# How do YOU use Strava?



## slowdave (Nov 29, 2005)

The question is do you, hunt for the kom by sitting in and sprinting for the finish or organising groups to go out and hunt for the kom, or do you go out solo and just ride, if you feel good have a crack at the local segments?


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## Sumguy1 (Apr 5, 2008)

I was in the grocery store yesterday and I swear there must be a Strava segment down aisle 16. The way those 30 something moms were speeding their trolleys, end cap to end cap, was truly a sight to behold. 
I think they were just going for it, you know, feeling good and having a crack at that aisle 16 kom. I couldn't imagine there was any organized effort from what I saw. I should ask next time, see what they say.


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## mogarbage (Jul 18, 2011)

what's down aisle 16?


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

Mostly I go for them when feeling good on solo rides... but if on a group ride we are hauling butt, I'll go for it with the help of others pulling, or me trying to beat others to the top of a climb/sprint.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I don't bother with chasing ranks on Strava. Although I get a kick out of it when I crack the top ten.  The thing I find useful about it is that I was never organized enough to clock myself on things. Strava is, and can show me all my past times on a segment. Lets me know how I'm doing vs. last year. In a few years, if they're still around, it'll be a little richer data set. At mountain bike demo days at trails I ride a lot, I can see if some fancy new MTB gives me an outlier time. Usually not...


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

I mostly ride alone. So when I feel good and I know there are segments on the ride I am doing I will go for them. Some times I will ride in a group knowing the ride will go over a segment. But there are some seriously fast people in this town. I'm talking World Cup level and UCI Pro Tour guys. So unless a miracle happens or I start doping I'm never going to get a KOM. I like using Strava to validate what I am feeling on any given day. Its nice to have it compare myself to myself over the season. But its also really nice to look at the leader boards and see just how I am doing compared to everyone in the area.


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## Oasisbill (Jan 15, 2011)

I just use it mainly to tally my overall distances each week, and give me a rough idea if I'm riding above of below my average speed. I realised early on that I'm VERY average in the whole scheme of things, but I actually do some segments faster than most, but most segments right in the middle. That has shown me the "type" of rider I am.


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## ManxShred (Mar 6, 2009)

I ride by myself mainly, so use strava to track my progression. I don't go hunting KOM as I am no where near quick enough. So I basically use it as a training tool.


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## jn35646 (Aug 24, 2011)

I use it to track mileage and progress. It is nice to compare old rides to new and such. For example, I went on a ride the other day just trying to maintain a specific heart rate as best I could. There is only one hill on the ride and I climbed it at a 19bpm average lower than I had just 3 months ago, while still improving my speed by 0.5mph. I guess the intervals are helping!


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## whiterabbit05 (Oct 30, 2009)

I compare my own results. The rankings are purely for fun.


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## nOOky (Mar 20, 2009)

I don't use Strava, and so far I'm still alive...


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## JRide6 (Aug 3, 2012)

I upload my rides to Strava from another app mainly to see how I compare to other riders in my area. I'm brand new to cycling so I'm not expecting to be anywhere near the top but I am expecting to see improvements over time.


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## arai_speed (Aug 19, 2003)

I go for PRs whenever I can. Most KOMs in my area are out of my reach so PR are what I use to track my progress.


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## Poncharelli (May 7, 2006)

I use Strava to track ride time: daily, weekly, and monthly. I like the calendar they have under the "training" tab. With the Droid App it's pretty easy to record every ride. 

I do too much of my own structured training to care about chasing KOMs on climbs. My interval lengths take priority. Most times I'm riding Zone 2 anyway. 

I only chase KOMs on MTB downhills. That's it. I do pretty well.......just behind our local MTB pros. REALLY good for an old guy.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

there's a popula segment here that's always a Strava favorite to PR for many riders. Then one day, there was an unfamiliar username who suddenly posted a time that was half of the last best time that stood forever.

LOL I was giggle when I saw that, thinking that some joker must have decided to put his Garmin in his car and go mess around with the Strava addicts! lol.


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## wtfbbq (Apr 5, 2012)

slowdave said:


> The question is do you, hunt for the kom by sitting in and sprinting for the finish or organising groups to go out and hunt for the kom, or do you go out solo and just ride, if you feel good have a crack at the local segments?


