All Things STRAVA (merged threads)

Joined Strava in Jan. and loving it. Using it most to track my own improvements on segments, and the comparisons with KOMs to see where I loose time and could do better. Longer segments are more meaningful to me, the shorter ones (esp downhill) have a few seconds between rides that could be GPS tracking error or a bunny crossing the trail. Then there's the dissapointment of not getting a "clean run" (again, mostly DH). Good things and bad things about "riding for Strava"!

I do look at the other STR riders to see what they've been doing (though of course can't make a direct connection with the screen names here vs. Strava names). If you hook to the STR Club then it's a click away. It's amazing to see some of the times, climbes, and distances you STRers do weekly! Always giving the kudos on PRs and placers on trails I'm familiar with since I know what an achievment it is.
--Dave :beer:

 

Totally high on strava right now...

 

is there a consensus on which GPS device works the best?
i don't use it but this has peaked my interest.

 

I use an Android phone. The Strava Android app didn't work so well for me (dropped GPS allot and "straightlined" allot of curvy trails). So I downloaded "Mytracks" app and set it to record position each second, and it works great. Only hassle is you have to save the Mytracks recording as a GPX file on your phone, then transfer to your computer, then upload to Strava. I heard Strava will update the Android app soon, so may try it again when the new one comes out.

They also have an Iphone app (have not tried). From what I've heard the Garmin units that can output GPX files work well.

I would like to integrate a HRM with Mytracks but not sure if the Polar Bluetooth chestbelt works with the phone in the backpack. Anyone have input on that. (Not meaning to hijack!)
--Dave

 

I'm a recreational strava user. Weekends and holidays only. I stay away from the KOM's, to harsh for me.

 

I don't know what it is, but I want to know now!!!!

 

How do you join the STR Club or group?

 

Yeah you are! Like top 5 or top 10 on Cactus and Chutes...amazing times.

 

im on my second ride on strava. dont quite get it yet. o i have to put my phone on the computer? i think it uploads automatically.

 

Well said AJ. I like both Strava and Geoladders. Neither are perfect They both have their benefits. But both can negatively influence your behavior and motivate you to be rude to other trail users, friends you're riding with or take away the simple enjoyment that got you started interested in riding to begin with. But, properly used they can provide a lot of great information on how to better challenge ourselves to become better riders.

I have no delusions of ever being KOM on any segment; no way, and that's not what it's about for me. But I have learned to "never say never" and am riding trails I never thought I could clean and getting what I feel are respectable times now. I love how mountain biking is an all body workout and challenges our minds as well--knowing how hard to push yourself before you're being stupid; that's different places for different people.

I don't want to be the guy tacking on a bunch of pavement / fireroads to my rides to get extra points on Geoladders, or riding to get the most points. And I don't want every ride to be a sufferfest to see if I can beat my previous time on Strava. There's got to be a balance or I'll burnout.

 

Okay, a couple of stupid questions -
What does KOM, and QOM stand for?

I tried using the Strava app on my IPhone but it would not work properly. From reading some of the posts here, it seems as if I can upload gpx files from my older Garmin? I think I'll have to go try that...

I could definitely get addicted to this.

 

Strava has made riding this last year more fun than ever. I have met many people and more importantly kept in touch with those I normally wouldn't. It is a perfect motivator for me as the eye in the sky is pushing me harder than I ever thought I would be able to accomplish. I also like to see that it is possible to improve. I used to dream of climbing cholla in under 5 minutes and people are now breaking 3 minutes. That is insane, but it makes me work harder when I am riding. Kudos to Strava for the fun.

 

Digging Strava! *I like to use both Strava and Geoladders for two different reasons. * ..Geoladders rewards you for how much you ride, Strava rewards you for how fast you ride. One thing I like about Strava in particular is the fact that it's representation of my ride is very close (if not exact) to what my garmin reads. ...unlike geoladders, which bloats my mileage and robs my climbs.

Devodoc- KOM/QOM= King/Queen of the mountain (fastest rider on a given segment).

 

King Of Mountain/Queen Of Mountain.

Strava's been a great training tool for me. I'm a nerd, and I enjoy being able to see all the data. It's been a great motivator as well. But, on the same note, I have to force myself to stick to my training schedule sometimes. It's easy for me to get a bit too "excited" out there trying to PR a segment, on a day when I was supposed to be on a recovery ride or something. ](*,)

Bottom line for me... great for training, I've met some rad people, I enjoy stalking the Pros, and it's been humbling.

 

I'm on Strava as well but I use Geoladders to create and track my routes more. I usually keep my rides private.

I haven't ridden in 2 months due to knee and back issues as well as pure disinterest to ride. I'm sure I'll get out this funk soon and maybe shoot for some of those KOM's, but I just need to get some miles in preparation for the VQ.

Btw, merged with existing thread.

 

Strava man-whore here. A lot of my uploads are private...don't think anyone cares how much I killed it on the rollers tonight...but for group rides and races its kind of cool to see what everyone's doing and how a lot of us have improved in a short amount of time.

 

uh oh, I just figured out that I can upload my .gpx files and just spent the last hour uploading past rides. Not a good sign; I should be sleeping instead...
But I now know what KOM/QOM mean - don't need to worry about that; the best I'll do would probably be JOM - Jester of the Mountain. I did find out that I am 2nd on one of my segments in Prescott, AZ. Never mind that there were only two people that rode that segment.
All kidding aside, I do like to keep tabs on my progress, or lack there of and this will make it a bit easier. I, too like to keep my rides private as I tend to write way too much about what I was thinking/feeling during a ride and I don't think anyone really cares how close I was to puking while climbing Harding.

 

Besides the competitive aspect its a great tool for automatically keeping and viewing data. You can click on a"My Results" on a segment display and see your results for every time you have ridden the segment. (Ask "Was I really faster on an SS?"). You can track your bike parts, e.g. see how many miles have been put on that chain on that bike.

I've been told that another revision will add more awesome features.

 

chupacabra: Login to Strava on a pc and go to the Clubs tab --> Type "SoCalTrailRiders" in the Club box and "Mission Viejo" in the Location/City box.

Like others have stated above, Strava is a good tool to judge how I do compared to everyone else and a great tool to measure how I do against myself. However, like Jae2460, I'm not going to be rude to hikers or cyclists just to make the numbers. I'm never going to be KOM, so I just ride for fun and push it when I can hoping that I do better than last time.

 

I get most of my rides in during the early weekeday mornings before sunrise. Those cold, dark solo rides were getting monotonous until I got a GPS/HR monitor to track and visually see my rides. Now with Strava, I can track my PRs and also see how I rank amongst other riders. This is a great motivator and I hope to get more high intensity rides in this year.