Strava downhill segments decommissioned

Posted by: Hepcat

Posted by: FlightlessLobster

It just makes something fun and relaxing not those things.

This. /\

I worked religiously on faster downhill segments for a couple of years...then I realized that it sucks riding like that. 

Inevitably some rider will take out your time by cheating (braiding) anyhow, and redlining all the time is just asking for a serious injury.

Just noodling around and hitting everything is way more fun. Stop and say hello to hikers, stop to clean out drains, etc.

I'm still using it, but only as a (lousy) fitness tracker.

I wasn't kidding when I said I have faster segments than Danny Hart. 

But like you, I use it for exactly the same reason... year after year, how am I doing?  Do I still love this?  If not, should I be doing something else or just settle into obesity and alcoholism?  People who think this obviates the need for localized testing should probably stick to kissing their cousins.

Chasing Strava segments is not an excuse to act like a dick. Nobody cares about your PRs, so slow down a bit, say hello to folks, and enjoy the day.

I can totally see the fun of strava for roadies. Although if I still raced I would get a paceline and go crush all the strava segments. I suppose strava is only as fun as it is honest. Judging by what I see online - strava is definitely not fun. I for one think downhill segments on open courses is a recipe for catastrophe and I can't believe there hasn't been a law suit yet!!!

Posted by: RAHrider

I can totally see the fun of strava for roadies. Although if I still raced I would get a paceline and go crush all the strava segments. I suppose strava is only as fun as it is honest. Judging by what I see online - strava is definitely not fun. I for one think downhill segments on open courses is a recipe for catastrophe and I can't believe there hasn't been a law suit yet!!!

I have been using Strava for a bit more than two years, and have stopped trying to ride faster every ride - it kills the funk and flow.

What is weird, I live in an area where, apart from sanctioned bike parks or illegal trails for those in the know, all trails are mult-use, and no accident between users has occurred yet, this would go viral and would be all over the news, I think. Most riders I know use it as a sort of tool as some of you pointed out already and it is highly used by the roadies.

Posted by: MaxRockatansky

I have used Strava as a ghetto training tool for a while. To track my efforts, climbing and distance per month etc. but the app is so inaccurate (and seems to be getting more so) getting worked up on the segments (up or down) is ridiculous. 

It is so inaccurate now I also am questioning its usefulness logging rides. It obviously uses maps to calculate distances as they seem ok but the times are way off. Gaining 18km/hr average speed from one ride to the next with no stops, mechanical's  etc.

Have you tried using the ride logger in Trailforks? It records the key stuff but ties it to actual trails (trails, elevation, distance, time moving, etc).

Posted by: craw

Posted by: MaxRockatansky

I have used Strava as a ghetto training tool for a while. To track my efforts, climbing and distance per month etc. but the app is so inaccurate (and seems to be getting more so) getting worked up on the segments (up or down) is ridiculous. 

It is so inaccurate now I also am questioning its usefulness logging rides. It obviously uses maps to calculate distances as they seem ok but the times are way off. Gaining 18km/hr average speed from one ride to the next with no stops, mechanical's  etc.

Have you tried using the ride logger in Trailforks? It records the key stuff but ties it to actual trails (trails, elevation, distance, time moving, etc).

I used Trailforks a bit for a month or two in fall, but found it was frustrating - Strava would see that I had ridden a trail, but TF would decide i had 'missed' some of it and would not record it.

Posted by: craw

Posted by: MaxRockatansky

I have used Strava as a ghetto training tool for a while. To track my efforts, climbing and distance per month etc. but the app is so inaccurate (and seems to be getting more so) getting worked up on the segments (up or down) is ridiculous. 

It is so inaccurate now I also am questioning its usefulness logging rides. It obviously uses maps to calculate distances as they seem ok but the times are way off. Gaining 18km/hr average speed from one ride to the next with no stops, mechanical's  etc.

Have you tried using the ride logger in Trailforks? It records the key stuff but ties it to actual trails (trails, elevation, distance, time moving, etc).

Trailforks app doesn't work well at all for me. Crashes. super slow. Not sure why...it seems to update weekly...

I like Strava for figuring out what routes and how fast and how much my friends are riding as well as seeing my milage and a rough indicator of how fast I am over time. I like the leaderboards, but not enough to go chasing segments, either off-road or on the road bike, or to take big risks to move up the leaderboard or improve my time.

Seems like other folks get a bit wrapped up in it though - they've been sued for a death when a dude was allegedly chasing a downhill road segment. To me it's just a tool - assholes will be assholes when they're using it, reasonable dudes will just continue to be reasonable dudes.

I use mine to generate my TF log as well - it automatically loads into my TF profile. I find TF way better for exploring.

I have been using the free version of ViewRanger.  Can track rides, (mtb, moto) hikes ...  Create routes for following or exploration.  Has a few really good layers that can be downloaded for offline use when signal is lost.

For me it just to track rides get an estimate of distance, climbing and descents.  Have compared it on my phone against my GPS and was happy with how close the data was.

I ride slow, so I am not all that worried with where my time fits in within a group of riders.  I ride because I enjoy it.

Posted by: tashi

- they've been sued for a death when a dude was allegedly chasing a downhill road segment. .

Strava was sued unsuccessfully...and this was in the USA.  Strava doesnt create the idiotic behaviour, it just facilitates it.

I like it mostly for seeing what my friends and friends of friends are riding, seeing how people link up trails/loops to ride in other locations etc. As for comparability, I really only look at climbs to gauge how my fitness is doing and sometimes on longer downhill segments to see how slow I am compared to people I've ridden with. I use it on my phone in my pocket/fanny pack so def not accurate. I'm not fit enough and can't risk a stupid injury with a baby at home so I'm not going flat out on descents anyway.

Also I like using it in the bike park to piss off my roadie friends with massive vert numbers from the chairlift.

Posted by: FlightlessLobster

I just got it a few days ago. I thought it would be fun to track my climbing speeds and hopefully watch them improve. Maybe compare with some friends.

The actual leader boards seem pretty unappealing to me though.  The climb trail leader boards seem like obvious e-bikes. To do downhill segments you have to plan where you can rest, and to get an actual "good" time on something like Salvation you just skip all the fun stuff.

It just makes something fun and relaxing not those things.

Everytime I use strava:

That was so sick! Best ride ever I love life!

Checks leaderboard.

1207th place.

Kill me now.

I have live segments on my Garmin 520 but all it really does is give you a little chime at the end if you've beaten your PB. I don't have any KOMS :(

And as my Garmin is on top of my stem cap, I can't actually see it if I'm riding fast. The only time I really look at it is if I'm climbing or on the flat. I actually turned the Live Segments off as it would beep when I would come up to them. Fine on my own, but annoying otherwise, I just wanted certain data on the screen, not it defaulting to the little map or ghost, I can't remember what it actually showed. 
I do see a difference in my Garmin distance in their connect app, and then what Strava trims it to. I have a wheel sensor too, so I guess the distance from Garmin ought to be as close as I'll get. I know there's an option to correct elevation to known topo maps too. But Strava with phones just trims it seems. It's neither good or bad, it's just a tool,

I like the Relive app. Just use it to see how far and meters of climbing on the bigger rides, then get a cool 3d animation at the end.

Funny how on strava you can do a ride with someone also using strava and one of you does 900 meters more distance than the other rider. GPS drift maybe?