I live across the river from Portland, OR. There are lots of fast guys over there putting up some great KOM times. Over on the WA side of the Columbia, not so much. So I just work on all the segments on my side. Nice that I can actually be competitive on some.

On days that I want to work hard, I craft a route that goes through some segments and try to do well. That's one or two days a week, typically. If I race, one day, otherwise two. Sometimes a third depending but usually go for a trail ride instead.

There is a local dude on my side of the river that creates "stupid" segments -- little punchy things about a tenth to two-tenths of a mile up a little popper. He's KOM because nobody every rides them. He does own some legit segments but I scratch my head looking at some of the crap he maps.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

I find their tiny segments useless.

I have created 2 segments for my routine rides, first is a 10km ascent the second is the full 25km ascent for my routine rides (50km total , 25 up 25 down ) that I do on Mo and Wed.

I am KOM in both because everyone else is just chasing the 300mt segment KOMs or ridiculous short descent or flat KOMs.


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## wtfbbq (Apr 5, 2012)

Salsa_Lover said:


> I find their tiny segments useless.
> 
> I have created 2 segments for my routine rides, first is a 10km ascent the second is the full 25km ascent for my routine rides (50km total , 25 up 25 down ) that I do on Mo and Wed.
> 
> I am KOM in both because everyone else is just chasing the 300mt segment KOMs or ridiculous short descent or flat KOMs.


Well, around here there are lots of short hills so segments tend to be shorter. There is a local hill with about 8 ways to the top and six of the ways have pitches of over 10%. One of my favorites is a little over a km and averages 9.9%. Stop signs at the top and bottom so it's a logical segment. A few miles is a longish climb around here without going a little farther afield.


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## octobahn (May 30, 2012)

I just ride and shoot more for PRs. I do also look at overall ranking. I got a KOM on a segment that I didn't even know was there, then I quickly lost it in a few days. It's a great motivation tool, getting those PRs give me that extra push to ride just a little harder next time. If I were just riding for fun then I'd imagine Strava would be lost on me.


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## Sumguy1 (Apr 5, 2008)

mogarbage said:


> what's down aisle 16?


 Exactly. What is it that's down aisle 16 that gets these ladies sprinting like that?


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## The Human G-Nome (Aug 26, 2002)

As a noob to all of this, can someone compare MapMyRide to Strava for me, and then tell me why Strava is better?


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## pmt (Aug 4, 2009)

I have a friend who's Strava results got him "noticed" so he was asked to join a local team.


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## Rhymenocerus (Jul 17, 2010)

slowdave said:


> The question is do you, hunt for the kom by sitting in and sprinting for the finish or organising groups to go out and hunt for the kom, or do you go out solo and just ride, if you feel good have a crack at the local segments?


Depends on what my workout is. Im not going to make an easy ride hard just to take on some segments.

If im doing intervals, I like to make it interesting and fun by doing them on segments.

If im simply riding hard, I ride hard.

Sometimes I get really bored and go KOM hunting, soft pedaling between segments, but im blatant about it.


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## Rhymenocerus (Jul 17, 2010)

pmt said:


> I have a friend who's Strava results got him "noticed" so he was asked to join a local team.


I hope once im back up to speed this happens to me 

However im in Northern California where the bar is VERY high.


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## bayAreaDude (Apr 13, 2012)

I almost always ride solo. I use Strava just to see how my fitness compares to others who have ridden any segments I happen to run through on the course of a ride.


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## givethepigeye (Aug 23, 2009)

What's Strava?


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## whiterabbit05 (Oct 30, 2009)

^google it


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## arai_speed (Aug 19, 2003)

It's a type of cheese.


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## MCG DAWG (Jul 12, 2012)

I use it primarily to track my fitness and how I'm improving. I find the use of segments as excellent motivation not to be a slacker and to do more interval training. I love to do a long ride and work in 3-4 segments and just hammer them. 

Occassionally on our group rides on the weekend we'll do a "Strava" ride and do a group interval ride and hit as many sections in our area as we can. We start them as a group and even try and lead out the fast guys when we can. Sure there may be only one KOM but when the majority of the group gets several PR's it makes for great morale and gives some good positive reinforcement to riding harder and faster at other times in order to improve. 

