# Does anyone apart from me just get on their bikes and ride them?



## shouldbeinbed (18 Oct 2015)

Irrespective of logging mileage or tyre wear or strava segments or cadence or.........

I know I'm not in training or trying to maintain heart zones or optimising my power vs aero position, but so many people seem to keep logs of this and records of that and know to the n'th degree how far they are off a KOM on strava or their Eddington number or the duration of every ride and when it rained on them back to 4th of March 1977 just after teatime.

I feel like some sort of oddball because I just go out and pedal to where I want to go and get off and do what I need to there and then get on and pedal home again or I just go out and pedal around for the sheer darned heck of it without giving the slightest thought to whether I'm 5 seconds faster than last week and am up to 3rd on the towpath KOM or whatever.

Why am I so easily satisfied? & darn my uncompetitive nature.


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## User32269 (18 Oct 2015)

I'm with you! Even gave my basic bike computer/speedo away, not really arsed what my average speed is...I know its slow don't need details!
Think I'm just old, but enjoy the simplicity of riding. Only thing I miss is knowing how fast I decend.


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## Drago (18 Oct 2015)

I do. I often forget to swap the Garmin between bikes, i frequently just get on and ride.


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## mythste (18 Oct 2015)

Whatever increases your utility dude!


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## Moodyman (18 Oct 2015)

Me to. No gadgets or computers. I ride after doing checks - brakes, tyres, etc


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## raleighnut (18 Oct 2015)

No gadgets here either.


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## Pale Rider (18 Oct 2015)

Basic computer for me for when I sometimes want to clock the distance of a ride.

Each to his own, but I believe some riders take risks and ride too fast for the conditions in pursuit of Strava glory.


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## AM1 (18 Oct 2015)

I like to use Strava only to keep a rough idea of my total mileage and where I've been ( like a diary ) not in the slightest bit interested in setting PR,s not that I could anyway


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## Andy_R (18 Oct 2015)

I've always thought the sole purpose of a bicycle was to have fun on it.


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## gavgav (18 Oct 2015)

AM1 said:


> I like to use Strava only to keep a rough idea of my total mileage and where I've been ( like a diary ) not in the slightest bit interested in setting PR,s not that I could anyway


Ditto.


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## ScotiaLass (18 Oct 2015)

I like to know how many miles I've done but that's about it!
I don't use Strava, or any other similar programme as my cycle computer does what I need with no jiggery pokery


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## Smokin Joe (18 Oct 2015)

I ditched the computer years ago after being one of the first to fit one back in the day. Just ride and enjoy it.


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## grellboy (18 Oct 2015)

Use to ride just for fun, no logging etc. Then did a sportive or two and got a tracking app on my phone, cycle computer etc. Realised just recently that I now miss the things I used to enjoy about cycling: Dawdling, meandering, looking up in the sky and in the fields as I went past at a gentler pace. So have kept my road bike but have also just gotten a cx bike, so I can hopefully rediscover the rediscovering, if that makes sense?


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## Mo1959 (18 Oct 2015)

I do use a Garmin and Strava. I just find it fun to look at the maps of where I've been and do compare speeds with previous efforts. I also quite enjoy some of the Strava climbing and distance challenges, purely again as a bit of fun and a little added motivation. Also, if you follow local riders on Strava, it sometimes gives you some ideas for fresh routes that you haven't yet tackled.


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## Lonestar (18 Oct 2015)

Im interested in mileage as im a numbers sort of guy.That's about it though.


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## Smokin Joe (18 Oct 2015)

It's very easy to become obsessed with average speeds, distances and what hills you've climbed to the extent that you turn cycling in to a chore. Everything is geared to going faster and further and comparing yourself with other riders and it's easy to get dispirited if you can't beat your best performances. Anyone who's really interested in how good they are would be best off pinning a number on their back and doing it for real, otherwise you lose the point of what attracted you to riding a bike in the first place.


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## gavroche (18 Oct 2015)

I do keep a record of my mileage but not interested in speed as most other riders go faster than me. Too old to do Strava or segments. I have no interest in those at all.


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## screenman (18 Oct 2015)

I only ride for excersise, others ride for a magnitude of reasons.


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## AM1 (18 Oct 2015)

Back when I was a lad it was one of these!


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## Pikey (18 Oct 2015)

shouldbeinbed said:


> Irrespective of logging mileage or tyre wear or strava segments or cadence or.........
> 
> I know I'm not in training or trying to maintain heart zones or optimising my power vs aero position, but so many people seem to keep logs of this and records of that and know to the n'th degree how far they are off a KOM on strava or their Eddington number or the duration of every ride and when it rained on them back to 4th of March 1977 just after teatime.
> 
> ...



