Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Ditching Strava

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Ditching Strava

Old 06-23-18, 04:11 AM
  #76  
Senior Member
 
kbarch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 4,286
Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1096 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by rubiksoval
Wow. Keeping a pace is not rocket science, it doesn't require counting anything, and it doesn't take much experience pedaling a bike. I seriously question how many pacelines people have been in if they genuinely can't figure out how to maintain pace without a computer.

That's pretty mindboggling.

If you struggle with keeping pace to such an extent, then you should pull through and off. Simple as that. Pretty hard to mess that up.
I wouldn't admit to being mind-boggled by things that actually happen all the time. You know, people do mess up at the front of pace lines because they haven't learned to judge and manage their cadence (among other things). No, it's not rocket science, but it's not automatic, either. It would be silly for new and developing riders to not use cycling computers just because experienced riders don't need them. They're great training aids, and I think the point that was originally being made is that it's really bad form for untrained riders to dismiss them and not make an attempt to learn.
Originally Posted by merlinextraligh
IMHO, the value of cadence meters... decrease the longer you use them.
Yes, I think their value comes in the learning. And once you've learned, it's like riding a bike.
kbarch is offline  
Old 06-23-18, 06:10 AM
  #77  
Senior Member
 
noodle soup's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 8,922
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4717 Post(s)
Liked 1,882 Times in 998 Posts
Originally Posted by kbarch
I wouldn't admit to being mind-boggled by things that actually happen all the time. You know, people do mess up at the front of pace lines because they haven't learned to judge and manage their cadence (among other things). No, it's not rocket science, but it's not automatic, either. It would be silly for new and developing riders to not use cycling computers just because experienced riders don't need them.
Campag4life seems to think it's impossible for anyone.

Originally Posted by Campag4life
Sorry, no way. You may think you are pulling to a specific speed but you aren't....lol.
Pulling without a speedometer on your bike is disrespecting your riding friends if you take pulls at the front.
noodle soup is offline  
Old 06-23-18, 12:00 PM
  #78  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Music City, USA
Posts: 4,444

Bikes: bikes

Mentioned: 52 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2622 Post(s)
Liked 1,429 Times in 711 Posts
Originally Posted by kbarch
I wouldn't admit to being mind-boggled by things that actually happen all the time. You know, people do mess up at the front of pace lines because they haven't learned to judge and manage their cadence (among other things). No, it's not rocket science, but it's not automatic, either. It would be silly for new and developing riders to not use cycling computers just because experienced riders don't need them. They're great training aids, and I think the point that was originally being made is that it's really bad form for untrained riders to dismiss them and not make an attempt to learn.
I don't think there was a point being made. I think there was just one poster who made a ridiculous assertion:

Sorry, no way. You may think you are pulling to a specific speed but you aren't....lol.
Pulling without a speedometer on your bike is disrespecting your riding friends if you take pulls at the front.
Which is ludicrous.

I'm not sure how depending on a bike computer or having instant access to speed is a great training aid in regards to group riding, but as I said before, there's a gross dependency on technology at the expense of a little self-awareness and common sense.

ETA: noodle soup covered it.
rubiksoval is offline  
Old 06-23-18, 01:25 PM
  #79  
Senior Member
 
kbarch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 4,286
Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1096 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by rubiksoval
I'm not sure how depending on a bike computer or having instant access to speed is a great training aid in regards to group riding, but as I said before, there's a gross dependency on technology at the expense of a little self-awareness and common sense.
You mentioned self-awareness. Actually, I'd agree with you more if you said people were relying on technology at the expense of awareness of what's happening around them. When it comes to pace lines, one of the biggest tricks is learning to be sensitive at the front to what is and will be happening behind, where one can't see, as grade, wind, and road conditions change, don't you think? I'd definitely agree: cycling computers are little or no help in that regard.

Meanwhile, when one starts to develop pace line proficiency, one only knows that being in front means having to do more work. But how much more work? When ones turn at the front comes, how does one know if one is working too much harder or not harder enough? It's just helpful - not "gross dependency on technology" - to use a computer to get the answer. Otherwise, chances are someone is going to be yelling to take it easy or stop slacking!
kbarch is offline  
Old 06-24-18, 12:19 PM
  #80  
Senior Member
 
Dudelsack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: South Hutchinson Island
Posts: 6,647

Bikes: Lectric Xpedition.

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 146 Post(s)
Liked 96 Times in 46 Posts
Maybe you fellers need to take it to the 33. Just sayin.
__________________
Momento mori, amor fati.




