Fun or Speed: Whats your choice?

cooldad

This is very true.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

WindyG

Can't believe people would actually shout "strava" that really is sad, sometimes I've gone out to see if I can beat a previous best or a friends time, if I come across a bunch of riders who are slower and I can't get passed straight away then so be it, they have as much right as I do to be there, I just adjust what I had planned and maybe ride a slower pace but further. Take it too seriously and you risk maybe trying too hard beyond your comfort zone or ability.

BigAl

njee20 wrote:

People who shout at slow riders are dicks, whether they're using Strava is immaterial, and to think its an app that makes them dicks is pretty naive!

+1

welshkev

is this strava hate getting stronger than orange hate?

I can't believe some of the crap that is coming out in this thread! :roll:

cooldad

I think a new thread is needed - on Orange riding Strava users.

rockmonkeysc

cooldad wrote:

I think a new thread is needed - on Orange riding Strava users.

Can you add BMW, Audi drivers to that?

roverpig

I like to use Strava to keep track of how far I've ridden, how my times (i.e. fitness) change over time and, yes, to do a bit of benchmarking against the general population. Generally it's fine, but I do have some sympathy with the OP as it can take the fun out of a ride sometimes; particularly at this time of year as the weather deteriorates and fitness tends to dip. I can come back from a ride that I've really enjoyed, load it onto Strava and feel a vague sense of disappointment that the times are so far down on my own personal bests (let alone what the fit kids do). Silly really, but it happens.

rockmonkeysc

You will be slower at this time of year because of the mud and slop on the trails. I think comparing times is pointless unless conditions are the same.

pilch

RockmonkeySC wrote:

You will be slower at this time of year because of the mud and slop on the trails. I think comparing times is pointless unless conditions are the same.

This..... similarly I know people who will go out & nail specific road sections when the wind is in the right direction, Strava is great fun, but if you are looking for a real measure of how quick you are, competing with your peers on race day is the only true test.

welshkev

pilch wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

You will be slower at this time of year because of the mud and slop on the trails. I think comparing times is pointless unless conditions are the same.

This..... similarly I know people who will go out & nail specific road sections when the wind is in the right direction, .

now that is fucking stupid

rockmonkeysc

welshkev wrote:

pilch wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

You will be slower at this time of year because of the mud and slop on the trails. I think comparing times is pointless unless conditions are the same.

This..... similarly I know people who will go out & nail specific road sections when the wind is in the right direction, .

now that is ******* stupid

Riding on roads is stupid.

njee20

welshkev wrote:

pilch wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

You will be slower at this time of year because of the mud and slop on the trails. I think comparing times is pointless unless conditions are the same.

This..... similarly I know people who will go out & nail specific road sections when the wind is in the right direction, .

now that is ******* stupid

To be fair it's no more stupid than going out when the trails are dry and fast, and trying to beat your times then. On the road the wind makes a far bigger difference.

welshkev

njee20 wrote:

welshkev wrote:

pilch wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

You will be slower at this time of year because of the mud and slop on the trails. I think comparing times is pointless unless conditions are the same.

This..... similarly I know people who will go out & nail specific road sections when the wind is in the right direction, .

now that is ******* stupid

To be fair it's no more stupid than going out when the trails are dry and fast, and trying to beat your times then. On the road the wind makes a far bigger difference.

I meant that if they go out on purpose just to ride 1 section to beat a time, obviously not if they're out on a normal ride and it just happens that the wind or whatever is blowing the right way.

njee20

The number of people who appear to do just that on mountain bikes, I'd not be surprised! Not really seen it on the road I must say, but imagine some folks are that sad!

rockmonkeysc

Im going to download strava for the drive to work tomorrow. That should beatva few people's times until I hit the traffic.

HebdenBiker

cooldad wrote:

I think a new thread is needed - on Orange riding Strava users.

Did someone call?

bennett_346

RockmonkeySC wrote:

You will be slower at this time of year because of the mud and slop on the trails. I think comparing times is pointless unless conditions are the same.

It's largely pointless anyway because someone will always have a more expensive/more suitable bike than you which will inevitably help. You can pay your way to the top basically. Of course there are those with expensive bikes who can't ride for toffee and they won't get very far.

It's the same reason I stopped watching motorsport on TV, it's never a drivers race it's a manufacturers race.

rockmonkeysc

A good rider on a rubbish bike will be faster than an average rider on an expensive bike so I disagree that you can buy your way to the top.

benpinnick

stubs wrote:

benpinnick wrote:

No-ones ever shouted 'strava' at me, but maybe thats because I know how to get out of the way and have some awareness of my surroundings.

Are there awareness courses I can go on because the next time I am slogging to the summit of Snowdon, granny ringing it past the 700 meter contour on the Clogwyn ridge on the verge of throwing up I dont want to get in the way of the KOM.

I will try and find one for you. Its good that you've been able to admit to needing help. It must be terrible to not be able to stop, let someone past and take a breather, especially if you were already on the verge of blowing anyway. I feel for you.

angry_bird

I like Strava, a few mates use it too, we can see what we've all been up to, we can compete against eachother for fun. It's nice to keep track of the miles and it's also relatively useful as a training tool. Makes much more sense when it comes to riding on the road though.

RockmonkeySC wrote:

A good rider on a rubbish bike will be faster than an average rider on an expensive bike so I disagree that you can buy your way to the top.

Equaly a good rider on a "rubbish" bike will be slower than a good rider on an expensive bike.

