Bank Holiday belly ate my Strava KOM

Skin suits for strava segments.

It's a pity you are so defensive. I'm only voicing an opinion (and trying to provide reasons for my PoV). No-one said we all had to agree and simply toss in vacuous smileys.

Segments are obviously fun targets. I find Strava very useful but I don't want to post my ride data on there. That doesn't make me a hater.

A time trial is only an example of a timed ride. You can compare to others on an equalf footing, not against someone who may be in a fast group, using a hefty tailwind or when the lights tip the balance in your favour.

My point remains: isn't cherry-picking a stretch of road where most people can't / won't / don't hit it at speed just kidding yourself? Wouldn't a less ambiguous segment be a more worthwhile target?

What is the purpose of timing your ride?

And why make it public?

My age and (lack of) ability mean that I'll never threaten a KoM, so I take the possibly perverse view of looking for segments headed by pro cyclists - Simon Yates on the Alderley Edge bypass, for example. Their speed compared to mine is a source of wonder.

I'm currently on holiday in Flanders where most segments are headed by Niki Terpstra, so I'm very content.

GPS works best when there's line of sight to the satellite, hence interference from trees, tall buildings, bellies full of chocolate etc. Best in your back pocket if you don't want to mount your phone on your bars/stem (or get a Garmin or similar).
Personally I'm on Strava and like a KOM as much as the next person but I won't go out of my way to find them. But hey, each to their own.
I quite like the idea of doing a TT but then Strava is just there, whenever...

Why don't you just go and do a real TT?

Then we'd have something to talk about.

Yeah, I appreciate the motivation in feeling like a KOM, but I'm not sure of the value of your low hanging fruit. People make segments all over the place, and some, like this one, are so obscure that only a few people have done them. Isn't the purpose of a Strava leader-board to measure yourself against as many people as possible? I know I'd feel better getting in the top 10 of a 1000 person segment than being KOM of something only 100 people have done.
Sorry, this totally sounds like I'm trying to piss on your chips; I'm not deliberately doing that - just questioning the psychology of wanting any old KOM rather than aiming higher. Quality, not quantity?

Nah, Bikeboy's an eager puppy of a bike rider. Far too sweet to wind us up!

I smell wind-up

I'm fairly sure phones and proper gps units vary quite a lot in their segment times. Went out with a mate the other week and after smashing the hell out of each other all ride, we did one last little uphill sprint to see who was world champion. I beat him by a clear 5 seconds but his phone recorded his segment as being around 4 seconds faster than mine. So that's an error of almost 10 seconds on a 45 second segment. I guess that's about the max you'll see between devices, and over a proper length segment 10 seconds isn't too much - but for most heavily populated segments longer than 3 minutes that's the difference between KOM and not being in the top 20.

As a slight aside - do you not feel slightly daft getting a skinsuit out to bag a very obscure KOM? Do you need a skinsuit to hold 34kph on the flat?

Could have been worse, you could have smashed it up hill like a demon then when finishing the segment you remember to start your Garmin again.

....perhaps use a proper GPS like a Garmin. Though I understand that the some phones do have proper GPS. It may be that the area is a reception dead spot and so a lot of riders don't get to post which is why it is easy???'!?!

Quadlock on the stem - simple.

Cue strava haters (though being obsessed is no good thing)
I have not found any way to boost the signal at all....its not just where the satellites are iirc In geostationary orbit.
I guess having it as open to viewing by the satellites is the best option (ie not In a rucksack)