Discussion
MadDad said:
TKF said:
MadDad said:
Nothing wrong with testing yourself but as TKF says these guys are designing short routes to take in as many strava segments as possible, and then giving it beans just on the segments. I suppose if it floats your boat then great but I really cannot see how that makes for an enjoyable ride!
http://app.strava.com/activities/58645598Like MadDad says, unless you derive some weird pleasure from holding a bunch of KOMs, that sort of riding doesn't sound like fun. I've altered a couple of my routes (off road) to take in segments I only previously rode parts of, and I've altered routes to stitch a few more segments into a particular ride, but setting out with the sole purpose of 'smashing and grabbing' as many KOMs as possible? I've done it once, on a segment only previously ridden by one man (started right outside his office
) but doing it just feels wrong to me. Fair enough, if the segments match a regular route and you target effort to improving your time through a segment, but designing as many as possible into the shortest distance you can? Not for me, thank you very much.Although fair play to him. One of his KOMs is for the Nurburgring... http://app.strava.com/segments/4610589
yellowjack said:
Although fair play to him. One of his KOMs is for the Nurburgring... http://app.strava.com/segments/4610589
Hmmm...Looks totally legit...
http://app.strava.com/activities/65138357
I don't get why people that aim for strava leaderboards upset you all so much. It's no different to someone aiming for a parkrun time, or a track day hero trying to "win" status by putting slicks on his westfield.
People get motivated by different things, and Imo whatever floats your boat is fair game - on another thread there was a debate over whether long distance was an achievement (it is, no matter what okgo says). Want to go out and win strava? Fair play to you. I'd put a tenner on it that most people calling these people out probably couldn't take those segments even if they emulated the "strava bashing" route plan.
People get motivated by different things, and Imo whatever floats your boat is fair game - on another thread there was a debate over whether long distance was an achievement (it is, no matter what okgo says). Want to go out and win strava? Fair play to you. I'd put a tenner on it that most people calling these people out probably couldn't take those segments even if they emulated the "strava bashing" route plan.
Some Gump said:
I don't get why people that aim for strava leaderboards upset you all so much.
Nobody is getting upset FFS. We've already said each to their own but we find it a bit tragic for someone to only ride for Strava segments.This isn't slicks at a trackday. This is slicks on your morning commute. Not everyone on Strava is hammering it all the time and not everyone goes out with the sole aim of "bashing segments".
They are "racing" against people who don't know they are being raced against. And congratulating each other for "winning".
If they want to prove themselves they should go put a number on their back.
FWIW the one I linked to tried to take a KOM of mine the other day and he managed to match it. The difference being mine was during a 45 mile ride and his was a 7 mile "smash fest" (his words)
Yesterday my son got to within two seconds of one of my KOMs. We're now first and second on the leaderboard.
I'm considering breaking his legs or sabotaging his bike. Does this mean I'm taking Strava far too seriously? Or is it a reasonable response to being challenged for the 'Alpha male' status in our household?
If I do nothing, it's only a matter of time before he 'steals' it...
I'm considering breaking his legs or sabotaging his bike. Does this mean I'm taking Strava far too seriously? Or is it a reasonable response to being challenged for the 'Alpha male' status in our household?
If I do nothing, it's only a matter of time before he 'steals' it...
TKF said:
yellowjack said:
Although fair play to him. One of his KOMs is for the Nurburgring... http://app.strava.com/segments/4610589
Hmmm...Looks totally legit...
http://app.strava.com/activities/65138357
yellowjack said:
Yesterday my son got to within two seconds of one of my KOMs. We're now first and second on the leaderboard.
I'm considering breaking his legs or sabotaging his bike. Does this mean I'm taking Strava far too seriously? Or is it a reasonable response to being challenged for the 'Alpha male' status in our household?
If I do nothing, it's only a matter of time before he 'steals' it...
Sounds perfectly reasonable to me :-) I'm considering breaking his legs or sabotaging his bike. Does this mean I'm taking Strava far too seriously? Or is it a reasonable response to being challenged for the 'Alpha male' status in our household?
If I do nothing, it's only a matter of time before he 'steals' it...
