Strava App..... Meh
05-06-14, 11:34 AM
#26
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Strava doesn't miss the mark at all. It's actually great it it's intended purpose. The problem is that what you want from it is not what it's primarily designed to do and with a little research you would've known that. Tons of people aren't as hardcore as you and enjoy the KOM's because they possibly don't take themselves so seriously.
As for the training and returning to racing, I certainly take that seriously, as it is both time consuming and expensive. Aside from that I have always enjoyed real competition ...... I'm not about to denigrate anyone for using Strava and thinking it's awesome. However if ( as someone did ) tells me that I don't know cycling competition because I haven't uploaded and tested myself on the KOM's than I'm going to call their BS.
Plain and simple..
I'm strictly interested in what it can offer me for training purposes.... In a race it will be probable if not definite that I will not be plugged in.
Mainly because come race day, I don't want to see digital readouts... It's all around me in its simplest form.. Either be competitive and race or be pack fodder and off the back... Reading my numbers will not help during a race... When the group I want to be in goes up the road, I also have to go with them, it's not magical, it's reality, and I know from previous years of racing where and when I blow up... I don't need a digital readout screaming ... " Warning .!! Warning ..!! Will Robinson ".... But in all seriousness, Thanks..
05-06-14, 11:35 AM
#27
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I'd go with the 500 initially. If you want a slightly better interface (less glare, touch screen), and tracking, the 510 is good. I have the 510 since my wife wants to track me and make sure I'm not at the wh****house. The higher end stuff is more for routes and doesn't really apply for racing or training.
05-06-14, 03:15 PM
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I love Strava. Honestly, I enjoy seeing what others are doing. Checking out rides my friends in other areas have done. Seeing what my buddies in town are doing. Trash talking to them about their rides. It's social media for exercise dorks. Sure it could be better in some aspects. I have fun with it, though. I've "met" people on Strava before I have in real life. Of course playing with a KOM every once in a while is fun but it's not something that is relevant to everyday riding and I don't think Strava pushes it. I think they (Strava) really encourage members/customers/whatever just to get out and ride/run. I use TrainingPeaks for my data but Strava is fun.
05-07-14, 10:24 AM
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1) Tracks rides when I don't have my primary bike
2) Tracks all my rides, except races and allows me to be lazy about tracking things for a week and go back and note my training
3) Tracks all my times on interval efforts so I can go back and see how I did time to time, year to year on my effort hills of various length (my fav feature). no coach or stopwatch needed.
4) I get to see the rides my friends are doing and maybe learn some new routes or just say hi to them.
5) Allows me to jab at other cyclists via trading KOMs or best times of a smaller group for fun.
6) Gives me a rough idea of how I am doing when setting up new interval spots or if my climbing is up to par by comparing to others ... within reason of course.
All and all +1 for me.
05-07-14, 03:46 PM
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Unrelated- just because I was bored, I created 75 segments of between .1 and .3 miles on my normal morning route at random and called them secteur 1, secteur 2, ect. My little commentary on the absurdity of some of the segments out there. I can't wait for someone to start attacking "secteur 62.5- sprint between the railroad tracks!"
05-07-14, 05:00 PM
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I think it's a terrible application for training. For Fred racers it's the bees knees but they can have their KOMs and challenge medals and whatever fredly stuff turns them on. I use it to stay in touch with racing friends in my club and other far away. Social media, plain and simple.
05-07-14, 05:26 PM
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I use it for the lolz. I don't chase koms because there is no real reason to (except in the off season when im bored). I use it to stay in touch with some people i don't get to see very often, and to give others ****.
For training purposes it sucks, and you can get GC for free (does everything plus a billion other things you'll never need), or wko+ or cyclist analyst (or what ever its called) for a small one time fee.
For training purposes it sucks, and you can get GC for free (does everything plus a billion other things you'll never need), or wko+ or cyclist analyst (or what ever its called) for a small one time fee.
05-07-14, 05:57 PM
#39
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05-08-14, 05:46 AM
#41
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I seem to take at least twice as long to go up a hill as the KOMs around here. So if I go half the speed that's pretty good. Faster than that is incredible.
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"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
05-08-14, 07:19 AM
#43
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Strava actually does everything I want it to:
- Where I rode
- Who I rode with
- NP, AP, TSS
- Make and receive comments on rides
It's essentially straight up social media for me, plus a convenient way to see NP/AP/TSS, which I use for tracking training load in a separate spreadsheet (which I prefer to Training Peaks, Golden Cheetah, etc).
KOM competitions, well, whatever. Sure, there are fredracers who cherry pick KOMs and think they are hot poop, but who cares.
We have a small but mostly friendly racing community here, and Strava helps to funnel strong riders toward the local "worlds" ride and into that community. There a couple of strong guys I ride with who have gone through the progression of chasing Strava KOMs solo and thinking they are hot poop, meeting up with other riders via Strava, getting hooked into the fast group rides and meeting actual racers, slowly realizing that KOMs are not an actual measure of either fitness or racing abilities, and gradually becoming good citizens and friends.
- Where I rode
- Who I rode with
- NP, AP, TSS
- Make and receive comments on rides
It's essentially straight up social media for me, plus a convenient way to see NP/AP/TSS, which I use for tracking training load in a separate spreadsheet (which I prefer to Training Peaks, Golden Cheetah, etc).
KOM competitions, well, whatever. Sure, there are fredracers who cherry pick KOMs and think they are hot poop, but who cares.
We have a small but mostly friendly racing community here, and Strava helps to funnel strong riders toward the local "worlds" ride and into that community. There a couple of strong guys I ride with who have gone through the progression of chasing Strava KOMs solo and thinking they are hot poop, meeting up with other riders via Strava, getting hooked into the fast group rides and meeting actual racers, slowly realizing that KOMs are not an actual measure of either fitness or racing abilities, and gradually becoming good citizens and friends.
05-08-14, 09:43 AM
#44
Making a kilometer blurry
05-08-14, 10:46 AM
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Just downloaded Strava App to my I-phone yesterday...
Okay... It was useful as to elevations and mapping of this loop.. 35 miles and 1,669 feet of climbing. Time wise it's not realistic as it doesn't distinguish between riding and stopped time unlike my now retro Mavic Wintech...
I find the listing of sections of my ride with best times by people rather amusing, not in the least bit relevant but amusing nevertheless.
I will however use this as it is useful for tracking training but as far as joining the record seeking group I just don't get what the point is...
Am i missing something or is it as it strikes me more gimmick than anything else... ??
Okay... It was useful as to elevations and mapping of this loop.. 35 miles and 1,669 feet of climbing. Time wise it's not realistic as it doesn't distinguish between riding and stopped time unlike my now retro Mavic Wintech...
I find the listing of sections of my ride with best times by people rather amusing, not in the least bit relevant but amusing nevertheless.
I will however use this as it is useful for tracking training but as far as joining the record seeking group I just don't get what the point is...
Am i missing something or is it as it strikes me more gimmick than anything else... ??
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Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
05-08-14, 10:51 AM
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my mind was blown.
05-08-14, 11:03 AM
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Neil Shirley owns all the KOM's in the area. I dont know his stats but he was some ex-pro MTB or something. When he hits a segment, you might as well not bother unless you're a climbing god.