Dudelsack is offline  
Old 06-24-18, 12:55 PM
  #81  
Senior Member
 
noodle soup's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 8,922
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4717 Post(s)
Liked 1,882 Times in 998 Posts
Originally Posted by Dudelsack
Maybe you fellers need to take it to the 33. Just sayin.
we aren’t talking about racing, just group riding/pace lines.
noodle soup is offline  
Old 06-24-18, 01:58 PM
  #82  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 8,758
Mentioned: 69 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3192 Post(s)
Liked 2,461 Times in 1,490 Posts
Originally Posted by noodle soup
we aren’t talking about racing, just group riding/pace lines.
Well, there's the problem. It appears that for a large number of cyclists, the group riding/pacelines/Strava KOMs are "the competitions/races."
seypat is offline  
Old 06-24-18, 02:55 PM
  #83  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Music City, USA
Posts: 4,444

Bikes: bikes

Mentioned: 52 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2622 Post(s)
Liked 1,429 Times in 711 Posts
Originally Posted by seypat
Well, there's the problem. It appears that for a large number of cyclists, the group riding/pacelines/Strava KOMs are "the competitions/races."
That's how it's always been, even before it was digitally recorded.
rubiksoval is offline  
Old 06-24-18, 02:57 PM
  #84  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Music City, USA
Posts: 4,444

Bikes: bikes

Mentioned: 52 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2622 Post(s)
Liked 1,429 Times in 711 Posts
Originally Posted by kbarch
You mentioned self-awareness. Actually, I'd agree with you more if you said people were relying on technology at the expense of awareness of what's happening around them. When it comes to pace lines, one of the biggest tricks is learning to be sensitive at the front to what is and will be happening behind, where one can't see, as grade, wind, and road conditions change, don't you think? I'd definitely agree: cycling computers are little or no help in that regard.

Meanwhile, when one starts to develop pace line proficiency, one only knows that being in front means having to do more work. But how much more work? When ones turn at the front comes, how does one know if one is working too much harder or not harder enough? It's just helpful - not "gross dependency on technology" - to use a computer to get the answer. Otherwise, chances are someone is going to be yelling to take it easy or stop slacking!
I think a lot of the issues you mention are only issues when people think they need to pull for minutes at a time. I've noticed this on multiple group rides in the past. It's as if people think they're doing a service or something by pulling for minutes at a time when all it really does it slow things down.

Pull through and off, or pull for 15-20 seconds and off. No reason to pull any longer than that in a decent size group.
rubiksoval is offline  
Old 06-24-18, 06:58 PM
  #85  
Ride On!
 
deapee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 971

Bikes: Allez DSW SL Sprint | Fuji Cross

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 227 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Just put your privacy setting on “private by default” so you can still track all your rides for yourself.
deapee is offline  
Old 06-26-18, 05:12 AM
  #86  
Senior Member
 
kbarch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 4,286
Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1096 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by seypat
Well, there's the problem. It appears that for a large number of cyclists, the group riding/pacelines/Strava KOMs are "the competitions/races."
If the comment from @Dudelsack was a response to earlier conversations about KOMs, it might have been more appropriate as you suggest, but it landed in the middle of a tangential discussion of how about cycling computers may or may not be useful for being cooperative and non-competitive in a pace line, so that was kind of ironic.
kbarch is offline  
Old 06-26-18, 08:39 AM
  #87  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 12
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Anyone else have the problem of Strava's segments disappearing?
rcaldw is offline  
Old 06-26-18, 08:47 AM
  #88  
Senior Member
 
WhyFi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: TC, MN
Posts: 39,505

Bikes: R3 Disc, Haanjo

Mentioned: 353 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20791 Post(s)
Liked 9,436 Times in 4,663 Posts
Originally Posted by rcaldw
Anyone else have the problem of Strava's segments disappearing?
Most often, it's a case of the segment getting flagged for being unsafe. If that's the case, the segment is hidden, not deleted, but you can still unhide and view the segment (on the desktop site, at least). Duplicate segments are sometimes deleted outright.
WhyFi is offline  
Old 08-07-18, 10:57 AM
  #89  
Junior Member
 
OldFartCyclist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Pasco, Washington - the brown side of the Pacific NW
Posts: 76

Bikes: 2020 SWorks Tarmac SL6 w/ Shimano DA 9100; 2016 Lynskey R240 w/ DA 9100, 2014 SWorks Roubaix w/ DA 9100

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Liked 16 Times in 7 Posts
Originally Posted by noodle soup
I don't use milk, but still love ice cream & cheese.
Ice cream and cheese? Are you serious? I find myself becoming curious!

