[Closed] Strava - the official backlash begins?

I suspect people were riding these areas fast anyway, Strava has just let some concerned folk know about it. There's no evidence given that Strava has led to folk riding faster that they normally would, or to an increase in accidents.

no, I agree.

It's just that the evidence is there to be seen now, before it was one persons word against anothers.

I tend to take the recorded speeds with a pinch of salt. I'm not sure if you can tell whether people are using dedicated speedometers or letting their GPS estimate the speed.

I know my GPS has clocked me at anything up 60mph on some sections on my mtb which is completely impossible!

If people are riding with more concentration on an abstract computer file somewhere in the cloud, rather than what's around them, then there is definitely a problem.

If Strava doesn't make people ride fast then what is the point in it?!

I know my GPS has clocked me at anything up 60mph on some sections on my mtb which is completely impossible!

If that's a proper device rather than a phone, I'd send it back
My Garmins are pretty much bang on

Hang on, have you looked at the OP's link.

This is specific to a particular US National Park, which has light dusty soils and has a 15mph speed limit on all vehicles to protect the trails. And yes, being US NPS, these are backed by law and enforced by the Ranger service.

Yep, I've worried about this for awhile, a lot of my local trails are not legit but by riding them early in the morning or at night there was zero chance of any conflict. Even so, there have been objections raised already.

Now there are plenty of strava segments all over the place, sooner or later someone will find them who objects. So I don't use my real name on Strava....

There's no evidence given that Strava has led to folk riding faster that they normally would, or to an increase in accidents.

There's no evidence given that Strava has led to folk riding faster that they normally would

Bear in mind that this article is concerned with National Parks in the US (which apparently have speed limits). If people are breaking these speed limits then IMO they should be stopped from riding there. Obviously no such speed limits exist in the UK.

I do have a question over whether it is safe to have Strava DH segments in general.

Muppets racing downhill on bridleways is only going to end badly.

^^^ this is a good point. Obviously Strava was created with the intention of people competing for climbs, but equally obviously the beast is now alive and has evolved entirely differently!

Obviously no such speed limits exist in the UK.

Thankfully.

We, of course are responsible enough not to ride at excessive speed on multi user trails.

Aren't we?

what is excessive though? I would say it depends entirely on visibility which is not something you'd be aware of if you just looked at Strava data.

So I don't use my real name on Strava....

Doesn't stop you being able to be tracked down. You think downloaders and hackers etc who have been prosecuted used their real names?

Since I started using Strava a few weeks back I have wondered about the wisdom of logging rides on a public website which may contain evidence of riding on illegal trails or speeding on public roads. Not to mention that it may direct thieves to your home address if you've not setup your privacy settings properly.

My local park has legit routes and cheeky stuff. It's very clear when you go on strava how much cheeky is being ridden. The down side is the park staff can also see and use as evidence to take measures to destroy/close down/make access difficult. The up side is I can use it the check out new cheeky routes!

Yeah set it up properly, only let people you know follow you etc, I'm not worried about the old git who moans are parish council meetings hacking into anything though.

speeding on public roads

i don't use it myself but I have browsed local segments and some of them are just plain dangerous and some just trespassing. IMHO KOMs should be for up hill only.

There are some very stupid people on Strava. In my town there is a path along the river which has a bike ban because it's narrow, used by families with children and push chairs. Thee are fishermen camped along it most of the year and goes through the town centre where bike use is very visible. Yet there is still a Strava segment along it and some very high speeds posted. I've been trying is get improved bike access around the town for years now when I go to town council meetings I just get this quoted at me.

Also one of my local trails included a cheeky section which was really good fun. Whilst it was illegal, I know the landowner and he was always pretty happy about it as it didn't effect him at all. Then a Strava segment appeared and suddenly the trail got ripped up, stock gates left open and eventually a rider who was head down hit a sheep causing fatal injuries to the sheep. So now the track is closed off, with fences and styles at 100m intervals. All thanks to idiots who post their stupidity on the internet and others who have to try and prove they are faster idiots.

@boriselbrus
if you see a segment you think is dangerous then flag it. There are prats, there always will be, best thing anyone can do is to try and kill off dangerous/illegal segments if only to try and prevent riders doing stupid things.

There are a few sections i have flagged because they are too busy, and i have seen accidents involving horses on both.

Strava will remove dangerous or illegal segments if asked

It's down to users to police it as much as anything b

AFAIK speed limits on roads don't apply to bicycles unless explicitly stated by a local bye-law

Yeah I know but they can still do you for 'pedalling furiously' or whatever ridiculous name it has. Admittedly it's very unlikely though.