Video: Strava Wars

Oct 22, 2014
by Lauren Jenkins  
Strava Wars

by sam-oakes
Views: 80,579    Faves: 427    Comments: 33

Going out for a chilled ride? Enjoying the peace of the forest? Not when a strava battle is raging. You must do anything it takes to claim the KOM back, even if it means slipstreaming your trail dog for extra seconds!

Video: Sam Oakes

Mentions: @Banshee-Team @troyleedesigns


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143 Comments
  • 188 2
 I call bullshit, there's no way he cut enough corners to get KOM
  • 15 0
 HAHAHAHA now that's funny right there!
  • 62 0
 the dog had the better strava lines
  • 17 0
 I thought the dog was Sam with the KOM- that dog was PINNED!
  • 25 0
 The dog should log into strava and use the running app and start pissing off runners.
  • 3 12
flag nsxtc (Oct 24, 2014 at 7:13) (Below Threshold)
 I just flagged his ride. So KOMs are still mine. Bwahahaha
  • 85 1
 strava is one of those things where it can be used for good, or evil, but its all about the user and how they choose to use it. i love it between the group of guys i ride with, both DH and on the road, for friendly banter, logging miles and rides, and fun bragging rights. When you get people disregarding others, cutting lines, and other stupid stuff JUST so they can make KOM, its a crappy thing. It's also a great tool for seeing how you actually stack up against others even if you are riding alone. Not that riding is all about competing. But if you think you're fast...there's no better way to find out and be humbled.
  • 6 0
 Rondal, I totally agree
  • 64 13
 If you think you're fast... the only way to find out if you are is to sign up for a race. same day, same conditions, same mindset everything. anything else is lame (imho)
  • 15 0
 if possible, totally agree. problem is while the racing scene is growing, its still not as accessible in all areas as it should/could be.
  • 13 31
flag M9er (Oct 23, 2014 at 16:07) (Below Threshold)
 Yep, think your fast, go to a race and find out otherwise, strava a is for bitches, IMHO.
  • 13 1
 I know of at least two of the recent top elite dh men in BC use strava in my area, not really bitches. Cool to be able to record a time compared to them and see how slow I really am!
  • 11 28
flag M9er (Oct 23, 2014 at 18:06) (Below Threshold)
 Just cause u elite doesn't mean ur not a bitch.lol, I'm just a hater of social media and strava is just one more thing to hate
  • 2 0
 haha it truly is humbling at times.
  • 8 4
 Strava is for bitches??? I guess we better 'man up' and go to a REAL race, where every feature and difficult tech section is taped off. It's hardly even mountain biking- it's fitness biking. Loosen up the sausage casings and live a li'l, racerboi.
  • 3 1
 Strava can be totally inappropriate on certain trails, but under good conditions on the right trails, it can be a great training tool. I think its better for downhill segments than uphill segments, but that's just me. factionsk8.blogspot.ca/2014/10/for-love-of-hate-strava.html
  • 2 0
 You guys are thinking about it wayyyyyyy too much. Just ride with stava on or not. The only people who care are the trail builders who think their trails are secret and boys who think that getting a KOM is a substitution for the balls they don't have.
  • 35 0
 Fucking loved it !!!!!!! The dog had some sick lines and totally shredded it............lmao Seriously loved the riding,fort it was proper aggressive!!!! Starva wars won !!!!!!!!
  • 16 1
 hate it when someone goes for a ride just to beat your KOM. That dog should have strava
  • 9 0
 The way that dog took them lines was just like chewbakka fly the millennium falcon thru the death star !!! Lmao
  • 4 1
 Haha, rejean, we used to do that. Blow up your whole ride to KOM one segment. Then one day you wake up, come to your senses and ask, "Why the **** am I doing this?!?!"
  • 2 1
 Nien Numb flew the Falcon through the Death Star. Chewbacca was busy imitating Tarzan and commandeering All Terrain Scout Transports on Endor. Nerd up 666.
  • 1 0
 @choppertank3e, didn't state I was a "Trekkie or a spotter" I'm usually out on my bike shredding like the dog!!!! Which was the main point.

Sorry for the duff referral,but get out on your bike more dude!!!!
  • 32 2
 More Hendrix, more traildogs. Less strava, less emphasis on clothes.
  • 27 6
 First off, I vividly recall a pre-Strava era and there were plenty of sh$%holes on the trails.

