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CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Strava http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Strava en Sat, 16 May 2026 23:05:31 +0000 DaveC on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=8#post-113181 Thu, 06 Jun 2013 09:46:00 +0000 DaveC 113181@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Surprising easily to create routes with times. Getting the times right is difficult though. 140kph on one ride... oops!! <gpx creator="strava.com Android" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1 <a href="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd" rel="nofollow">http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd</a> <a href="http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensions/v3" rel="nofollow">http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensions/v3</a> <a href="http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensionsv3.xsd" rel="nofollow">http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensionsv3.xsd</a> <a href="http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/TrackPointExtension/v1http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/TrackPointExtensionv1.xsd" rel="nofollow">http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/TrackPointExtension/v1http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/TrackPointExtensionv1.xsd</a>"> <metadata> <time>2013-06-06T17:30:38Z,/time> <name>Ride name</name> <trkseg> <trkpt lat="55.95576000000001" lon="-3.19035"> <ele>64.1</ele> <time>2013-06-06T17:30:38Z</time> </trkpt>.... ........ </trkseg> </metadata> </gpx> Wilmington's Cow on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=8#post-103963 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:40:45 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 103963@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ I'm not really sure Strava have any duty to do anything. It's not encouraging reckless cycling - that's entirely down to the individual (IMHO). Did the same accusation get levelled at makers of cycle computers with stopwatches on them? neddie on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=8#post-103958 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:33:34 +0000 neddie 103958@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ The article headline suggest that Strava have done something about reckless cycling. But you read it, and in fact they've done nothing! PS on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=8#post-103898 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:44:36 +0000 PS 103898@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ "You realise that there is always going to be somebody faster than you. Surely you weren't thinking you were the fastest cyclist in your neighbourhood."<This "But as I get older, I am less interested about how fast I am going, I'm more interested about how much fun I am having. And so that again goes back to storytelling and the social aspect which is at the core of Strava - that connectedness to other athletes."<And this :) chdot on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=8#post-103879 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:45:25 +0000 chdot 103879@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ " "Our people are active," he says. "I am sure that there are people in their families who say they are obsessed about cycling. " No-one here surely... Interesting article. amir on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=8#post-103878 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:39:40 +0000 amir 103878@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21716686">Heads in the cloud: Strava adapts to tackle reckless racing</a> gembo on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=8#post-84914 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 19:06:55 +0000 gembo 84914@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Not really self policing if a segment flagged as dangerous can be recreated by the next person coming through. personally I disagree with people who argue that in their view what they did was safe. I prefer people to self police and say I am sorry I see that what I did could be interpreted by others as dangerous. of course there are people who would only be happy if a cyclist dismounted and pushed their bike round them. I don't rule the world so people will do as they please and if I am in the mood I will object if they are being selfish Instography on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=8#post-84905 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:06:18 +0000 Instography 84905@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Well, yes, calling most of the inclines 'mountains' is daft enough and equating riding them quickly as comparable to climbing Alpe d'Huez is silly. Given the speed of most of the people on these segments - there are only 8 people who've made the effort to ride the Telford/Roseburn "sprint" at more than 20mph - I'm not even sure how meaningful it is to call most of the people on those leader boards participants in anything. I notice that today Neil had his third fastest ride on that "sprint" although neither of us were making any special effort at all. We often get passed by a tall man on a slick-tyred mountain bike who doesn't look to me like he's making any special effort. I'm inclined to think that what we see on Strava is almost entirely illusory - it's the appearance of 'racing' and time-trialling where, in fact, there's only a handful of people consciously participating in a leader board full of passers by. It's not even clear how consciously the "holder of the current fastest recorded time amongst participating users along a short downhill stretch of shared-use path" was participating. He's only ridden it once as far as I can see. The number 2 guy (a certain Mr McCraw) also only seems to have ridden it once. No.3 also. I'm starting to think that on a lot of these short flat segments what you're mainly seeing is "the fastest Strava user who passed along a short downhill stretch of shared-use path". Cyclingmollie on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84900 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:34:30 +0000 Cyclingmollie 84900@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ I might create a new Cousland climb from the West. I assume you're meant to wait for the TL to change but going through on red would provide a flying start and a big advantage*. Starting it after the lights would make for a better segment. *and no cyclist has ever done something illegal to gain a competitive advantage amir on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84898 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:15:44 +0000 amir 