Strava, KOMs

[pjd57]

Some people may also get KOMs because they have the money for very expensive bikes that do most of the work for them.

Kawasaki maybe

 

[Milkfloat]

Some people may also get KOMs because they have the money for very expensive bikes that do most of the work for them.

My last KOM was on a fixed gear, steel framed, do it all bike that cost about £200 to put together. I don't think it is about mopeds.

 

[Welsh wheels]

I was high up on a few leaderboards one year and then the velothon came through and I went from number 20 to 2,000.

 

[Ihatehills]

I'm just chuffed if I make into the top third of a Strava leaderboard. I do have two kom's though, one (that I created) is an 18 Mile loop that starts and finishes kinda close to my house so no one else has ever set a time ( which does surprise me) and one that has only been ridden by 13 others as it's a horribly pointless narrow rat run road that none in their right mind would want to ride on

 

[jarlrmai]

I think you underestimate the speed of local club riders who race, All my KoMs are flat and wind assisted and the 2nd+ places are all strong local riders who did it without the wind I had.

 

[cyberknight]

I have given up on KOM`s because ...
Im too unfit
I am more interested in overall average rather than blasting up a climb and arriving at the top dead
A lot of cyclists ride along my routes
I have a life

 

[mattobrien]

The only Strava segments I am really interested in nowadays are TT courses and setting them while time trialling. I don't go segment hunting and would rather put in a good average speed for the entire ride than blast for a single segment and trundle after that.

Some of my fastest rides on my 21 mile loop have generated no cups or improvement segment places as I have had a consistent pace as opposed to being very quick over a short distance.

IMHO Strava segments are getting to be a little like pretend racing, I think it changes when you pin a number to your back and the pretending stops..

 

[steverob]

Like many here, I have no hope in hell of getting a KOM on a popular segment, so I don't try. Strava segments are all about the PB's for me - I'm only ever racing myself.

Having said that, I do own one KOM, plus also a number of 2nd places, all on segments that haven't been travelled much - all of them have only been done by anywhere between 5 and 40 riders. Though even my KOM I was actually 2nd on for a long time, then the leader must have quit Strava and deleted his profile, gifting me top spot without having to do anything!

 

[srw]

If you want to guarantee a KOM, just create a segment that goes the length of your drive, and make sure your gates are secure. Of course you may have to hire a Dutch road crew to tarmac your drive, or even buy your own country estate with a long drive if you don't have one already - but it's a KOM, right? Nothing is too much for a KOM!

Or you could just get a life.

 

[jarlrmai]

Way back when I was a runner I noticed that my marathon time (just over 4 hours) was roughly double what proper athletes can do (just over two hours) I've since noticed that approximate doubling factor repeated quite frequently. I cruise at a bit over 20km/h; the peloton in the Tour de France cruises at 40-ish km/h. The winner of the recent 24 hour TT managed 850km, which is roughly double the the 400-ish km that I covered in 24 hours recently.

On Strava segments I've noticed that my times are very often double the leader's time (apart from ludicrously short ones where it's more because people are sprinting hell for leather and I'm freewheeling)

So no, I'm not bothered by KoMs!

The astonishing thing is they are not even only twice as good, because it gets polynomially harder as you go faster.

 

[Cronorider]

Road koms tend to be set by lightweight riders with a huge tail wind riding in packs. It is unlikely you will get one, getting in the top 10 on less popular segments is a great achievement.

It is true that for any KOM you will need a tailwind, whether you are going on the flat, uphill, or downhill. KOMs are typically not set by riders in packs though because they are not out there thinking about bagging segments. It's individuals who are out there with the INTENTION of getting the KOM for a particular segment. It takes a lot to get a KOM on anything due to the sheer numbers of riders who are passing over those segments, you need to know exactly where the segment starts and finishes, you have to have intent, you have to have fresh legs and feel good, and if you don't go at your absolute max then forget about it. Many of these segments come down to seconds, just like racing, and really, it is racing.

 

[Kernow Cyclista]

Some of the KOMs round here are held by pro riders like Chris Opie.

 

[helston90]

Some of the KOMs round here are held by pro riders like Chris Opie.

Yep lost one to him the other day (taken them from him in the past too mind) and Steve Lampier who rides for JLT Condor plays host to a lot of my local ones.
Chris has lots of my commute segments, Steve has lots of my leisure segments!

 

[Mr Celine]

My KOM was achieved courtesy of a flood prevention scheme. The route of the original segment no longer exists but if I use the replacement route there seems to be a 50% chance that strava matches me to the original segment.

 

[Kajjal]

My wife managed to hit 52mph on a run,

By leaving her gps watch going once she got into the car.