Why Would I Want Strava?

finlayson99

Just recently started using the wonderful Garmin Edge 200.

Use Garmin Connect to analyse my rides.

Simple question, why would I want to use Strava.

Seems I am missing something here.

Am I the only person not using it?

Should I give Strava a go, and if so, why?

imposter2.0

finlayson99 wrote:

Should I give Strava a go,

Yes.

finlayson99 wrote:

and if so, why?

So you can answer your own question.

angry_bird

I like the orange colour scheme of Strava. Plus lots of friends use it.

dav1d1

Because you will be wanting to beat your segment times every single time you ride the same route, because what else is there to talk about?

butcher of bakersfield

No harm in giving it a go.

I bet you're addicted within a week.

sloppyschleckonds

Dav1d1 wrote:

Because you will be wanting to beat your segment times every single time you ride the same route, because what else is there to talk about?

Sportifs?

slowbike

It's free - give it a go and see what gives ...

dilatory

Why should we convince you? Try it or don't. What does it matter what strangers think?

bernithebiker

Maybe you should ask the French - they don't use it either.....(much)

ddraver

Long time user of Garmin Connect, Recent convert to Strava

To be honest it does everything Connect does, but usually better and with more. I'm not too interested in the segment stuff as I'm never going to win any of them. The route planner on Strava is outstanding, better than anything else i ve used. Even if you don't log rides on Strava then sign up just for that!

There are apps that swap all your rides from Connect to Strava so now I just upload to Garmin Connect and a few hours later it's on Strava so I have the best of both worlds but having said that, Ive not used Connect for anything else since...

jackc6549

ddraver wrote:

Long time user of Garmin Connect, Recent convert to Strava

To be honest it does everything Connect does, but usually better and with more. I'm not too interested in the segment stuff as I'm never going to win any of .

I 'won' one because the only other person to try it was the segment creator. It was obviously routed to be slightly obscure to follow. he'd held the kom for nearly 3 years, so thought why not.
I only log about half of my rides (sometimes I just leave the gps at home) but usually just use garmin connect, it has all the info I like to know. Strava is good for when you're going somewhere new or up a decent climb as it gives you something to aim (beat your pr) if you feel like killing yourself.

Some people take it far too seriously though, I was in a strava club and most of the members (and some of them really were members) would take log the same ride with a garmin and a iPhone to double the chance of Koms and have double mileage. These were the same people who would chuck their empty bidons on sportives.

IanRCarter

It's the Facebook of cycling. More social features than Garmin Connect - I can see what other people I know are doing during the week and compete against them for segments. Connect now has segments but it's too little too late I think, copying Strava isn't going to make people stop using Strava. It's nice when you feel like you've done a really good ride and see you've beat your PR on a few segments, I find it's a bit more of a boost and evidence that you're improving as a rider. Just don't get hooked on getting KOMs.

cadseen

It gives me an extra interest and encourages me to try harder working on my speed.
Its addictive. PBK are doing offers on Garmin at the moment, thinking of getting one rather than draining my phone battery. :-)

Philby

It's annoying - did an 80 miler yesterday only to get back and find that Strava had drained my phone's battery completely and had only record about half the ride.

Mikey23

Time to get a garmin perhaps...

bartimaeus

Strava is great for 'segments', but it's also great for finding out where other people are riding (Heatmaps, Clubs), and has some great 'social' features. One new beta test feature is 'Flyby' where you get a playback of your ride with all the other riders out at the same time/place as you - with everyone you 'met' highlighted.

Miles253

Strava offers great features that have been around a while and are therefore slick and intuitive. Garmin a Strava sequence features are relatively new, and so have a smaller following and less testing.

finlayson99

Thanks that makes interesting reading.
I like knowing my stats but don't want to get too obsessed. Also interesting comment about it being the Facebook of cycling...I don't use Facebook either :oops:
Thanks for the info, always good to get the low down from people who know.

slowbike

finlayson99 wrote:

Thanks that makes interesting reading.
I like knowing my stats but don't want to get too obsessed.

If you're an obsessive character I would've thought you'd already be on it.

Personally, I log all my rides as it keeps a mileage of the bikes & bits as well as my stats for the rides - I was going to say "performance" but that would suggest that I always go out to ride fast and that's just not the case, nor should it be
Granted, I'll frequently "race" up a hill or along a segment I know - be it 1/2 mile or 10 - it is so I can get a measure of if/how much I'm improving. I've also got two KOMs - used to have 4 but lost 2 - on the odd occasion I'll have a stab at the ones I lost, but one is a short hill climb that I just need to improve and the other is a long flat that really just needs a good wind behind you.

You can use Strava for willy waving - and it's certainly fun to have some competition with your mates but I think it really scores in being able to compare your own stats over segments. Segments give you a better idea of your progress as you can warm up prior to the targeted area rather than go out hard from the start.

bobbygloss

Bartimaeus wrote:

Strava is great for 'segments', but it's also great for finding out where other people are riding (Heatmaps, Clubs), and has some great 'social' features. One new beta test feature is 'Flyby' where you get a playback of your ride with all the other riders out at the same time/place as you - with everyone you 'met' highlighted.

