Strava is an unsanctioned and unmarked race in some places. Which leads to braiding trails, creating b c d and all the above lines. GPS discrepancies...
Strava is an unsanctioned and unmarked race in some places. Which leads to braiding trails, creating b c d and all the above lines. GPS discrepancies are common and device dependent.
i agree with Veefour, the roadie side of strava is HILARIOUS.
There is a local dude here who uses a stem mounted wahoo, couple of GPS watches and an iphone and records them all on strava, each will have discrepancies which will ultimately give him one device with a best time (usually the phone)
There was a rumor that on one trail, there is a tricky chute/corner at the end, he literally took the wahoo off and threw the thing to the end of the segment to skip the feature lol
It was subtle at first, but has shown up more and more as the years go by: I’m simply happier without it. I use a stopwatch feature on my cheap watch sometimes if I really wanna gauge a segment or something, mostly tho? I check my phone right after I turn on the music and then right after I get the bike on the tailgate.
was it a fast ride or a good ride or a slow ride or that salamander totally distracted me, and this new Nas song is bumping, and whatnot has become my aggregate data point.
Strava is an unsanctioned and unmarked race in some places. Which leads to braiding trails, creating b c d and all the above lines. GPS discrepancies...
Strava is an unsanctioned and unmarked race in some places. Which leads to braiding trails, creating b c d and all the above lines. GPS discrepancies are common and device dependent.
i agree with Veefour, the roadie side of strava is HILARIOUS.
There is a local dude here who uses a stem mounted wahoo, couple of GPS watches and an iphone and records them all on strava, each...
There is a local dude here who uses a stem mounted wahoo, couple of GPS watches and an iphone and records them all on strava, each will have discrepancies which will ultimately give him one device with a best time (usually the phone)
There was a rumor that on one trail, there is a tricky chute/corner at the end, he literally took the wahoo off and threw the thing to the end of the segment to skip the feature lol
That's right up there w/ Cat 3 masters roadies doping to win their local Weds. night crit...
Strava is an unsanctioned and unmarked race in some places. Which leads to braiding trails, creating b c d and all the above lines. GPS discrepancies...
Strava is an unsanctioned and unmarked race in some places. Which leads to braiding trails, creating b c d and all the above lines. GPS discrepancies are common and device dependent.
i agree with Veefour, the roadie side of strava is HILARIOUS.
There is a local dude here who uses a stem mounted wahoo, couple of GPS watches and an iphone and records them all on strava, each...
There is a local dude here who uses a stem mounted wahoo, couple of GPS watches and an iphone and records them all on strava, each will have discrepancies which will ultimately give him one device with a best time (usually the phone)
There was a rumor that on one trail, there is a tricky chute/corner at the end, he literally took the wahoo off and threw the thing to the end of the segment to skip the feature lol
This kind of thing is the main reason no sane person takes anything they see on Strava seriously!
I use it to track time and distance on equipment for maintenance purposes – although Trailforks is better at processing the data once it's been passed through by Strava – and to track my own performance with a GPS head unit. I use it in "friends only" mode and I don't understand why anyone who isn't a pro athlete would do otherwise.
Bulletbass man's final comment about crowding outside the beginning of segments made me laugh... do those people not realise that every segment on Strava is user generated and that they can just hide bad ones and create their own (poorly named and specified) alternatives?
I use Strava and have met a lot of great riding friends through the app. Unfortunately Strava does not do a great job of driving engagement due to their perpetual KOM/leader boards. I fundamentally disagree with this approach since it is not a KOM, it is the Fastest Known Time, aka FKT. Also trails/roads change all the time making older times obsolete. As an example there has not been a Top 10 time set on one of our local hills since 2016. Simply too much usage/erosion so there is no way to even get close to the previous fast times. Even our roads change here locally with multiple roundabouts recently installed on segments with 25,000+ attempts. Finally weather also plays a big issue. We get Santa Ana winds that are 50 mph+ and I personally know people that have used that to set KOM's on segments.
I was raised not to complain unless I have a solution, so here goes. I believe that Strava needs to move to an FKT/KOM split. FKT leader boards should reflect all historical times. These would be an archive of sorts showing the times independent of when they were set. The main KOM boards should show a rolling 365 days. This would roll off older fast times and keep people motivated/engaged. Plus the times would reflect more current conditions. I know Strava tried this previously, but their implementation was flawed. Instead of using a rolling 365 days, they just erased the entire board on January 1st. This meant that there were no times to chase early in the year so the first 10 people to ride the trail would get cups. The change to a rolling 365 days would fix this issue since you would always be competing with the previous 364 days of the year.
In addition any time a Top 10 on a KOM or FKT is set it should be recognized in a much larger way. With the current setup if you set a Top 10 time but you hold the KOM there is zero recognition which is just idiotic. I am not saying that someone should show places 1-10 on the leaderboard, but show a black cup on the ride to represent a Top 10 performance.
Strava is an unsanctioned and unmarked race in some places. Which leads to braiding trails, creating b c d and all the above lines. GPS discrepancies...
Strava is an unsanctioned and unmarked race in some places. Which leads to braiding trails, creating b c d and all the above lines. GPS discrepancies are common and device dependent.
i agree with Veefour, the roadie side of strava is HILARIOUS.
There is a local dude here who uses a stem mounted wahoo, couple of GPS watches and an iphone and records them all on strava, each...
There is a local dude here who uses a stem mounted wahoo, couple of GPS watches and an iphone and records them all on strava, each will have discrepancies which will ultimately give him one device with a best time (usually the phone)
There was a rumor that on one trail, there is a tricky chute/corner at the end, he literally took the wahoo off and threw the thing to the end of the segment to skip the feature lol
That's right up there w/ Cat 3 masters roadies doping to win their local Weds. night crit...
We had a local guy that was fairly fast upload his rides to his wife's account so she could take all the QOMs.
There were also some roadies that would make really odd segments, like a lap around a parking lot, that were hard to follow so no one could actually complete the segment and beat their time. Same guys would also create segments that required running stop signs or traffic lights for a competitive time. All so they could feel like the local badass. The same guys would plan rides by which segments they wanted to ride.
These days I'm mid-40s and overweight, I'm not taking any KOMs or competitive in any races. I use Strava to track my miles and compare my previous times on segments. All my PR's were set in 2011-2013 when I thought I was a racer.
