Flagging KOM's

bernithebiker
bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
edited April 2014 in Road general
I just managed to get a KOM on a well known climb in our area, and I was quite chuffed, as I've been training quite hard and been trying to get this one since 2012!

But someone has flagged it, and therefore the whole ride and all segments are invalid.

So OK, it's only Strava and it's just a segment, but it was a long term goal, and the wind has been well and truly knocked out of my sails!

I contested the flag, choosing the 'It's OK you can trust me' option, but the same idiot has reflagged it. So it now goes to Strava for review - I explained it was 100% genuine, with no vehicle involved. Anyone have idea what happens next?
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Comments

  • Colinthecop
    Colinthecop Posts: 996
    You need to find the person who flagged it and challenge him to a fist fight.
  • ednino
    ednino Posts: 684
    Strava won't delete it if it looks genuine

    I flagged one recently as the speed was 43mph up hill :-|
  • VmanF3
    VmanF3 Posts: 240
    I'm not really into flagging segments, someone's created them for a reason I guess - but I found one yesterday in Portsmouth that went over a frigging footbridge! KOM has it 32.5mph and 15s!!!
    Big Red, Blue, Pete, Bill & Doug
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    VmanF3 wrote:
    I'm not really into flagging segments, someone's created them for a reason I guess - but I found one yesterday in Portsmouth that went over a frigging footbridge! KOM has it 32.5mph and 15s!!!

    OK, but that's different; if the segment is clearly dangerous then it might be justified to flag it.

    But what has been flagged here is my whole ride, specifically the KOM.

    But it's OK, I can sleep easy, Strava has looked at it and given it the green light.

    And yes, Colin, I would love to have a 'chat' with the kn0b who flagged it*.

    *twice
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    Shifty lot the French!
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    Mikey23 wrote:
    Shifty lot the French!

    Yeah, just watch your back and keep your speed under control on Friday!!
  • Buckie2k5
    Buckie2k5 Posts: 600
    just create the segment again ;)
  • Speckled
    Speckled Posts: 97
    was you notified it was flagged, or did you just spot it?
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    Speckled wrote:
    was you notified it was flagged, or did you just spot it?

    I spotted the little red flag next to it and saw that all my kms had been cancelled quite quickly, but I did get an email too a bit later.

    Whoever it was must be watching Strava 24/7 as it was flagged within less than 30 minutes.

    The 2nd place guy who would have received the 'Uh oh' email denies it was him, and I believe him, as he's a pro, and could take the KOM back quite happily I'm sure.
  • gotwood25
    gotwood25 Posts: 314
    bernithebiker wrote:
    VmanF3 wrote:
    I'm not really into flagging segments, someone's created them for a reason I guess - but I found one yesterday in Portsmouth that went over a frigging footbridge! KOM has it 32.5mph and 15s!!!

    OK, but that's different; if the segment is clearly dangerous then it might be justified to flag it.

    But what has been flagged here is my whole ride, specifically the KOM.

    But it's OK, I can sleep easy, Strava has looked at it and given it the green light.

    And yes, Colin, I would love to have a 'chat' with the kn0b who flagged it*.

    *twice

    Best guess as to the flagger would be the person who you took it off. Typically they are the only people alerted and so are made aware of someone else's run, otherwise it would mean someone going out of there way looking at your rides which I would assume no one would do.
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    @bernie... Don't think I will be ruffling any KOM feathers on Friday!
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    There's two issues here. Flagging the segment itself as hazardous, and flagging the ride because it was done in a vehicle etc.
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    Strava world is weird. I got kudos / followed yesterday by some Spanish guy who only uses Strava for running. Why? Therefore, don't rule out having some weird stalker who has just been waiting to flag any KOM you get for no apparent reason!
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/41991871@N ... otostream/
  • Moonbiker
    Moonbiker Posts: 1,706
    Link to the KOM?
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I've flagged a couple of rides/runs that were clearly done in cars or bikes. When you're doing 30+mph uphill - its not a bike. When you're running faster than the half marathon world record pace - you're not on foot.

    There is a shared footpath by us that had sections on it. There was a fuss over people racing past and there was a danger the footpath could be closed to bikes - so the sections on there were taken away.

    Why flag a genuine KOM though ? I've seen flat routes over busy roundabouts taken away - that makes sense - but up a hill ? Hmmm.
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    cougie wrote:
    I've flagged a couple of rides/runs that were clearly done in cars or bikes. When you're doing 30+mph uphill - its not a bike. When you're running faster than the half marathon world record pace - you're not on foot.

    There is a shared footpath by us that had sections on it. There was a fuss over people racing past and there was a danger the footpath could be closed to bikes - so the sections on there were taken away.

    Why flag a genuine KOM though ? I've seen flat routes over busy roundabouts taken away - that makes sense - but up a hill ? Hmmm.

    The speed up this hill is not exceptional - 32km/h, I think, so clearly, you could drive it a lot faster than that. It's also quite short, only 1.1km, so ripe for flat out blasting, and I had a medium tailwind.

    I know there are one or two locals that don't like the fact that some English bloke has, on occasion, taken a KOM off them. For me, this is just a bit of spiteful tit for tat.
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    Moonbiker wrote:
    Link to the KOM?

    Here ya go;

    http://www.strava.com/activities/121810403
  • gotwood25
    gotwood25 Posts: 314
    bernithebiker wrote:
    Moonbiker wrote:
    Link to the KOM?