I've spent a couple of years heavily using strava, doing the challenges etc... And did love it once.

I'm toying with sacking it off though, I've fallen out with all the pressure for averages and segments etc... It puts on each ride I do, it's made my rides too much like being at work and having targets for everything, to the point where I stopped wanting to go out and ride.

I'm just gonna ride and enjoy it for now, if I get better at it, bonus!


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## G3CWI (18 Oct 2015)

Pikey said:


> I've fallen out with all the pressure for averages and segments etc... It puts on each ride I do



I think you may find that the pressure is coming from you, not Strava. I know what you mean though!


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## Pikey (18 Oct 2015)

G3CWI said:


> I think you may find that the pressure is coming from you, not Strava. I know what you mean though!



Yeah you're right with this 

Probably some sort of character defect  or the product of relentless target conditioning at work


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## Booyaa (18 Oct 2015)

I know lots of cyclists and none of them are obsessed with segments and the like mentioned here. I use a Garmin to track my rides, all I could tell you about them though is the route I take, no idea on average speeds or what segments I have done, I just like to have a look at where I have meandered to and see if there is anything decent nearby for a future ride.


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## arch684 (18 Oct 2015)

Sometimes i leave the garmin and my watch at home.Phone in back pocket switched off and go out on the bike all day just for fun


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## xxDarkRiderxx (18 Oct 2015)

Ditto @AM1

You have burst my bubble. Why o Why do I have Garmin and Polar? Time to go back to old school Ride and wave boys.


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## Hip Priest (18 Oct 2015)

I'm totally obsessed with gadgets and logging things. My heart rate monitor broke on a recent ride, and it totally ruined it for me. Quite sad really. I think I need to ween myself off!


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## Ian H (18 Oct 2015)

I'm on Strava, but not to post anything. I have a Garmin but don't record rides with it. I have a heart-rate monitor that I almost never use. 

The AUK site does have records of quite a lot of my riding, and there's a lesser amount on the CTT site.


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## summerdays (18 Oct 2015)

AM1 said:


> I like to use Strava only to keep a rough idea of my total mileage and where I've been ( like a diary ) not in the slightest bit interested in setting PR,s not that I could anyway


I use it like a diary, and because my memory is bad it's really useful when I'm trying to fill out my time sheet and I've forgotten which days I've worked! And everyone can get Personal Records as they are personal to you so sometimes you must go faster than other days.

I never bother looking at my speed apart from the occasional how fast did I go down that hill or how slow I went up it, I haven't the foggiest what my average is (not in double figures maybe?).but at the end of the year I want to know if I did over or under 3000 miles.


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## uclown2002 (18 Oct 2015)

Not without my Garmin


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## snorri (18 Oct 2015)

I've come to the conclusion that once a cyclist has disproved the oft quoted theory that the more you cycle the more your performance improves, then he or she dumps the electronics.


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## SpokeyDokey (18 Oct 2015)

I'm a fairly uncommitted cyclist covering a paltry 2000 miles a year.

I don't do Strava and am not interested in how I stack up against the rest of the cycling fraternity.

I do like to keep track of my monthly/annual mileage, ascent and av' speed though.

I just like to see how I am doing in the eternal struggle against Old Father Time.

I have a route in the mountains that I climb & time every few years to see how I am doing (or not) - it includes the summit & Swirral/Striding edges of Helvellyn.

Did it a month or two back in 3hrs 21mins which, against my best from 25 years back, at 3hrs 9mins makes me think I am doing ok.

Same principle with my cycling stat's.


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## Cold (18 Oct 2015)

I use Strava every ride just to see how far I've gone and how long its taken and I always check to see what my fastest speed was.
I don't bother with segments or trying to beat other people it's just for myself to see how I am progressing.


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## dave r (18 Oct 2015)

I only have a basic cycle computer on my bike, I'll record the mileage of my Sunday rides and my monthly mileage and thats it, if I'm commuting I'm using the bike for transport, if I'm riding on a Sunday I'm using the bike for enjoyment and if I'm enjoying it thats good enough for me.


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## nickyboy (18 Oct 2015)

Keeping fit is important to me. At my age it's something that I should pay attention to. So I ride my bike to maintain/improve fitness (and for lots of other reasons too). Strava lets me monitor my fitness. My Garmin is great. Today I went on a ride with at least 20km of roads I've never been on before with loads of junctions. GPS takes all the stress out of this


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## Pumpkin the robot (18 Oct 2015)

I just get on my bike and ride, it just so happens that I have a garmin when I do it. It does not mean I am not enjoying myself just because I have a piece of electrical equipment strapped to the front of my bike.