Man, can't believe anyone would ever want to be associated with a mountain biker.
Turn it off so you can poach.
Turn it on but turn off the Global Heat Map so the "man" won't stop me from destroying the places I want to go selfishly.
I can't even relate to half the crap you nit wits justify in the same of your own selfishness.
Narcissists.
Strava is justification for all you do right or wrong and the bane of existence at the same time.
My take on Strava is it turned mountain biking to shit.
To find out a loop, a ride, what's legal or illegal...you had to ask nicely, build relationships, work to find out where you could or could not go and were respectful in doing so (or you had to fake it).
Call a shop.
Get to know people
Call your local Forest Service office. Stop in it.
Find a small group of folks willing to accept you for you.
Go alone with sketchy directions or a map someone worked HARD to create, print, sell & keep updated.
Get a bit of navigational knowledge.
Backtrack. Get lost. Get found. Get better.
Do right by others.
Do right by the land.
Strava? Wake up. Click. Go anywhere instantly without thought, plan or courtesy.
It has changed the character of the person in the woods.
Now...every jerk who would have never put in the time to know people or learn places is out shitting on you.
People who weren't willing to go out, get lost and explore, back track, be prepared & have a PLAN every time are ripping backcountry loops having never been to the place. Zero care for where they are or the community they impact...just so long as it's about them.
Used to, you get more than 15 minutes back in the woods...it was all yours because you had enough knowledge to know what it took on that trail to get back before or barely after dark.
Now...it's just a bunch of plug and play jackasses in the woods with zero humanity and all narcissism.
I'm pretty paranoid about strava data since I live in southern california. My account data is locked down and 90% of my rides stay private as I don't want unsanctioned trails and/or ebike rides showing up to give land managers ammo.
For my own personal usage, I like strava because I've been using it so long. One thing that is actually refreshing for me is that I've been using it so long, that I am no longer interested in chasing any sort of PR's or KOM's. I used to spend time looking at my times and leaderboards etc... and now I just use that as a reference to myself for how a ride felt.
I think my favorite feature of strava is the route builder, segment explorer and the ability to find trails I want to ride and review how other riders hit those in the course of a ride/route.
My least favorite things are the access issues and what it has done to a section of mtb culture with regards to people taking mountain biking too seriously.
Are any of you paying for Strava? The net profit for Strava in 2022 was $220 million, 2023 $170 million.
Do they give back to mountain bike advocates, trails societies? I don’t see them as a useful tool. Trailforks gives back to the trails in my area. I pay for that subscription, and use it for mapping when needed.
not into the dick swinging contest that comes along with ‘Strava rides’.
commence the hate
Are any of you paying for Strava? The net profit for Strava in 2022 was $220 million, 2023 $170 million.
Do they give back to mountain...
Are any of you paying for Strava? The net profit for Strava in 2022 was $220 million, 2023 $170 million.
Do they give back to mountain bike advocates, trails societies? I don’t see them as a useful tool. Trailforks gives back to the trails in my area. I pay for that subscription, and use it for mapping when needed.
not into the dick swinging contest that comes along with ‘Strava rides’.
commence the hate
TrailForks has proven to be absurdly functional and organized in a manner that I absolutely love.
And yet, it's either owned by or being bought by Outside's mothership/Borg ....so kinda hate too.
I'm pretty paranoid about strava data since I live in southern california. My account data is locked down and 90% of my rides stay private as...
I'm pretty paranoid about strava data since I live in southern california. My account data is locked down and 90% of my rides stay private as I don't want unsanctioned trails and/or ebike rides showing up to give land managers ammo.
For my own personal usage, I like strava because I've been using it so long. One thing that is actually refreshing for me is that I've been using it so long, that I am no longer interested in chasing any sort of PR's or KOM's. I used to spend time looking at my times and leaderboards etc... and now I just use that as a reference to myself for how a ride felt.
I think my favorite feature of strava is the route builder, segment explorer and the ability to find trails I want to ride and review how other riders hit those in the course of a ride/route.
My least favorite things are the access issues and what it has done to a section of mtb culture with regards to people taking mountain biking too seriously.
dude...you're just a guy who takes away from good people enjoying themselves in a happy manner obeying the rules and respecting the land and laws of those around them.
You're just one more scummy, self serving poacher. Stop romanticizing your illegal & immoral activities that detract from others enjoyment & provide no benefit to ridership as a whole.
You're not a mountain biker. You're a moped rider. Stop trying to associate with a culture you don't represent.
I can be interesting to look at Strava from time to time, but on the whole I think it has a decidedly negative impact - both on my riding experience and the mountain bike community as a whole.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the inaccuracy of the segment times and leader boards. I imagine there's not much overlap between people that pay much attention to leaderboards and people that do a serious amount of advocacy and trail work. But if you've ever used your phone as a GPS device in Avenza or a similar app, you know how far off the GPS can be just standing still. You can use a Bad Elf, but it's still not that accurate unless you stand really still in the middle of field on a sunny day . . .
If you're moving at any rate of speed it's even worse. If you ride a trail multiple times, even with the Bad Elf, it's incredible how much the GPS tracks vary.
How seriously people take pretend racing is silly as a general matter, and even more so when you realize it's not even accurate. It's like spending Friday night with a blow up doll and bragging to your friends about it on Saturday.
Dislike:
Unsanctioned trails being tracked. Yeah, you can remove aggregated, etc, but just turn it off and get in that habit, and call out others...
Dislike:
Unsanctioned trails being tracked. Yeah, you can remove aggregated, etc, but just turn it off and get in that habit, and call out others that track it. Once someone posts it, it will blow it up and people continue to track it. I went to a Forest Service meeting this year and they had the heatmap printed out explaining what unsanctioned trails they were planning to remove. This also goes for Trailforks which has a heatmap that may be linked to other GPS systems besides strava. Most bikers don't realize how much time goes into building a trail (~200hrs per mile). When it is tracked it is unbelievably easy to find and remove it. Be respectful to the builders and turn off your GPS / Instagram / whatever unless you have direct permission from the builder. If you are unsure if a trail is sanctioned, turn it off!
There is also a new functionality to "edit map visibility". You can hide the map completely but still show stats. I believe (correct if wrong) that this will remove it from the heatmap as well.