Secondly, the only KOM's that I respect are the long climbs and the 45+ minute segments. Strava can also be a great way to measure fitness and keep up with maintenance intervals.

That said, if you are mowing down hikers and fellow bikers on a downhill section of a public trail then yes...you are a douche.
  • 11 7
 So you don't respect someone who can go fast down hill?
  • 9 22
flag ryan83 (Oct 23, 2014 at 10:47) (Below Threshold)
 No, I don't have any respect for Ratboy; he's slow.

In the Denver area it's etiquette for the downhill rider to yield to the uphill rider (and horses/pedestrians). Outside of Trestle and other downhill courses I rarely ride down a trail when there isn't someone coming the other way. My only beef with Strava is that it can encourage reckless descents.
  • 7 4
 Strava certainly can encourage bad etiquette. Riding downhill on the edge (on two way trails) is a great way to cause a nasty collision that sure to spoil any downhill OR uphill KOM attempts.
  • 29 4
 @thrasher2, I disagree, Strava absolutely doesn't encourage bad etiquette, stupidity does.
  • 28 2
 I'm fucking glad I don't live in Denver
  • 16 2
 @miketizzle Me too! This is bananas! Imagine two way trails where you have to give way to people on the way up! Gee I'd better get off and walk around this corner, I wouldn't want a head on collision with someone working on their maintenance intervals! What kind of fun is that for anyone? Just build an up way and a down way! It's not rocket surgery!
  • 12 2
 What's rocket surgery?
  • 5 1
 VFreehd: Rocket surgeons are people who work on rocket appliances. Duh

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAIe9QtRKlc
  • 3 2
 @Boldfish- It's messed up, isn't it? Only care about the uphills? Prolly not a very good descender. I only care about descents and the fun stuff. Fitness is a byproduct, not the end goal. The dirt roadies like to flag all the DH segments, and cite safety, when everyone knows that it's really their bruised ego that's the real reason.
  • 5 0
 Running down another trail user is not worth a PR or KOM. If you see someone, stop, and greet them with a friendly hello. There will be another day. I try my best to avoid high traffic areas when using Strava, or if I do, its at a time that its unlikely to see anyone else out there.
  • 8 0
 Where I ride (SoCal, Mt Wilson, El Prieto, Angeles National Forest) the trails are on the side of steep mountains with lots of exposure. There is no way to “build an up way and a down way.” One has to be courteous and not a d-bag.
  • 4 0
 +1 for don't be a d-bag. Don't like it? Grab a shovel and build a dedicated uproute.
  • 3 3
 @ Boldfish it's either Rocket Science or Brain Surgery you choose
  • 1 0
 It's etiquette at the work place for the forklift drivers to give way to pedestrians but I still get the fuck out the way when I hear one coming around the corner. The fastest line up hill is rarely the fastest downhill. The DH rider should take the outside line the up hill rider the inside line or the line that is not the entry to a jump, berm or feature as much as possible.
  • 1 0
 If you were in a hallway that wasn't wide enough for the forklift to pass by without running you over, would you appreciate the driver stopping? Also, do the forklift drivers haul ass around the warehouse on the edge of control without a thought about others in the warehouse?

Yes, uphill and downhill rider need to be aware of their surroundings, but the burden of responsibility is on the downhill rider on SOME trails. If you are riding up a downhill specific trail you can't cry when you get run over.
  • 1 0
 I stop when I drive and honk before corners but I also move to the side when I hear a honk even though I don't technically have to. There are rules and then their is courtesy. Courtesy doesn't stand up in court but, that shouldn't be the basis for all actions.
  • 22 6
 the funny thing is strava (on a smart phone) under the trees and cloudy day isn't accurate at all....
  • 14 2
 I'm ashamed to admit it but I've been so nerdy as to compare my garmin forerunner with my smartphone and it's nearly identical (in woods, mountains, etc).
  • 11 1
 smart phones are pretty smart these days
  • 5 1
 Phones update GPS location less frequently than Garmin (I am told) so it is possible, on switchback start/finishes, to have the phone get confused, place you at the end when you are really at the last part of the trail, and stop your time. There are a few downhills in our area with KOM's 10s ahead of the gang, and this is what went down.