(then again I've got one kom on a long mk to Bedford segment lol - prouder of some of my top ten times against club competition than that one tbh)
z4chris99 said:
I target three short segments on my commute. 1 up Northumberland avenue. 1 down the mall and the up St James.
gives my something to do
Yes, but you're on your commute.gives my something to do
These guys are coasting up a road, turning round and hammering it for less than a minute then looking for another segment, rinse and repeat. It's not interval training. The only reason they've got their bike out of the shed is to have a Strava circle jerk with their mates.
Fine, if collecting internet pixels floats your boat, but to me it seems a little lame.
On any decent segment, the top times are ALL people who have gone out to ride that segment. As a result, the people doing this segment bashing are competing with other segment bashers ,a nd all is fair in thw wprld.
I'm not even defending it because it's what i do - i don't. I use strava to log my riding for me; the thing i can't get is how some of you lot have decided that you can dictate what constitutes acceptable ways of enjoying 2 wheels and some pedals. The whole concept of thinking that you're superior to others based on the way you ride your bike vs the way they ride theirs is a load of w
k.
I'm not even defending it because it's what i do - i don't. I use strava to log my riding for me; the thing i can't get is how some of you lot have decided that you can dictate what constitutes acceptable ways of enjoying 2 wheels and some pedals. The whole concept of thinking that you're superior to others based on the way you ride your bike vs the way they ride theirs is a load of w
k.I don't think anyone has claimed to be 'better' or 'more superior' than anyone else.
Some of us express bewilderment at the concept of cycling short distances with the sole purpose of collecting meaningless accolades on a website populated entirely (and I include myself in this) by folk who are just a little bit strange.
I had 6 KOMs. Now I have 5. The next time my son goes for a ride, provided it's not thick with dog walkers, I reckon he'll nick another from me. I joked earlier about sabotaging either him, or his bike, but if he beats me, I'll log in and click "give kudos", and be pleased that he wants to ride, as I wish my eldest still did.
When the nice weather really kicks in, I expect that all the summer cyclists will break the Pinarellos, etc out of the bubble wrap and start hunting for 'do-able' KOMs (which mine definitely are ) When the inevitable happens, and I lose them all, I'll have to hope I'm back riding again, and work hard to regain them. Or maybe I'll just do what I was doing before my recent injury, which is use the Garmin, and internet mapping to plot new routes, in order to mix up my riding, and to see new things. What I do and see will be plotted in Strava, so that I can measure my performance, mileage, and elevation data against me the next time I ride that way. I genuinely enjoy my 'PRs' more than I enjoy any 'KOMs', especially when it's a segment I've ridden a lot, and seemed to have 'plateaued' on for a while.
I'll say it again. Just because we don't understand the mentality of someone who goes out solely to 'smash and grab' Strava segments, doesn't mean we rank them lower than us. The important thing for me when comparing club leaderboard results wasn't always 'fastest', or 'furthest', or 'cumulative time'. Often I would be top in the column labelled 'most elevation gained', which made me feel good, because climbing is the hard bit, and it meant I'd done more of it than anyone else that particular week. Good, because I recognise that climbing is the weakest suit in my cycling hand, and in order to improve my climbing I need to work harder at it.
Ultimately, there are people who use Strava to benefit their training, some who are recreational riders who simply want to record their stats, and a few who take it all far too seriously. As okgo often says, if you want to see who's really the best, pin on a number and race for points - that's not for me, so I'll just carry on treating the whole leaderboard thing as a bit of a giggle if you don't mind, and I'll bask in the brief glory of an unexpected KOM or top ten placing if one comes along
Some of us express bewilderment at the concept of cycling short distances with the sole purpose of collecting meaningless accolades on a website populated entirely (and I include myself in this) by folk who are just a little bit strange.
I had 6 KOMs. Now I have 5. The next time my son goes for a ride, provided it's not thick with dog walkers, I reckon he'll nick another from me. I joked earlier about sabotaging either him, or his bike, but if he beats me, I'll log in and click "give kudos", and be pleased that he wants to ride, as I wish my eldest still did.