The part in bold is best for me. Look on a fairly blank area of the map, find where there are segments and then look to see how people got there. Or if you ride to a dead end, then make a segment on it and check back later to find out if anyone else has been that way and if they found a logical way through.

southdownswolf

I know that I am never going to be a KOM regular so not too interested in that side of things. However, I do like to compare how I am riding compared to previous rides.
One thing that I am getting more and more interested in is seeing the pro's data from races and training, especially if they have been in a break.

clickrumble

It gives you good news" eg my personal record going up Stoner Hill last week, but it also gives you bad news eg going up Stoner Hill I ranked 855/1356!

drlodge

Use Strava so you can then use Veloviewer!

andyh01

I'm similar to the OP, I have Edge 500 just a fancy speedo and watch I'll eventually would like to get the cadence sensor and having never used Facebook either, I haven't used and therfore don't really use Strava - how can you get access to this - is it a smart phone app? I don't have or intend getting a smart phone any other way to get Strava? Also whats KOM? :oops: :? Thanks Andy

slowbike

Clickrumble wrote:

It gives you good news" eg my personal record going up Stoner Hill last week, but it also gives you bad news eg going up Stoner Hill I ranked 855/1356!

But that's not in context - there's a climb I sometimes do on my way home from work - I don't often get a good time and I'd usually be low in the rankings - but then it is used for a Hill Climb TT so I wouldn't expect to do better than most of them.
So a Strava PR placing of 250/1418 - is that good or bad? Sounds reasonable, until you filter down to known riders who you do rank against and see that you're in the penultimate slot.... but then I haven't TT'd up it yet ...

So your result of 855/1356 going up Stoner Hill - could be good if you were doing a long ride, could be rubbish if you drove out, warmed up and attacked that hill only then went home ... Only you know ...

drlodge

AndyH01 wrote:

I'm similar to the OP, I have Edge 500 just a fancy speedo and watch I'll eventually would like to get the cadence sensor and having never used Facebook either, I haven't used and therfore don't really use Strava - how can you get access to this - is it a smart phone app? I don't have or intend getting a smart phone any other way to get Strava? Also whats KOM? :oops: :? Thanks Andy

You simply "upload" your rides already on your Edge 500 to the Strava website. As an alternative to a Garmin device, most smartphones with the Strava app can record a ride using GPS.

KOM = King of the Mountain (leader of a segment on Strava). QOM = Queen of the Mountian.

drlodge

Slowbike wrote:

So your result of 855/1356 going up Stoner Hill - could be good if you were doing a long ride, could be rubbish if you drove out, warmed up and attacked that hill only then went home ... Only you know ...

Exactly - I find Strava a bit pointless now to comapre me to others, since I pretty much know how I compare to them. Generally on hills I'll be ranked in the top 1/3 e.g. 100th out of 300 and I use that as a benchmark - better than the top 3rd and I know I've done really well.

Now I just use it to see if I've got a better time when I've been trying. Went up Whitedown yesterday and got a PB - yay. Then went up Box Hill and get beaten by a 10 year old kid even tho I got a 2nd/3rd best time up the zig-zag road. :oops:

slowbike

drlodge wrote:

Then went up Box Hill and get beaten by a 10 year old kid even tho I got a 2nd/3rd best time up the zig-zag road. :oops:

I got a 2nd best time on a hill yesterday ... it was only the 3rd time I'd ridden it ... the first time I was just mooching up and down whilst my Dad walked, the second time was a PB on a sportive and yesterday I was with my Dad again ... and he walked ... but he did get a PB !! TBH, I think a snail would've beaten us up the hill ...

markhewitt1978

IanRCarter wrote:

It's the Facebook of cycling. More social features than Garmin Connect -.

I find that's the main use for me. Yes the segments are a nice feature, as is tracking your rides, but it's the interaction with friends, seeing what rides they've done, chatting about it afterwards etc.

If you're not interested in sharing your data with anyone else then Strava probably isn't necessary.

Bozman

It serves a purpose but just don't get to hung up on it and I'd guess that it could be quite demoralising to some people.
I just look on it as a bit of fun, if I do find that I'm reasonably close to a kom I'll probably push myself a little bit harder the next time I use that route.

drlodge

Bozman wrote:

It serves a purpose but just don't get to hung up on it and I'd guess that it could be quite demoralising to some people.
I just look on it as a bit of fun, if I do find that I'm reasonably close to a kom I'll probably push myself a little bit harder the next time I use that route.

I did exactly this - saw I was close to a KOM on quite a long stretch (5 miles) so pushed myself and got it! 3 days later it was taken away and now I'm just in the 10 :oops: