Silly STRAVA Racing

[Radchenister]

A quick question for the Strava aficionados please; on my ride today I passed through a few segments, just before one of them I saw a cyclist sitting waiting as I passed him and entered into it. It might be coincidence and he may not have been racing the segment but I am suspicious, it's probably the dullest place to stop for miles - if it was the fellow I think it was, I suspect he was priming for the segment; on checking my times this afternoon I'm pleased to see that I've improved a little but noticed 1 other person has gone through today a few seconds quicker than me. I wasn't racing the section (honest ) but this does make me wonder what it's all about now, how do you all view this sort of thing - do you all stop and recharge the system just before segments?

 

[gaz]

Moved up to 7th place on a segment yesterday, a fast straight section of the Avon Ring Road.
Then continued up the A38 getting a few PR's.

However turned onto a side street hit a patch of black ice & cracked helmet & ribs, also today coming out in various bruises !

Ouch! I hope you recover quickly. Did that my self last year, twice!

 

[gaz]

A quick question for the Strava aficionados please; on my ride today I passed through a few segments, just before one of them I saw a cyclist sitting waiting as I passed him and entered into it. It might be coincidence and he may not have been racing the segment but I am suspicious, it's probably the dullest place to stop for miles - if it was the fellow I think it was, I suspect he was priming for the segment; on checking my times this afternoon I'm pleased to see that I've improved a little but noticed 1 other person has gone through today a few seconds quicker than me. I wasn't racing the section (honest ) but this does make me wonder what it's all about now, how do you all view this sort of thing - do you all stop and recharge the system just before segments?

Stop? Naah, slow down and recover from previous segments, yes. I wouldn't think stopping just before a segment is a good idea, you'll still be accelerating when the segment stays and others will instantly gain a lead on you.

 

[HLaB]

do you all stop and recharge the system just before segments?

I don't, I just enjoy my ride.

 

[Radchenister]

Stop? ... I wouldn't think stopping just before a segment is a good idea, you'll still be accelerating when the segment stays and others will instantly gain a lead on you.

When I say just before ... perhaps 75 yrds ... glad to hear it's not the be all and end all for you guys .

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Stop? Naah, slow down and recover from previous segments, yes. I wouldn't think stopping just before a segment is a good idea, you'll still be accelerating when the segment stays and others will instantly gain a lead on you.

Or like me recently when i stopped after a string of segments to recharge, and take a nature call, before attacking a brutal 25% short climb. Unbeknown to me i had stopped as the segment started and i came in dead last.
I rectified things by making a "proper" segment of my own which started at the foot of the climb and ended at the top. I of course got the KOM.
Can't stand it when people put 200 yards of flat road/descent before a climb. A climb is a climb!!!!!
Or when they stop the segment before the peak!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, I feel strongly about this.

 

[Radchenister]

Sorry, I feel strongly about this.

I know you do ... but just a little teaser if I may ... those KOMs in the pro races don't usually allow for all the climbers to stop for a 90 - 240 second pee break just before the off ... or do they?

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

I know you do ... but just a little teaser if I may ... those KOMs in the pro races don't usually allow for all the climbers to stop for a 90 - 240 second pee break just before the off ... or do they?

Well it's not often televised but yes they tend to stop as a group and go together.

As for "do i stop?". No i tend to just go full horses on a ride unless i know of a segment and i have targeted it. In this case i will take it easy for a few miles before and then give 100%. Even the pro's pace themselves for the big climbs.

​

 

[Risex4]

I must sheepishly own up to the odd Strava-Charger break. The vast majority of the time I do prefer to cruise through them and take that pleasent feeling from a PR badge when its uploaded from the Garmin.

But then, the vast majority I am well off the pace on anyway; I could stop for a luxery pampering weekend at the start of the segment and still not make much of an impression on the top times.

There are though the odd one or two I've had decent results on, and a couple have turned into right King-Dongs with seconds and placings being traded back-and-forth over the course of a few weeks. These I must admit to at times that I've sat up completely on approach and taken a strategic food/water/tech stop 500m before...


...and then eventually the local psuedo-pro finds our little private battleground and (probably completely unwittingly) blows us all out of the water anyway!

 

[Spartak]

Ouch! I hope you recover quickly. Did that my self last year, twice!

Second time in 3 years for me .............. must buy more helmets in the sales

 

[Radchenister]

Right, sounds like it's kosher then, I'm going to get dropped off near the few I fancy my chances on, then a bit of a warm up and just do them flat out for a couple of minutes before limping home .

 

[Nebulous]

I'm not hugely successful strava wise, but tend to view it as a sort of interval session. Most of my rides are 30-40 miles and usually there will be 4 or 5 segments. I'll slow down a bit before a segment then attack it, then repeat for the next one. My favourite segments are long ones though, so I don't think stopping would help. In fact the one I'm probably proudest of is 31.6km

 

[gaz]

I'm not hugely successful strava wise, but tend to view it as a sort of interval session. Most of my rides are 30-40 miles and usually there will be 4 or 5 segments. I'll slow down a bit before a segment then attack it, then repeat for the next one. My favourite segments are long ones though, so I don't think stopping would help. In fact the one I'm probably proudest of is 31.6km

Only 4 or 5 segments? I do a 40mile ride and i'll have over 100. You better get segment creating!

 

[Hacienda71]

I envy the city commuters and riders for the sheer segment opportunities, but that is my Strava addiction talking. My commute has three or four segments depending on the route. However would I want to lose the commute purley to improve my Strava placings? No way, I cycle rural routes to work that most people hunt out to ride for pleasure at the weekend.

 

[potsy]

My usual commute route is 20 mile round trip, there are around 30 segments