E-bike Cheats

[AlBaker]

So why are you bothered that people are "cheating" on it?

I wasn't. I was talking about cheats in general. "Why do people cheat?"

 

[wiggydiggy]

I wasn't. I was talking about cheats in general. "Why do people cheat?"

Then why is your opening post this, and the thread called "E-bike Cheats" 🤔 ?

So many e-bikers who cheat and claim they were riding pedal bikes. Why do people cheat?

Strava E-bike Cheats

 

[Jenkins]

I can get to pathetic 28 seconds quicker than you.

Yes, but it's not on Strava and therefore never happened.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I wonder if Strava segments are running out of steam?

All of the really prestigious ones (Huez, Ventoux etc) will be totally owned by pros. And the same story will be repeated for less famous ones and top amateurs and club riders. With the passage of time fast riders will have covered most of them, and the space for new ones will have reduced. The opportunites for a fit but unexceptional rider to take a KoM other than obscure ones must be dwindling.

I'm just speculating. I've never been a big Strava user even though I've had an account for years and use it occasionally.

I wonder if the rise of e-bikes, and the fact that people can't be arsed to mess around classifying their rides might just be another nail in the coffin of "competing with strangers on the web".

There's still plenty of scope for competing with yourself, or with friends.

 

[PaulSB]

I'd hazard a guess that a significant proportion of e-bike rides that are not classified as such on Strava aren't dastardly attempts to cheat. They have simply been uploaded and the rider has not reclassified them because they don't know they are supposed to, or they forgot to, or they don't know how to, or - most probably - they just don't care.

Similarly, the "1.6 million activities suspected to have happened in vehicles" referenced in the article aren't people desperate to impress the world with their cycling prowess. Mostly they just left the GPS recording in the car.

Anyway, I still have my utterly fraudulent "70km/h" KoM bwahahaha.

Yes, I think you're very probably right. I still have my carbon summer road bike as the default on my account. I've been riding my titanium winter bike for three months. Every time I upload a ride I have to remember to switch the bike I used. I often forget. Then I think to myself, next time I have the laptop open I must change that and promptly forget. Not being able to change defaults in the app is a real PIA.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I wonder if Strava segments are running out of steam?

They ought to reverse it. The person with the slowest time for a segment is KOM / QOM. You will have swathes of cyclists trying to ride up hills as slow as possible, and stay upright.

 

[Mike_P]

Part of the issue is a headset always uploads to Strava as ride and the user had to amend it to e-bike ride unless Strava immediately suspects it is an ebiked ride. Also e-bike ride segments are scarce. There was a workround whereby an ebiked ride could be copied as an e-bike ride segment but that stopped working ages ago and still left the user having to alter the activity category. Think all my pedelec rides are in the e-bike ride section.

 

[Dogtrousers]

They ought to reverse it. The person with the slowest time for a segment is KOM / QOM. You will have swathes of cyclists trying to ride up hills as slow as possible, and stay upright.

I do that anyway

 

[Dadam]

I've had ebike rides automatically logged as "ride" before, relying on me (a) noticing and (b) caring enough to go in and change it, but it seems to have changed and they tend to default to ebike now. Don't know what the criteria are but in my case all rides are logged on Garmin Connect first, then the integration pushes them through to Strava.

I used to have an ebike KOM, on a short track near me. I don't think it's well known. Looks like I'm still second on it though. Interestingly all the top ten times average less than 15.5 mph, so either the illegal ebike crew don't use it or they're not that used to off-road riding and don't gun it much.

 

[freiston]

People who use Strava competitively deserve to be cheated on until it drives them to enter a real race or they learn how not to give AF.

Anyone who doesn't use Strava but still gives AF about Strava "cheats" probably reads the Daily Mail.

 

[Dogtrousers]

You know an idea is past its best when the Daily Telegraph notices it and trumpets it as the latest thing. That happened in May 2024 when the Telegraph discovered segments and blurted "52mph in a 20mph zone: How cyclists are turning UK roads into death traps!" (Cries of Shame! and Disgraceful! )

Strava does have its uses. I have friends/ acquaintances who post activities on there and I occasionally send kudos or add a comment just to say hi. And if I ever do a particularly special or interesting ride I upload it.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Strava does have its uses. I have friends/ acquaintances who post activities on there

A version that doesn't publish speeds. Is better privacy focused. Tracks other stuff, such as ”Dog trousers has cycled 4 times this month, and his typical ride is a couple of hours”. Would be better for many.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Think how much harder you could work on just a bike On the same routes. I have yet yet to see any e biker working hard when out on the bike. They are mostly like those on exercise nikes at gym, talking to a mate on their phones.

But, as I have said a few times, I don;t ride to "work out"

I ride in the lowest assist level (Eco) so I dont get a lot of extra assist but it means that I can go a bit faster and further - and the ride is more pleasurable

So the possibility of "working out harder" is pointless to me
and might well make little difference as the motor provides some resistance when it is off - not much - but i have no idea how much
I did hire a Raleigh Pioneer a few years ago in Cornwall and I was pleased to see that I could ride it easily, even up hills

based on that I think it is likely that the Assist means I can go further in the same time - and hence reach more interesting places - for the same effort


Oh - and when I reach hills - I leave the assist as it is and just deal with it

All the above is based on how I feel - at time I feel short of breath (and similar) due to health problems - which is the only time I put the Assist level up

 

[Gwylan]

I'd claim the fastest recorded time for Tin Shop Hill but nobody else cares, knows it.
Combined with School Hill, Luddenhm makes a taxing circuit.
Don't try it near school time the yummies in their battle cruisers will wipe you out.
But I don't really know what Strava is. Certainly not buying anything else this week.

 

[Boopop]

What a daft thread title. It seems pretty simple to me:
1. Strava segments are light hearted. You can get pulled along by a bungee from a car, you can dose yourself up with drugs, you can ride an illegal electric motorbike. The existing KOM could be in terrible weather conditions and then you take the KOM in perfect conditions with a 30mph tailwind. If you're taking Strava segments as seriously as you seem to be then...
2. Take up racing. You'll have lots of rules to follow, you'll be competing on a more like for like basis (excluding bikes, genetic lottery, time spent training).

Seriously, of all the things going on in the world, what exercises your mind is "Strava cheats"? OK pal.