When the nice weather really kicks in, I expect that all the summer cyclists will break the Pinarellos, etc out of the bubble wrap and start hunting for 'do-able' KOMs (which mine definitely are
) When the inevitable happens, and I lose them all, I'll have to hope I'm back riding again, and work hard to regain them. Or maybe I'll just do what I was doing before my recent injury, which is use the Garmin, and internet mapping to plot new routes, in order to mix up my riding, and to see new things. What I do and see will be plotted in Strava, so that I can measure my performance, mileage, and elevation data against me the next time I ride that way. I genuinely enjoy my 'PRs' more than I enjoy any 'KOMs', especially when it's a segment I've ridden a lot, and seemed to have 'plateaued' on for a while.I'll say it again. Just because we don't understand the mentality of someone who goes out solely to 'smash and grab' Strava segments, doesn't mean we rank them lower than us. The important thing for me when comparing club leaderboard results wasn't always 'fastest', or 'furthest', or 'cumulative time'. Often I would be top in the column labelled 'most elevation gained', which made me feel good, because climbing is the hard bit, and it meant I'd done more of it than anyone else that particular week. Good, because I recognise that climbing is the weakest suit in my cycling hand, and in order to improve my climbing I need to work harder at it.
Ultimately, there are people who use Strava to benefit their training, some who are recreational riders who simply want to record their stats, and a few who take it all far too seriously. As okgo often says, if you want to see who's really the best, pin on a number and race for points - that's not for me, so I'll just carry on treating the whole leaderboard thing as a bit of a giggle if you don't mind, and I'll bask in the brief glory of an unexpected KOM or top ten placing if one comes along
Some Gump said:
On any decent segment, the top times are ALL people who have gone out to ride that segment. As a result, the people doing this segment bashing are competing with other segment bashers ,a nd all is fair in thw wprld.
I'm not even defending it because it's what i do - i don't. I use strava to log my riding for me; the thing i can't get is how some of you lot have decided that you can dictate what constitutes acceptable ways of enjoying 2 wheels and some pedals. The whole concept of thinking that you're superior to others based on the way you ride your bike vs the way they ride theirs is a load of wk.
Oh do bore off.I'm not even defending it because it's what i do - i don't. I use strava to log my riding for me; the thing i can't get is how some of you lot have decided that you can dictate what constitutes acceptable ways of enjoying 2 wheels and some pedals. The whole concept of thinking that you're superior to others based on the way you ride your bike vs the way they ride theirs is a load of w
k.Nobody has said they are superior. Nobody is saying their behaviour is unacceptable. Have a read back and everyone has said a form of "each to their own".
yellowjack said:
I don't think anyone has claimed to be 'better' or 'more superior' than anyone else.
Some of us express bewilderment at the concept of cycling short distances with the sole purpose of collecting meaningless accolades on a website populated entirely (and I include myself in this) by folk who are just a little bit strange.
I had 6 KOMs. Now I have 5. The next time my son goes for a ride, provided it's not thick with dog walkers, I reckon he'll nick another from me. I joked earlier about sabotaging either him, or his bike, but if he beats me, I'll log in and click "give kudos", and be pleased that he wants to ride, as I wish my eldest still did.
When the nice weather really kicks in, I expect that all the summer cyclists will break the Pinarellos, etc out of the bubble wrap and start hunting for 'do-able' KOMs (which mine definitely are ) When the inevitable happens, and I lose them all, I'll have to hope I'm back riding again, and work hard to regain them. Or maybe I'll just do what I was doing before my recent injury, which is use the Garmin, and internet mapping to plot new routes, in order to mix up my riding, and to see new things. What I do and see will be plotted in Strava, so that I can measure my performance, mileage, and elevation data against me the next time I ride that way. I genuinely enjoy my 'PRs' more than I enjoy any 'KOMs', especially when it's a segment I've ridden a lot, and seemed to have 'plateaued' on for a while.
I'll say it again. Just because we don't understand the mentality of someone who goes out solely to 'smash and grab' Strava segments, doesn't mean we rank them lower than us. The important thing for me when comparing club leaderboard results wasn't always 'fastest', or 'furthest', or 'cumulative time'. Often I would be top in the column labelled 'most elevation gained', which made me feel good, because climbing is the hard bit, and it meant I'd done more of it than anyone else that particular week. Good, because I recognise that climbing is the weakest suit in my cycling hand, and in order to improve my climbing I need to work harder at it.