84898@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ I have rewritten some segments when they include TLs or even downhills. I haven't generally flagged the old one as dangerous (or irrelevant) - I know which is which. Cyclingmollie on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84896 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:09:54 +0000 Cyclingmollie 84896@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ I know I could create my own segments to replace the ones already created where I ride. I would rather go with what's already there. But they often seem to have been badly thought out. Why take a six minute uphill segment through a village before ending it? Why not stop at the start of the village? Why start on the approach to a junction instead of just after it? Why start before traffic lights? I don't want to police cyclists, I want to police badly thought out segments. wingpig on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84894 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:47:18 +0000 wingpig 84894@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <blockquote>"And these danger points and dangerous segments will be defined by whom?"</blockquote> People who have ridden the segment and uploaded the track to Strava - only they can create segments or flag existing things as dangerous at present. I'm not eligible to create or flag anything. I'd mind Strava less if it awarded users titles like "holder of the current fastest recorded time amongst participating users along a short downhill stretch of shared-use path" rather than "KOM". Instography on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84880 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:45:15 +0000 Instography 84880@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ And these danger points and dangerous segments will be defined by whom? Whose assessment of danger and risk will over-ride everyone else's? I'm genuinely surprised (and a little disturbed) at the willingness to police other cyclists even when it's based on knowing almost nothing about when or how they ride. Cyclingmollie on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84871 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:55:34 +0000 Cyclingmollie 84871@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ wingpig: "...prevent new segments being defined which included the danger points" That would be good. There do seem to be a lot of segments which start in odd places - just before a junction, in the middle of a village or on the approach to traffic lights. Bhachgen on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84867 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:14:30 +0000 Bhachgen 84867@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ "Does that mean Strava didn't remove them or they have been reinstated? " I think it probably means that someone has just created a new segment in the same location. Whenever a new segment is created it creates a leaderboard based on all the historic data for that stretch. As others have said, Strava doesn't cause dangerous riding any more than, say, the A9 causes dangerous driving. Thoughtless cyclists cause dangerous riding. If you're on a potential PR/KOM, or just in a hurry to get home, there's no excuse for not riding to the conditions and taking other road/path users into account. Come back another day if you really must beat that time. "So Strava encourages unlicenced and uninsured racing, on inappropriate routes" In as much as it's a race at all, it's a time trial, for which you don't need a racing license. wingpig on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84849 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 09:48:18 +0000 wingpig 84849@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ From what I've seen, having a segment flagged just means it only shows the times, changing the vertical movement to zero and not showing the mean speed. What would be better is if you could define points (such as pedestrian crossings or junctions) (or entire stretches (under-bridge bits on canal, or the entire canal)) as dangerous in a way which would then prevent new segments being defined which included the danger points. chdot on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84844 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 09:38:02 +0000 chdot 84844@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ "I've flagged segments on the north Edinburgh paths as dangerous in the past" Does that mean Strava didn't remove them or they have been reinstated? fimm on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84843 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 09:35:35 +0000 fimm 84843@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ I've flagged segments on the north Edinburgh paths as dangerous in the past: <a href="http://app.strava.com/rides/19493730#351490364" rel="nofollow">http://app.strava.com/rides/19493730#351490364</a> Strava seems to be saying I averaged 23km/h (14 - 15mph?) for that section - and I promise I'm very aware and respectful of other path users! Instography on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84788 Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:22:59 +0000 Instography 84788@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Yes, it's been ridden 533 times by 132 people so an average of about 4 times each but as DaveC says, many will have ridden it every day as part of their commute so many people only once. @chdot 70 people. If I remember correctly, the segments on the path come and go. They seem to be flagged regularly and reinstated or recreated. Each time it's created it builds the leaderboard from all the people who've ridden over that segment so in once sense, it's a waste of time flagging them. If anyone's really interested, they can ride it, create the segment and see how they did. chdot on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84787 Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:10:12 +0000 chdot 84787@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ "You have to have ridden the segment to Flag is as hazardous...." Seems reasonable. Though of course that could mean people calling some segments 'dangerous' because they cannot beat the leader! DaveC on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84786 Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:09:23 +0000 DaveC 84786@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ If 70 poeple ride it then you can guess they have ridden it more then once. Perhaps there might be one or two people who have ridden it as part of a single bike ride but I'd guess that the majority commute. DaveC on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84785 Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:07:00 +0000 DaveC 