aaah whatever it is all in good fun!
  • 3 1
 if you are jumping a bunch your phone flying around in a loose pocket can mess things up as well. last time I used the Strava mobile app I got a max speed of 70mph for the ride....
  • 17 0
 Ever leave your device tracking for the car ride home? Top speed 75mph! Burned 80,000 Calories!
  • 3 0
 Short cut segments are the fault of users, and their poorly created segments. Not really the app's fault. Make smarter segments --> Get more reliable results.
  • 1 0
 I've compared a smartphone to a GPS unit and they were identical. But either way, Strava can be highly inaccurate depending on the trail. It gets confused when a trail switchbacks on itself. I've seen corners cut completely off when the rider actually took the corner.
  • 1 0
 well i guess i haven't used any other device , but i have used my stop watch to check times ... strava isn't always spot on. cloudy conditions and heavy canopy affect things..
  • 1 0
 My phone stopped keeping time once using strava and said i was taking a different route back. Avg speed: 43mph. Top speed: 17mph
  • 1 0
 There's an unavoidable error of ±2 s for every segment effort. This means two identical runs could be up to 4 s different, which is huge for short segments.
  • 11 0
 I haven't met many people who were douches about strava. I use it to track my progress. Then again I don't have koms. I tench to be somewhere in the middle so maybe I have less riding on keeping a high score.
  • 9 0
 how does that dog stay so close to the bike and not get chewed up by tires, cassette, etc. Riders all over the place and the dog looks like its going to be ran over any second. Scary. That dog is badd a$$
  • 6 0
 herding dogs like to be close to the action
  • 2 0
 Yeah, my grandpas blue heeler earns his breeds name by nipping at the heels of cattle to keep them moving. Any body trail ride with a heeler? Do they nip at your tires?
  • 4 0
 Not unless you train them properly to be a trail dog. A lot of patience and repeating procedures....
  • 1 0
 yes i know that dog is badass
  • 2 0
 Good trail dogs know who is faster than them and on what terrain and will pull to the side to let a rider pass. It's always amazed me how mindful they can be of their place in the pack.

Or at least that's the good ones. Bad trail dogs just do whatever, no f@cks given.
  • 7 0
 My herding dog kills it in the polite department, she lets you by if you're going faster UNLESS she specifically wants to drag race or mess with you, then it's on. Bike always wins though so I take it easy on the descents if she is with me. She also has trouble focusing if there are several riders in my group, so I tend to ride alone with her.

We have messed up once or twice and she chops me into the bushes or she's gotten buzzed with my front tire, but this is only a few incidents i a lot of rides and honestly I have gotten into more accidents following close behind my riding friends. She shrugs it off just like we do and I feel the risk is worth the reward because she loves it more than you can imagine. =)

Her commands are "trail" which means get off the trail and sit. Good for yielding when meeting folks, but she unfortunately doesn't do it when we are moving quickly. In those situations I tell her "back" and she gets behind me, single-file. "Pedal" means "pin it, ya hairy", "easy" means run right next to me. We are working on "other side" to get her to switch quickly to my other side, nice on switchbacks or to get her out of the line because I prefer having her running on the outside of the trail so there's somewhere for her to go if I mess up.

She LOVES tables and will run through a lineup scrubbing her belly fur on the tops. She doesn't hit gaps though. What a pansy. Wink
  • 2 0
 Well done.
  • 11 4
 I would be okay with Strava if they eliminated the whole KOM part of it.

Here in the Bay Area, at least two deaths have occurred during a KOM attempt: one was a pedestrian in San Francisco and the other was a 16 year old boy in Orinda.

You can say that strava is not to blame but it is definitely contributing....

It will end up costing us trail access... Rangers can track off course trails, speeds, etc...


The less electronics I use on a ride, the better it is.
  • 5 0
 Rad riding and loved the plot of the story! Haven't chased Strava KOMs in a while, but I still cringe when I get one of those "You've just lost you your KOM..." type emails from Strava.
  • 7 0
 Someone should have put a garmin on the dog so it could be on the leaderboard also!
  • 6 0
 One of the best videos i've seen in a while. Awesome looking trails!
  • 6 0
 That dog is fast as hell!!
  • 4 1
 Strava is good. I moved to a new place with no-one to ride with, Strava was very handy for hooking up with riders of a similar skill level. Also banter with your mates is fantastic and this is just another way to do it.
  • 7 2
 Forgive my ignorance, what is KOM?
  • 4 0
 Disregard - googled it.
  • 22 4
 It's a kind of virtual big d.ck
  • 42 2
 Kind Of Meaningless
  • 16 1
 It's a roadie thing
  • 25 5
 It's that thing that the people who bag on Strava so much don't have any of.
  • 7 3
 @TucsonDon Exactly...nothing like a dose of reality for the keyboard warrior when they find out they arn't even in the ballpark on their local trails..Around here if you don't have pro speed you arn't cracking a top 5..not much in the way of tall trees either so no excuse there