    Here ya go;

    http://www.strava.com/activities/121810403

    Bah you are mixing it with some pro's there mind!
  • Moonbiker
    Moonbiker Posts: 1,706
    Very good KOM congrats

    Im to slow to get any KOM's yet :oops:
  • guinea
    guinea Posts: 1,177
    I'm targeting a KOM on my commute. It's pretty competitive with a whole bunch of riders between 2.00 and 2.10. A couple of weeks ago a guy did it in 1.29 with an average of 62kph.

    While it's maybe possible that he could have done it, he only cycled about 60km this year and his avatar is a mountain bike.

    He's either a great troll or a cheat.

    Anyway, I can't work out how to flag the ride. I can see list of his recent activity and his yearly totals, but I can't find a place to view his ride and flag it. How do you do it?
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    gotwood25 wrote:
    bernithebiker wrote:
    Moonbiker wrote:
    Link to the KOM?

    Here ya go;

    http://www.strava.com/activities/121810403

    Bah you are mixing it with some pro's there mind!

    Indeed, which is always fun.

    Trouble is, I suspect he was somewhat relaxed going up there, whereas I was absolutely on the limit, and tasted blood when I got to the top!

    Plus, he could probably then do 200km at 40kph, whereas I limped 30k home at 30!
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    guinea wrote:
    I'm targeting a KOM on my commute. It's pretty competitive with a whole bunch of riders between 2.00 and 2.10. A couple of weeks ago a guy did it in 1.29 with an average of 62kph.

    While it's maybe possible that he could have done it, he only cycled about 60km this year and his avatar is a mountain bike.

    He's either a great troll or a cheat.

    Anyway, I can't work out how to flag the ride. I can see list of his recent activity and his yearly totals, but I can't find a place to view his ride and flag it. How do you do it?

    You flag the ride not the segment so you load up his ride page, then click the spanner icon on the left and choose flag.
  • guinea
    guinea Posts: 1,177
    I can't load his rides. I can see his KOMs in his recent achievements, but none have links.

    Nothing in his calendar of activities is clickable. I guess he's made them private.
  • Graeme Jones
    Graeme Jones Posts: 361
    I had my first KOM flagged continuously and I put a complaint in to strava which reinstated it. For me I can only see it being one of your followers that you've probably told about it and expressed how made up you are or the person you took it from.
    I mentioned it on the club Facebook page and it turned in to a right heated debate because I went out to target this segment they all felt it was poor conduct to do so. Which got me thinking it was one of the club.
    I hadn't been enjoying the club rides and was thinking about leaving the club as it wasn't meeting my needs roses often averaging 14mph zzzzz (in a group) so this was the straw that broke the camels back.
    Someones jealousy took over them when I had expressed how made up I was taking my first KOM. I deleted all club followers uprated all security functions and now my KOM list is like 10 more this year with non flagged.
    Bit sad really. :cry:
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Graeme Jones wrote:
    ] I went out to target this segment they all felt it was poor conduct to do so. Which got me thinking it was one of the club.

    It's not at all. If you're fastest over the segment then you're fastest and that's it. They may have the right to complain if you were deliberately motor paced (for example) but not otherwise.

    Most KOMs I see which aren't for hard climbs are gained through windy conditions (like we are having now!), but any rider can make use of those conditions so it's fair.
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    markhewitt1978 wrote:
    Graeme Jones wrote:
    ] I went out to target this segment they all felt it was poor conduct to do so. Which got me thinking it was one of the club.

    It's not at all. If you're fastest over the segment then you're fastest and that's it. They may have the right to complain if you were deliberately motor paced (for example) but not otherwise.

    Most KOMs I see which aren't for hard climbs are gained through windy conditions (like we are having now!), but any rider can make use of those conditions so it's fair.

    +1

    People seem to get very protective over their KOM's which is a bit silly really. ANYONE is entitled to have a crack at ANY KOM, ANYTIME they like.

    I lose them on a regular basis, so I just go and try and get them back again. One guy complained that I had retaken one '"too soon" after he got it!!!! But hey, if the wind's good that day, then why not?!

    The trick is to try and win more than you lose!

    Age is catching up with me however, and as time goes on, my list will surely dwindle to nothingness....!
  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    Don't you just love what Strava brings to cycling :lol:
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • dilatory
    dilatory Posts: 565
    Strava needs two things for the KOM system to be almost perfect in my opinion.

    Firstly. Every result needs to have a wind direction + speed arrow next to it. Something like xcweather do. So you know how wind assisted it really was.

    Secondly and by far the more important I think is it needs monthly resets, not just to remain competitive, but to clear things out and give people incentive to get out and ride hard again.
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    dilatory wrote:
    Strava needs two things for the KOM system to be almost perfect in my opinion.

    Firstly. Every result needs to have a wind direction + speed arrow next to it. Something like xcweather do. So you know how wind assisted it really was.

    Secondly and by far the more important I think is it needs monthly resets, not just to remain competitive, but to clear things out and give people incentive to get out and ride hard again.
    two very good points there dilatory, especially the monthly reset, i could see a few on here out at midnight on the 31st of the month though just to get top of that leader board :wink:
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    Folk mention the wind as an assist, what about a group?
    If you look at a lot of segment top tens there are quite often 4,5 or 6 riders with roughly the same time on the same date/time. If you're riding solo the wind will probably give you about as much assistance as if you were riding in a group of riders.

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