Pricing - Dynamic pricing is ridiculous! My wife's cost this year was something like $40, where they charged me $80. We are the same age. This is because I'm a male adult, in the US. It's different for every country and demographic. I think this is BS.
That said I pay for strava and I like it for the following:
Leaderboards, but mostly for trail maintenance and scouting. I use this to monitor where down trees or issues may be, or when people are riding trails for the first time that year.
Stats - I like seeing how much I've ridden vs previous years. It helps me understand my level of fitness.
Analysis - I don't typically go for PR's anymore, but I do like knowing on sections of trails where I felt like I was riding well to compare against previous activities.
Routes - These are slick, and way more accurate than trailforks (over inflates vertical). I really helps estimate the difficulty and time of a ride.
Social - I enjoy seeing what people ride and I think it gets me stoked to go ride.
the social element is cool - good convo starter for closed group training etc, or just yarns. Seeing posts from my mates that have an engaging summary, a photo or funny tagline, or a short story of the ride is cool - I like hearing how they're doing etc. It's like the close friends functionality on insta.
been mentioned already, but can't stand the competitive side of it. makes people less fun to be around for sure.
I'm pretty paranoid about strava data since I live in southern california. My account data is locked down and 90% of my rides stay private as...
I'm pretty paranoid about strava data since I live in southern california. My account data is locked down and 90% of my rides stay private as I don't want unsanctioned trails and/or ebike rides showing up to give land managers ammo.
For my own personal usage, I like strava because I've been using it so long. One thing that is actually refreshing for me is that I've been using it so long, that I am no longer interested in chasing any sort of PR's or KOM's. I used to spend time looking at my times and leaderboards etc... and now I just use that as a reference to myself for how a ride felt.
I think my favorite feature of strava is the route builder, segment explorer and the ability to find trails I want to ride and review how other riders hit those in the course of a ride/route.
My least favorite things are the access issues and what it has done to a section of mtb culture with regards to people taking mountain biking too seriously.
Good job…that’s how one should use Strava in California!
I'm pretty paranoid about strava data since I live in southern california. My account data is locked down and 90% of my rides stay private as...
I'm pretty paranoid about strava data since I live in southern california. My account data is locked down and 90% of my rides stay private as I don't want unsanctioned trails and/or ebike rides showing up to give land managers ammo.
For my own personal usage, I like strava because I've been using it so long. One thing that is actually refreshing for me is that I've been using it so long, that I am no longer interested in chasing any sort of PR's or KOM's. I used to spend time looking at my times and leaderboards etc... and now I just use that as a reference to myself for how a ride felt.
I think my favorite feature of strava is the route builder, segment explorer and the ability to find trails I want to ride and review how other riders hit those in the course of a ride/route.
My least favorite things are the access issues and what it has done to a section of mtb culture with regards to people taking mountain biking too seriously.
dude...you're just a guy who takes away from good people enjoying themselves in a happy manner obeying the rules and respecting the land and laws of...
dude...you're just a guy who takes away from good people enjoying themselves in a happy manner obeying the rules and respecting the land and laws of those around them.
You're just one more scummy, self serving poacher. Stop romanticizing your illegal & immoral activities that detract from others enjoyment & provide no benefit to ridership as a whole.
You're not a mountain biker. You're a moped rider. Stop trying to associate with a culture you don't represent.
I like it for recording my miles and elevation. I like to compare my activities from past years and be able to reflect on my fitness level, plus it acts as an "odometer" for my bicycle. I could not care any less about the social aspect of the app - don't need followers.
I'm going to go turn off my aggregate data right now.
anyways this coworker drops: what’s wrong with Strava? It’s just like racing whenever you want?
as a former racer who worked really hard to achieve my goals and develop a race craft (I still suck) I found this comment sickening. Like it made me sick. Sickening. Like racing is actually lining up. Strava is not racing, and for those that think it could be, goactaully race. Xc, enduro, dh —Fucking race dh people. That’s racing. Strava is masturbation.
and now that I read how it’s infiltrated the minds of mt bike culture and entertaining as butches comments are, I think maybe it is a data farm for big corp and I’m happy to get the ole stopwatch out with a paper notepad like a grandpa. I’ll race myself with a 26inch klunker on my favorite dh segments and zero friends. Still be better than Strava. But not as good as actually racing my buds on Sunday and watching them actually put together a full run that just smoked us all and then let them wear the sombrero on the podium and we can all celebrate together standing around the campfire dreading work on Monday.
I had a guy at work tell me, ironically mere moments after I had read ferrintino’s piece on NSmB https://nsmb.com/articles/the-thief-of-joy/
anyways this coworker drops: what’s wrong...
anyways this coworker drops: what’s wrong with Strava? It’s just like racing whenever you want?
as a former racer who worked really hard to achieve my goals and develop a race craft (I still suck) I found this comment sickening. Like it made me sick. Sickening. Like racing is actually lining up. Strava is not racing, and for those that think it could be, goactaully race. Xc, enduro, dh —Fucking race dh people. That’s racing. Strava is masturbation.
and now that I read how it’s infiltrated the minds of mt bike culture and entertaining as butches comments are, I think maybe it is a data farm for big corp and I’m happy to get the ole stopwatch out with a paper notepad like a grandpa. I’ll race myself with a 26inch klunker on my favorite dh segments and zero friends. Still be better than Strava. But not as good as actually racing my buds on Sunday and watching them actually put together a full run that just smoked us all and then let them wear the sombrero on the podium and we can all celebrate together standing around the campfire dreading work on Monday.
I'm pretty paranoid about strava data since I live in southern california. My account data is locked down and 90% of my rides stay private as...
I'm pretty paranoid about strava data since I live in southern california. My account data is locked down and 90% of my rides stay private as I don't want unsanctioned trails and/or ebike rides showing up to give land managers ammo.
For my own personal usage, I like strava because I've been using it so long. One thing that is actually refreshing for me is that I've been using it so long, that I am no longer interested in chasing any sort of PR's or KOM's. I used to spend time looking at my times and leaderboards etc... and now I just use that as a reference to myself for how a ride felt.
I think my favorite feature of strava is the route builder, segment explorer and the ability to find trails I want to ride and review how other riders hit those in the course of a ride/route.
