Hopefully not too controversial of a topic.
I haven’t gotten around to reading Philuminati yet - maybe it’s covered in there
So…I lost my only KOM.
The segment is ~500m with a kick at the end of 200m 10-15%
The rider who took the KOM turned down a side street roughly 30-50m from the end of the segment missing the steepest part, but Strava still awarded the KOM which ends at the top of the hill. So accidental taking of the KOM.
I know people will say Strava is stupid but if I accidentally took a KOM from someone I’d flag my ride/like to be told about it
500m segments don’t mean jack. Sorry. There’s soooo many factors that play into these and there’s a reason Strava won’t let users create short segments anymore.
I would say don’t flag a ride where it’s Strava’s issue over the incorrect segment match, not the riders fault.
If you’re really that bothered create a new segment that goes well past the turning. Or take the Kom back by using the turning.
Let me start by saying that I don’t fret when people take KOMs from me. Nor should you.
Who cares how long the segment is/how much it kicks up/what the gradient is. As another user comments above, there are so many variables that come into play on any given segment on any given day.
It’s funny trolling Strava users that take it too seriously though. A guy I know KOMed an offroad climb on his CX bike, the previous guy had a massive rant in the ride comments about how it shouldn’t count as he wasn’t on an MTB then went out specifically the next week to get it back. Funny how people let it affect them so much.
Thanks for your comment - it’s basically what I was stuck on. Honest mistake so you just move onto the next segment that has lesser chance of gps error (if KOM hunting is your thing)
It was a whole lot of effort to get it in the first place so I don’t think I’d bother getting it back, especially not purposefully cheating it.
I have in the past wind doped to take popular group ride KOMs using an anonymous strava account…then sat in on the group ride to listen to them complain. It’s a terrible admission on my part but it was super entertaining. I even joined in on the complaining.
I don’t think you’re taking Strava seriously enough. If you have zero KOMs, it means you are a terrible bike rider, but, there’s an easy remedy: make a segment that only you could possibly KOM.
Start in your driveway
Turn out and go down the road
When you get to the first stop sign, turn around and go back home
End segment in your driveway
Be sure to REALLY blast it in case someone accidentally follows the route.
Now, you can feel really good about yourself for always having a KOM!
Oh yeah. ‘It’s dangerous to ride in that kind of wind’ Now you’re taking me back. Maybe it was a little dicey…it seemed pretty smooth at the time but if you’re going along between 40mph & 45mph and the wind swirls at an intersection & catches you off balance it can end in tears, I guess.
Why don’t groups work together more often to get KOMs? That’s a dynamic I don’t understand. I guess everybody wants to be on top…nobody wants to be just working for the guy who jumped and got the KOM. If some joe schmoe rolled up during a group ride & asked me to help him get a KOM would I do it? Yeah. I probably would. It’s never happened, though.