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## Cuchilo (18 Oct 2015)

Its not hard to press a button at the start and stop of riding and for me it extends the joy of riding as i can look at the stats . A bit like using cycle chat , it just part of enjoying the bike .
I don't feel pressured to use my garmin or strava and the segments don't force me to go for them . I know where they are and if its a clear road i may go for it but i'm more interested in beating my own times rather than others .


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## StuAff (18 Oct 2015)

Martin Archer said:


> I just get on my bike and ride, it just so happens that I have a garmin when I do it. It does not mean I am not enjoying myself just because I have a piece of electrical equipment strapped to the front of my bike.


^That. I was somewhat disappointed this afternoon that my Strava achievements totalled one paltry second-best time. This completely overshadowed the pleasure from (even on a somewhat grotty and windy day) my lovely brand-new bike with its fantastic frame and cherry-picked components.

Yeah right.


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## mustang1 (18 Oct 2015)

Me. When I first bought a bike years ago, I also bought a cycle computer but never installed it because didn't want to be it's slave.


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## Berk on a Bike (18 Oct 2015)

Tired of Strava, tired of life.

*blows brains out*


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## vickster (18 Oct 2015)

I use a garmin for speed or directions (far from perfect, I'm crap at route planning) and strava on the phone but again to just log miles. I will occasionally chase a flat segment if the way is clear but there's so much traffic generally I'm often surprised if get a medal or cup. I'm slow as hell going up hills and a complete wuss going down, so only ever on flats 

I have a cadence meter and heart rate monitor that came with the Garmin, they are both still in the box. Don't give a stuff about those numbers


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## Mrs M (18 Oct 2015)

I don't have any gadgets.
Might be interesting to record mileage though.
I test my speed on the speedo thingy at the side of the road meant for cars entering the village.
It has told me to "slow down" a few times  .


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## Milkfloat (18 Oct 2015)

Seeing as I make maps for a living based on the sort of data that strava is collecting from you all, it would be a bit churlish to not join in myself. I use my Garmin for following a route and to collect a few stats. I use Strava to record all these as it is easy and simple. I take a look at my stats and am pleased to see when I am doing ok, but I tend to judge my ride by how much fun I had, the chats with friends and the new places discovered, not getting rained on is a bonus.


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## MontyVeda (18 Oct 2015)

I just get on and ride too... no mileage records*, no speedo, no special clothes** or shoes. But even without any of that, I don't half parp about before actually setting off 

*I do occasionally plot my route on Google maps afterwards, but only if it's a new route
**i will don some padded undies for a 30 mile+ ride


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## rebelpeter (18 Oct 2015)

Well just enjoy the rides however long they take none of us are going to be in the Tour de France or gonna be a pro rider just enjoy the ride and the scenery, why rush it and get back home you wanna be out riding not trying to get back home in record time.


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## Postmanhat (18 Oct 2015)

This thread has reminded me to log today's ride on strava 

EDIT - Just found out walloped my average mph pr. 17.3 mph for the 18 mile ride home from Matlock. Strava's great for that sort of thing and total mileage. Plus I'm slightly obsessed with my performance on hill climbs. Am only just into second year of 'proper' cycling. Maybe this will fade with time. Hardly ever look at the Garmin while riding these days, except to check the time


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## DRM (18 Oct 2015)

I like to record my rides on strava, not interested in kom's or such like, only to see how I have improved over the year, and see how far I've ridden.


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## GrumpyGregry (18 Oct 2015)

shouldbeinbed said:


> Irrespective of logging mileage or tyre wear or strava segments or cadence or.........
> 
> Why am I so easily satisfied? & darn my uncompetitive nature.


Yeah. Mon - Fri certainly.

But I run naked too.


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## Justinslow (18 Oct 2015)

Ermmmm, see below "veloviewer"...............


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## ianrauk (18 Oct 2015)

Justinslow said:


> Ermmmm, see below "veloviewer"...............




What does position chart 1st to 100th mean?
Also what are podiums & segments scores mean?


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## summerdays (18 Oct 2015)

Milkfloat said:


> Seeing as I make maps for a living based on the sort of data that strava is collecting from you all, it would be a bit churlish to not join in myself. I use my Garmin for following a route and to collect a few stats. I use Strava to record all these as it is easy and simple. I take a look at my stats and am pleased to see when I am doing ok, but I tend to judge my ride by how much fun I had, the chats with friends and the new places discovered, not getting rained on is a bonus.