Only problem with the vid is you dont get email notifications for lost kom's on downhill trails..only ones with more elevation than descending
  • 1 0
 use www.velowviewer.com (links to strava) that will notify you and give you placings for each segment without having to click on each one.
  • 9 2
 IT'S something that make your lose all the fun and be a dick with other people on how fast have you went
  • 8 3
 faster = more fun..for me at least

definitely a good tool to get your speed up...nice to be able to see where you are doing good and where you need improvement..plus its nice to be able to test different setups and see how changes effect your performance
  • 2 0
 Agree with wydopen, it is really helpful to see what works. Just because someone tells you a certain bike or part is faster...doesn't mean that it really is. Everyone would ride rigid and single speed except on lift access.
  • 4 1
 @TucsonDon, I like your comment but that's exactly why I slowed down on the Strava. I'd Strava a sick and famous trail up here in BC where a bunch of local pros live, get top five and be like "where's Tippie, where's Aggie, where's Hunter, etc....?" Ask them if they know what KOM means?
  • 3 1
 @dustinbmx74 think you were referring to my comment...around here most of the fast guys are on it..not uncommon to have ews/dh pros as well as guys racing pro in the regional enduro series putting in the fast times

the top 10 on my favorite after work ride has 5 guys who race pro enduro regionally two of which were former AA pro bmxers, a guy who has won stages on the ews and a few of the local fast guys

no surprise the freeriders you listed arnt into it but allot of pro racers are
  • 2 2
 @wydopen yeah i don't know if where you live the people is like here but where i am i only heard the f*cking word strava, and saw people insulting someone on the front for being to slow and f*ck her strava..or be sad because the position they end.. i'm sorry but every time i'm hating more and more the people that do enduro, most stupid people that they don't know a shit about cycling and are using a 7000€ bike because Jerome Clementz bro...

long life to DH, FR, and DJ where i met the best people
  • 2 1
 Around here for the most part people just ride mountain bikes..and the best mountainbike for the terrain if you dont want to shuttle is an "enduro" bike..most people are pretty cool too
  • 2 4
 There are two types of people who ride: Those who race and consider themselves "racers". They are obviously highly competitive (with themselves or with others) and like to try and ride fast no matter what the circumstance. Then there are the types who like to ride really slowly and not push their limits every ride. They probably have never raced nor are they concerned about it. To each their own. But each user thinks the other user isn't having fun while they ride. Strava is great for the former, but the latter probably will never get it.
  • 5 0
 There's a few other types too. I don't consider myself a racer or lazy. Here's my psychology... I like going fast because it is a rush. It is fun and releases endorphins. It also releases stress by having your brain go into a different mode where the outside world disappears and its only you and the trail. Brain scans of athletes show this isn't just psychological, activity in some parts of the brain decreases while other parts become more active. All this combined makes me attack trails as fast as my lungs and legs will allow. It isn't because I want to beat anyone. It is an internal thing unrelated to anyone else's performance. I'm not competing with anyone, not even myself. It is purely the fun and adrenaline rush which pushes me to go as fast as possible. I'm sure there are many other types of riders and reasons for riding. But I suspect the above description isn't too uncommon.
  • 5 0
 name of the Star Wars remix???
  • 3 0
 Throw your Pikes and Fox 36's in the garbage, get me whatever that dog has got goin' on! Look at that shit over the moto whoops section!
  • 1 0
 Strava does not encourage reckless descents:

Yes "reckless" descents are dangerous to those who may be coming up a trail, but then again whats the point of going riding if your not enjoying it. Going downhill as fast as you possible can is one of the best parts about riding a "gravity/push bike". Some people are only having fun when there pushing themselves to their limit both up and Down the trail. Yes it's dangerous for those who are unaware of the fact a rider may be coming down a trial section at 30+ mph, but it's also the risk you take when going on a hike or ride. Those who have actually hit or injured someone on a descent know it's a horrible sensation, for the victim and rider. However thats not going to stop most people from going balls to wall on every single descent section. It takes a calculated rider to understand where this is appropriate and where it's just downright reckless. Not every trail is world cup level ready with taped sections and trail marshals, so if your sharing trail with hikers or "uphillers" just be aware of the risk your taking for yourself and those who may not be expecting "ratboy" to be blasting down a trail.

