Strava.com - Put your money where your mouth is

keyser__soze

First ride with the Garmin 800 yesterday - trial loop round Chertsey to check out the route planning/satnav features - and I get a KoM Sadly the PCs are locked down at work so I can't upload my commutes until I get home so can't check if I got a second Garmin-recorded KoM this morning on the second ride using it - have a feeling I'll be close.

Pufftmw

BigMat wrote:

Loampit Hill there for the taking this morning, roadworks on the run up meant that the usual traffic-fest was all behind me and I had a nice clear run, alas I got my gearing wrong and ended up grinding up, unable to really stand and sprint due to a wet greasy road. Don't know for sure until I upload the Garmin this evening, but I fear a glorious opportunity missed. Still, if traffic the same tomorrow morning I may have another go...

Typical! There was a burst water main Loampit Vale/Thurston this morning which caused traffic chaos all around - I should know as I had to take my car to the garage in Surrey Quays :roll: I even had the bike in the car, all nice n clean n lubed ready to go Only rode in from SE16 and although I was fresh enough for a go at Tower Bridge North, there was too much traffic on the other side of the hump to go for it.

All in all, not a good start to the week...

JamesFree

Had a lovely 20+mph avg commute in so popped out for a quick shooters hill at lunch and thought I would have a go at a few segments I had passed before without giving it a good effort!

Managed to take this one http://app.strava.com/rides/4128902#76702120 and still a good few seconds to come off yet

JamesFree

Pufftmw wrote:

BigMat wrote:

Loampit Hill there for the taking this morning, roadworks on the run up meant that the usual traffic-fest was all behind me and I had a nice clear run, alas I got my gearing wrong and ended up grinding up, unable to really stand and sprint due to a wet greasy road. Don't know for sure until I upload the Garmin this evening, but I fear a glorious opportunity missed. Still, if traffic the same tomorrow morning I may have another go...

Typical! There was a burst water main Loampit Vale/Thurston this morning which caused traffic chaos all around - I should know as I had to take my car to the garage in Surrey Quays :roll: I even had the bike in the car, all nice n clean n lubed ready to go Only rode in from SE16 and although I was fresh enough for a go at Tower Bridge North, there was too much traffic on the other side of the hump to go for it.

All in all, not a good start to the week...

Loampit is top of my KOM list it would seem with the sheer amount of times it has been ridden 1036 times now!

Might have to have another real bash at it when it dries up to try and increase my lead a little as can't see me staying at the top for much longer!

padders

Starting to give some of the segments in RP a shot with reasonable (for me) efforts on Ballet School Hill and Col du Ham over the last few days which should improve and the year goes on, but still need to give Broomfield a proper balls-out attempt in the dry.

Also, as a new initiate to SCR and the joy/pains of Strava it’s only right and proper than I calculate my FCN accurately. I’m a hairy legged bloke on a hub geared (Alfine 11), cx frame with egg-beaters. To my mind this puts me squarely between 4 (hairy legged roadie) and 5 (faux-single, egg-beater) on the starting points scale, is there an accepted etiquette for such a dilemma?

Pufftmw

Added "Lewisham Way" to the segments list - from just before the pedestrian crossing/by plumbers at the top of Loampit Hill to the just past the pedestrian crossing j/w New Cross Road at the other end. There are 5 pedestrian lights and 3 traffic control lights in that segment, so you have to have a modicum of luck to get through unscathed & get a good time. At the moment (of writing this) James Freeman is KOM ( :roll: ) but that might change as Strava backloads.

One way of looking at it is that the more KOMs James has, the more there are to nick off him - he can't defend them all!!!

okgo

Padders wrote:

Starting to give some of the segments in RP a shot with reasonable (for me) efforts on Ballet School Hill and Col du Ham over the last few days which should improve and the year goes on, but still need to give Broomfield a proper balls-out attempt in the dry.

Also, as a new initiate to SCR and the joy/pains of Strava it’s only right and proper than I calculate my FCN accurately. I’m a hairy legged bloke on a hub geared (Alfine 11), cx frame with egg-beaters. To my mind this puts me squarely between 4 (hairy legged roadie) and 5 (faux-single, egg-beater) on the starting points scale, is there an accepted etiquette for such a dilemma?

The short hills are hard to get, Ballet School I think is nearly out of my league with its current leader. I'll try again one day, but I don't see me getting that one.