One reason I do record my rides on Strava is so that any data that is collected and possibly used by others includes me and my type of cycling rather than just fast Lycra clad men.


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## Milkfloat (18 Oct 2015)

summerdays said:


> One reason I do record my rides on Strava is so that any data that is collected and possibly used by others includes me and my type of cycling rather than just fast Lycra clad men.



From a data point of view, I love slower cyclists, it makes it so much easier to work out that they are a bike and not a car, but please don't ride so slowly that I think you are a pedestrian.


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## zizou (18 Oct 2015)

I record everything, that doesnt mean i'm always hammering it and trying to improve times on segments and smashing myself, i just like to record the rides and keep track of where i've been - occassionally i'll use a site like http://www.jonathanokeeffe.com/strava/map.php which will plot every ride you've ever recorded on strava - its great seeing just how much of the local area (and not so local) that ive covered by bike.


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## summerdays (18 Oct 2015)

Milkfloat said:


> From a data point of view, I love slower cyclists, it makes it so much easier to work out that they are a bike and not a car, but please don't ride so slowly that I think you are a pedestrian.


Only up hills


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## Tin Pot (18 Oct 2015)

shouldbeinbed said:


> Irrespective of logging mileage or tyre wear or strava segments or cadence or.........
> 
> I know I'm not in training or trying to maintain heart zones or optimising my power vs aero position, but so many people seem to keep logs of this and records of that and know to the n'th degree how far they are off a KOM on strava or their Eddington number or the duration of every ride and when it rained on them back to 4th of March 1977 just after teatime.
> 
> ...


No


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## Dan B (18 Oct 2015)

I'd like to just get on my bikes and ride them, but when I get back I always feel compelled to start Cyclechat threads about just getting on bikes and riding then


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## Shut Up Legs (18 Oct 2015)

Ah, another prescriptive "why doesn't everybody do it like I do?" thread. I prefer to just let people ride their bikes however they want. The more cyclists out there the better, regardless of how they do it.


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## Pat "5mph" (18 Oct 2015)

I like my Garmin and Strava so I know where I'm going and where I've been - never a certainty, specially if I'm pulled along by others. 
I like to look at the routes others did, to get ideas for rides, to find out about hills to avoid


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## outlash (18 Oct 2015)

Reminds me of when I was looking around at garmins and I asked a mate if he thought one with HRM was a good idea. His reply was 'I don't need one of those to tell me I'm knackered!'.


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## deptfordmarmoset (18 Oct 2015)

Almost. For utility and beer stuff I'll change my shoes because I keep on lifting my feet off flats. And keep warm, so that can mean a bit more dressing up against the weather. But pretty basic stuff. If I'm out for exercise, though, I'll tend to take the computer. If I'm likely to ride an unknown route, I'll wear a helmet (it's a psychological not a logical thing with me). Too old for Strava and too mean for Garmin.


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## mjr (19 Oct 2015)

I just ride, but I do usually press the record button on my phone. Every month or three, I load the recordings into pytrainer on my computer. I think most of the current "social" riding competitions like Strava are basically antisocial and encourage/reward racing in inappropriate places... but if some people need that sort of thing to enjoy cycling, I guess that's good overall because it keeps them healthier and saves the NHS some money. For me, cycling is about going places more than going fast.


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## RegG (19 Oct 2015)

I've been using Strava mainly to record my mileage and to see if I am improving on times although I am not a slave to trying to improve segment times etc. As for speed, there is no way I am going to be as quick as some of the youngsters on hills etc unless I take the car around a route with Strava going!!!

Seriously though, Strava can be very addictive and can spoil the enjoyment of cycling as it used to be.


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## Justinslow (19 Oct 2015)

ianrauk said:


> What does position chart 1st to 100th mean?
> Also what are podiums & segments scores mean?


No idea, looks well smart though


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## hopless500 (19 Oct 2015)

AM1 said:


> I like to use Strava only to keep a rough idea of my total mileage and where I've been ( like a diary ) not in the slightest bit interested in setting PR,s not that I could anyway


Same here.


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## Dogtrousers (19 Oct 2015)

AM1 said:


> I like to use Strava only to keep a rough idea of my total mileage and where I've been ( like a diary ) not in the slightest bit interested in setting PR,s not that I could anyway


A pedant writes: I think a PR is a _personal_ record, ie your own fastest time over a given sector. Therefore you most certainly can set PRs, just by riding somewhere you've not been before.

Nit-pickery aside, I see what you're saying. 