In relation to this thread - I'm 62 and have no need for Strava. I see no reason to compare myself to "kids" less than 1/2 my age. It only makes me long for years of past glory. I' very content to use my Garmin and Garmin Connect to chart my rides in comparison only to my own improvement and even then mostly to chart mileage and map past rides. Usually, due to scheduling, I ride solo and for health and enjoyment reasons. My escape from reality is getting lost in the rhythm of my cadence and gasping breath! It brings about a restoration to sanity.

Last edited by OldFartCyclist; 08-07-18 at 11:08 AM. Reason: added clarification relating to thread
OldFartCyclist is offline  
Old 08-07-18, 11:42 AM
  #90  
Senior Member
 
joejack951's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Wilmington, DE
Posts: 12,098

Bikes: 2016 Hong Fu FM-079-F, 1984 Trek 660, 2005 Iron Horse Warrior Expert, 2009 Pedal Force CX1, 2016 Islabikes Beinn 20 (son's)

Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1240 Post(s)
Liked 94 Times in 65 Posts
Originally Posted by OldFartCyclist
In relation to this thread - I'm 62 and have no need for Strava. I see no reason to compare myself to "kids" less than 1/2 my age. It only makes me long for years of past glory.
You can use Strava to compare yourself only to others in your age/weight range. Garmin Connect will compare you to like-individuals, too, but with different metrics than Strava segments.
joejack951 is offline  
Old 08-07-18, 01:38 PM
  #91  
Serious Cyclist
 
Dan333SP's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: RVA
Posts: 9,308

Bikes: Emonda SL6

Mentioned: 97 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5721 Post(s)
Liked 261 Times in 99 Posts
I use it to track my own rides/improvements and to share photos. I used to look at my friend's rides daily and would plan rides around particular segments I wanted to make an effort on, but now I just upload my ride and am done with Strava for the day. It didn't detract from my riding, I just kinda got "over" it and now (sorry for those of you who follow me) I never really bother going through other people's workouts and giving kudos.
Dan333SP is offline  
Old 08-09-18, 10:28 PM
  #92  
Senior Member
 
woodcraft's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Nor Cal
Posts: 6,016
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1814 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 923 Times in 569 Posts
I spent too long last night reading DCrainmaker's take on Strava's new deal, & the many comments.

Man, folks are not happy with Strava! Hundreds of complaints about not fixing problems, not innovating, messing up the feed, etc. etc..

Seems like looking a gift horse in the mouth since I use the free version...
woodcraft is offline  
Old 08-09-18, 10:56 PM
  #93  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Fresno, CA
Posts: 355

Bikes: 2017 Ribble CX5

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 704 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
I use the free version of Strava. I find it useful for recording my own rides as I will often just go exploring by myself.

Honestly though the most useful part is that I got it to upload to my fitbit account.

Between Strava, my cateye speed/cadence computer and my fitbit, I get everything I will ever need. Often the cateye is all I want so I can just enjoy the ride.
Tape2012 is offline  
Old 08-10-18, 12:39 AM
  #94  
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Providence
Posts: 733

Bikes: Specialized tarmac sl2 giant tcx zero

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 319 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Being obsessed is the main ingredient of being the best at anything .

Strava is the best base line training tool out hands down . pick a route or make a route , ride it for fun , exploration , get back and review the ride , see the people the times the distance .

Then Attack those segments see if you can keep up , its like a video game in real life for me , xbox and playstation are ok sometimes but this a game you can play in real life .

Learn to enjoy it , if you dont want to use it dont . its a digital time trial , its a fitness tracker , is a social platform , find a positive in it .

When i first started on my cycling thing i had no clue all the annoying things i would be exposed too. Everyone seems to want to scoff at the next person .

If you ride a steel bike you scoff at the carbon bike
if you ride carbon you are an elite
If you try to hard you are bad
If you ride hills you scoff at the flats
If you ride on roads you are in the way of cars and should ride on paths
If you ride on paths you are too fast and are in way of peds
If you dont have a full body helmet and 12 mill lum light in the day you are dangerous
if you use strava you are a wanna be nube that should just stay at home
if you try for koms you are the reincarnation of hitler

name a thing about cycling , there will be a group of people that scoff you up and down for it ..

It goes on and on .

I enjoy strava becuase i see local riders , when i go the events i reconize the names its always funny to stand right next to people and only know them later when you see their ride .

