I don't know whether I like Strava or not

[johnnyb47]

Hi and hope your all well,
Recently I downloaded the Strava app , more through curiosity than anything to be perfectly honest. After a few rides and a hundred or so miles covered ,I do find looking at the data quite interesting and seeing how I compare to other cyclists I have crossed paths with. As I mainly cycle alone ,it is useful to be able to see how I stack up against others.
On the flip side though, I do think that Strava could have a negative impact on my cycling adventures. I've often read plenty of media reports about how strava can become an addiction where cyclists become obsessed with Kom,s ,and checking there phones constantly through the day to see if they have lost out.
Strangely enough I've started to notice small changes in my cycling habits since using strava.
I'm starting to subconsciously push myself harder on the bike to try and beat my personal records on strava.Tonight for instance I cycled 26 miles and averaged just over 18 mph and now feel completely knackered.
It's one of the fastest rides I've ever done. Whilst I feel good about achieving it ,I can honestly say I didn't really enjoy my ride tonight. It was just a blur of slogging away on the drops and not seeing anything of the country side on this wonderful evening. Personally I don't want to end up cycling like this on every ride I do ,as I feel that the point ( for me) about cycling is to unwind at the end of the day and escape the daily drudgery of hectic life at work. With all this said I'm really in two minds as whether to continue to use strava..I do like the data analysis but I also think it's all to easy to become highly competitive with it , which then takes a lot of the enjoyment out of my cycle rides.
Anyway enough of my harping on,s,
Have yourselves a great day tomorrow and stay safe :-) :-),

 

[PeteXXX]

I use Strava to log miles and routes I ride alone or with mates.
The PB’s I get are me against me, but don’t really matter to the wider world.
I do share my rides here on CC with a link, but only if anyone wishes to click on it.

 

[Dave 123]

It's just a bit of fun.
I use it to see what my brothers and others have been up to.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

I use Strava for my own entertainment and to show a few friends where I get to.
It's fun if I beat a time but I'm not out regularly enough to improve much.

 

[derrick]

I use Strava all the time. But depends who i ride with whether i go fast or not. It is good if you want to push yourself
But dont let it control you.

 

[Johnno260]

I use it for seeing my own progress, I honestly don’t care about others stats.

I cycle for fun and fitness so some rides I push myself and others I don’t depends on my mood.

Depends on you, it’s certainly isn’t mandatory, if you think it’s a negative for you then remove it.

 

[13 rider]

I think when you first use Strava you just wont to pr everything but after a while it just becoming a recording tool as you relax about it and realise once you've set a pr in perfect wind asisted conditions you ain't beating it . It's also useful to follow local riders and friends to see where they ride and discover some new routes you may not have considered . Stick with it just don't get obsessed with it

 

[johnnyb47]

Brilliant posts and views on this :-) :-)

 

[Tilley]

I use Ride with GPS as it allows me to sync with my Wahoo cadence and speed sensor without the need to upgrade to premium. Strava required me to upgrade.

 

[fossyant]

Just use it as a means of logging your rides. I've had my life turned upside down by a snapped spine. I just ride my bike with my old Garmin on. I just ride. If I've improved, then the riding is helping. Don't get involved in the 'live' feedback crap, really ???

The Strava 'hot points' or what ever it is called is showing there are people using routes they shouldn't.

I was out with a group of MTB'ers this weekend and one of the lads is a big campaigner locally, but he was saying there are idiots that do check rides and will shame you if you do a 'sneaky short cut' all over Facebook. The guy has worked tirelessly to get a new Tameside MTB Trail network opened. I rode it with him.

You have to respect the environment what ever you do. Use Strava to monitor your personal progress, and to keep in touch with friends.

 

[fossyant]

PS the Strava app on phones is way off what a real GPS device records...

 

[steveindenmark]

The only thing I dont like about Strava is for example. I ride 20km to work at 5am. Nothing special. Its a commute. As soon as the ride appears on strava I am getting kudos from people around the world. People I dont know. Its not kudos. Its a ride to work. I will have to sort my privacy settings out.

 

[PaulSB]

I record and upload all my rides. At the end of the ride I’ll have a quick scan through for PBs and I’m always quietly pleased to get some. I never compare myself with other people. I mainly ride in a group so the only PBs I count are hill climbs - speed on the flats is too easy to achieve tucked on a wheel.

I’m completely unaware of where any segments are located so I’ve no idea where or when I might get a PB until I look at the ride. The only exception to this is three training loops I ride solo which I have as segments for obvious reasons.

I know people who have segments, leaders, PBs etc. on their GPS unit and watch this all the time. I don’t get that. I’m always working too hard to get up the hill to worry. Everyone knows there’s no point in talking to Paul on a climb!!!!!

I’ll happily admit to getting a few seconds pleasure when I receive “kudos” but most people hand this out like confetti so it’s generally meaningless.

Overall just use it if you enjoy it. Otherwise dump it.

 

[mustang1]

I use strava mainly to log distance and routes traveled. I also look at my performance on the ride but am never a slave to it.

 

[bpsmith]

I use Strava and enjoy doing fast rides and trying to better my times, compared to both myself and others too. I also like chilling out on rides and disregarding my speed too. Strangely, some of my best times are done when disregarding the screen. Strava is what you want to make it.

The silly stories you read are generally written by the haters who actually don’t use it. Just because it’s Strava.

Randomly, a lot of the haters hold on to the belief that suffering is part of cycling, but fault to realise that you’re only suffering when pushing the pace faster than you would comfortably do so normally, which is what Strava fans are doing.