I do, however, sometimes find it diverting to see how quickly really fast cyclists go. Looking at a hill that has taken me 10 minutes to struggle up and seeing that a load of super quick riders have done it in four, or some such.


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## Justinslow (19 Oct 2015)

I was being a bit flippant before, yes I record every ride, some rides I do try and beat my times as a form of training for TT's. Some rides just for fun - with the kids, then we can look back after and see where we've been, look at the stats etc, on a ride at the weekend my son aged 7 did his furthest ride - 10.4 miles, we went as fast as we could on one section (not segment) together and was able to see it on strava and see how fast we went, it's a talking point really. I'm relatively new to cycling so for me strava is huge, I love analysing my ride after and seeing if I've got any top tens anywhere or pr's. I can see how some don't like it as it is quite competitive and in some cases a bit "silly".


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## SpokeyDokey (19 Oct 2015)

Dogtrousers said:


> A pedant writes: I think a PR is a _personal_ record, ie your own fastest time over a given sector. Therefore you most certainly can set PRs, just by riding somewhere you've not been before.
> 
> Nit-pickery aside, I see what you're saying.
> 
> I do, however, sometimes find it diverting to see how quickly really fast cyclists go. *Looking at a hill that has taken me 10 minutes to struggle up* and seeing that a load of super quick riders have done it in four, or some such.



Same here - where I live there is a steep hill (about 12%) and it takes me about 2.5 mins to get up it. According to Strava someone did it in 23 seconds.


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## Cush (19 Oct 2015)

User32269 said:


> I'm with you! Even gave my basic bike computer/speedo away, not really arsed what my average speed is...I know its slow don't need details!
> Think I'm just old, but enjoy the simplicity of riding. Only thing I miss is knowing how fast I decend.


Off the bike today and possibly for a few days (taking a "short cut" through some woods with two dogs and a wife yesterday led to a nasty encounter with a group of berserk hornets, which led to a very uncomfortable night with little sleep, that led to an 08:00 visit to the doctor who counted 14 known stings mainly around the rear of the waist line and back of knee and lug hole) I keep a diary and record of my mileage and average speed, because (a) I like to keep these things. (b) If I go on longer trip I can refer back to my latest averages and have an idea of how long it's going to take (useful when you use trains as much as I do and have to book in advance) Other than that I am not bothered if I get scalped by any other rider and I don't have targets. By the way the dogs were scared but not stung much and SWMBO had one nasty sting near the eye that required a trip to the A&E for a check up.


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## jonny jeez (19 Oct 2015)

I do but not very often. Riding for me generally has a purpose, target, commute, distance or a destination. Occasionally I just ride because the sun is out and I fancy going to sit in the park and watch the tourists...like yesterday.

But riding with a purpose doesn't make it less fun. Heading from London to paris, or perhaps setting a destination like Brighton as a goal is all great fun and.makes a very enjoyable days riding


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## jonny jeez (19 Oct 2015)

grellboy said:


> Use to ride just for fun, no logging etc. Then did a sportive or two and got a tracking app on my phone, cycle computer etc. Realised just recently that I now miss the things I used to enjoy about cycling: Dawdling, meandering, looking up in the sky and in the fields as I went past at a gentler pace. So have kept my road bike but have also just gotten a cx bike, so I can hopefully rediscover the rediscovering, if that makes sense?


You should consider a single speed. My limited experience is that mine requires a total mind shift to a different style of riding that is gentle, smooth and hugely enjoyable


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## Jayaly (19 Oct 2015)

It's a habit for me to use Love to Ride, because I started cycling properly as part of my employer joining in with the annual challenge. I don't pay any attention to speeds, but I do like to see that total mileage number going up as I wean myself off car dependency. I have a target not to drive any distance under 3 miles this year.


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## Smokin Joe (19 Oct 2015)

SpokeyDokey said:


> Same here - where I live there is a steep hill (about 12%) and it takes me about 2.5 mins to get up it. According to Strava someone did it in 23 seconds.


I wonder how many Strava records have been set using a car or motorcycle?


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## Mo1959 (19 Oct 2015)

Smokin Joe said:


> I wonder how many Strava records have been set using a car or motorcycle?


..........or ladies on the back of tandems with good male riders up front. There is one around here does this.


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## Racing roadkill (19 Oct 2015)

I'm really only interested in the calorie burn, the rest is just for shoots and giggles.


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## 400bhp (19 Oct 2015)

I just ride my bike. I just so happen to press start and stop on a garmin.


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## Hip Priest (19 Oct 2015)

Smokin Joe said:


> I wonder how many Strava records have been set using a car or motorcycle?



