I don't know whether I like Strava or not

[Heltor Chasca]

I felt this addiction when I first started useing Strava, but soon enough the novelty wore off and I find I don’t need to chase my PBs, other cyclists or KOMs (which I’ll never get anyhoo) I don’t deny that I feel a sense of achievement when I get issued with new medals and cups from the virtual podium that is Strava.

I like seeing my own stats and I like getting fitter, because those long, scenic rides will be so much less of a chore and I can enjoy the sights, sounds and the experience of the ride.

Now go and get Veloviewer for even more stats! It tells me I am currently in Krasnodar in Russia. (The distance I have cycled)

 

[rivers]

I use strava as a way to track my rides and plan routes. I'm not too fussed about QOMs, although I do enjoy getting a PB.

 

[Johnno260]

I like seeing my own stats and I like getting fitter, because those long, scenic rides will be so much less of a chore and I can enjoy the sights, sounds and the experience of the ride.

this is me at the moment, I'm just happy to be out, and it was so nice being out at 6am this morning, I didn't pay any attention to the screen at all, I was just happy to trundle along and enjoy the scenery.

when I got back I took a look at me stats, but that's to gauge where my fitness is compared to last year and I have some work to do my main thing I like is my avg speed to be 15mph or more but it's lower, I won't stress about it though as I'm just enjoying being in the saddle.

 

[si_c]

I don't spend a huge amount of time staring at my GPS screen when out and about riding, but I do use it to track pretty much every ride. Partly because I'm calorie tracking as part of trying to lose weight, and partly because I like to know how far I've ridden, how that compares to last year, whether or not I'm getting faster, or climbing more hills. I also track ride intensity through an HRM.

None of these things, for me, detract from enjoying the ride itself, I like getting out in the nice weather and going for a ride, but I do like to do post-game analysis if you will.

 

[graham bowers]

I started using Strava mainly so my brother and I could see what we'd each been up to and still do. Then I got Veloviewer and have begun the explorer max square / cluster / tiles game. The main reason for getting in to that is if takes me to places I haven't been before.
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/velo-viewer.211957/

 

[bpsmith]

I like looking at the stats, especially when I find a particular ride more of a challenge than expected. I look at the times set on that specific day and it often explains why. Usually wind or temperature related.

 

[fixedfixer]

Sometimes after a ride you feel knacked and think you were slow today - and are then pleasently surprised by Strava. Privacy settings to private. Only share what you want to with who you want to.

 

[nickAKA]

KOMs are but a distant dream for me but it's nice to know I'm definitely not the slowest person cycling in the locality
There are a couple of segments I'm battling it out over personal PBs (rather than actual KOMs) with mates but I find that motivating. I was genuinely chuffed for a mate who did a massive PB on a local climb in a ride together last week, there's no actual rivalry / antipathy in it, but it is great for motivating each other.

I like to try a new route, soft pedal it taking in the scenery whilst learning the terrain then go back to it & compare the effort on strava. I'm also 'in training' (aren't we all) for a 120 mile ride so it's dead handy for tracking your fitness improvements rather than getting all het-up about how you compare to comparative athletes.

 

[bpsmith]

I like to aim for KOM’s on flat and downhill as much as the uphill segments. Some people argue that you can’t have a KOM on a downhill, but it’s just terminology that keeps a standard for the best time.

Races are won and lost going downhill as much as up, so why not have some fun downhill. Especially if you’re not particularly heavy, as it’s rather hard work not having gravity give the same gains.

 

[Alan O]

Planning routes, tracking routes, keeping a record of my rides and distances... that's what I use it for. I'm not interested in speed.

 

[si_c]

Planning routes, tracking routes, keeping a record of my rides and distances... that's what I use it for. I'm not interested in speed.

I'd forgotten about planning routes, the router planner on Strava is simply excellent, I find it works better than any of the others that I've used.

 

[Sixmile]

I just realised today that you can't undo a 'kudos' on Strava. I accidentally gave someone kudos while I was scrolling through and realised that it can't be undone. Not a big deal, but I do now look like a stalker!

 

[Alan O]

I'd forgotten about planning routes, the router planner on Strava is simply excellent, I find it works better than any of the others that I've used.

What's really great is it knows where all the cycle paths are, not just roads (well, mostly). The only glitch I've found is that occasionally it won't let you move from one path to another or across open ground, and tries to backtrack round roads instead.

 

[bpsmith]

I just realised today that you can't undo a 'kudos' on Strava. I accidentally gave someone kudos while I was scrolling through and realised that it can't be undone. Not a big deal, but I do now look like a stalker!

Isn’t that what you were doing though?

Edit: Giving Kudos just legitimises it.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I suppose it's OK if you just use it to log data, but with a lot of cyclists it seems to develop into a bit of an obsessive-compulsive thing, which is not good at all. One thing to bear in mind is that a lot of people cheat so an honest cyclist might be chasing a performance figure logged by someone else who wasn't doing it entirely through human effort - such as using an e-bike. It's like a "clean" competitor in some tough physical sport trying to compare themselves to someone who cheats and takes steroids. Unless you can cut out the cheating and create a level playing field, the results mean nothing.