Serious Racers: Do you hide any key metrics/workouts on Strava?

Racing
21

You can determine doping from Strava?

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22

I have found a 100% correlation between people putting out >8w/kg at threshold and doping. As long as they have power data public you can use Strava to determine this.

23

Potentially. Going from 4 w/kg to 5.5-6 in the span of a few months would be suspect.

https://www.granfondoguide.com/Contents/Index/4434/doped-up-fourth-masters-cyclist-caught-in-same-race-on-huge-epo-cocktail

24

Another reason to not publish your data! :wink:

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25

So basically I should be suspect of everyone haha

26

Yeah. Anyone who beats you. Masters riders especially! :rofl:

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27

Maybe the pros have reasons to hide how they are progressing, but as a cat 2 masters XCO racer, and aspiring for more, I have no problem showing my stats, although I don’t post every workout, and only to followers. The guys that beat me train better, train more, for more seasons, have better genes, etc. A quick glance at my 6 foot plus frame and general build at the starting line will tell everyone that they can beat me to the top of the hills, but better watch out on the flats.

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28

In short: I don’t hide data.

I started hiding most of my rides because I figure most of my riding is boring. Who wants to see me riding back and forth to work every day? I hide most of my training rides because who wants to see me riding back and forth up on a bike path for a couple hours?

I’m not the fastest guy, but I’m not slow. You still have to put in the work, even if you can see the work I’m doing. The formula is not hard to learn, just hard to commit yourself too. No shortcuts (without drugs).

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29

I hide about 95% of my indoor workouts…no one cares about TR graphs or Zwift screenshots (sorry guys). I doubt it’s going to change any of my results but it would look like I’m barely training to an onlooker I guess.

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30

I keep most of my training private as it is IDT stuff which is bland as wallpaper, most of my outdoor rides are made public without HR and Power data,

I don’t consider myself hiding training info, I just have no desire to show others the boring aspects (indoor stuff) of bike riding whereas when outside, I am taking photos and willingly display on Strava posts to show where the bike can take one.

I do race AG Masters in road and gravel, current National Gravel champion (AG), I do not stalk my peers on their training so as to not bias my own structured training.

I have noticed there are a fair amount of peers who are selective in what and when they do show training metrics. It still comes down to the simple fact that to do well and be competitive, one has to put in the time, effort and be consistent.

I’d rather pay attention to my own training/spend time on myself, than be focusing on others.

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31

Another reasons ppl hide indoor workouts is:

  1. In some communities indoor training is looked down upon.
  2. They don’t want to show they are working very hard….and still suck.
32
  1. The time of the ride might coincide with “working hours” for a WFH employee.

I aim for 0900 - 1100, so mine could certainly raise an eyebrow for some bosses.

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33

Your bosses follow you on Strava?

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34

I don’t have strava, or a boss, these days.

But I know some people that work for organisations that do stoop very low to “check up” on their staff by all sorts of means.

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35

This is why my account is private and I have to approve any potential followers. No co-worker would ever get approved by me.

For that matter, I don’t let any co-worker follow me on any form of social media.

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36

Guys like Sven Nys used to say that it would be good for people to try and copy his workouts and volume because they’d likely overcook themselves based on the engine he’d built over many years.

I’ve been watching some guys who I race and had a peek at their interval sessions, and I can tell you, they’re doing endurance and vo2 sessions 50 watts lower than me, but still beating me, so I don’t even know what to do with the information.

Obviously it makes some sense for the very top to do some level of reconnaissance and counter intelligence to try and understand what you need to do to be number 1, but you need to get to number 1 first for people to want to look.

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37

Same!

Now we need a “How much did you ride when you are supposed to be working” thread! :laughing:

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38

This is what “Hide start and end time” is for :slight_smile:

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39

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40

I’m not a serious racer yet, but I’m heading in that direction.

I’m still feeling too pleased with myself about my continued progress to hide anything! If I’m hiding anything, it’ll probably be because I’m backsliding! :smiley:

1 Like