Does anyone apart from me just get on their bikes and ride them?

[RegG]

I've been using Strava mainly to record my mileage and to see if I am improving on times although I am not a slave to trying to improve segment times etc. As for speed, there is no way I am going to be as quick as some of the youngsters on hills etc unless I take the car around a route with Strava going!!!

Seriously though, Strava can be very addictive and can spoil the enjoyment of cycling as it used to be.

 

[Justinslow]

What does position chart 1st to 100th mean?
Also what are podiums & segments scores mean?

No idea, looks well smart though

 

[hopless500]

I like to use Strava only to keep a rough idea of my total mileage and where I've been ( like a diary ) not in the slightest bit interested in setting PR,s not that I could anyway

Same here.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I like to use Strava only to keep a rough idea of my total mileage and where I've been ( like a diary ) not in the slightest bit interested in setting PR,s not that I could anyway

A pedant writes: I think a PR is a personal record, ie your own fastest time over a given sector. Therefore you most certainly can set PRs, just by riding somewhere you've not been before.

Nit-pickery aside, I see what you're saying.

I do, however, sometimes find it diverting to see how quickly really fast cyclists go. Looking at a hill that has taken me 10 minutes to struggle up and seeing that a load of super quick riders have done it in four, or some such.

 

[Justinslow]

I was being a bit flippant before, yes I record every ride, some rides I do try and beat my times as a form of training for TT's. Some rides just for fun - with the kids, then we can look back after and see where we've been, look at the stats etc, on a ride at the weekend my son aged 7 did his furthest ride - 10.4 miles, we went as fast as we could on one section (not segment) together and was able to see it on strava and see how fast we went, it's a talking point really. I'm relatively new to cycling so for me strava is huge, I love analysing my ride after and seeing if I've got any top tens anywhere or pr's. I can see how some don't like it as it is quite competitive and in some cases a bit "silly".

 

[SpokeyDokey]

A pedant writes: I think a PR is a personal record, ie your own fastest time over a given sector. Therefore you most certainly can set PRs, just by riding somewhere you've not been before.

Nit-pickery aside, I see what you're saying.

I do, however, sometimes find it diverting to see how quickly really fast cyclists go. Looking at a hill that has taken me 10 minutes to struggle up and seeing that a load of super quick riders have done it in four, or some such.

Same here - where I live there is a steep hill (about 12%) and it takes me about 2.5 mins to get up it. According to Strava someone did it in 23 seconds.

 

[Cush]

I'm with you! Even gave my basic bike computer/speedo away, not really arsed what my average speed is...I know its slow don't need details!
Think I'm just old, but enjoy the simplicity of riding. Only thing I miss is knowing how fast I decend.

Off the bike today and possibly for a few days (taking a "short cut" through some woods with two dogs and a wife yesterday led to a nasty encounter with a group of berserk hornets, which led to a very uncomfortable night with little sleep, that led to an 08:00 visit to the doctor who counted 14 known stings mainly around the rear of the waist line and back of knee and lug hole) I keep a diary and record of my mileage and average speed, because (a) I like to keep these things. (b) If I go on longer trip I can refer back to my latest averages and have an idea of how long it's going to take (useful when you use trains as much as I do and have to book in advance) Other than that I am not bothered if I get scalped by any other rider and I don't have targets. By the way the dogs were scared but not stung much and SWMBO had one nasty sting near the eye that required a trip to the A&E for a check up.

 

[jonny jeez]

I do but not very often. Riding for me generally has a purpose, target, commute, distance or a destination. Occasionally I just ride because the sun is out and I fancy going to sit in the park and watch the tourists...like yesterday.

But riding with a purpose doesn't make it less fun. Heading from London to paris, or perhaps setting a destination like Brighton as a goal is all great fun and.makes a very enjoyable days riding

 

[jonny jeez]

Use to ride just for fun, no logging etc. Then did a sportive or two and got a tracking app on my phone, cycle computer etc. Realised just recently that I now miss the things I used to enjoy about cycling: Dawdling, meandering, looking up in the sky and in the fields as I went past at a gentler pace. So have kept my road bike but have also just gotten a cx bike, so I can hopefully rediscover the rediscovering, if that makes sense?

You should consider a single speed. My limited experience is that mine requires a total mind shift to a different style of riding that is gentle, smooth and hugely enjoyable

 

[Jayaly]

It's a habit for me to use Love to Ride, because I started cycling properly as part of my employer joining in with the annual challenge. I don't pay any attention to speeds, but I do like to see that total mileage number going up as I wean myself off car dependency. I have a target not to drive any distance under 3 miles this year.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Same here - where I live there is a steep hill (about 12%) and it takes me about 2.5 mins to get up it. According to Strava someone did it in 23 seconds.

I wonder how many Strava records have been set using a car or motorcycle?

 

[Mo1959]

I wonder how many Strava records have been set using a car or motorcycle?

..........or ladies on the back of tandems with good male riders up front. There is one around here does this.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I'm really only interested in the calorie burn, the rest is just for shoots and giggles.

 

[400bhp]

I just ride my bike. I just so happen to press start and stop on a garmin.

 

[Hip Priest]

I wonder how many Strava records have been set using a car or motorcycle?

I was surprised to discover I had achieved a KOM on a short but steep local hill. When I saw that my average speed was 26% I realised it must've been a GPS error so made the ride private.