Try some of the longer ones in the park, they're a lot more fun and less contested, hence I'm KOM for a couple of them. The one up Broomfield is safe too, there's no way I can get anywhere near that speed!

roger_merriman

okgo wrote:

Padders wrote:

Starting to give some of the segments in RP a shot with reasonable (for me) efforts on Ballet School Hill and Col du Ham over the last few days which should improve and the year goes on, but still need to give Broomfield a proper balls-out attempt in the dry.

Also, as a new initiate to SCR and the joy/pains of Strava it’s only right and proper than I calculate my FCN accurately. I’m a hairy legged bloke on a hub geared (Alfine 11), cx frame with egg-beaters. To my mind this puts me squarely between 4 (hairy legged roadie) and 5 (faux-single, egg-beater) on the starting points scale, is there an accepted etiquette for such a dilemma?

The short hills are hard to get, Ballet School I think is nearly out of my league with its current leader. I'll try again one day, but I don't see me getting that one.

Try some of the longer ones in the park, they're a lot more fun and less contested, hence I'm KOM for a couple of them. The one up Broomfield is safe too, there's no way I can get anywhere near that speed!

to be honest with SS plus paniers I struggle to get up broomfield! if you want quieter segments then head out of london/surrey hills.

number of the 100 best climbs 3 are nr my folks place have a handful of times.

bigmat

okgo wrote:

Padders wrote:

Starting to give some of the segments in RP a shot with reasonable (for me) efforts on Ballet School Hill and Col du Ham over the last few days which should improve and the year goes on, but still need to give Broomfield a proper balls-out attempt in the dry.

Also, as a new initiate to SCR and the joy/pains of Strava it’s only right and proper than I calculate my FCN accurately. I’m a hairy legged bloke on a hub geared (Alfine 11), cx frame with egg-beaters. To my mind this puts me squarely between 4 (hairy legged roadie) and 5 (faux-single, egg-beater) on the starting points scale, is there an accepted etiquette for such a dilemma?

The short hills are hard to get, Ballet School I think is nearly out of my league with its current leader. I'll try again one day, but I don't see me getting that one.

Try some of the longer ones in the park, they're a lot more fun and less contested, hence I'm KOM for a couple of them. The one up Broomfield is safe too, there's no way I can get anywhere near that speed!

The ones on the main route round will presumably have been taken by Dynamo riders riding in a group? Little realistic prospect of beating those, unless we got an SCR posse together!

roger_merriman

BigMat wrote:

okgo wrote:

Padders wrote:

Starting to give some of the segments in RP a shot with reasonable (for me) efforts on Ballet School Hill and Col du Ham over the last few days which should improve and the year goes on, but still need to give Broomfield a proper balls-out attempt in the dry.

Also, as a new initiate to SCR and the joy/pains of Strava it’s only right and proper than I calculate my FCN accurately. I’m a hairy legged bloke on a hub geared (Alfine 11), cx frame with egg-beaters. To my mind this puts me squarely between 4 (hairy legged roadie) and 5 (faux-single, egg-beater) on the starting points scale, is there an accepted etiquette for such a dilemma?

The short hills are hard to get, Ballet School I think is nearly out of my league with its current leader. I'll try again one day, but I don't see me getting that one.

Try some of the longer ones in the park, they're a lot more fun and less contested, hence I'm KOM for a couple of them. The one up Broomfield is safe too, there's no way I can get anywhere near that speed!

The ones on the main route round will presumably have been taken by Dynamo riders riding in a group? Little realistic prospect of beating those, unless we got an SCR posse together!

in the same way my way in to kingston is the same way KW and Dynamo's training runs go, our speeds differ somewhat! appart from the bridge but thats just grunt on my part.

JamesFree

Pufftmw wrote:

Added "Lewisham Way" to the segments list - from just before the pedestrian crossing/by plumbers at the top of Loampit Hill to the just past the pedestrian crossing j/w New Cross Road at the other end. There are 5 pedestrian lights and 3 traffic control lights in that segment, so you have to have a modicum of luck to get through unscathed & get a good time. At the moment (of writing this) James Freeman is KOM ( :roll: ) but that might change as Strava backloads.

One way of looking at it is that the more KOMs James has, the more there are to nick off him - he can't defend them all!!!

Not another segment to battle against! Can't remember the last time I have got through that stretch without traffic or lights slowing me or stopping me. Might try and give it a go tonight on the way home!

okgo

roger merriman wrote:

BigMat wrote:

okgo wrote:

Padders wrote:

Starting to give some of the segments in RP a shot with reasonable (for me) efforts on Ballet School Hill and Col du Ham over the last few days which should improve and the year goes on, but still need to give Broomfield a proper balls-out attempt in the dry.

Also, as a new initiate to SCR and the joy/pains of Strava it’s only right and proper than I calculate my FCN accurately. I’m a hairy legged bloke on a hub geared (Alfine 11), cx frame with egg-beaters. To my mind this puts me squarely between 4 (hairy legged roadie) and 5 (faux-single, egg-beater) on the starting points scale, is there an accepted etiquette for such a dilemma?

The short hills are hard to get, Ballet School I think is nearly out of my league with its current leader. I'll try again one day, but I don't see me getting that one.

Try some of the longer ones in the park, they're a lot more fun and less contested, hence I'm KOM for a couple of them. The one up Broomfield is safe too, there's no way I can get anywhere near that speed!

The ones on the main route round will presumably have been taken by Dynamo riders riding in a group? Little realistic prospect of beating those, unless we got an SCR posse together!

in the same way my way in to kingston is the same way KW and Dynamo's training runs go, our speeds differ somewhat! appart from the bridge but thats just grunt on my part.

They will be training rides yeh, so Dynamo, Wheelers, and probably a good handful of people that did the Richmond Park TT. But you'd be surprised actually that a majority of the park KOM are people solo I *think*

As for your route Roger, yes, its amazing how much quicker you can be as part of a group! BUT a lot of those KOM's on that route are solo too.

padders

Agreed, perhaps a petition to Strava is in order. Additional flags against each ride and segment indicating group/solo riding, level of sobriety, extent of man-flu etc.

I’d pay for premium membership at a stroke if I could remove all of the sober fresh-faced young whippersnappers from the running as I struggle around RP nursing a hangover that's registering on the richter scale.

cjcp

Wind direction is also crucial in RP.

il_principe

cjcp wrote:

Wind direction is also crucial in RP.

+1.

I do almost all my training solo so have little change of taking any Koms around these parts - especially as many of the routes I use are favoured by the club rides as well. Don't really care though, as long as training = getting faster, then I'm happy.

Big fan of solo training anyway.

jonginge

Il Principe wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Wind direction is also crucial in RP.

+1.

I do almost all my training solo so have little change of taking any Koms around these parts - especially as many of the routes I use are favoured by the club rides as well. Don't really care though, as long as training = getting faster, then I'm happy.

Big fan of solo training anyway.

This.

Really must do some training. It's getting ridiculous now.

okgo

Il Principe wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Wind direction is also crucial in RP.

+1.

I do almost all my training solo so have little change of taking any Koms around these parts - especially as many of the routes I use are favoured by the club rides as well. Don't really care though, as long as training = getting faster, then I'm happy.

Big fan of solo training anyway.

you'll be surprised at how many KOM are not group runs. I've got 2 or 3 KOM's in the park that I got solo, and theres plenty for the taking if you're fast enough

cjcp

The segments out towards Hampton, Sunbury and Molesey are hilarious. Peleton and training-ride city. You ride it solo, get back a little bit excited about how quick you were going with the tailwind, check out Strava, and your time in the overall leadership might as well say "You're crap. Were you walking?"

cjcp

JonGinge wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Wind direction is also crucial in RP.

+1.

I do almost all my training solo so have little change of taking any Koms around these parts - especially as many of the routes I use are favoured by the club rides as well. Don't really care though, as long as training = getting faster, then I'm happy.

Big fan of solo training anyway.

This.

Really must do some training. It's getting ridiculous now.

Early morning laps start very soon...

okgo

well get in the training ride then

and most of Steves KOM's are solo for those routes.

aeon

cjcp wrote:

Wind direction is also crucial in RP.

and for urban segments, a time of day modifier would be helpful too. i'm sure some KOMs were set at stupid o'clock when there's no-one on the roads to get in the way or notice RLJing

#thatswhatitellmyself

dhope

aeon wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Wind direction is also crucial in RP.

and for urban segments, a time of day modifier would be helpful too. i'm sure some KOMs were set at stupid o'clock when there's no-one on the roads to get in the way or notice RLJing

#thatswhatitellmyself

Absolutely. I set my only decent KOM at 6am. Unbeatable time it was.
Then Mat Hammond beat it at 9.30am on a Monday morning, probably the busiest time of the week

I imagine he must've caught the lights perfectly, and got a tow off a bus, with a tailwind.
#thatswhatitellmyselftoo

bigmat

dhope wrote:

aeon wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Wind direction is also crucial in RP.

and for urban segments, a time of day modifier would be helpful too. i'm sure some KOMs were set at stupid o'clock when there's no-one on the roads to get in the way or notice RLJing

#thatswhatitellmyself

Absolutely. I set my only decent KOM at 6am. Unbeatable time it was.
Then Mat Hammond beat it at 9.30am on a Monday morning, probably the busiest time of the week

I imagine he must've caught the lights perfectly, and got a tow off a bus, with a tailwind.
#thatswhatitellmyselftoo

Did it on my old mountain bike with a backpack full of work files. Had a flat tyre as well. And it was wet, into a headwind.

okgo

okgo wrote:

Padders wrote:

Starting to give some of the segments in RP a shot with reasonable (for me) efforts on Ballet School Hill and Col du Ham over the last few days which should improve and the year goes on, but still need to give Broomfield a proper balls-out attempt in the dry.

Also, as a new initiate to SCR and the joy/pains of Strava it’s only right and proper than I calculate my FCN accurately. I’m a hairy legged bloke on a hub geared (Alfine 11), cx frame with egg-beaters. To my mind this puts me squarely between 4 (hairy legged roadie) and 5 (faux-single, egg-beater) on the starting points scale, is there an accepted etiquette for such a dilemma?

The short hills are hard to get, Ballet School I think is nearly out of my league with its current leader. I'll try again one day, but I don't see me getting that one.

Try some of the longer ones in the park, they're a lot more fun and less contested, hence I'm KOM for a couple of them. The one up Broomfield is safe too, there's no way I can get anywhere near that speed!

I was one second away from taking this one tonight!!! I'll have to make do with joint top.

padders

okgo wrote:

okgo wrote:

Padders wrote:

Starting to give some of the segments in RP a shot with reasonable (for me) efforts on Ballet School Hill and Col du Ham over the last few days which should improve and the year goes on, but still need to give Broomfield a proper balls-out attempt in the dry.

Also, as a new initiate to SCR and the joy/pains of Strava it’s only right and proper than I calculate my FCN accurately. I’m a hairy legged bloke on a hub geared (Alfine 11), cx frame with egg-beaters. To my mind this puts me squarely between 4 (hairy legged roadie) and 5 (faux-single, egg-beater) on the starting points scale, is there an accepted etiquette for such a dilemma?

The short hills are hard to get, Ballet School I think is nearly out of my league with its current leader. I'll try again one day, but I don't see me getting that one.

Try some of the longer ones in the park, they're a lot more fun and less contested, hence I'm KOM for a couple of them. The one up Broomfield is safe too, there's no way I can get anywhere near that speed!

I was one second away from taking this one tonight!!! I'll have to make do with joint top.

Nice one, I managed 8th overall on my first proper try at Ballet Hill yesterday, did exactly the same time/speed today with a much higher HR :? think I tailed off too early as well. Defiantly going to give a few of the longer segments in the park a shot.

okgo

I'll follow you on strava if you're 8th

cyclingprop

Looks like I need to up my game. Current goal to be king of the fatties (weight cat 200lb+) on Strava Millbank runs, but currently JZed has me. Ugh.

jzed

cyclingprop wrote:

Looks like I need to up my game. Current goal to be king of the fatties (weight cat 200lb+) on Strava Millbank runs, but currently JZed has me. Ugh.

Charming.........

cyclingprop

JZed wrote:

cyclingprop wrote:

Looks like I need to up my game. Current goal to be king of the fatties (weight cat 200lb+) on Strava Millbank runs, but currently JZed has me. Ugh.

Charming.........

Well if you can persuade them to open a 250lb+ category...!

jonnyboy77

Just started using Strava in conjunction with extending my ride to work to include Richmond Hill, I'm not really competing with the other users but find it incredibly useful to motivate myself to improve on my own times! I improved from 99th to 57th this morning on the RH segment.

http://app.strava.com/rides/4197398

Cheers

Jon