Strava question.

[Alex321]

Nice trick, lol. We also have the "wind dopers" which I mentioned.

I've done that.

Not managed a KOM yet doing so, but have got wind assisted PBs.

I also wonder how many Strava nuts go out at the crack of dawn to avoid traffic. Maybe even go out at daft o'clock at night, though you'd have to be pretty ballsy to go full gas at night!

If you know the road, you can often ride faster at night, because headlights will let you know if there is something coming the other way.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Speaking of "wind dopers," I got two low hanging fruit ebike KOMs yesterday evening, wasn't trying in the slightest but blown to #1 spot. 🤷

The more often you ride a segment, the more likely your quickest time will be from a tailwind rather than your best power effort.

 

[esoxlucius]

I've done that.

Not managed a KOM yet doing so, but have got wind assisted PBs.



If you know the road, you can often ride faster at night, because headlights will let you know if there is something coming the other way.

The thing I was looking at earlier regarding Strava had some funny tales from extreme Strava riders. Everything was perfect for them pre ride, the stars aligned, they set off and the wind changed half way through their effort! Lol. They knew that was it so just went home in a sulk, lol.

Others were flying, bang on target for a KOM, and then came across a set of temporary traffic lights which had suddenly appeared. Same again, stopped and went home in a huff, lol.

All sorts of unforeseen things can happen. If you're in the zone and gunning for a PB you'd be gutted wouldn't you?

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

There are some segments around here on narrow paths with unsighted corners

and the best time is an average of about 30 mph

which is basically just dangerous unless it is a closed track

which it never is

and not pros on a race or training because it is not that sort of place

 

[esoxlucius]

I'm in the infant stages of my Strava experience. But the thing I'm already realising is that it is a good tool as long as you don't take it too seriously and not go out of your way to compete with others. Like someone said right from the off, just do your own thing. Good advice.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Yeah - great for looking at your own rides

not a good idea if you see the segments as competitions and HAVE to improve againts someone you don;t know and whose equipment could be anything
including a 500cc engine!!

at elast you can delete bits of rides if you forget it switch it off and go out in the car after

on another site I did a ride of 10,000 miles because the GPS thought I was starting someone a few hundred miles south of the Bering Strait
and went direct to a canal south of Warrington!!!
I managed to delete most of it - but I still have a few achievement badges that even the owners can;t find a way to delete!!

 

[esoxlucius]

on another site I did a ride of 10,000 miles because the GPS thought I was starting someone a few hundred miles south of the Bering Strait
and went direct to a canal south of Warrington!!!

Jeesh! I'd want a good tail wind for that ride!!

 

[HLaB]

There are some segments around here on narrow paths with unsighted corners

and the best time is an average of about 30 mph

which is basically just dangerous unless it is a closed track

which it never is

and not pros on a race or training because it is not that sort of place

I agree a lot of segments are stupid and dangerous. Some short segments though whilst still stupid and dangerous will have an average of say 30mph but a max of 28mph. The shorter, the more stupid. I think on the back road back home on the 2 sec 'Speed Trap' segments, I'm an average of 233mph with a max of 32mph!

 

[esoxlucius]

Another interesting thing (to me anyway as I don't have the info on my basic cycle computer) is that Strava gives me the actual gradient of the various places I go.

There are some very short and steep "walls" dotted all over the place in my area and I like to have a go at them from time to time. However, some of these "walls", given the Strava figures, can't be considered walls at all really, just quite steep.

One particular 200 metre section I ride up quite frequently, the steepest one I do, I estimated that it must be over 20% gradient. The Strava data puts it at about 17%. Still a fair old climb but watching the vuelta the other day on the Angliru, really gives you a good perspective on what the climbs the pros are dealing with, real "walls". I think 23% gradient was mentioned on the steepest part of that beast. Ouch!

 

[PaulSB]

Another interesting thing (to me anyway as I don't have the info on my basic cycle computer) is that Strava gives me the actual gradient of the various places I go.

There are some very short and steep "walls" dotted all over the place in my area and I like to have a go at them from time to time. However, some of these "walls", given the Strava figures, can't be considered walls at all really, just quite steep.