I was surprised to discover I had achieved a KOM on a short but steep local hill. When I saw that my average speed was 26% I realised it must've been a GPS error so made the ride private.


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## Racing roadkill (19 Oct 2015)

Digital E.P.O.

http://www.digitalepo.com


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## summerdays (19 Oct 2015)

Smokin Joe said:


> I wonder how many Strava records have been set using a car or motorcycle?


I've done it a couple of times, normally it gets reported if you forget to deal with it but one sat for a couple of weeks till I realised I had a track along a route I hadn't cycled.


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## bpsmith (19 Oct 2015)

I find it amusing that some thinking Strava is the best thing going and others think it's the spawn of the devil. Clearly there's the rest of us in between too.

I would interested to see how many veteran cyclists hate Strava and how many new riders love it? When I say veteran, I don't mean old btw, I mean the length of time riding.

I happen to love Strava. I have used it since starting cycling 2 years ago. Every ride is on there.

I regularly go out Solo and aim for a fast average speed over a regular route or to get up a certain hill faster. Other times I just poodle along without any target. I enjoy both, but still record.

I also ride in groups and, again, sometimes there's a target and other times not.

What I don't get is those who think that if you use Strava then you are by default antisocial, dangerous cyclists who have no regard for anyone around you and it's solely about the segment hunting. How short sighted is that?


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## User16625 (19 Oct 2015)

User32269 said:


> I'm with you! Even gave my basic bike computer/speedo away, not really arsed what my average speed is...I know its slow don't need details!
> Think I'm just old, but enjoy the simplicity of riding. Only thing I miss is knowing how fast I decend.




Know what you mean. My speedo records my rolling average altho part of me wishes it didnt have that feature. I do wish it had a clock tho which it doesnt. I used to have a speedo which recorded my maximum speed achieved. This was handy for me because I love going like hell downhills. In some cases I will put more effort going down a hill than up it. Altho I like to ride a decent pace, increasing to full throttle occasionally I am not into keeping records of such efforts. Just my current speed is good enough for me.


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## User32269 (19 Oct 2015)

I choose not to have any sort of cycle computer. I'm purely a leisure cyclist and like to escape setting targets etc. As a previous poster said, have enough of that at work. I have no problem with people who use strava etc it's just not for me. BUT...think its 50 year old kid syndrome, but do miss getting a buzz from seeing just how fast I went down hills!


Cush said:


> Off the bike today and possibly for a few days (taking a "short cut" through some woods with two dogs and a wife yesterday led to a nasty encounter with a group of berserk hornets, which led to a very uncomfortable night with little sleep, that led to an 08:00 visit to the doctor who counted 14 known stings mainly around the rear of the waist line and back of knee and lug hole) I keep a diary and record of my mileage and average speed, because (a) I like to keep these things. (b) If I go on longer trip I can refer back to my latest averages and have an idea of how long it's going to take (useful when you use trains as much as I do and have to book in advance) Other than that I am not bothered if I get scalped by any other rider and I don't have targets. By the way the dogs were scared but not stung much and SWMBO had one nasty sting near the eye that required a trip to the A&E for a check up.


Hornets? That's gonna hurt! If you had been on the bike bet you would have upped your average speed figures!


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## rovers1875 (19 Oct 2015)

AM1 said:


> Back when I was a lad it was one of these!
> View attachment 107283



I had forgotten about those things, I had one on my old Raleigh 5 speed back in the 70's


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## Dogtrousers (20 Oct 2015)

This just in: There are many different ways to enjoy cycling.

In other news, brown mass found in woods identified as bear faeces. Scientists consider the implications.


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## Sara_H (20 Oct 2015)

I occasionally track myself on an iPhone App if I'm using a new route, just as a matter of interest to see how far I've ridden and how much of a climb there was. 
But other than that I'm just a get on and ride kind of girl.


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## Karlt (20 Oct 2015)

Mrs M said:


> I don't have any gadgets.
> Might be interesting to record mileage though.
> I test my speed on the speedo thingy at the side of the road meant for cars entering the village.
> It has told me to "slow down" a few times  .



Without wishing to burst your bubble - I find those things are usually measuring the speed of the motor vehicle behind you.


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## summerdays (20 Oct 2015)

Karlt said:


> Without wishing to burst your bubble - I find those things are usually measuring the speed of the motor vehicle behind you.


No they can measure a bike speed too - I've set them off without having cars around (long downhill stretch helps there), and the main one I used to set off is even easier now it's been changed to 20mph! And there is even one on the bike path specifically telling cyclists to slow down proving they can detect bikes.