YellaBelly

I use Strava for all my rides, be it pootling round exploring new trails or pushing hard on a training loop. For what it's worth, I mark the bulk of my rides as private. I'm not too fussed about seeing myself on a leaderboard (in 400th place) but I do like to see if I've managed to go faster for longer, and further quicker. It's a wonderful tool to help you measure progress and aid training, or just to enjoy the vital statistics and view the route you took on that all-day epic.

The users cause the problems, not Strava. Take Strava away from an idiot, and your still left with an idiot.

blinddrew

YellaBelly wrote:

The users cause the problems, not Strava. Take Strava away from an idiot, and your still left with an idiot.

True dat.

bennett_346

Angry Bird wrote:

I like Strava, a few mates use it too, we can see what we've all been up to, we can compete against eachother for fun. It's nice to keep track of the miles and it's also relatively useful as a training tool. Makes much more sense when it comes to riding on the road though.

RockmonkeySC wrote:

A good rider on a rubbish bike will be faster than an average rider on an expensive bike so I disagree that you can buy your way to the top.

Equaly a good rider on a "rubbish" bike will be slower than a good rider on an expensive bike.

But my point was a good rider on a good bike will be faster than a good rider on a "rubbish" bike so you can pay your way to the top. This more applies to roadies but can be applied to some MTB locations.

YellaBelly

On the road, some shorter sections you could take the KoM with a solo sprint, but that's going depend more on the rider, and less on the bike (within reason). Any longer Strava sections (where a better bike would offer a more noticeable benefit) on the road are topped by groups of riders chain-ganging. It's very difficult to compete with the speed of a group over any sort of distance.

Besides, it's really not any different to a race or riding a trail. You ride your own bike, which for most of us probably costs less than half some of the top-end machines sharing the start line or trail head with you.

bennett_346

YellaBelly wrote:

On the road, some shorter sections you could take the KoM with a solo sprint, but that's going depend more on the rider, and less on the bike (within reason). Any longer Strava sections (where a better bike would offer a more noticeable benefit) on the road are topped by groups of riders chain-ganging. It's very difficult to compete with the speed of a group over any sort of distance.

Besides, it's really not any different to a race or riding a trail. You ride your own bike, which for most of us probably costs less than half some of the top-end machines sharing the start line or trail head with you.

I did a race series this year and yes, it is no different. Those with the high end machines won by a country mile.

I know Strava is meant as just a bit of fun on the side but really once you think about it the numbers are pretty meaningless once you factor in all the variables outside of your actual talent.

YellaBelly

bennett_346 wrote:

I know Strava is meant as just a bit of fun on the side but really once you think about it the numbers are pretty meaningless once you factor in all the variables outside of your actual talent.

Pretty much. It's a benchmark, but only a rough one.

poah

YellaBelly wrote:

bennett_346 wrote:

I know Strava is meant as just a bit of fun on the side but really once you think about it the numbers are pretty meaningless once you factor in all the variables outside of your actual talent.

Pretty much. It's a benchmark, but only a rough one.

I'm 30s slower over the small local trail in these conditions than I am in the dry - sooooo slllllooooooow

rockmonkeysc

bennett_346 wrote:

YellaBelly wrote:

On the road, some shorter sections you could take the KoM with a solo sprint, but that's going depend more on the rider, and less on the bike (within reason). Any longer Strava sections (where a better bike would offer a more noticeable benefit) on the road are topped by groups of riders chain-ganging. It's very difficult to compete with the speed of a group over any sort of distance.

Besides, it's really not any different to a race or riding a trail. You ride your own bike, which for most of us probably costs less than half some of the top-end machines sharing the start line or trail head with you.

I did a race series this year and yes, it is no different. Those with the high end machines won by a country mile.

I know Strava is meant as just a bit of fun on the side but really once you think about it the numbers are pretty meaningless once you factor in all the variables outside of your actual talent.

The riders on high end bikes are probably sponsored and get those bikes very cheap or free. They would have got to that position through talent and fighting it out on their own cheap bikes first.
I can think of a few riders I have seen get on the podium on rubbish biked who are now sponsored and riding £5k bikes and only marginally faster.
I ride a £3.8k bike and I'm rubbish but I just really like the bike!

bennett_346

RockmonkeySC wrote:

bennett_346 wrote:

YellaBelly wrote:

On the road, some shorter sections you could take the KoM with a solo sprint, but that's going depend more on the rider, and less on the bike (within reason). Any longer Strava sections (where a better bike would offer a more noticeable benefit) on the road are topped by groups of riders chain-ganging. It's very difficult to compete with the speed of a group over any sort of distance.

Besides, it's really not any different to a race or riding a trail. You ride your own bike, which for most of us probably costs less than half some of the top-end machines sharing the start line or trail head with you.

I did a race series this year and yes, it is no different. Those with the high end machines won by a country mile.

I know Strava is meant as just a bit of fun on the side but really once you think about it the numbers are pretty meaningless once you factor in all the variables outside of your actual talent.

The riders on high end bikes are probably sponsored and get those bikes very cheap or free. They would have got to that position through talent and fighting it out on their own cheap bikes first.
I can think of a few riders I have seen get on the podium on rubbish biked who are now sponsored and riding £5k bikes and only marginally faster.
I ride a £3.8k bike and I'm rubbish but I just really like the bike!

You're kinda missing my point, by mistake or intentionally. I'm saying Strava is largely pointless because it doesn't take 4/5ths of the equation into account. Give 2 people the same bike and weather conditions, ground conditions etc etc and the KOM table would be vastly different so what are you really proving to yourself or anyone else by taking part?

rockmonkeysc

I think it makes more sense on road because conditions don't really vary that much. Off road it all changes far too much.
At dh races you often see a few seconds difference between first and second runs as the track either dries or gets rutted and blown out.