My least favorite things are the access issues and what it has done to a section of mtb culture with regards to people taking mountain biking too seriously.
dude...you're just a guy who takes away from good people enjoying themselves in a happy manner obeying the rules and respecting the land and laws of...
dude...you're just a guy who takes away from good people enjoying themselves in a happy manner obeying the rules and respecting the land and laws of those around them.
You're just one more scummy, self serving poacher. Stop romanticizing your illegal & immoral activities that detract from others enjoyment & provide no benefit to ridership as a whole.
You're not a mountain biker. You're a moped rider. Stop trying to associate with a culture you don't represent.
You're the Bruce Jenner of 2 wheels.
Cool story bro... I'm glad you put so much effort into your response, definitely worth it.
Fortunately, you live in Felcher... so the risk of me running into you when I'm riding, coaching or doing trailwork is quite low. I definitely wouldn't want to have a nice afternoon spoiled by someone with such a positive attitude with so much insight.
I'm pretty paranoid about strava data since I live in southern california. My account data is locked down and 90% of my rides stay private as...
I'm pretty paranoid about strava data since I live in southern california. My account data is locked down and 90% of my rides stay private as I don't want unsanctioned trails and/or ebike rides showing up to give land managers ammo.
For my own personal usage, I like strava because I've been using it so long. One thing that is actually refreshing for me is that I've been using it so long, that I am no longer interested in chasing any sort of PR's or KOM's. I used to spend time looking at my times and leaderboards etc... and now I just use that as a reference to myself for how a ride felt.
I think my favorite feature of strava is the route builder, segment explorer and the ability to find trails I want to ride and review how other riders hit those in the course of a ride/route.
My least favorite things are the access issues and what it has done to a section of mtb culture with regards to people taking mountain biking too seriously.
dude...you're just a guy who takes away from good people enjoying themselves in a happy manner obeying the rules and respecting the land and laws of...
dude...you're just a guy who takes away from good people enjoying themselves in a happy manner obeying the rules and respecting the land and laws of those around them.
You're just one more scummy, self serving poacher. Stop romanticizing your illegal & immoral activities that detract from others enjoyment & provide no benefit to ridership as a whole.
You're not a mountain biker. You're a moped rider. Stop trying to associate with a culture you don't represent.
Cool story bro... I'm glad you put so much effort into your response, definitely worth it.
Fortunately, you live in Felcher... so the risk of me...
Cool story bro... I'm glad you put so much effort into your response, definitely worth it.
Fortunately, you live in Felcher... so the risk of me running into you when I'm riding, coaching or doing trailwork is quite low. I definitely wouldn't want to have a nice afternoon spoiled by someone with such a positive attitude with so much insight.
I'd like to run into a bro with a criminal record from taking a children's toy, a moped, into places it's illegal.
I've got way better jail stories than moped crimes.
dude...you're just a guy who takes away from good people enjoying themselves in a happy manner obeying the rules and respecting the land and laws of...
dude...you're just a guy who takes away from good people enjoying themselves in a happy manner obeying the rules and respecting the land and laws of those around them.
You're just one more scummy, self serving poacher. Stop romanticizing your illegal & immoral activities that detract from others enjoyment & provide no benefit to ridership as a whole.
You're not a mountain biker. You're a moped rider. Stop trying to associate with a culture you don't represent.
Cool story bro... I'm glad you put so much effort into your response, definitely worth it.
Fortunately, you live in Felcher... so the risk of me...
Cool story bro... I'm glad you put so much effort into your response, definitely worth it.
Fortunately, you live in Felcher... so the risk of me running into you when I'm riding, coaching or doing trailwork is quite low. I definitely wouldn't want to have a nice afternoon spoiled by someone with such a positive attitude with so much insight.
I'd like to run into a bro with a criminal record from taking a children's toy, a moped, into places it's illegal.
I've got way better...
I'd like to run into a bro with a criminal record from taking a children's toy, a moped, into places it's illegal.
I've got way better jail stories than moped crimes.
hah, you don't know who I am, you don't know where/what I ride nor where I dig. The fact that you're using the word "illegal" tells what I need to know. The politics of each riding area are unique. Ironically, we're on the same team... the trails I am riding I was shown by some 'rad' dudes... back when we used to carry our bikes into trail entrances, when no dig no ride was enforced and the first rule of fight club was most of what mattered.
Since then youtube, google earth and strava have blown up all of the spots. The land managers of my local stuff have made deals to cut toll roads through areas set aside for wilderness... but trails that have been in place since cantilever breaks were the only option, have been pot-hole'd because they present a 'major erosion risk in sensitive habitats' Again, all of this right next to the new toll road that was built to reduce the commuting time to the richest communities by 5 minutes.
I agree with you, strava has contributed a significant amount of the thousand cuts, that are eroding mountain bike culture and access. However, that doesn't mean it's cool to #$!@ on people for fun. Hopefully it makes you feel better... but I'm too old and been around the blocks way too many times to do such things myself.
More and more, I am finding myself less social while out on my bike. It used to be because I didn't want to be associated with the new breed of dude bro's that didn't understand what took place in mountain biking culture to create what was here today. More and more, I'm finding the interactions I have with experienced people that are jaded (like you) are the worst ones, and the ones that need to be avoided.
Cool story bro... I'm glad you put so much effort into your response, definitely worth it.
Fortunately, you live in Felcher... so the risk of me...
Cool story bro... I'm glad you put so much effort into your response, definitely worth it.
Fortunately, you live in Felcher... so the risk of me running into you when I'm riding, coaching or doing trailwork is quite low. I definitely wouldn't want to have a nice afternoon spoiled by someone with such a positive attitude with so much insight.
hah, you don't know who I am, you don't know where/what I ride nor where I dig. The fact that you're using the word "illegal" tells...
hah, you don't know who I am, you don't know where/what I ride nor where I dig. The fact that you're using the word "illegal" tells what I need to know. The politics of each riding area are unique. Ironically, we're on the same team... the trails I am riding I was shown by some 'rad' dudes... back when we used to carry our bikes into trail entrances, when no dig no ride was enforced and the first rule of fight club was most of what mattered.