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## Dogtrousers (20 Oct 2015)

summerdays said:


> No they can measure a bike speed too - I've set them off without having cars around (long downhill stretch helps there), and the main one I used to set off is even easier now it's been changed to 20mph! And there is even one on the bike path specifically telling cyclists to slow down proving they can detect bikes.


Correct. They do.

They will often pick up a car behind as you approach, so you sometimes see them jump from your speed to the car's.


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## Karlt (20 Oct 2015)

summerdays said:


> No they can measure a bike speed too - I've set them off without having cars around (long downhill stretch helps there), and the main one I used to set off is even easier now it's been changed to 20mph! And there is even one on the bike path specifically telling cyclists to slow down proving they can detect bikes.



Perhaps some of them can, but a lot of the ones around here don't.


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## Andywinds (20 Oct 2015)

I really road bike for exercise and to push myself on each outing, I am assisted by my trip comp and my Strava app. I really believe if I didn't have a goal I would not have kept MTB'ing or road biking this long, I would have got bored like I do with most of my many hobbies. I've always been competitive in everything that I have ever done. So I do "just ride" but with these added extras.


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## Andywinds (20 Oct 2015)

I completely agree.



bpsmith said:


> I find it amusing that some thinking Strava is the best thing going and others think it's the spawn of the devil. Clearly there's the rest of us in between too.
> 
> I would interested to see how many veteran cyclists hate Strava and how many new riders love it? When I say veteran, I don't mean old btw, I mean the length of time riding.
> 
> ...


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## Dan B (20 Oct 2015)

I strava'ed for a year or so, but after a while I got the combination of best bike, best traffic and best tailwind on each of the segments I go through on my commute, so can't really see much point in continuing to use it. Plus, hanging around in the cold and the rain waiting for my phone to get a gps fix before I can start moving is not really my idea of a fun time.


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## 3narf (20 Oct 2015)

I use a Garmin & Strava. Not because I'm particularly competitive, more because I need to get in shape.

It kind of annoys me that I'm quite fast on a bike and (aerobically) very fit, but still overweight. By recording the miles I do it proves I'm not going mad and imagining it all!


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## Andywinds (20 Oct 2015)

Consume less calories? I'm being serious, it takes my body about 4 weeks to realize that it needs to lose fat. Then once it starts dropping it continues. I've lost a stone since July, that is not a lot but steady.



3narf said:


> I use a Garmin & Strava. Not because I'm particularly competitive, more because I need to get in shape.
> 
> It kind of annoys me that I'm quite fast on a bike and (aerobically) very fit, but still overweight. By recording the miles I do it proves I'm not going mad and imagining it all!


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## 3narf (20 Oct 2015)

Andywinds said:


> Consume less calories? I'm being serious, it takes my body about 4 weeks to realize that it needs to lose fat. Then once it starts dropping it continues. I've lost a stone since July, that is not a lot but steady.



I know, I know... the only times I've ever lost weight is by eating less. Exercise never seems to make any difference.


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## Andywinds (20 Oct 2015)

I was in a similar situation where I was not losing weight about 2 years ago, but I was busting my ass every time on the bike. I was finding that when I counted what I was eating my food was through the roof. Now I've cut the obvious crap out and it has made a difference. I did drop too many carbs so have increased this now. The way to lose weight is said to be through diet and not exercise.....or so i've read.



3narf said:


> I know, I know... the only times I've ever lost weight is by eating less. Exercise never seems to make any difference.


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## mjr (20 Oct 2015)

Andywinds said:


> I really believe if I didn't have a goal I would not have kept MTB'ing or road biking this long, I would have got bored like I do with most of my many hobbies. I've always been competitive in everything that I have ever done.


What's going to happen when you aren't competitive any more, through age or illness or whatever?

There's so much to see out there cycling. Some of which only appears at certain times of year or in certain weather. For example, the combination of Golden birches, red maples and green pines in Lynford arboretum last weekend: that won't appear again until this point after a similar sunny autumn and will be a ride to look forward to, who knows when.


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## Andywinds (20 Oct 2015)

If I am with mates and we are MTB'ing then we push each other as well. But if I only went biking with mates that would be once a week/month. On my own is where i have made the most progress because I can go out 3-4 times a week. If I get ill or cannot ride as much then who knows.



mjray said:


> What's going to happen when you aren't competitive any more, through age or illness or whatever?
> 
> There's so much to see out there cycling. Some of which only appears at certain times of year or in certain weather. For example, the combination of Golden birches, red maples and green pines in Lynford arboretum last weekend: that won't appear again until this point after a similar sunny autumn and will be a ride to look forward to, who knows when.