Ultimately, there are people who use Strava to benefit their training, some who are recreational riders who simply want to record their stats, and a few who take it all far too seriously. As okgo often says, if you want to see who's really the best, pin on a number and race for points - that's not for me, so I'll just carry on treating the whole leaderboard thing as a bit of a giggle if you don't mind, and I'll bask in the brief glory of an unexpected KOM or top ten placing if one comes along
Very well said.Some of us express bewilderment at the concept of cycling short distances with the sole purpose of collecting meaningless accolades on a website populated entirely (and I include myself in this) by folk who are just a little bit strange.
I had 6 KOMs. Now I have 5. The next time my son goes for a ride, provided it's not thick with dog walkers, I reckon he'll nick another from me. I joked earlier about sabotaging either him, or his bike, but if he beats me, I'll log in and click "give kudos", and be pleased that he wants to ride, as I wish my eldest still did.
When the nice weather really kicks in, I expect that all the summer cyclists will break the Pinarellos, etc out of the bubble wrap and start hunting for 'do-able' KOMs (which mine definitely are
) When the inevitable happens, and I lose them all, I'll have to hope I'm back riding again, and work hard to regain them. Or maybe I'll just do what I was doing before my recent injury, which is use the Garmin, and internet mapping to plot new routes, in order to mix up my riding, and to see new things. What I do and see will be plotted in Strava, so that I can measure my performance, mileage, and elevation data against me the next time I ride that way. I genuinely enjoy my 'PRs' more than I enjoy any 'KOMs', especially when it's a segment I've ridden a lot, and seemed to have 'plateaued' on for a while.I'll say it again. Just because we don't understand the mentality of someone who goes out solely to 'smash and grab' Strava segments, doesn't mean we rank them lower than us. The important thing for me when comparing club leaderboard results wasn't always 'fastest', or 'furthest', or 'cumulative time'. Often I would be top in the column labelled 'most elevation gained', which made me feel good, because climbing is the hard bit, and it meant I'd done more of it than anyone else that particular week. Good, because I recognise that climbing is the weakest suit in my cycling hand, and in order to improve my climbing I need to work harder at it.
Ultimately, there are people who use Strava to benefit their training, some who are recreational riders who simply want to record their stats, and a few who take it all far too seriously. As okgo often says, if you want to see who's really the best, pin on a number and race for points - that's not for me, so I'll just carry on treating the whole leaderboard thing as a bit of a giggle if you don't mind, and I'll bask in the brief glory of an unexpected KOM or top ten placing if one comes along
TKF said:
z4chris99 said:
I target three short segments on my commute. 1 up Northumberland avenue. 1 down the mall and the up St James.
gives my something to do
Yes, but you're on your commute.gives my something to do
These guys are coasting up a road, turning round and hammering it for less than a minute then looking for another segment, rinse and repeat. It's not interval training. The only reason they've got their bike out of the shed is to have a Strava circle jerk with their mates.
Fine, if collecting internet pixels floats your boat, but to me it seems a little lame.
Jayfish said:
yellowjack said:
I don't think anyone has claimed to be 'better' or 'more superior' than anyone else.
Some of us express bewilderment at the concept of cycling short distances with the sole purpose of collecting meaningless accolades on a website populated entirely (and I include myself in this) by folk who are just a little bit strange.
I had 6 KOMs. Now I have 5. The next time my son goes for a ride, provided it's not thick with dog walkers, I reckon he'll nick another from me. I joked earlier about sabotaging either him, or his bike, but if he beats me, I'll log in and click "give kudos", and be pleased that he wants to ride, as I wish my eldest still did.