I can see where it could become an unhealthy obsession but then again what can't? Used in any number of ways I think Strava is an excellent tool to help all sorts of riders.


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## The Human G-Nome (Aug 26, 2002)

I just started using Strava, and it's most definitely entertaining and provides some footnotes that didn't used to be available when I stopped racing 3 years ago. I guess that, going forward, what I worry about is that I will be more compelled to go after KOMs and less motivated to actually do my planned ride. 

Before Strava, my main concern was often focusing on never chasing anyone on slow days when my workout called for something different. Strava, in that sense, is like the weekend warrior who is constantly baiting me into blowing my workout. 

Maybe I'm over-thinking it though. It seems like a lot of people get a lot out of it.


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## lonefrontranger (Feb 5, 2004)

our team got us all onto Strava as part of a promo deal this year, so my husband and I have been using it. I use it for data, nothing much else, and it's got decent, easy to use tools. Also I'm a mediocre fortysomething cat 3 and the bar out here in the Front Range is really freaking high, so it'll be rare to never that I'd ever "score" anything beyond PRs. Those are cool tho.

the most fun part of the whole Strava stalking game was watching basically everybody's Strava KOMs on Canyon, Lee Hill, Flagstaff, etc. get absolutely nuked from orbit on Saturday by the USAPCC stage. That includes all the local badasses (like Taylor Phinney) who previously held the KOM records on them. 

I think 8 or 10 of the pros on Saturday's Stage 6 have uploaded files already to Strava, and I don't think any of them were even the "fast" guys in the field; they at least weren't among the leaders that I know of (yet). Sutherland is on Strava and I basically can't wait to see what his looks like, if he bothers to upload it.


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## gordy748 (Feb 11, 2007)

In Seattle, I find that my best performance on segments will get me around the 65 to 70 percentile, so a third of riders are faster than me. I use it when I'm doing intervals to track progression as well as occasional time trials.

I'll also check my score against others on new hills I've done. It lets me know when I've done well or whether I really wasn't going as quick as I should have.


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## Duane Gran (Feb 3, 2004)

A few ways I've used it:

-- Did a time trial with a group (individuals going off in 30 second gaps) last weekend and we used Strava to score the results. Nobody had to be the official time keeper.
-- Makes it easier to remember/learn names of people I ride with
-- Met a fellow that we traded the KOM on a few hills and found that our wives have a lot in common
-- Learned that a local pro is *much* faster than me.


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## dmason898 (Jul 19, 2011)

I just went for my first ride with Strava over the weekend. I love that I can review my ride and see the elevation changes etc. But is was humbling coming in almost last in every segment. But, it will give me good motivation to try to improve my ranking each time I'm out.


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## IowaTallGuy (Aug 16, 2012)

I was surprised to see how lame it is during a ride, at least in the Android app. It doesn't seem to auto pause when I stop for water, etc., and it overstates distance while en route by 30-50%.

Only when I finalize the ride does it present proper distance figures. It then gives adequate agreement with my Cateye. 

It is cool to review them later, though.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

It still auto pauses. Actually I wish I could disable that "feature." It overstates my average speed - when I stop, I'm still recovering from the previous effort. So the fact that I can maintain a certain moving average doesn't imply that I could maintain that average if I didn't get interrupted, and did it continuously.

I generally just turn it on and put my phone in my jersey pocket, though. So I don't see any output until after I'm done.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

I use it primarily for tracking my miles and progress. I had a KOM once, for a segment I created - lasted for about 3 months! Then my neighbor found it and stole if from me  

I am by no means fast, only riding for a few months. I have a couple 3rd places and a 5 place out of 15 to 50 riders that have done those segments - but I am riding all out just for the section to post those positions and imagine others are just out riding at a consistent fast to them pace for an entire ride instead of targeting segments like I am, so it's probably apples and oranges.


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## Oasisbill (Jan 15, 2011)

After having it about a month, I find that I now take it easy for certain segments, and "have a go" on certain segments. I suppose it's a sort of disorganised way of doing intervals, depending on how I feel on a part of the ride. It has definitely made me work harder generally. I often get to a climb and think, "I haven't done a good time up this hill yet.." so I put a bit of stick into it. It has been generally a great tool for training.