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## Smokin Joe (21 Oct 2015)

Andywinds said:


> I was in a similar situation where I was not losing weight about 2 years ago, but I was busting my ass every time on the bike. I was finding that when I counted what I was eating my food was through the roof. Now I've cut the obvious crap out and it has made a difference. I did drop too many carbs so have increased this now. The way to lose weight is said to be through diet and not exercise.....or so i've read.


Borne out when you see photos of riders on sportives, 50% of every field need to spend less time thinking about the cake stops.


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## mjr (21 Oct 2015)

Smokin Joe said:


> Borne out when you see photos of riders on sportives, 50% of every field need to spend less time thinking about the cake stops.


Or stuffing their face with over-refined high-sugar gels while riding slower than a Fred on a roadster...


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## uclown2002 (22 Oct 2015)

3narf said:


> I know, I know... the only times I've ever lost weight is by eating less. Exercise never seems to make any difference.


"You can't outrun a bad diet".


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## Andywinds (22 Oct 2015)

Excellent quote.


uclown2002 said:


> "You can't outrun a bad diet"'


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## Old jon (24 Oct 2015)

Bought the bike at the end of June, solemnly declared ' NO GADGETS ' 3rd September fitted bike computer. Other stuff followed, inevitably. No garmin or strava, whatever they may be, but I do like to know how far I have ridden, to justify the ache in the legs I suppose.


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## Sara_H (24 Oct 2015)

Karlt said:


> Without wishing to burst your bubble - I find those things are usually measuring the speed of the motor vehicle behind you.


They put one up near primary school local to me recently. It flashed my speed up at 23mph. It was definitely me because there weren't any other vehicles on the road.


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## snorri (24 Oct 2015)

3narf said:


> I know, I know... the only times I've ever lost weight is by eating less. Exercise never seems to make any difference.


I remain convinced that regular cycling keeps my weight down by keeping me away for prolonged periods from all the readily available snacks in my kitchen.


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## Dave7 (24 Oct 2015)

I'm somewhere in-between. Its my first year of "proper" cycling so I have kept a log of my distances for a) an idea of how far I have been each ride & b) for some idea of my annual distance. I also have a 10 mile loop for when I just "need" a quick sprint and I have enjoyed seeing my times get better but never bothered if it's been slower.


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## gavroche (24 Oct 2015)

Up to now, I have logged every ride I have done but as from January 1st, I will not anymore .I will still use my Garmin just to see what I have done on a particular ride but will not log it. I don't want to be compelled to do so many miles a month anymore and will only ride when I want to and as I want to. That way, I hope I will enjoy my cycling more .


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## Psycolist (24 Oct 2015)

I do love a gadget, so yes I have a computer on each bike, but in terms of keeping records or PB's or average speeds or any sort of record keeping, NAH ! I just love to ride. I am more focused on how my rides feel in terms of comfort and ridability, than in wether I am riding any further or quicker. But I do love a gadget ! ;>) Can anyone recommend a cheap video camera for handlebar mounting ?


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## mjr (24 Oct 2015)

Psycolist said:


> Can anyone recommend a cheap video camera for handlebar mounting ?


MD80


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## bpsmith (25 Oct 2015)

I have every ride recorded over the past 2 years. Sometimes I go out to try and be fast, other times not. The fact that I have the Garmin running does not affect my enjoyment.

In fact, it's often surprises me to see PB's set on rides that I wasn't trying too hard.

It's all down to your mentality really. If not recording the ride makes you feel more enjoyment then so be it. Any pressure is all your own. Nobody else cares if you were slower/faster really.


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## snorri (25 Oct 2015)

gavroche said:


> . That way, I hope I will enjoy my cycling more .


Careful, you could get older sooner by taking that route, or at least speed up the loss of general health and fitness.


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## tyred (26 Oct 2015)

snorri said:


> I remain convinced that regular cycling keeps my weight down by keeping me away for prolonged periods from all the readily available snacks in my kitchen.



I bought a huge Carradice saddle bag so I could take most of the contents of my kitchen with me when going for a ride


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## itchybeard (26 Oct 2015)

shouldbeinbed said:


> Irrespective of logging mileage or tyre wear or strava segments or cadence or.........
> 
> I know I'm not in training or trying to maintain heart zones or optimising my power vs aero position, but so many people seem to keep logs of this and records of that and know to the n'th degree how far they are off a KOM on strava or their Eddington number or the duration of every ride and when it rained on them back to 4th of March 1977 just after teatime.
> 
> ...


i hear yer..


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