Since then youtube, google earth and strava have blown up all of the spots. The land managers of my local stuff have made deals to cut toll roads through areas set aside for wilderness... but trails that have been in place since cantilever breaks were the only option, have been pot-hole'd because they present a 'major erosion risk in sensitive habitats' Again, all of this right next to the new toll road that was built to reduce the commuting time to the richest communities by 5 minutes.
I agree with you, strava has contributed a significant amount of the thousand cuts, that are eroding mountain bike culture and access. However, that doesn't mean it's cool to #$!@ on people for fun. Hopefully it makes you feel better... but I'm too old and been around the blocks way too many times to do such things myself.
More and more, I am finding myself less social while out on my bike. It used to be because I didn't want to be associated with the new breed of dude bro's that didn't understand what took place in mountain biking culture to create what was here today. More and more, I'm finding the interactions I have with experienced people that are jaded (like you) are the worst ones, and the ones that need to be avoided.
hah, you don't know who I am, you don't know where/what I ride nor where I dig. The fact that you're using the word "illegal" tells...
hah, you don't know who I am, you don't know where/what I ride nor where I dig. The fact that you're using the word "illegal" tells what I need to know. The politics of each riding area are unique. Ironically, we're on the same team... the trails I am riding I was shown by some 'rad' dudes... back when we used to carry our bikes into trail entrances, when no dig no ride was enforced and the first rule of fight club was most of what mattered.
Since then youtube, google earth and strava have blown up all of the spots. The land managers of my local stuff have made deals to cut toll roads through areas set aside for wilderness... but trails that have been in place since cantilever breaks were the only option, have been pot-hole'd because they present a 'major erosion risk in sensitive habitats' Again, all of this right next to the new toll road that was built to reduce the commuting time to the richest communities by 5 minutes.
I agree with you, strava has contributed a significant amount of the thousand cuts, that are eroding mountain bike culture and access. However, that doesn't mean it's cool to #$!@ on people for fun. Hopefully it makes you feel better... but I'm too old and been around the blocks way too many times to do such things myself.
More and more, I am finding myself less social while out on my bike. It used to be because I didn't want to be associated with the new breed of dude bro's that didn't understand what took place in mountain biking culture to create what was here today. More and more, I'm finding the interactions I have with experienced people that are jaded (like you) are the worst ones, and the ones that need to be avoided.
No clue about where you ride. I'm not jaded.
I'm against people making excuses to poach. I apply one simple logic.
If you do it, that means that 330 Million Americans if they find out will go to right where you are and do it too.
And moped poachers are the ultimate narcissist. They're the dude wearing white spandex tights walking into the ladies room to pee. Most won't say anything because they don't want a conflict, not because they're OK with it. And you in your see through spandex & whatever the bulge don't want to prance into the men's room, step up tp the trough & pee & draw attention or laughs.
But here Eeb stands with all the ladies and there's this big, obvious bulge handing down that everyone knows ain't the same as what they're using.
Eebs want to say they're MTB's, want to do MTB things, but that got that big bulge. And they don't want to prance around on moto trails to draw attention or laughs.
hah, you don't know who I am, you don't know where/what I ride nor where I dig. The fact that you're using the word "illegal" tells...
hah, you don't know who I am, you don't know where/what I ride nor where I dig. The fact that you're using the word "illegal" tells what I need to know. The politics of each riding area are unique. Ironically, we're on the same team... the trails I am riding I was shown by some 'rad' dudes... back when we used to carry our bikes into trail entrances, when no dig no ride was enforced and the first rule of fight club was most of what mattered.
Since then youtube, google earth and strava have blown up all of the spots. The land managers of my local stuff have made deals to cut toll roads through areas set aside for wilderness... but trails that have been in place since cantilever breaks were the only option, have been pot-hole'd because they present a 'major erosion risk in sensitive habitats' Again, all of this right next to the new toll road that was built to reduce the commuting time to the richest communities by 5 minutes.
I agree with you, strava has contributed a significant amount of the thousand cuts, that are eroding mountain bike culture and access. However, that doesn't mean it's cool to #$!@ on people for fun. Hopefully it makes you feel better... but I'm too old and been around the blocks way too many times to do such things myself.
More and more, I am finding myself less social while out on my bike. It used to be because I didn't want to be associated with the new breed of dude bro's that didn't understand what took place in mountain biking culture to create what was here today. More and more, I'm finding the interactions I have with experienced people that are jaded (like you) are the worst ones, and the ones that need to be avoided.
No clue about where you ride. I'm not jaded.
I'm against people making excuses to poach. I apply one simple logic.
If you do it, that...
No clue about where you ride. I'm not jaded.
I'm against people making excuses to poach. I apply one simple logic.
If you do it, that means that 330 Million Americans if they find out will go to right where you are and do it too.
And moped poachers are the ultimate narcissist. They're the dude wearing white spandex tights walking into the ladies room to pee. Most won't say anything because they don't want a conflict, not because they're OK with it. And you in your see through spandex & whatever the bulge don't want to prance into the men's room, step up tp the trough & pee & draw attention or laughs.
But here Eeb stands with all the ladies and there's this big, obvious bulge handing down that everyone knows ain't the same as what they're using.
Eebs want to say they're MTB's, want to do MTB things, but that got that big bulge. And they don't want to prance around on moto trails to draw attention or laughs.
You make me want to buy an Ebike! Seriously though…I probably will buy an Ebike soon, I’m 55. There’s no way to shuttle local trails, gotta get to the top some how 🤷🏼♀️ As far as Strava goes…I keep my profile private; only a few people actually see my rides. Heat map is off, I’m not listed if I miraculously got a KOM. I use Strava to keep track of my rides, maps, and frequency of rides. I’m in Marin County…everything is illegal, and everything is a poach. I don’t think 330 million people are going to come ride my local trails, but you are welcome to come on out…it’s dry and dusty this time of year. I’d recommend February-May…and leave your white spandex at home 😉
You make me want to buy an Ebike! Seriously though…I probably will buy an Ebike soon, I’m 55. There’s no way to shuttle local trails, gotta...
