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Strava ruining club runs?

is it me or is that Strava is ruining the club run. I have been noticing lately that some of our members suddenly disappear up the road stretching out the group. After the club run you read later that these riders are praising themselves for their new 'segment' times. Are we not supposed to be riding together as an oiled unit and not racing for personal gain. When I ride in a group we should stay in a group - but this does not now always happen  20 don't get me wrong, Strava can be a good tool(toy?) but when you ride with your club mates - stay with them otherwise go solo.

what do you say good people?

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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13 comments

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Flying Scot | 10 years ago
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I'm not in a club these days, but the lads my age who still are say that:

1) The chain gang keeps splitting up due to Strava segments with club members competing against one another.
2) You can't get the Strava mob to enter a race, they aren't interested/ scared of putting in an effort over a whole course.

Personally, I'm not saying Hardcore Strava guys have no roadcraft or are shitebags....but on the hills round here, which I uploaded a few into Strava for a look....I'm in the top 60% going up the hills and in the top5% coming down.......

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wellcoordinated | 10 years ago
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Years ago when I belonged to a club we'd sprint for a sign, then regroup. What's the difference, Strava segment or sign ?

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wellcoordinated | 10 years ago
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Years ago when I belonged to a club we'd sprint for a sign, then regroup. What's the difference, Strava segment or sign ?

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Gary rb | 10 years ago
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http://mooleur.blogspot.com/

mooluer , I like your blogs - keep writing  1
on my wall, by the turbo I have printed the words:
" Train Hard, Ride Easy"

enjoy the hols

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mooleur replied to Gary rb | 10 years ago
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Gary rb wrote:

http://mooleur.blogspot.com/

mooluer , I like your blogs - keep writing  1
on my wall, by the turbo I have printed the words:
" Train Hard, Ride Easy"

enjoy the hols

Aw thankyou!  4

And +1 to that ethos!

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Gary rb | 10 years ago
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thanks for all your comments.
what upset me most was that the 'Strava fliers' were doing it on our clubs xmas Santa ride !!!! we had I/2 dressed Santa's riding bikes - impressive when in a bunch. but due to the fliers. who could not ignore a segment for a the day, the bunch was split into smaller groups - not so impressive and NOT very sociable  102
so yes Strava can be a good tool but - time and place please.
sometimes it is good to lift your head up, slow down and have a chat. you may be surprised with whom you are riding with and where you are riding.
bit like texting someone when you are in a group - who are you with?

joy to the world

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JohnnyRemo replied to Gary rb | 10 years ago
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Gary rb wrote:

thanks for all your comments.
what upset me most was that the 'Strava fliers' were doing it on our clubs xmas Santa ride !!!! we had I/2 dressed Santa's riding bikes - impressive when in a bunch. but due to the fliers. who could not ignore a segment for a the day, the bunch was split into smaller groups - not so impressive and NOT very sociable  102
so yes Strava can be a good tool but - time and place please.
sometimes it is good to lift your head up, slow down and have a chat. you may be surprised with whom you are riding with and where you are riding.
bit like texting someone when you are in a group - who are you with?

joy to the world

So you've said this to your clubmates, rather than just moaning on a forum about it.

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mooleur | 10 years ago
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It's turned club runs into testosterone fueled cattle-markets.

I don't ride with certain groups now because they're constantly "shredding" what should be a relaxed Sunday pack, gloating about it and ruining it for those who perhaps aren't climbers and those of us (especially us birds) who might not be as strong.

I don't think this is directly due to Strava, it was always there, but it's certainly not helping.

I will LOL come race season, the Winter Wonders will burn out quick enough.  1

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NIrish | 10 years ago
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In a previous club there were a number of different groups of various capabilities. There were some times in the chaingang that it felt slow, but the invitation was there to go off the front if you felt you had it. From a selfish viewpoint it felt good, but there was no animousity as you had been pulling weight throughout the ride. I think strava is great, some will take it to extremes but its a visual rep of your own training progress.

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nickobec | 10 years ago
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My club/team/shop ride has a few sprint points, including a couple on climbs. They are all strava segments, but it is who wins the sprint has the bragging rights, not who is KOM on strava.

Plenty of other segments on that ride, nobody ever goes off chasing them during a group ride, those segments are ignored during the ride. Still most people's best results are from team work on those rides.

Most of the KOMs on that route are from people on that ride, who go out to and target those segments on other days. It does give you something to talk about during the ride & coffee after, as well as some training during the week

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carytb | 10 years ago
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Yes this happened on a club run recently. They went off like a ferret down a rabbit hole on the first hill. I thought s*d this for a game of soldiers and went off and did my own thing. I read later on the Facebook page that someone had improved everyone of his segment times and that the ride blew apart on the hills and they arrived home in a couple of groups. Not what I joined a club to do.

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SimonT1971 | 10 years ago
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All about balance i guess. This happens in our club on hills, but then we regroup at the top. We all have different needs/abilities/objectives and without compromises we'd get frustrated.

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s_lim replied to SimonT1971 | 10 years ago
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SimonT1971 wrote:

All about balance i guess.I This happens in our club on hills, but then we regroup at the top. We all have different needs/abilities/objectives and without compromises we'that's frustrated.

+1 this is exactly as our club does it too. I don't think strava is taking away from club runs, just another talking point.

Strava or no strava, there are still 30s that need bagged, and that's when the bragging rights count

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