One particular 200 metre section I ride up quite frequently, the steepest one I do, I estimated that it must be over 20% gradient. The Strava data puts it at about 17%. Still a fair old climb but watching the vuelta the other day on the Angliru, really gives you a good perspective on what the climbs the pros are dealing with, real "walls". I think 23% gradient was mentioned on the steepest part of that beast. Ouch!

I can't comment on the accuracy or otherwise of Strava gradients. As you're a new user you probably aren't aware that how some of these software packages and hardware define as climbs is a bit of a mystery. See my example below.

I recently went on 63 mile, 4400 feet with a friend. She likes to have the route on her top of the range Garmin. She also likes to switch on all the information stuff, climbs, gradients etc. I sent her the route with the comment there are four climbs.

We set off, after two climbs I commented on the lines of "two down, two to go". My buddy said "my Garmin says there are 11 climbs on the ride, 9 to do". I listed the climbs and conceded the 5/6% 0.3 mile section about 1 mile from home is a climb, after 60 miles it's harsh ( on the ride my time was 5:35, my PB is 2:50). During the ride my companion shouted the climbs the Garmin was showing. Well!! 1.5 miles/3.5% with one short 100 yard kick, 1.6.2.8%, 0.7/3.4%, 0.7/2.8% and so on. I'm not a fantastic climber, when go on a hilly/rolling ride this is what we expect to encounter.

I don't understand software packages define a climb, it doesn't match my idea of one. You're over Bacup way. I'd say the Bacup road out of Todmorden towards Bacup is a climb or the climbs around Barley, Roughlee, Downham, The Nick, the road up to the Singing Ringing Tree, etc. Those are climbs, absolute buggers to get up.

 

[esoxlucius]

I'd say the Bacup road out of Todmorden towards Bacup is a climb or the climbs around Barley, Roughlee, Downham, The Nick, the road up to the Singing Ringing Tree, etc. Those are climbs, absolute buggers to get up.

Yes, if I've done a fair bit of mileage and I'm on my way back home to Bacup I purposely avoid coming back from Todmorden or Burnley, especially the Todmorden route as you mentioned. My already tired legs don't like those roads at all. I'll try and plan my route back via the Rochdale or Rawtenstall way to Bacup.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

did a ride yesterday and it turns out that I did my 2nd best time on one segment

it is one I have done many many times
but the number registered on the segment is probably less that 1/4 of the actual times I have done it

in this case I did it faster than most - but it was just a wandering along sort of ride
no speed at any point

I didn;t notice a tail wind but maybe

just shows how useless segments are

the best time is probably because it was the right weather and no-one else was on the path
not because the rider was better

 

[Alex321]

did a ride yesterday and it turns out that I did my 2nd best time on one segment

it is one I have done many many times
but the number registered on the segment is probably less that 1/4 of the actual times I have done it

in this case I did it faster than most - but it was just a wandering along sort of ride
no speed at any point

I didn;t notice a tail wind but maybe

just shows how useless segments are

the best time is probably because it was the right weather and no-one else was on the path
not because the rider was better

It doesn't show how useless segments are at al. It shows that segment times aren't as useful as you might think, but even there, it is more so than you are suggesting.

If you think you have done the segment a lot more than it shows, then either the segment doesn't start (or end) exactly where you think, and you have sometimes joined or left it other than at the start or end, or the segment starts or finishes very close to the boundary for where it cuts off rides for privacy. As the exact position of the boundary varies randomly (to make it hard to triangulate your home position), that means that the segment will not be shown except when it is all outside the boundary for that ride.

 

[esoxlucius]

Who comes up with the segments? Is it just down to the Strava algorithm where it will pick up on a very well travelled road and throw a few random segments along the way to make things interesting for riders?

Or is it down to riders to enter the road details and then their attempt will be logged by Strava? It will then remain on its system. If this is the case then I suspect only the users who pay the premium can do this. I get the free version and I don't think I can make up my own route.

Also, many of the segments on my little maps have no rhyme or reason to them. Some of them are say, from one roundabout to another one, which makes sense, one landmark to another where you can physically see the start and end point. Others just start and finish randomly along stretches of road! The start/finish points are a little vague, which is what @Alex321 is referring to I believe.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Anyone can try and create a segment from a ride they've uploaded to Strava, using the desktop website. Needs to meet minimum distance of ~0.3+ miles and not essentially duplicate an existing segment.