You make me want to buy an Ebike! Seriously though…I probably will buy an Ebike soon, I’m 55. There’s no way to shuttle local trails, gotta get to the top some how 🤷🏼♀️ As far as Strava goes…I keep my profile private; only a few people actually see my rides. Heat map is off, I’m not listed if I miraculously got a KOM. I use Strava to keep track of my rides, maps, and frequency of rides. I’m in Marin County…everything is illegal, and everything is a poach. I don’t think 330 million people are going to come ride my local trails, but you are welcome to come on out…it’s dry and dusty this time of year. I’d recommend February-May…and leave your white spandex at home 😉
Most of you might benefit from my perspective. We grew up in rural NC where we respected other's land. It's all any of our families had. Ponds to fish. Creeks to swim. Swings and ladders to dive off. Help each build dirt jumps for BMX. Each others parents or grandparents agree to let each other ride a dirt bike together on certain days.
By age 15, we had a network of places we could go through each others land of 30+ miles. But we were raised to respect those who said NO.
But then, people poached dirt jumps on minis & mopeds (yes..your moped used to have a gas engine you had to pedal to start)
Our trails poached by motos. Fish poached by a-holes & people making up lies about "this person gave me permission".
ATV's, 4x4's.
Eventually, my grandfather had to carry a sidearm on his own property to not get THREATS from people.
So no respect from me for tresspassers & poachers for any reason.
Dealt with garbage excuses to take and take from everyone my whole life.
You make me want to buy an Ebike! Seriously though…I probably will buy an Ebike soon, I’m 55. There’s no way to shuttle local trails, gotta...
You make me want to buy an Ebike! Seriously though…I probably will buy an Ebike soon, I’m 55. There’s no way to shuttle local trails, gotta get to the top some how 🤷🏼♀️ As far as Strava goes…I keep my profile private; only a few people actually see my rides. Heat map is off, I’m not listed if I miraculously got a KOM. I use Strava to keep track of my rides, maps, and frequency of rides. I’m in Marin County…everything is illegal, and everything is a poach. I don’t think 330 million people are going to come ride my local trails, but you are welcome to come on out…it’s dry and dusty this time of year. I’d recommend February-May…and leave your white spandex at home 😉
Most of you might benefit from my perspective. We grew up in rural NC where we respected other's land. It's all any of our families had...
Most of you might benefit from my perspective. We grew up in rural NC where we respected other's land. It's all any of our families had. Ponds to fish. Creeks to swim. Swings and ladders to dive off. Help each build dirt jumps for BMX. Each others parents or grandparents agree to let each other ride a dirt bike together on certain days.
By age 15, we had a network of places we could go through each others land of 30+ miles. But we were raised to respect those who said NO.
But then, people poached dirt jumps on minis & mopeds (yes..your moped used to have a gas engine you had to pedal to start)
Our trails poached by motos. Fish poached by a-holes & people making up lies about "this person gave me permission".
ATV's, 4x4's.
Eventually, my grandfather had to carry a sidearm on his own property to not get THREATS from people.
So no respect from me for tresspassers & poachers for any reason.
Dealt with garbage excuses to take and take from everyone my whole life.
It all makes sense now, Fletcher, NC is in a black hole…still in 1976. The glory days. I’m gonna share some bad news with you; there’s going to be a recession in 1981. Wait til you see the interest rates for home mortgage…I hope Grampa left you his land.
Back to current times…Butch, I’m not cutting livestock fences, or even trespassing…most of the land where I live is public property, open space, or Park land. I can legally be there; in fact, as a tax payer my property taxes help support these areas…the problem is, bikes have restricted access or no access to most of this land. It didn’t used to be that way. Back when my great grandpa donated the land to the state, you could ride motorcycles on some of the land…now, nuthin. Wait a minute; weren’t we talking about STRAVA? Sorry about that, that happens when I drink my breakfast.
It all makes sense now, Fletcher, NC is in a black hole…still in 1976. The glory days. I’m gonna share some bad news with you; there’s...
It all makes sense now, Fletcher, NC is in a black hole…still in 1976. The glory days. I’m gonna share some bad news with you; there’s going to be a recession in 1981. Wait til you see the interest rates for home mortgage…I hope Grampa left you his land.
Back to current times…Butch, I’m not cutting livestock fences, or even trespassing…most of the land where I live is public property, open space, or Park land. I can legally be there; in fact, as a tax payer my property taxes help support these areas…the problem is, bikes have restricted access or no access to most of this land. It didn’t used to be that way. Back when my great grandpa donated the land to the state, you could ride motorcycles on some of the land…now, nuthin. Wait a minute; weren’t we talking about STRAVA? Sorry about that, that happens when I drink my breakfast.
xoxo,
griz
Yes, I did buy grandpas land. And sounds like your great grandpa was a pretty solid man.
There is a local dude here who uses a stem mounted wahoo, couple of GPS watches and an iphone and records them all on strava, each will have discrepancies which will ultimately give him one device with a best time (usually the phone)
There was a rumor that on one trail, there is a tricky chute/corner at the end, he literally took the wahoo off and threw the thing to the end of the segment to skip the feature lol
It was subtle at first, but has shown up more and more as the years go by: I’m simply happier without it. I use a stopwatch feature on my cheap watch sometimes if I really wanna gauge a segment or something, mostly tho? I check my phone right after I turn on the music and then right after I get the bike on the tailgate.
was it a fast ride or a good ride or a slow ride or that salamander totally distracted me, and this new Nas song is bumping, and whatnot has become my aggregate data point.
That's right up there w/ Cat 3 masters roadies doping to win their local Weds. night crit...
This kind of thing is the main reason no sane person takes anything they see on Strava seriously!
I use it to track time and distance on equipment for maintenance purposes – although Trailforks is better at processing the data once it's been passed through by Strava – and to track my own performance with a GPS head unit. I use it in "friends only" mode and I don't understand why anyone who isn't a pro athlete would do otherwise.
Bulletbass man's final comment about crowding outside the beginning of segments made me laugh... do those people not realise that every segment on Strava is user generated and that they can just hide bad ones and create their own (poorly named and specified) alternatives?
I use Strava and have met a lot of great riding friends through the app. Unfortunately Strava does not do a great job of driving engagement due to their perpetual KOM/leader boards. I fundamentally disagree with this approach since it is not a KOM, it is the Fastest Known Time, aka FKT. Also trails/roads change all the time making older times obsolete. As an example there has not been a Top 10 time set on one of our local hills since 2016. Simply too much usage/erosion so there is no way to even get close to the previous fast times. Even our roads change here locally with multiple roundabouts recently installed on segments with 25,000+ attempts. Finally weather also plays a big issue. We get Santa Ana winds that are 50 mph+ and I personally know people that have used that to set KOM's on segments.