84785@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Ha! You have to have ridden the segment to Flag is as hazardous.... chdot on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84783 Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:04:11 +0000 chdot 84783@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ "So, about 70 people have ridden that section at between 15 and 19.9mph " 70 rides or people? If people, that seems a lot. Instography on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84782 Mon, 17 Sep 2012 11:51:32 +0000 Instography 84782@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Yeah, hill climbing's good but there's something of a moral panic or Daily Mail scare story about all the dangers posed by louts imagining they're Bradley Wiggins in the Olympics, causing panic among dog walkers as they hurtle along on their carbon racing bikes, their middle age paunch barely contained by their lycra shorts, trying to emulate their Tour de France heroes. You can see from the leaderboards on most of the segments you look at that there aren't that many people using Strava at all. The Telford / Roseburn "sprint" has been ridden by 132 people and 50 of those people have fastest times that are under 15mph and only 8 are over 20mph. So, about 70 people have ridden that section at between 15 and 19.9mph at some time over the past two years. Does that qualify as too fast? I can't tell. I don't really feel like I'm working hard to get over 15mph. But it's not much of a sprint if most can't get over 20mph. Overall, I'd guess that almost none of the people battering down the NEPN of a morning are running Strava. I imagine how people use Strava is as varied as people themselves. Does it 'make' or encourage people ride faster? You certainly see some evidence of people going out to make good times on it and to take a load of KOMs. If the conditions are right: if I feel like I have the legs for it and it's clear and I don't have a gale in my face I'll ride to make a good time on a hill like Arthur's Seat or a flat section like the Cramond foreshore. Personally, if there's any chance of having to slow down it's not worth the effort trying so I'm a bit skeptical that Strava makes these things more dangerous than they'd otherwise be. 559 on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84779 Mon, 17 Sep 2012 11:34:03 +0000 559 84779@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ @Inst,@WC, agree with both that inconsiderate cycling certainly predates the smartphone as does timed runs. What effect Strava has, obviously no one knows for certain. However IMO timed runs should not be on busy multi-use paths. Wilmington's Cow on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84777 Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:58:37 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 84777@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ "Anyway, inconsiderate cycling predates the creation of the smartphone..." There were certainly plenty of threads on here about inconsiderate cycling (too fast and not paying attention) on shared use paths before the invention of Strava. I guess it's actually hard to know if they are going fast because of Strava without asking them. Yes, there are times for a segment there, but did people ride it that quickly before that segment existed? Has it actually changed any cycling habits? (personally I'd never be bothered about a time on a shared use path and they are segments I think should be removed - unlike the wide straight road segment on part of my commute home which still baffles me as having been marked as dangerous). Oh, and as amir says, I reckon Strava is much more interesting as a hillclimb type thang. Instography on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84776 Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:54:13 +0000 Instography 84776@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Context is everything and unlike cars v bikes, it's not so clear, to me at least, that the only or even the most vulnerable person is the dog walker. Sure, they would not have invited a collision but if there's anyone on a bike unaware that it's going to hurt like hell if they come off (even if they have a helmet) then I hope experience soon disabuses them of that. Strava is self-policing in two respects: in the way WC describes of being able to remove segments that are dangerous and in the more immediate way of it being in your best interests to slow down in case that dog decides there's something more interesting on the other side of the path. Anyway, inconsiderate cycling predates the creation of the smartphone. I'm not sure Strava has created anything that wasn't there already. I can remember taking a close interest in my journey time to work when all I had was a clock in the kitchen and a time clock at work. amir on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84775 Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:14:40 +0000 amir 84775@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ You definitely do need a licence for a proper organised road race. I don't think you do for time trials. Licences are not required for sportives and audaxes - both are usually timed but the former tends to be more competitive. Generally I expect most organised events have some kind of insurance. For unorganised events, such as riding alone or with your friends, insurance certainly isn't required. 3rd party insurance might be a good idea but it's a matter of individual choice. 559 on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84774 Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:03:45 +0000 559 84774@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ @Gembo, re your Burns quote totally apt @WC, agree its a self policing thing, why am I stating the obvious, when I don't even use Strava ! @amir, used to be the case that to race on British roads you had to have a BCU or SCU licence, hence the comment, insured is totally relevant if whilst "stravaing" you wipe a pedestrian. From what I can discern about Strava, proper challenges should be on steep hills over a reasonable distance amir on "Strava" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=6529&page=7#post-84771 Mon, 17 Sep 2012 08:51:14 +0000 amir 84771@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ As mentioned before, it is possible to have segments that might be considered dangerous taken off. "So Strava encourages unlicenced and uninsured racing, on inappropriate routes" To me this sounds a rather extreme way of putting it. Certainly "unlicenced and uninsured" is irrelevant, and I suspect that the vast majority of culprits have never even heard of Strava. Anyway a proper Strava challenge would be up a steep hill over a reasonable distance where the majority would struggle to manage say 10 mph.