Just enjoy life , dont let life enjoy you nam saying ...
Teamprovicycle is offline  
Old 08-10-18, 04:27 AM
  #95  
Senior Member
 
kbarch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 4,286
Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1096 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by Teamprovicycle
... (P)ick a route or make a route , ride it for fun , exploration , get back and review the ride , see the people the times the distance .

Then Attack those segments see if you can keep up , its like a video game in real life for me , xbox and playstation are ok sometimes but this a game you can play in real life .
That's an interesting perspective. Compared to a video game, it's very slow moving, but I can see how it can be very similar. Kind of like how you can watch a plant growing and reaching for things through time-lapse photography, or if you just pay regular attention over time.
kbarch is offline  
Old 08-10-18, 05:05 AM
  #96  
Senior Member
 
bobwysiwyg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: 961' 42.28° N, 83.78° W (A2)
Posts: 2,344

Bikes: Mongoose Selous, Trek DS

Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 941 Post(s)
Liked 319 Times in 189 Posts
Originally Posted by Wheever
I enjoy Strava because it helps me track my improvement, such as it is. It also is a nice way of keeping track of miles and hours. I don't really use the "social" functions. I just use to to push myself, competing with myself, as it were.
+1
bobwysiwyg is offline  
Old 08-10-18, 06:00 AM
  #97  
Senior Member
 
bruce19's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Lebanon (Liberty Hill), CT
Posts: 8,456

Bikes: CAAD 12, MASI Gran Criterium S, Colnago World Cup CX & Guru steel

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1722 Post(s)
Liked 1,272 Times in 734 Posts
I too got into Strava in 2016. To me it's just a tool. I track my fitness and my improvements (if there are any) and the segments give me something to shoot for. For example....I have a 6.3 mi. TT that I rode at 17.7 mph last year when I was 71. This year I hoped to do 18 mph. And, last month I actually hit 18.4 mph. To get older and still see improvement/faster speed makes me feel good and encourages me to keep riding. I don't compete with anyone but myself. Although it is interesting to see what others are doing. OTOH, I suggested that a friend try my TT just for fun. Her first question...."Is it a Strava segment?" Oh, well.
bruce19 is offline  
Old 08-10-18, 06:31 AM
  #98  
Senior Member
 
Maelochs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,453

Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE

Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7628 Post(s)
Liked 3,453 Times in 1,823 Posts
Originally Posted by aplcr0331
Strava is like alcohol. Many people can use it every once in a while, take it or leave, good for social activities. Other people obsess over it, talk about it all the time, think about it, make shirts about it, do things they wouldn't normally do, and essentially these people have very unhealthy attitudes and habits. Strava/Alcohol/Opioids/Gambling. All the same. Some people can use it and it's not a "thing" others can't.

Good that you recognize your own personal failings and that you cannot handle the app and use it like most people do and that you need to take a step back. According to everyone else with personal issues manifesting as "Strava" problems you will now be able to enjoy your rides way more than people that do use Strava. So you have that going for you.

Good luck!
I hear there is a Strava 12-step program ... the best riders can finish it in 9 or 10, the KOM is eight.
Maelochs is offline  
Old 08-10-18, 06:40 AM
  #99  
Senior Member
 
Maelochs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,453

Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE

Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7628 Post(s)
Liked 3,453 Times in 1,823 Posts
Originally Posted by Caliper
Strava has brought a joy back to cycling for me. No more speedo on the handlebars always taunting me with average speed or cadence or anything like that. I just ride, enjoy the trip and then later see how I compare to the same segment from last ride or last year. it's great.
I ditched the on-the-bars computer for that reason ... too tempting to look down and ride to a number instead of riding a bike on a road. I still keep my phone on the bars, but the screen is off.

I use RideWithGPS ... and upload GPX files to Strava when i want to compare certain segments or share rides with some of the folks I sometimes do group rides with.

If I wanted KOMs ... I would create segments no one else would bother to ride. I could own the '"Behind the half-abandoned shopping mall" KOM, or maybe the "All but forgotten dead-end access road by the truck depot " KOM.
Maelochs is offline  
Old 08-10-18, 07:00 AM
  #100  
Sunshine
 
mstateglfr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,538

Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo

Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10902 Post(s)
Liked 7,393 Times in 4,148 Posts
I use Strava only because my Lezyne GPS unit uploads to Strava. I have been on the Strava site 3 times this year to check my total mileage for the year. That’s the only stat I care about and have 0 interest in KOMs or competing on segments of my rides.

Much of my riding season is spent working with teens on training rides. I average 12-15mph on those rides depending on which kids I am with. I will never ‘win’ any KOMs or compete at those speeds, so Strava’s competition and social platforms are completely useless to me.
mstateglfr is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.