I was raised not to complain unless I have a solution, so here goes. I believe that Strava needs to move to an FKT/KOM split. FKT leader boards should reflect all historical times. These would be an archive of sorts showing the times independent of when they were set. The main KOM boards should show a rolling 365 days. This would roll off older fast times and keep people motivated/engaged. Plus the times would reflect more current conditions. I know Strava tried this previously, but their implementation was flawed. Instead of using a rolling 365 days, they just erased the entire board on January 1st. This meant that there were no times to chase early in the year so the first 10 people to ride the trail would get cups. The change to a rolling 365 days would fix this issue since you would always be competing with the previous 364 days of the year.
In addition any time a Top 10 on a KOM or FKT is set it should be recognized in a much larger way. With the current setup if you set a Top 10 time but you hold the KOM there is zero recognition which is just idiotic. I am not saying that someone should show places 1-10 on the leaderboard, but show a black cup on the ride to represent a Top 10 performance.
We had a local guy that was fairly fast upload his rides to his wife's account so she could take all the QOMs.
There were also some roadies that would make really odd segments, like a lap around a parking lot, that were hard to follow so no one could actually complete the segment and beat their time. Same guys would also create segments that required running stop signs or traffic lights for a competitive time. All so they could feel like the local badass. The same guys would plan rides by which segments they wanted to ride.
These days I'm mid-40s and overweight, I'm not taking any KOMs or competitive in any races. I use Strava to track my miles and compare my previous times on segments. All my PR's were set in 2011-2013 when I thought I was a racer.
Man, can't believe anyone would ever want to be associated with a mountain biker.
Turn it off so you can poach.
Turn it on but turn off the Global Heat Map so the "man" won't stop me from destroying the places I want to go selfishly.
I can't even relate to half the crap you nit wits justify in the same of your own selfishness.
Narcissists.
Strava is justification for all you do right or wrong and the bane of existence at the same time.
My take on Strava is it turned mountain biking to shit.
To find out a loop, a ride, what's legal or illegal...you had to ask nicely, build relationships, work to find out where you could or could not go and were respectful in doing so (or you had to fake it).
Call a shop.
Get to know people
Call your local Forest Service office. Stop in it.
Find a small group of folks willing to accept you for you.
Go alone with sketchy directions or a map someone worked HARD to create, print, sell & keep updated.
Get a bit of navigational knowledge.
Backtrack. Get lost. Get found. Get better.
Do right by others.
Do right by the land.
Strava? Wake up. Click. Go anywhere instantly without thought, plan or courtesy.
It has changed the character of the person in the woods.
Now...every jerk who would have never put in the time to know people or learn places is out shitting on you.
People who weren't willing to go out, get lost and explore, back track, be prepared & have a PLAN every time are ripping backcountry loops having never been to the place. Zero care for where they are or the community they impact...just so long as it's about them.
Used to, you get more than 15 minutes back in the woods...it was all yours because you had enough knowledge to know what it took on that trail to get back before or barely after dark.
Now...it's just a bunch of plug and play jackasses in the woods with zero humanity and all narcissism.
I'm pretty paranoid about strava data since I live in southern california. My account data is locked down and 90% of my rides stay private as I don't want unsanctioned trails and/or ebike rides showing up to give land managers ammo.
For my own personal usage, I like strava because I've been using it so long. One thing that is actually refreshing for me is that I've been using it so long, that I am no longer interested in chasing any sort of PR's or KOM's. I used to spend time looking at my times and leaderboards etc... and now I just use that as a reference to myself for how a ride felt.
I think my favorite feature of strava is the route builder, segment explorer and the ability to find trails I want to ride and review how other riders hit those in the course of a ride/route.
My least favorite things are the access issues and what it has done to a section of mtb culture with regards to people taking mountain biking too seriously.
Are any of you paying for Strava? The net profit for Strava in 2022 was $220 million, 2023 $170 million.
Do they give back to mountain bike advocates, trails societies? I don’t see them as a useful tool. Trailforks gives back to the trails in my area. I pay for that subscription, and use it for mapping when needed.
not into the dick swinging contest that comes along with ‘Strava rides’.
commence the hate
TrailForks has proven to be absurdly functional and organized in a manner that I absolutely love.
And yet, it's either owned by or being bought by Outside's mothership/Borg ....so kinda hate too.
dude...you're just a guy who takes away from good people enjoying themselves in a happy manner obeying the rules and respecting the land and laws of those around them.
You're just one more scummy, self serving poacher. Stop romanticizing your illegal & immoral activities that detract from others enjoyment & provide no benefit to ridership as a whole.
You're not a mountain biker. You're a moped rider. Stop trying to associate with a culture you don't represent.
You're the Bruce Jenner of 2 wheels.
I can be interesting to look at Strava from time to time, but on the whole I think it has a decidedly negative impact - both on my riding experience and the mountain bike community as a whole.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the inaccuracy of the segment times and leader boards. I imagine there's not much overlap between people that pay much attention to leaderboards and people that do a serious amount of advocacy and trail work. But if you've ever used your phone as a GPS device in Avenza or a similar app, you know how far off the GPS can be just standing still. You can use a Bad Elf, but it's still not that accurate unless you stand really still in the middle of field on a sunny day . . .
If you're moving at any rate of speed it's even worse. If you ride a trail multiple times, even with the Bad Elf, it's incredible how much the GPS tracks vary.
How seriously people take pretend racing is silly as a general matter, and even more so when you realize it's not even accurate. It's like spending Friday night with a blow up doll and bragging to your friends about it on Saturday.
the social element is cool - good convo starter for closed group training etc, or just yarns. Seeing posts from my mates that have an engaging summary, a photo or funny tagline, or a short story of the ride is cool - I like hearing how they're doing etc. It's like the close friends functionality on insta.
been mentioned already, but can't stand the competitive side of it. makes people less fun to be around for sure.
Good job…that’s how one should use Strava in California!
Butch, you’re funny 😆
What's the difference between Kaitlyn Jenner & an e-biker? Ask me.
