Strava cheats

[Drago]

What is?

Competitive social media.

 

[Mugshot]

Competitive social media.

It's not obligatory to join them.

 

[Venod]

I would vote for all those who sit and cycle in their living room during winter and then post it as a ride.

I record all my turbo rides on Strava, I like to compare my times with my real life efforts, I have ridden the Holme Moss climb a lot of times in real life and all my turbo times have been slower going up, but quicker coming down (no worries about bends pot holes or traffic) I also have ridden the Stelvio on the turbo (but not in real life) 2hours 42min for 16.8 mile uphill, I won't be doing that one often.

I have taken downhill KOM's on the turbo but never uphill ones (I have uphill ones in real life) if I take a KOM on the turbo I remove myself from the leader boards.

I stopped using Strava for most of last spring/summer but am now using it again now I am back on the turbo, I think you should use it how you like and not take it too seriously.

Its the same with Zwift a great platform if you like that sort of thing but don't take it too seriously.

 

[macky]

I’ve lost running crowns to cyclists umpteen times.
I can’t understand why they title them as “run to work” when it’s clear they’ve peddled.
Lost a title the other day and the chap titled it “first run this year” he’d run 32mile at an average 3:55min per mile.
Breaking world records at 1mile, 5km, 10km, 10m, half marathon and full marathon. I don’t flag them, I leave them for their mates to take the p155 out of them.
I had a cycling one taken off once. There’s a nice down hill section near me and it’s been relayed using super smooth tarmac. I managed 39mph but it got accused of using a car. Funny though as there’s average cameras along that road and limit is 30mph. I put that down to jealously.

 

[Drago]

It's not obligatory to join them.

Damn straight it ain't.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Unless there's a cycle path/road running alongside the railway I suspect all times will be on the train, unless someone has risked life & limb cycling along the tracks

My wife used to use strava to record horse rides & would often forget to stop recording when she got back into the horsebox Don't think any of her 'rides' were flagged as she doesn't drive that fast although we have his & hers matching Koms/Qoms on one segment, but my time is quicker than hers 30.3mph v 25.9mph

I spent a while chasing KOMs a couple of years ago, but found it taking some of the enjoyment out of cycling, so now just cycle for enjoyment & don't give a rats ass about what time / ave speed I'm running at, good luck to those that do though

amen to the last comment ! I got caught up early on in Strava, on besting everything round about that I could, fun at the time I suppose. However I do not bother anymore, save my energy on the bike so I can run

 

[Mile195]

I quite like Strava, and find it a useful motivational tool. If I'm 50/50 about going out for a ride, the thought that "strava is watching" helps sway me the other way. In reality, nobody on Strava is watching, and no-one really cares whether I cycle or take the motorbike to work that day and I know that. However, it still makes me put in a few more miles than I might otherwise do where the weather's a bit rubbish or something.
I don't, however, chase KOM's. I'm quicker than most commuters, but nothing like quick enough to take a KOM on any of the high-use roads that I, and presumably also lots of very much faster people, use regularly.
I find a much better gauge of performance is looking at the leaderboard of a given segment for that particular day. That way you know you were all riding under the same conditions - traffic, wind, temperature etc.

Personally I don't think Strava should hold "all time" leader boards at all. I really think any best time should drop off a public leaderboard after a rolling year. It becomes irrelevant who was in the top 10, five years ago. They may well have set it in car, ridden it with an 80 mph tailwind, or since given up cycling, or possibly even died (or a combination of the four). Dropping off after a year might stop some of the arguments too.

 

[Lee_M]

Try being old and unfit. I think my highest position anywhere is about 250th.

I just measure against myself. Much less stressful

 

[Drago]

Try being old and unfit. I think my highest position anywhere is about 250th.

I just measure against myself. Much less stressful

Exactly! Its pointless that a 260lb 193cm 49 year old male like me gets uppity because some 25 year old 5'7" racing snake went faster than me. I use Garmin to record rides, and don't partake at all in any befriending of others or competitive riding. As I get older its harder to keep up with my younger self, and that's all the incentive I need.

 

[vickster]

I do have a handful of QOMs but most from a few years ago when I was fitter and lighter! Round here there are so many cyclists and indeed clubs using the roads I ride on, getting anywhere on notable segments as a lone rider is extremely unlikely. A top half is pretty good tbh!

I’m never actually going to be fastest up any hill so QoM is a misnomer in my case anyhow

 

[steveindenmark]

I also have ridden the Stelvio on the turbo (but not in real life) 2hours 42min for 16.8 mile uphill, I won't be doing that one often.

How many motorbikes, tour coaches and fools with caravans tried to kill you on the hairpins? If they dont add those in, its not very realistic.

Thinking about that. I think you may have found a better way to ride Stelvio.

 

[bpsmith]

Im sat laughing at this. I love the Strava wars.

I am not a paid up member but like to use it to keep in touch with guys i know in foreign parts. They are very serious ultra distance riders. But we use it to post photos of the best cake we can find.

But if you do want Strava cheats. I would vote for all those who sit and cycle in their living room during winter and then post it as a ride. I am sure I could ride 50km in my living room every night. Its a bit different after a days work when it is pitch black, belting with rain and freezing cold.

Someone was telling me how they had climbed Stelvio at the weekend. I told them not to be daft. I know its covered in snow at this time of the year.

That’s the big tgat I find most interesting. The guy has climbed the Stelvio “virtually” and may well have put more effort in than someone who ventured outside, yet he’s ridiculed.

We gently rib a mate who uses Zwift to do very specific training plans ready for the next step towards qualifying for the Kona Iron Man. He’s used it to get through 2 Iron Man competitions already. Strangely enough he didn’t fall over as soon as he ventured out into the “real world” and has certainly gained hugely in his fitness over the past year.

Who’s laughing I wonder?

 

[bpsmith]

There’s leaderboards for Current Year as well as All Time remember.

 

[steveindenmark]

That’s the big tgat I find most interesting. The guy has climbed the Stelvio “virtually” and may well have put more effort in than someone who ventured outside, yet he’s ridiculed.

We gently rib a mate who uses Zwift to do very specific training plans ready for the next step towards qualifying for the Kona Iron Man. He’s used it to get through 2 Iron Man competitions already. Strangely enough he didn’t fall over as soon as he ventured out into the “real world” and has certainly gained hugely in his fitness over the past year.

Who’s laughing I wonder?

I dont know. Who is laughing? Like you say. It is gentle ribbing. Nobody is being ridiculed.

Strava is a training device and we are all allowed to use it as we wish. But only if you have a sense of humour.

 

[steveindenmark]

I resent that. It's grumpyist.

Report it to the mods