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

slowdave said:


> How do YOU use Strava?


Douche detector.


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## MaddSkillz (Mar 13, 2007)

I use it as a tool. For measuring possible improvements on certain climbs and to also challenge myself to take KOM's on segments where I believe I can. 

It pushes me on rides I may not otherwise push myself like that. So I think it's great if you're a competitive cyclist.


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## Hiro11 (Dec 18, 2010)

I use it on every ride, both with groups and solo. I shoot for KOMs sometimes, but usually just let the chips fall where they may. I've never KOMed enything when I wasn't pulling, I think I would feel guilty if I did. 

Around my house, people have even defined (lots of) segments on the local MUP. Some of these are impressively fast for a crushed limestone path.


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## OldChipper (May 15, 2011)

I live in the Denver/Boulder area like Lonefrontranger above so most KOMs are waaay out of my reach. You can't swing a discarded LiveStrong jersey around here without hitting an elite athlete. Although there are a few shorter, moderate climbs around here where I'm at least in the 90th percentile. 

Mostly I use it to track and go after PRs, see how I'm progressing, track my mileage and climbing stats (per week, month, year, etc.). It also came in handy earlier this year in diagnosing an over-training situation. It does provide a little extra motivation on some days, although it can also make it a real exercise of will to be"good" on a rest/recovery days.  

The thing I like most is I don't have to remember to time myself on climbs etc. that I use as benchmarks or worry about whether I'm hitting start/stop at exactly the same spot, etc. 

Lastly it *is* fun to see how I compare to other local riders and even pros even though I'll never get close to their times. It was funny to look at the Boulder Canyon segment the day after the Golden to Boulder stage of the USPCC - fastest time was 7 minutes better than the previous KOM!


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## The Human G-Nome (Aug 26, 2002)

OldChipper said:


> I live in the Denver/Boulder area like Lonefrontranger above so most KOMs are waaay out of my reach. You can't swing a discarded LiveStrong jersey around here without hitting an elite athlete. Although there are a few shorter, moderate climbs around here where I'm at least in the 90th percentile.
> 
> Mostly I use it to track and go after PRs, see how I'm progressing, track my mileage and climbing stats (per week, month, year, etc.). It also came in handy earlier this year in diagnosing an over-training situation. It does provide a little extra motivation on some days, although it can also make it a real exercise of will to be"good" on a rest/recovery days.
> 
> ...


It's not all that much better here in NorCal unfortunately although Boulder obviously has the edge with local pros. Still, shooting for KOMs isn't ever on my radar. I can only really think in terms of personal records. The problem I continue to have with Strava is although it's a great motivator, and it makes me sometimes ride faster than I otherwise would, it sometimes makes me ride faster than I otherwise would, and messes up my planned training ride. 

I am lucky that I get to ride with the GF on Sundays now, and it's always a true recovery ride by default. I also got her into Strava, and it's motivating to float her kudos and comments after her solo jaunts. She went from sitting on the couch to saving for an Italian road bike all in the course of 5 months. I know Strava, and especially its calorie counter, helped that cause.


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## xeon (Dec 21, 2008)

I was a bit excited at first to maybe go segment hunting and challenge some KOMs. My first ride I took some segments, but ever since then my phone doesn't do GPS accurately enough so I don't get credit for segments/KOMs. I think its an interesting app with some opportunity for friendly competition but my iPhone 3GS leaves something to be desired.


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## bernithebiker (Sep 26, 2011)

Here in Brittany, NW France, there are 4 of us using Strava in an area the size of a small US state! Ah, so easy to be KOM then you might think......but unfortunately one of the 4 is a French pro, so no, not really! (I do have some KOM's over him, but only where he is on a recovery ride and I am flat out....!)

