CliffordK

I doubt it.

But, there have been questions about STRAVA related deaths.

Family sues Strava for causing cyclist's death | road.cc
Did Strava App Play A Role In Deadly Central Park Cycling Accident?
Did a Cycling App Contribute to Bike Death? -- NYMag (same central park accident as above).

Just a week ago, I was pushing for a PR on one of my segments when a dang Bald Eagle chose to roost on one of the nearby trees, and people started stopping in the middle of the path No PR that day.

I did decide to create a downhill Strava segment, but I carefully chose to do an eastbound segment which was long and straight with nothing to run into, whereas the westbound direction would have hit a reduced speed limit section, side streets, and a traffic light at the bottom of the hill.

f4rrest

OMG. I've noticed Thorfinn-sasquatch on so many of my local segments. Always figured something was up.

Lost a couple more KOMs today to some local fast youngster. No big deal.

DrIsotope

Maybe not so directly-- but I think it's already happened incidentally. We had a local KOM-chaser round here, would soft-pedal most of the route and hammer hard for segments only, and racked up quite a list of KOMs-- perhaps over 100 of them, despite never having done a ride much longer than a Metric, and averaging in the 15-16mph range for most rides. That was up until January 4th of this year, when a car making a left turned in front of him and he went into the side of the car. Died at the hospital 30 minutes later. No one could ever say for sure that KOM-hunting played a part in his untimely demise, but I think to hit a car hard enough to get killed, you have to be going pretty quick.

Doge

A KOM can get a kid an invite to a elite team, and invite to train with a world tour pro or be a data point for a trip to Europe with USAC.

USAC will select riders based on power profiles. For that matter, so will USRowing and 30 universities.

rpenmanparker 

Go figure! I didn't know that. What is this world coming too? I thought you just showed up and tried out.

And you kids, Get off my lawn.

But the coffee still costs $4.00.

Machka 

What are KOMs?

smarkinson

I picked up 6 PRs on Strava today. Should I flag my ride because I didn't think I was going that fast? Maybe I've been doping without me knowing it. Or maybe I've installed a motor in my bike without knowing it.

P.S. A lot of people out today (Good Friday) and I made sure I waved to them all.

Doge

The point in a comment on the article and made again here. Many PEDs are totally legal and there may be nothing nefarious about taking them.
Most KOMs on anything but a significant hill involve drafting. If a 230# rider with a big enough gear drinks enough first, I expect they can get many downhill KOMs.

I really would like to see the self reported situations I posted above about, but that someone is doping and getting KOMs is fine.

DrIsotope

Six? What's six? Take a ride on a route you've never taken before, watch the PRs rack up. Not a good one unless you're at least into the 20s.

Doge

My child does this one. I really don't like it and wish Strava would remove these.
Is there a way to flag them as dangerous as a parent of a minor?
This is a residential street with a 25mph speed limit and houses and driveways on both sides.
Not cool to see this kind of speed on this kind of road.
https://www.strava.com/segments/2288279?filter=overall

I flagged it. I must be that guy.

CliffordK

Wow,
Both the top two riders (Bullard & Willett) hit a stop sign at Avenida Salvador & Avenida Presidio at over 30 MPH.
Is that another stop at Calle Miguel that they're blowing through at over 40 mph?

FLAG!!! The segment should be removed.

As I mentioned, I did define a downhill segment, very different from yours.
https://www.strava.com/segments/10647719

55 MPH speed zone, 4 lanes (and wide shoulder).
No corners.
No stop signs.
No houses
Good Visibility
Ended quite a bit before a traffic light.

I suppose there are a couple of flat sections that I do pound hard on (with vigilance). But, there are also several others that I won't touch.

Dan333SP

Not to be a strava nitpicker, but I'm pretty sure you don't see PRs unless you've done a particular route/segment 3 or more times.

rms13

Ah yes, I know this guy's Strava name well as he holds the KOM on virtually every segment I ride.

gregf83 

Aren't they KOOP's in Florida?

Elvo

A KOM can get you a shoe deal, a big house, a supermodel, fancy cars, a bunch of yes men, a Swiss bank account. But none of these things can get you a KOM.

DrIsotope

Looking through old routes, I know for certain I've gotten PRs on segments ridden only twice, and if it's in the top 10, I've gotten it for a single pass. The riding a segment multiple times thing is absolute garbage, though. All it does is make for virtually no PRs on one day, and 40+ on another.

Lazyass

Doge

I think 1-2 stop sign were blown and other than disregard for the law, one has a great view of traffic and both are T-like, not 4 way. This is not the section I thought (the other side is worse), and this side is more clear from driveways, but there are a number of side streets where the car could blow the SS. The bottom left turn I hit the deck about 1984 and spent 5 hours in surgery on my head. That drastically affected my aggressiveness for the rest of my life.

Yea - yours looks safer. But even the term KOM means mountain - or going up. Ah well, I did cancel my premium membership my kid uses. This is getting too out of hand. We have 3 more months until he does something safe by being in the military, this cycling is way too dangerous.

Doge

I would prefer there was the opportunity to race for real, but not everyone shows up. Most the racers do Strava - and race.
Below was both. It was a charity ride with a pile of ex-pros (some 25 or so TdF starts between them) where there was a KOM base on Strava upload with a huge trophy - Nosco Hammer Award. I was the idiot on the scooter.
https://vimeo.com/111348150

w0lffian

reminds me of this...


The Huck
You’re nearly at the top of Hell’s Gate Hill. You can see the big oak at the summit. You also see that you’re seconds from a PR and finally beating your nemesis—that accountant in the next town who rides a Dogma F8. You untwist your Garmin and huck it up the hill. If you’ve got a good arm—and aim—the record is yours.

Doge

There is a technique to group KOMs. Start at the back, finish at the front. When the supermen are sitting at the back at the bottom, you know what they are going for.

TimothyH

Real life sucks, doesn't it?

RNAV

What I wanna know is how the f*ck that guy got all those instagram photos on every single ride? I mean, does he have an armada of photographers standing by? The only photos I can get on rides are lame selfies.

TheLibrarian

If you look at the top riders in many categories their profile doesn't show anywhere near the supposed 4-6,000 km they show for the month. Its not in their rides and not in their totals. At least the number 13 guy is doing over a century everyday which is itself suspicious to me. I'd think even pros need a rest day between centuries and that still is only a bit over 3000 km per month doing one daily. It can be interesting to get a rough comparison towhat other people are doing but many of the leading spots are glitches, hackers, dopers or motors. I wonder if some accounts are shared too like some people do with video games.

Dan333SP

Looks like instagram is one of the main marketing tools for their cycling clothing company, so I'm sure he either has a buddy riding with him with a DSLR slung over his shoulder, or a scooter following him.