You’ll finish your “circular” ride 100+ metres lower in elevation than the start and then create a new ride for your “cool down”.
You mark some non group rides as “solo” to explain the low speed or to boast about a fast average speed.
You mark rides as endurance when your power file shows the majority of the time above tempo.
Stop being a dick!
No one cares about your average speed.
The fact that you are our there on the road is awesome enough. You’ll gain far more Kudos if you just go out and ride without worrying about what others will think if your average speed is low.
Just turn off auto pause and leave running in the coffee shop. Then on strava add the ave speed into the activity title and make sure it links back to their rode with.
I often get comments on how low my distance stats are. Then I point out that those trainer rides are an hour at 200 watts and only come out at 15km. Then ask them to try replicate that if it’s so easy.
Ooh, touched a nerve @themagicspanner!? Yep, it bothers me that people do these things instead of just going out and riding. However, I don’t care what someone’s average speed is. That’s the whole point of my post. No one cares fella!
If you ride a regular series of training loops, using average speed as a metric can be
An effective contributor to good quality training
Highly motivating
Great fun!
I have number of regular loops, from undulating (where I often chase 20 or 21mph average) to hilly (100ft per mile elevation, where I chase 18mph on a good summer day).
I’ve ridden them so many times in all seasons and weather conditions that average speed data is a pretty good metric for measuring my current form, using HR data alongside it (I have no power meter). It’s also a big rush when I get an “average speed PB”.
On point 2, when my motivation is low, setting a number in my head for a ride on a particular day can drive me to knock out a really good, hard, threshold session which, when you throw in some proper hill segments (the ones that cannot easily be wind-assisted!) for some doses of VO2 max, can add up to a much better quality workout than if I had not set an average speed target.
I live at the top of a hill so the last couple of miles are often at TT pace to maintain the target average speed!
I don’t really care what others think of the data (there’s always faster or slower guys) but I do sometimes look at the average speeds of some of my club TT competitors’ Strava rides and gain motivation from it to go out and match their average on a similar hilly route or whatever.
Strava is great fun and each rider uses it differently, and like the OP says, kudos to all Strava riders, fast or slow!
I’d also like to mildly point out that it was the OP who approvingly posted Phil Gaimon’s “new rules of cycling” video on this forum not so long ago.
The first rule of which was: “Everyone riding a bike and having fun and being safe is doing it right. We’re not here to correct each other and nitpick.”
Seriously though, higher average speed rides generally do earn more kudos from fellow riders. I also find giving kudos to riders that have competed a given segment the same day can generate several kudo.
It’s worth having a like minded group of friends that will be ready to ride and out and back ride, usually with the negative elevation encouraged by a howling tailwind at the ready.
Another great tactic is making a comment about the headwinds whilst posting a 20mph avg speed ride. Usually works a treat👌
I don’t find this the case. Most of my friends/followers are consistent in kudo-giving, whether it’s a 22mph hammer session or a 16mph recovery. Fewer kudos on commutes and trainer sessions, more on group rides
Yep, @clasher, I’ll be the first to admit I’m a complete and utter dick!
Not really shitting on their effort am I? If you read my post I say that I think it’s pretty awesome they are out there riding. I just don’t get why someone would want to artificially inflate their average speed.
@miesemer I was referring to actual kudos, not getting a thumbs up
@themagicspanner I do get some down time between riding and sometimes I like posting things that aren’t about training. Sorry if I offended you by posting such drivel
There is a guy I know that increases the wheel circumference for his speed sensor. For example, a 205km Audax/Brevetto for me, will be 215km for him, same time, same course, and somehow he has a few km/h higher average speed. Not that anyone cares about it, and everyone makes fun of him. He still keeps doing it though
Yep, it bothers me that people do these things instead of just going out and riding. However, I don’t care what someone’s average speed is. That’s the whole point of my post. No one cares fella!
