Confusing strava

[RyanMcGrath]

I don't understand strava??
Whenever I upload my garmin edge 200 , strava changes my ascent?
Tonight ride my ascent tells me 905 on garmin but once uploaded to strava dropped to 683??
My mate has the edge 800 and his said 850 and when uploaded to strava it stayed the same??
Confused

 

[Rasmus]

Short story:

The Edge 200 gets elevation from the GPS signal. The 800 has a built in barometric altimeter. Strava only trusts the latter, and corrects rides from a 200 using data from maps, which may or may not be more accurate.

Long story:

https://strava.zendesk.com/entries/20965883-Elevation-for-Your-Activity

 

[Coggy]

I think on the whole Strava is a bit pooey.

Mine does not pause when I stop despite having auto pause switched on. Also focuses massively on competitive segments comparing you as a beginner to clearly very experienced riders that seem to go up hills at the same speed I do in my car.

I don't particularly care but can see how it would become demoralising for some new riders.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Just take strava as a bit of fun, I have my default set up to view those I follow rather than everyone, that way I can compare how I do with those of similar abilities, well that was the intention, but I follow a few locally that I know I am not going to better but it gives more of an incentive than seeing figures I know I will never attain, if you want to know a more correct elevation, use rwgps, now I seem to have sorted out the edge 705 I got I will do some comparisons of the Rider 20 and the 705 on rwgps to see what the corrected elevation is.

 

[JasonHolder]

comparing you as a beginner to clearly very experienced riders that seem to go up hills at the same speed I do in my car.

That was hilarious!! Haha
Strava for me logs my miles, has a note function. Is a perfect training diary and saves me breaking out the stop watch to see if I am improving. I dont see it as competitive as I confidently move in my own direction ad use itin a way that best suits my needs.

That said, the very fast guys on segments started slow once upon a time and it is within grasp of anyone really, to be up there.

That said, if you wish to segment race, strava is good for that too. And very social with followers etc.

Thumbs up from me as a beginner

 

[Nigelnaturist]

That was hilarious!! Haha
Strava for me logs my miles, has a note function. Is a perfect training diary and saves me breaking out the stop watch to see if I am improving. I dont see it as competitive as I confidently move in my own direction ad use itin a way that best suits my needs.

That said, the very fast guys on segments started slow once upon a time and it is within grasp of anyone really, to be up there.

That said, if you wish to segment race, strava is good for that too. And very social with followers etc.

Thumbs up from me as a beginner

I dont know about that, I know some guys that are fast and were fast before strava.

 

[DWiggy]

I think on the whole Strava is a bit pooey.

Mine does not pause when I stop despite having auto pause switched on. Also focuses massively on competitive segments comparing you as a beginner to clearly very experienced riders that seem to go up hills at the same speed I do in my car.

I don't particularly care but can see how it would become demoralising for some new riders.

If you pay for the Strava premium you can compare your efforts against your people within age / weight / gender which would be less demoralising and more encouraging.

 

[Coggy]

Thanks, I din't know that. May just bite the bullet and go premium then.

Sigh ! Another biking expense ! I seem to be constantly spending on cycling !

 

[donnyjnk]

I still set strava as well as my garmin and sometimes I have reached 79 mph on strava without breaking a sweat. there are normally a couple of hundred metres between the distances once you have finished but the data on garmin is much better and you can set individual bike profiles.

 

[donnyjnk]

one more thing! The spending will not stop as long as ebay exists

 

[Downward]

I think on the whole Strava is a bit pooey.

Mine does not pause when I stop despite having auto pause switched on. Also focuses massively on competitive segments comparing you as a beginner to clearly very experienced riders that seem to go up hills at the same speed I do in my car.

I don't particularly care but can see how it would become demoralising for some new riders.

Use it together with Veloviewer.

You can then compare the segments you do against your previous rides and map your progress this way.

 

[bpsmith]

I still class myself as a beginner, after buying my first road bike and cycling after 15 years without being on a bike and hardly into it at that time. I have only done 675 miles since buying, so not a major player compared to most on here. As far as Strava goes, I dont personally see how a beginner like myself can feel demoralised, as I see it as a training goal to improve my position over time and never worry to much about the top guys out there. Seeing yourself at 500th out of 1000th is hardly demoralising? Seeing yourself move up to 200th after a few more rides is a major motivation boost? Use it as you see fit, but its a great tool for comparing yourself over time.

This was my ride out yesterday:

http://www.strava.com/activities/153388384

None too shabby for a newbie, but hardly comparing to the top placed guys.

Here's one particular short segment over a bridge that a few of us at work try to blast as fast as we can on our return journey's, and proves that even newbies can shoot up the table if they want/choose/desire to do so:

http://www.strava.com/segments/5073269?filter=overall

I am joint 24th btw and only 3 seconds/2mph off 8th place. Quite pleased with that, despite being a lot further down on other segments. Proof that we can all compete and should never feel demoralised. The only thing I find demoralising, is not having more spare time to get out more than the once a week I am averaging!