[superj]

I have been trying to work my way to the top of the leader boards on segments around my town. if I know I am going to be on a segment during a ride, I make sure and know where it starts and ends so I can try and race it.

one spot that I have to ride daily, is a half mile run along the highway that also covers an overpass. I have always blown it off since the racers ride this normally and their times always seemed out of reach, until yesterday.

it was perfect mix of wind, feeling, and group. it was just me so I wasn't holding back to stay with anyone. the wind was going the same direction I was going and I felt like iwas not even riding hard. I hit the start of the segment at about 27mph and decided to see how fast I could get on the backside of the overpass. I hit 37mph on the back side so I just figured I would cruise to the stop sign and stop for whatever car and then continue on. But, no cars were coming so I just kept cruising along. I looked down and I was still doing over 35mph. I didn't even feel like I was pushing anything.

I moved to 4th overall time for the section. average speed of 35.4mph and 43 seconds for the distance of .42 of a mile. my heart rate was low, 153bpm and cadence was 116. top guy is 41 seconds so I am soooooo close to beating it, I cannot believe it.

side note:
I created a segment on strava for a section people around town have ridden for the last few years, at least weekly. since it was newly created, it put me as the kom holder, weirdly. I don't know how that works since most of the group I ride with on the segment are triathlon racers and I hardly ever ride with them. I normally stay behind them and just cruise at their pace or my other recumbent rider's pace.

anyone use those segments to improve? I don't specifically go out to get a kom but I like to know the areas and the times so I have something to work towards

 

[rola643]

^ to many big, fast riders in our area that are 30 years younger but ... like to try. As far as getting better from segments, not me. I get better from Zwift in all honesty.

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

I like knowing how I compare to others that ride the same sections. But that's only because I'm almost exclusively a solo rider.

On EVERY ride, I hit more than one segment. When I have a wild hair, I'll take a run at something, to see how I compare.
However, I've never really looked to see starting and finishing places. I only know the general area.

Still, it brings a twist and some competition to the table.

 

[rola643.1]

And as a matter of fact for me, Strava live segments was ruining my rides and I had to turn it off

 

[cwtch]

I like to ride hard and chasing QOMs has improved my descending on techy sections.

 

[John_V]

I can do Strava Live Segments with my Bolt. Since Flatwoods has a bunch of segments, I decided to turn on that feature and see what it does. I wasn’t impressed! Turned the feature off and haven’t used it since. When Amanda is out there doing 27-30 mph, there’s really no point to think you’re going to win a segment.

 

[superj]

I turned off that feature where it talks to you as soon as i found it. I don't like stuff that adds more drain on the battery because there are lots of areas around here where i could easily walk for many miles before i found a ride or a phone.

I totally understand turning that off. I keep thinking od getting a garmin, or something like that, so my phone is just for emergencies.


This new tuesday might group ride i am in actually helps more than the segments. But segments are fun to see how you are riding versus everyone else

 

[longjohn]

^ to many big, fast riders in our area that are 30 years younger but ... like to try. As far as getting better from segments, not me. I get better from Zwift in all honesty.

Age doesn’t matter, compete with your own age group. Some of the climbs I do I’m twice as slow as the other riders, but wait, when I check my age group I’m the only one over seventy that tried it. The rest of them must still be on the couch watching football.

 

[lectrichead]

I'm by far the most prolific segment creator in my area - I have created 42 pages of segments for our local biking community. We have some good long stretches, some good little or moderate hills, and some popular areas.

We're always talking about various segments and such, even the people who aren't the fastest get a kick out of seeing how they are doing against their friends and/or like to see what others are doing.

I like to create my own names for various hill climbs - even if the hill has an old timey name I make up my own funny one.

Like nearby me is a long, long hill that I call Squat Cobbler Hill climb. If you are a "Better Call Saul" fan you will recognize the reference.

Then there is Zombie Grab Hill, Cornstalk Hill (near an Amish farm), Sad Bull Hill (nearby grazing property, I'm sure there is a bull there), Ethan Peck Hill (on Peck Road - don't think the actor Ethan Peck has been there and certainly didn't get a KOM on it, but anyway...), Corncob Snapper Hill, Duck Chiller Climb, Gobblesmack Ascent, Old Yanker Hill Climb, Dirty Dog Swamp Hill, Turkey Hill (near old turkey farm ruins), Cold Cock Hill Ascent.

Then there are some that are just good road names for the hills anyway; like Huff Hill (on Huff Road), Spook Hill (Spook Hill Road), Dog Hill (Dog Hill Road), etc.

We have a Hell Road but unfortunately, there is no hill on it and it's gravel so not many people do the Hell Segment.

 

[longjohn]

I’m a local legend on a lot of gravel roads in my area. When you live on them it is easy to become a legend.

 

[lectrichead]

The Local Legend thing is kind of weird, in that I'm not sure why Strava thought that was a good idea.

I would guess they were thinking that for those who never would get a KOM or maybe even never show up on the top ten of a Segment - they could get those people interested by giving them a consolation prize sort of thing.

I don't know about others but it's become a big joke with my cycling friends and I - "You stole my Local Legend! Bwahahahha."

It just seemed like there are some other tweaks Strava could have been doing rather than adding a Local Legends.

 

[maelochs]

So .... if I get on Strava I can go from being an actual person to being a legend? Will I still have to pay taxes?

More frightening ... will parents tell my legend to their kids as a bedtime story? I am sort of a horror show .....

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

^ You’re already a legend….around here!!