Bike Ride Profile | Ride to Douarnenez via some hilly terrain near Quimper | Times and Records | Strava


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## jspharmd (May 24, 2006)

OldChipper said:


> I live in the Denver/Boulder area like Lonefrontranger above so most KOMs are waaay out of my reach. You can't swing a discarded LiveStrong jersey around here without hitting an elite athlete. Although there are a few shorter, moderate climbs around here where I'm at least in the 90th percentile.
> 
> Mostly I use it to track and go after PRs, see how I'm progressing, track my mileage and climbing stats (per week, month, year, etc.). It also came in handy earlier this year in diagnosing an over-training situation. It does provide a little extra motivation on some days, although it can also make it a real exercise of will to be"good" on a rest/recovery days.
> 
> ...


You're not riding the right Strava segments.

I was curious about what Strava offered. I uploaded all my rides. It turns out that I'm 2nd overall on some "All S. Boulder Road" segment. I recorded this while visiting friends in Lafayette. I was just going for a solo ride, I averaged 31 kph/19 mph on the segment and didn't even know I was "competing" for a segment. I remember thinking to myself during this ride, that it was nice to just ride and not be training.

Based on this experience, I don't see the point of the KOM. If you really want to compete, go do a sanctioned race (RR, TT, Crit, whatever, just do a real race).

I can somewhat see the value of PRs on Strava, although you have to be careful about weather.


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

Hiro11 said:


> Around my house, people have even defined (lots of) segments on the local MUP.


That's lame.


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## bernithebiker (Sep 26, 2011)

xeon said:


> I was a bit excited at first to maybe go segment hunting and challenge some KOMs. My first ride I took some segments, but ever since then my phone doesn't do GPS accurately enough so I don't get credit for segments/KOMs. I think its an interesting app with some opportunity for friendly competition but my iPhone 3GS leaves something to be desired.


I had the same problem.

Got a Garmin edge 500. 

Fantastic. Problem solved.


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## Maniton (Dec 26, 2011)

The Human G-Nome said:


> I just started using Strava, and it's most definitely entertaining and provides some footnotes that didn't used to be available when I stopped racing 3 years ago. I guess that, going forward, what I worry about is that I will be more compelled to go after KOMs and less motivated to actually do my planned ride.
> 
> Before Strava, my main concern was often focusing on never chasing anyone on slow days when my workout called for something different. Strava, in that sense, is like the weekend warrior who is constantly baiting me into blowing my workout.
> 
> Maybe I'm over-thinking it though. It seems like a lot of people get a lot out of it.


I agree with G-nome. I just discovered Strava and I find myself looking forward to shooting for KOM's. Right now, at my level, which is pretty low, it's helpful to motivate me to push myself for short bursts. So, it's like building in some intervals since there are a lot in my local riding area. However, it's a distraction when I probably should be focusing on greater endurance.

I also agree that the weather affects results. I know of local riders who wait for unusual weather to go attack segments.

I died laughing reading about the Garmin in the car incident!! My wife thinks people also let others ride with their Garmins to get KOM's, or in her situation, QOM's.

The social feature is nice, giving and getting kudos from friends, passing on encouragement.


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## brainer23 (Sep 6, 2012)

does STRAVA notify you if your KOM has been beaten?


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

Look: Bike Ride Profile | GO GIANTS!!! near San Francisco | Times and Records | Strava


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## wtfbbq (Apr 5, 2012)

Local Hero said:


> Look: Bike Ride Profile | GO GIANTS!!! near San Francisco | Times and Records | Strava


Brilliant!

A friend of mine tried doodling via GPS tracking. But your example was excellent.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

Yes it does


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## bernithebiker (Sep 26, 2011)

Yes, you get an email.
When I've got one, I'm usually back out there the same day, trying to get it back!


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

I dominate the local MUPs.


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## GDeAngelo (Aug 9, 2009)

It depends really. Strava can be the death of a good training schedule. On days I can't do my hard group rides, I'll go for KOMs, only on my hard days. Most areas around here I'm mybe in the top 15-20, some top 5. I use it to log my hours.


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## Cycles4Fun (Oct 16, 2012)

If I am only using the free version in the iPhone how do I actually do the KOM? Will it auto time me once I hit that section? 

Is the premium worth it? How many actually use the premium version?


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Have you recorded a few rides with the free version? It really doesn't effect records much... poke around on the web site - they'll show you what you can get that's different with the paid version.


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