got lights before the road levels off then the shops begin and in about 20 meters a second set of lights. I've lived there for 4-5years and I haven't had an opportunity to go balls dangling down it.

It'd take a very brave soul.

and that is why you fail...

Balls out for a segment... then whimper for a bit, you'll be surprised at your bodies recovery. The next day however might be harder

pitchshifter

iPete wrote:

hegyestomi wrote:

okgo wrote:

Example?

http://app.strava.com/rides/25270778#451572949
To keep up that speed you need to ram the 6 speed ramps full on. Even a bike with serious shockers would badly bounce.

Not implausible, if you take on the Queens ride segment you will need to hit the speed bumps at around 30mph.

http://app.strava.com/segments/1122423

Nearly went into orbit. :shock:

No need to hit the speed bump, just go through the middle

Edit: :oops: you are right, there is one full speed bump. I should really remember that.

il_principe

Clever Pun wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

JZed wrote:

So looking at Wimbledon Hill its a 4-5% gradient.Getting an average of 33mph seems completely viable. (especially given people are clocking close to 30 up Balham hill)

Up it is fine, I could go up it much faster if I didn't hold back everything for the rest of the commute.

Going down it is a different story. Yes its smooth but at the bottom you've got lights before the road levels off then the shops begin and in about 20 meters a second set of lights. I've lived there for 4-5years and I haven't had an opportunity to go balls dangling down it.

It'd take a very brave soul.

and that is why you fail...

Balls out for a segment... then whimper for a bit, you'll be surprised at your bodies recovery. The next day however might be harder

Indeed, recovery time is a mark of fitness as well. Surely most bike riding involves going 'balls out, recover, repeat' whether that be honking up a hill, sprinting for a sign etc.

Clever Pun

interval training with rewards at the end (excluding the obvious fitness etc)

Sometimes segment is off limits due to traffic/lights etc so just ride it and line up the next one...
The annoying bit it attacking a segment and then something happens at the end and you have to hold back thus ruining any real chance at the top spots or bettering your own time

okgo

Most of the ones on my commute are now fast enough that it would take a big big effort and a nice wind to take them back on the work bike. I think I could take a few without the wind on my other bike but I'm not that fussed on them. They're just a bit of fun.

DonDaddyD

Il Principe wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

JZed wrote:

So looking at Wimbledon Hill its a 4-5% gradient.Getting an average of 33mph seems completely viable. (especially given people are clocking close to 30 up Balham hill)

Up it is fine, I could go up it much faster if I didn't hold back everything for the rest of the commute.

Going down it is a different story. Yes its smooth but at the bottom you've got lights before the road levels off then the shops begin and in about 20 meters a second set of lights. I've lived there for 4-5years and I haven't had an opportunity to go balls dangling down it.

It'd take a very brave soul.

and that is why you fail...

Balls out for a segment... then whimper for a bit, you'll be surprised at your bodies recovery. The next day however might be harder

Indeed, recovery time is a mark of fitness as well. Surely most bike riding involves going 'balls out, recover, repeat' whether that be honking up a hill, sprinting for a sign etc.

I miss this kind of advice.

okgo

You must have a short memory, you get the same advice every time you post.

vermin

okgo wrote:

You must have a short memory, you get the same advice every time you post.

No, he gets many different forms of advice, from what I've seen.

DonDaddyD

okgo wrote:

You must have a short memory, you get the same advice every time you post.

I probably do. Sorry.

okgo

@ Vermin See my post on SCR.

Did I see you this morning?

bdave262000

Does a short segment mess up the GPS tracking?

dhope

bdave262000 wrote:

Does a short segment mess up the GPS tracking?

They're often a bit screwy, yes. A poor lock at the start or end can lead to some 30/40/500mph averages

Chippy_Minton

Just uploaded my rides onto Veloviewer, must say I'm impressed with the info it gives you. There were a few surprises in there - segments I didn't know I was well placed on - especially busy ones in RP like these:
http://app.strava.com/segments/1742382
http://app.strava.com/segments/676222
and looking good on some commute CS7 segments too
http://app.strava.com/segments/1545476
http://app.strava.com/segments/860800

Oh, and if anyone sees me on CS7 between Wimbledon and London Bridge I'm riding a black Giant TCR2 with Black Guards - say hello, it would be nice to put some faces to names.

okgo

Lol, nobody shouts about being well placed on Downhill segments!!!

Where are you on the lap leaderboard? ;-)

willy b

Got to agree i'm never bothered about downhill segments. Guess mainly because they are actually quite dangerous in built up areas! :shock:

Chippy_Minton

okgo wrote:

Lol, nobody shouts about being well placed on Downhill segments!!!

Where are you on the lap leaderboard? ;-)

Fair enough, my point was that veloviewer shows you segments you might normally miss (and RP is hardly built up, is it?)
the lap leader board for RP? Overall about 390 for the cafe lap with 18.20.

vermin

Why do the RP segments keep getting flagged? It's p'ing me off now.

iPete

DDD thinks they are ridiculous?

8,000.7 strava miles logged this year, needs a KOM of some sort :!:

cyclingprop

Get spinning on that plumstead loop, Dhope.