Originally Posted by Machka (Post 19498340)

Some of us like data. :) It's what I do!

Originally Posted by FBinNY (Post 19498292)

+1 I'm surprised about the effort people put into recording their rides. Like Bob, I never recorded anything except what sticks in my memory. I know my best time for an hour, because it was exceptional and memorable at the time, I know (roughly) how long it took for some of my ultra long 24hour rides, ie. NYC to DC, NYC to Montreal, and likewise other details of memorable rides.

But other that what sticks, I never felt the need to record data that I knew I'd never look at again.

It was similar when I took up scuba diving. Divers are encouraged to keep logs, and early on each dive was recorded with plenty of detail, then after 50 or so, progressively less detail, and after 200 or so, only the dayt and location, and now not at all.

So, for me, before and after Strava is all the same

Originally Posted by Scarbo (Post 19498520)

Data is the handmaiden to Information. Information I can get from my body.

Originally Posted by f4rrest (Post 19498528)

One of my favorite uses for Strava is to look back at the training calendar for past years and recall a few of the epic rides.

I don't stop for photos, but checking the route, speed, power... now I remember it like it was yesterday.

My first century, solo in the mountains, 9k climbing on my birthday...

The 200k up the coast to Santa Barbara to see my son's basketball game...

It's pretty amazing to look back at a year's worth of cycling and see where all those miles went.

Originally Posted by ooga-booga (Post 19498728)

sorry but i think about what my all-time strava heatmap would look like with 10 pre-strava years of riding 4,000+ miles a year. it's introduced me to some really cool occasional riding friends, reignited some old friendships, made me look closer at regional routes, inspired me to ride some roads i normally wouldn't have and question what is impossible on a bicycle at my age.

Originally Posted by chaadster (Post 19496788)

Anyone else remember what cycling was like back in those days?

Originally Posted by 79pmooney (Post 19500424)

I used a Lucas (?) cyclometer on my first two drop handlebar bikes. Completely electronics free. Then nothing for 20 years. Got a computer to track speed and RPM riding the trainer. Usually didn't bother turning it on for rides. The computer now lives on the bike lowest in the pecking order.

Highest in my pecking order: my fix gears with no electronics save the blinkie. (Riding fix gears is truly riding "before". Before electronics. Before gears. Even before automobiles.)

Ben

Originally Posted by Bandera (Post 19499871)

When I started racing the Stopwatch Ruled, as it still does today.
I have a log of distances and times for various local routes over 35 years to compare (unfavorably) with times today.

When the Avocet 20 cyclo computer was introduced the conversations went from:

A: We musta did 50 miles today.
B: 37.3

A: That city limits sign sprint musta been 38 Mph!
B: 27.9

A: It's lunchtime.
B: !2:00PM on the nose, let's eat.

-Bandera

Originally Posted by rpenmanparker (Post 19496794)

What's Strava?

Originally Posted by WhyFi (Post 19499847)

Strava or it didn't happen, therefor there was nothing before Strava.

Originally Posted by brianmcg123 (Post 19502143)

I cant believe I missed this thread. I was charging my derailers on my bike.

Originally Posted by Trsnrtr (Post 19496792)

I remember before electronic odometers. We used a gizmo called a Huret Multito. They were amazingly accurate and we argued about the mileage at the end of the ride just like we do today.

You can google Huret Multito to see how they worked. :)

Originally Posted by Dan333SP (Post 19502044)

Now they're all 300+ riders, the "serious cyclist" crowd has gone segment sniping with ideal conditions, and the days of KOMs are long gone.

Originally Posted by Homebrew01 (Post 19502442)

I may still have one somewhere in the basement.

Never tried Strava...not interested.

Originally Posted by DrIsotope (Post 19502557)

Hey, I'm old and slow and still holding onto about 50 KOMs. I recognize I'm at a big disadvantage not riding in groups, doubled by being on a 1X, but I still manage to hold off the kids and the Serious Cyclists® on my good days.

Age and treachery helps-- I have the KOM on a ~5 mile segment with about 30 stoplights on it. One lucky day, I just happened to make just about all of them. :lol:

Originally Posted by rpenmanparker (Post 19502739)

Were you riding in an ambulance?

Originally Posted by DrIsotope (Post 19502795)

No, that would have taken longer. Ambulances here are private companies, who have to drive the speed limit and make a complete stop at every red light and stop sign. Hearing an ambulance coming is the worst-- when drivers finally hear/see them, they seldom look before they start pulling over.