@VeloViewer : making Strava loads more interesting

If, like me , you use the Strava to clock your miles and review how badly you're going but want a bit more info, then I can highly recommend the superb VeloViewer website.
I've not delved fully into it yet but essentially it takes all the info that the bog standard version of Strava produces and collates it all in one place for your surgical dissection at a later date - good eh?
Well, yes, it is good, very good in fact.

All you need for a quiet night in...

What's more it is priced very keenly at £0 and 0p - but there is an option of making a donation so the guy who's put it all together and given you access to it out of the goodness of his heart, can buy a pint or whatever.
Once you've logged in with strava deets and uploaded your routes, a whole new world of data fixation awaits you - dive in and see what you can find!

How many miles cycled in the last year?

I think I've ridden more miles this year than any other. My trusty Strava app tells me I've clocked over 3,500 miles which aint bad.

I reckon I've done over 4,000 adding in all the little pootles to the shops and that. Happy days.

Ride safe

Strava killed the bike computer

In 1979 Buggles told the world that video had killed the radio star. In fact, they were wrong as they'd failed to consider the fact that it wasn't then, and still isn't now, possible to drive a car and watch telly at the same time. So the radio survives to this day mainly in cars and kitchens.
Technological advancement is not lost on the average cyclist of course: the excitement when you first switched to clipless pedals the game-changing STI gearing and LED lights. Huge steps forward that many riders can't now do without.
It seems to me that bike computers will soon go the same way as the pre-hyperglide pressed steel sprockets and be sacrificed at the alter of advancement by the most powerful cycling superhero: Strava.
Just consider this: if you had the option of spending £500+ on a GPS for your bike today, would you bother? Or would you just think: well, my phone does that so I'll do without and buy those wheels instead.
I think we know the answer.

Yes, I used to have one of those on my bike in 2010

I've been searching online for some details of the sales figures for GPS systems but cant find much data out there. Last year Bryton were predicting strong growth on Bike Biz but there's been little follow up.
While the cheaper end of bike speedos might survive, I reckon the expensive end has been sewn up by the Stravas of this world. How they change the free users into paid for subscribers is another matter for another time.

Keep going keeping going

It's happened to all of us at one time or another and its difficult to shake. I'm talking about those times when for whatever reason - weather, relatives, family, circumstance, injury - you can't get out on your bike. One minute you feel like you're going OK then the next, you've missed three weeks of riding and  you feel further away from any sort of strength than you have for months.

This week's Strava report. Athlete?

I'm in the middle of an up-turn in activity which I'm, once again, determined to build on. In fact, for the first time since I started working in Uppermill last December, I've ridden in everyday this week. It's a bit of a surprise that I've not previously managed it but a clear work diary has finally allowed me to do ten 18 mile rides - presuming I get home in one piece later on.
There's nothing quite like keeping going to make you keep going is there? Long may it continue!
Ride safe

Why would anybody cheat @strava ?

Couple of things have caught my eye relating to Strava recently. First off is this amazing image spotted on the cadenced tumblr blog and taken from the London Cycling Campaign page. It shows all the strava recordings over the 20 and 21 June including a load of people doing the Dunwich Dynamo night ride. On the animated version - see links - you can see the recorded activity pulse as people get up and go on their bikes. You can also spot some hardy souls doing a night ride in Shropshire somewhere - nice.

Strava: painting the country blue

But away from the beauty, there's been a lot said recently about cheating on strava. Yes, boosting your own recorded times via a website called digital EPO. Yes, digital EPO.
The idea is that you upload your route and then tweak the speed upwards until you're happy or travelling at the speed of sound - whichever happens first.
I sometimes lose my faith in humanity - most often when you see 'one life-live it' stickers in Land Rovers - and this is one of those times also. I mean, what is the point? What? Who in their right mind would bother cheating on Strava? OK, maybe for a laugh or to annoy somebody, like once, but jeez, please tell me that it aint common practice to Armstrong strava.
You can read a guide of how to spot tampered strava results here if you like.
I'm going to oil my chain.
Ride safe

Chain love @cyclelogicMCR

I had a feeling of smug satisfaction this morning on my ride in.  For once this was not due to me rattling past queuing traffic or getting a hat full of PBs on Strava.

No, the warm glow was due to the overwhelming success of replacing my chain at the weekend. I know it’s a relatively straightforward process but I’m genuinely surprised as to how much of a difference it has made.

The previous chain had gone beyond the .75 mark on the chain stretcher thingamabob so it was time for a new one.  It’s now working like an absolute dream and I’m intrigued to find out how much wear I’ll get out of it.

I've gone for the ‘extreme durability’ option which gives the impression that it’ll last about the same amount of time as a track on a Sherman tank – we’ll see.

Thanks to the lovely folk at Ken Fosters for the advice!

Happy new year dear reader

Well, after ten days of unenforced absence from the bike, today was my first of the new year back in the saddle.
Following a determined but ultimately futile effort to rid the planet of red wine and mince pies, I felt like I had as much power as an Austin Princess this morning and despite the Met Office's promises of a dry but overcast day, it obviously rained for my entire journey.

Austin (very little) Powers

So a lovely introduction to cycling in 2013, but despite all that, it was still great to be back on two wheels.  My Strava deets weren't too bad either - managed a few PBs which was surprising as I was really just plodding.
Maybe there's something to be said for a rubbish diet and lots of rest...maybe not.

GPS cycling tracker experiment in Manchester

There are a whole host of smart phone apps and other widgets which track your routes and provide you with a whole host of data relating to your ride.
I've used a few of them over the years and have just decided to give Strava a go.
First impressions are that it's really good: easy to use, has lots of little bits and bobs to keep you interested in using it and, up to now, has worked for the duration of my rides.
Admittedly I've only used it on my daily commute so far, so it remains to be seen how it will respond to a longer ride.

Yes, that's a full 23 meters of climbing

The two main problems I've had in the past with other GPS trackers are: it draining the battery before I've finished the ride and the GPS dropping out leaving you with an incomplete or inaccurate reading.
But, so far so good for Strava.
Apparently I can add the routes to this blog which I'll do in due course - presuming, that is, that I keep on using it.
I'm using the free version at the moment so don't have all the whistles and bells.  That costs $59 per year - love you long time.
Ride safe.