When the nice weather really kicks in, I expect that all the summer cyclists will break the Pinarellos, etc out of the bubble wrap and start hunting for 'do-able' KOMs (which mine definitely are ) When the inevitable happens, and I lose them all, I'll have to hope I'm back riding again, and work hard to regain them. Or maybe I'll just do what I was doing before my recent injury, which is use the Garmin, and internet mapping to plot new routes, in order to mix up my riding, and to see new things. What I do and see will be plotted in Strava, so that I can measure my performance, mileage, and elevation data against me the next time I ride that way. I genuinely enjoy my 'PRs' more than I enjoy any 'KOMs', especially when it's a segment I've ridden a lot, and seemed to have 'plateaued' on for a while.
I'll say it again. Just because we don't understand the mentality of someone who goes out solely to 'smash and grab' Strava segments, doesn't mean we rank them lower than us. The important thing for me when comparing club leaderboard results wasn't always 'fastest', or 'furthest', or 'cumulative time'. Often I would be top in the column labelled 'most elevation gained', which made me feel good, because climbing is the hard bit, and it meant I'd done more of it than anyone else that particular week. Good, because I recognise that climbing is the weakest suit in my cycling hand, and in order to improve my climbing I need to work harder at it.
Ultimately, there are people who use Strava to benefit their training, some who are recreational riders who simply want to record their stats, and a few who take it all far too seriously. As okgo often says, if you want to see who's really the best, pin on a number and race for points - that's not for me, so I'll just carry on treating the whole leaderboard thing as a bit of a giggle if you don't mind, and I'll bask in the brief glory of an unexpected KOM or top ten placing if one comes along
Very well said.Some of us express bewilderment at the concept of cycling short distances with the sole purpose of collecting meaningless accolades on a website populated entirely (and I include myself in this) by folk who are just a little bit strange.
I had 6 KOMs. Now I have 5. The next time my son goes for a ride, provided it's not thick with dog walkers, I reckon he'll nick another from me. I joked earlier about sabotaging either him, or his bike, but if he beats me, I'll log in and click "give kudos", and be pleased that he wants to ride, as I wish my eldest still did.
When the nice weather really kicks in, I expect that all the summer cyclists will break the Pinarellos, etc out of the bubble wrap and start hunting for 'do-able' KOMs (which mine definitely are
) When the inevitable happens, and I lose them all, I'll have to hope I'm back riding again, and work hard to regain them. Or maybe I'll just do what I was doing before my recent injury, which is use the Garmin, and internet mapping to plot new routes, in order to mix up my riding, and to see new things. What I do and see will be plotted in Strava, so that I can measure my performance, mileage, and elevation data against me the next time I ride that way. I genuinely enjoy my 'PRs' more than I enjoy any 'KOMs', especially when it's a segment I've ridden a lot, and seemed to have 'plateaued' on for a while.I'll say it again. Just because we don't understand the mentality of someone who goes out solely to 'smash and grab' Strava segments, doesn't mean we rank them lower than us. The important thing for me when comparing club leaderboard results wasn't always 'fastest', or 'furthest', or 'cumulative time'. Often I would be top in the column labelled 'most elevation gained', which made me feel good, because climbing is the hard bit, and it meant I'd done more of it than anyone else that particular week. Good, because I recognise that climbing is the weakest suit in my cycling hand, and in order to improve my climbing I need to work harder at it.
Ultimately, there are people who use Strava to benefit their training, some who are recreational riders who simply want to record their stats, and a few who take it all far too seriously. As okgo often says, if you want to see who's really the best, pin on a number and race for points - that's not for me, so I'll just carry on treating the whole leaderboard thing as a bit of a giggle if you don't mind, and I'll bask in the brief glory of an unexpected KOM or top ten placing if one comes along
I have a few KOM's, a couple of which I have to admit I knew were there so gave it some beans but the majority of which I picked up as part of a longer ride. I use certain segments to measure my performance against past efforts, particularly on some local climbs if I am trying a different technique.
From a personal perspective I could not see the pleasure in putting in putting in a few really short miles just to get a virtual 'didn't I do well' sticker......
Not saying it's wrong or right, just saying!!!
I don't know about you guys but I have a few loops I do regularly 30,40,50 miles time dependant and I now know where most of the segments are and I use these to gauge how my fitness is coming along so sometimes there will be extra effort in certain segments.
Is that not the point of Strava?
Is that not the point of Strava?
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