Strava segments

[StreetCowboy]

1. How many of you use Strava?

2.  How many of you pay attention to Segment Times?

3. How many of you have defined Strava segments?

4. What are the criteria you consider when defining a segment?

 

For me,

1. I try to start a segment after, rather than before a junction, and end before, rather than after a junction, so that people catch the segment from one junction regardless of where they came from, to the next, regardless of where they are going next

2. I try to stop at the crest of the hill, or just before, so that I and others can race up the hill, then leave the segment and stop and wait for my wheezier mates

3. I try to avoid downhill segments with traffic lights, out of safety consideration, to reduce reckless temptation

 

[WaveHunter]

Yeah, I love live segments.  I live in Chiang Mai; we have so many of them here.  I get a kick out of checking them all out after a ride to see how I did against myself, others cyclists I know here, etc.  I guess I'm sort of addicted to using them now ????

 

[StreetCowboy]

13 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Yeah, I love live segments.  I live in Chiang Mai; we have so many of them here.  I get a kick out of checking them all out after a ride to see how I did against myself, others cyclists I know here, etc.  I guess I'm sort of addicted to using them now ????

 

Do you target your segments, knowing where they start and finish?  
I rarely target the start, and only target the finish if I am considering stopping waiting for others after 

[WaveHunter]

7 minutes ago, StreetCowboy said:

Do you target your segments, knowing where they start and finish?  
I rarely target the start, and only target the finish if I am considering stopping waiting for others after 

I'm not sure I understand; what good is it to target a finish and not the start?  maybe I don;t understand what you mean by "target"

 

On most segments, I just look to see how I did after my ride is completed.  On some though, if I'm trying for a PR, knowing where the start and finish is, is kind of important, don't you think?.

[StreetCowboy]

Just now, WaveHunter said:

I'm not sure I understand; what good is it to target a finish and not the start?  maybe I don;t understand what you mean by "target"

 

On most segments, I just look to see how I did after my ride is completed.  On some though, if I'm trying for a PR, knowing where the start and finish is, is kind of important, don't you think?.

Sometimes I set out with the intention of getting a good time for a segment; today, for example, on the climb to Penchala Tunnel.  Last time I’d ridden that route, I’d stopped To wait for my mates  in the shade immediately beyond the toll gates, which was still within the segment.  Today, I pressed on to the Petrol Station sign board.  I discovered That’s also within the segment, by about 200 metres (more or less to the tunnel entrance, where there is nowhere to wait), so I might define a new segment from the last possible access to the toll gates...

[n210mp]

I used to when I was competitive with myself but now I just am grateful for being able to get on the bike and go for a sedentary ride. unlike you young lads SC ha ha ha  

[el jefe]

I did real racing for more years than I'd like to admit. I use Strava for other things but I have no reason to see how my (lack of) speed compares to others. I wouldn't even be competitive against my previous times.

I'm still out finding new roads so i could still have all the KOM's I want, if only for a day.

[StreetCowboy]

I've had to change my route home from the office to avoid a Strava segment.
I quite often join together my Strava files for the ride to the office and the ride home again, to reduce my number of records (and avoid having a ridculously low average distance...)

 

The office is 3/4 the way up a hill.  If I go over the top of the hill, I catch the segment from the foot to the top; and clock a time of something like 10 hours for about 1 km, thanks to the day spent in the office 3/4 way up...
 

So instead I have to come home on the lower road, avoiding the top of the hill - which is actually a more pleasant road, with less spilled concrete and less traffic.  

 

SC

[Chomper Higgot]

1. How many of you use Strava?

I've been using Strava for a little over a year now. 

 

2.  How many of you pay attention to Segment Times?

Hejj  yes.

3. How many of you have defined Strava segments?

I have defined a dozen or so segments.

 

4. What are the criteria you consider when defining a segment?

My first criteria is always safety, I don't want to encourage people to race across junctions or on roads that regularly have a poor surface. 

 I try to pick a start and finish that has a recognisable sign/feature, not everyone is using live segments so this helps those who are not identify where the segment is. 

 

Always up hill, even if only a slight gradient. 

 

I try to choose segment names that are descriptive of the challenge the segment represents. 

[scubascuba3]

Another good thing on Strava is setting up a group, then for a segment you can see who is the fastest.

 

One segment we have called Mad dog alley is over run with dogs currently, so I've stopped trying to get the KOM until less dogs about plus the authorities have just closed this road plus others around Pratamak due to Corona