I like it for recording my miles and elevation. I like to compare my activities from past years and be able to reflect on my fitness level, plus it acts as an "odometer" for my bicycle. I could not care any less about the social aspect of the app - don't need followers.
I'm going to go turn off my aggregate data right now.
The suspense is killing me…what’s the difference Butch?
I had a guy at work tell me, ironically mere moments after I had read ferrintino’s piece on NSmB https://nsmb.com/articles/the-thief-of-joy/
anyways this coworker drops: what’s wrong with Strava? It’s just like racing whenever you want?
as a former racer who worked really hard to achieve my goals and develop a race craft (I still suck) I found this comment sickening. Like it made me sick. Sickening. Like racing is actually lining up. Strava is not racing, and for those that think it could be, goactaully race. Xc, enduro, dh —Fucking race dh people. That’s racing. Strava is masturbation.
and now that I read how it’s infiltrated the minds of mt bike culture and entertaining as butches comments are, I think maybe it is a data farm for big corp and I’m happy to get the ole stopwatch out with a paper notepad like a grandpa. I’ll race myself with a 26inch klunker on my favorite dh segments and zero friends. Still be better than Strava. But not as good as actually racing my buds on Sunday and watching them actually put together a full run that just smoked us all and then let them wear the sombrero on the podium and we can all celebrate together standing around the campfire dreading work on Monday.
thats fucking racing.
Well put. Who's Butch?
Dislike - Riding with Strava (other brands included)
Like - Riding without Strava (other brands included).
I’m not there to measure or boast or race, I’m there for fun
Cool story bro... I'm glad you put so much effort into your response, definitely worth it.
Fortunately, you live in Felcher... so the risk of me running into you when I'm riding, coaching or doing trailwork is quite low. I definitely wouldn't want to have a nice afternoon spoiled by someone with such a positive attitude with so much insight.
I'd like to run into a bro with a criminal record from taking a children's toy, a moped, into places it's illegal.
I've got way better jail stories than moped crimes.
hah, you don't know who I am, you don't know where/what I ride nor where I dig. The fact that you're using the word "illegal" tells what I need to know. The politics of each riding area are unique. Ironically, we're on the same team... the trails I am riding I was shown by some 'rad' dudes... back when we used to carry our bikes into trail entrances, when no dig no ride was enforced and the first rule of fight club was most of what mattered.
Since then youtube, google earth and strava have blown up all of the spots. The land managers of my local stuff have made deals to cut toll roads through areas set aside for wilderness... but trails that have been in place since cantilever breaks were the only option, have been pot-hole'd because they present a 'major erosion risk in sensitive habitats' Again, all of this right next to the new toll road that was built to reduce the commuting time to the richest communities by 5 minutes.
I agree with you, strava has contributed a significant amount of the thousand cuts, that are eroding mountain bike culture and access. However, that doesn't mean it's cool to #$!@ on people for fun. Hopefully it makes you feel better... but I'm too old and been around the blocks way too many times to do such things myself.
More and more, I am finding myself less social while out on my bike. It used to be because I didn't want to be associated with the new breed of dude bro's that didn't understand what took place in mountain biking culture to create what was here today. More and more, I'm finding the interactions I have with experienced people that are jaded (like you) are the worst ones, and the ones that need to be avoided.
Sounds like South Orange county to me
No clue about where you ride. I'm not jaded.
I'm against people making excuses to poach. I apply one simple logic.
If you do it, that means that 330 Million Americans if they find out will go to right where you are and do it too.
And moped poachers are the ultimate narcissist. They're the dude wearing white spandex tights walking into the ladies room to pee. Most won't say anything because they don't want a conflict, not because they're OK with it. And you in your see through spandex & whatever the bulge don't want to prance into the men's room, step up tp the trough & pee & draw attention or laughs.
But here Eeb stands with all the ladies and there's this big, obvious bulge handing down that everyone knows ain't the same as what they're using.
Eebs want to say they're MTB's, want to do MTB things, but that got that big bulge. And they don't want to prance around on moto trails to draw attention or laughs.
You make me want to buy an Ebike! Seriously though…I probably will buy an Ebike soon, I’m 55. There’s no way to shuttle local trails, gotta get to the top some how 🤷🏼♀️ As far as Strava goes…I keep my profile private; only a few people actually see my rides. Heat map is off, I’m not listed if I miraculously got a KOM. I use Strava to keep track of my rides, maps, and frequency of rides. I’m in Marin County…everything is illegal, and everything is a poach. I don’t think 330 million people are going to come ride my local trails, but you are welcome to come on out…it’s dry and dusty this time of year. I’d recommend February-May…and leave your white spandex at home 😉
Most of you might benefit from my perspective. We grew up in rural NC where we respected other's land. It's all any of our families had. Ponds to fish. Creeks to swim. Swings and ladders to dive off. Help each build dirt jumps for BMX. Each others parents or grandparents agree to let each other ride a dirt bike together on certain days.
By age 15, we had a network of places we could go through each others land of 30+ miles. But we were raised to respect those who said NO.
But then, people poached dirt jumps on minis & mopeds (yes..your moped used to have a gas engine you had to pedal to start)
Our trails poached by motos. Fish poached by a-holes & people making up lies about "this person gave me permission".
ATV's, 4x4's.
Eventually, my grandfather had to carry a sidearm on his own property to not get THREATS from people.
So no respect from me for tresspassers & poachers for any reason.
Dealt with garbage excuses to take and take from everyone my whole life.
It all makes sense now, Fletcher, NC is in a black hole…still in 1976. The glory days. I’m gonna share some bad news with you; there’s going to be a recession in 1981. Wait til you see the interest rates for home mortgage…I hope Grampa left you his land.
Back to current times…Butch, I’m not cutting livestock fences, or even trespassing…most of the land where I live is public property, open space, or Park land. I can legally be there; in fact, as a tax payer my property taxes help support these areas…the problem is, bikes have restricted access or no access to most of this land. It didn’t used to be that way. Back when my great grandpa donated the land to the state, you could ride motorcycles on some of the land…now, nuthin. Wait a minute; weren’t we talking about STRAVA? Sorry about that, that happens when I drink my breakfast.
xoxo,
griz
Yes, I did buy grandpas land. And sounds like your great grandpa was a pretty solid man.
Post a reply to: What do you like and don’t like about Strava.