On the other hand, the majority of trails I ride are shared between hikers and bikers (illegally). Regardless, you won't catch me slowing down on a descent just because its a hiking trial. I'm don't enjoy going a ride to just pedal my bike, I want speed, adrenaline and to be constantly pushing my limits. Fitness is something I do off my bike, so I can be faster on my bike. If i'm not going all out a ride, up and down, then its just a fitness exercise with nice surroundings.Yes it's noice to go for a leisurely cruise through the wood, but again thats not riding.
  • 5 1
 The force is strong in this one.
  • 4 0
 is he sponsored by troy lee???
  • 3 0
 Hi. Just wondering if anyone knows what song was playing at the end section o the clip. Cheers
  • 18 15
 Could have just cut out the whole strava business and had a nice little riding edit...
  • 4 0
 This sums up my life lol
  • 5 0
 TAKE ME TO YOUR TRAILS!
  • 4 0
 If we told u where they were we'd have to kill u hahaha
  • 2 0
 Further evidence that dogs, while they cannot speak, are equal to humans in awesomness! +40 or -40 with no clothes, and they are their own, built in, downhill bike, wicked!!
  • 3 0
 So, is the dog a the new KOM?
  • 3 0
 Wish I had that many full kits!
  • 1 0
 Strava just another first world problem right up there with wheel size, is it worth the angst?

Nice trail , dog & riding & my new trail dog will be called Strava.
  • 3 0
 Start to finish: pure awesome!
  • 3 0
 Excellent video very entertaing
  • 2 0
 That was really well done. Funny, slick riding and great tunes. Nice work.
  • 3 0
 Strava on Croatian means Horror. Smile
  • 2 0
 did anyone else pause the video at the start cause they thought that was their phone
  • 2 0
 And may you stay far ahead of the Disney/Mavel/Lucasfilm copyright team as well!
  • 1 0
 Proud Stravasshole with plenty of KOMs and REAL RACE RESULTS to back it up. Its definitely less evil of an app on the road bike tho.
  • 2 0
 where was he riding?looks great
  • 1 0
 I need to teach my old dog new tricks. As for Strava who gives a stuff..... He with the biggest smile at the bottom wins!
  • 3 0
 29ers can be fun!
  • 2 0
 Now I need a trail dog named 1by so bad.
  • 2 0
 Soooo... the trick to getting KOMs is tucking in your jersey?
  • 2 0
 Cool idea! Cool video! Nice one Smile
  • 2 0
 Sweet trail. Where is it?
  • 2 0
 i like how he just cycles away and leaves his dog at the end
  • 2 0
 Aliexpress model xD
  • 1 0
 Leave your phone at home. Enjoy the ride.
  • 1 0
 Anyone heard someone on an e-bike blowing these KOMs?
  • 2 0
 On climbs, yes. Can't imagine it helping a whole lot on the downhill, since most cut power at about 15mph, so unless you have a ton of tight switchbacks you're trying to power out of, it won't help.
  • 2 0
 turn off your heatmap
  • 1 0
 Between the tree...and the rock...Strava FLOWS through everything
  • 1 0
 dogs: the original drones
  • 1 0
 Sick imperial march re-mix, not bad shredding either...
  • 1 0
 that dog was like sam hill, cuttin inside on every corner
  • 1 0
 this just might be the most enduro thing i've ever seen
  • 1 0
 what breed is the dog?????
  • 1 0
 specialized !!!!
  • 1 0
 fk all the product I want the dog!
  • 1 0
 #bikebum RIDE hard or RIDE home ALONE !!! #STRAVAtheGLOBE
  • 1 0
 Oh that Rune! So nice. My next bike
  • 1 0
 Prime, 29ers are in a whole other league when it comes to fast trail bikes for the UK
  • 1 0
 Bloody hell your right. They are litrally identical :O apart from the wheels Big Grin

fstatic2.mtb-news.de/f/y2/da/y2da9gfgvk91/large_banshee-4.jpg?0

rbikes.com/merchant/482/images/zoom/Rune22.jpg

Still getting a Rune Big Grin
  • 1 0
 wouldnt mind a rune myself but for all round stuff the 29er takes it every time, also smashing DH runs in the alps I'd take the 29er 8 times out of 10, as soon as it gets rough it tears full dh rigs pieces, Carbon wheels are a must though. but ZTR's hold up pretty good
  • 1 0
 ya slowing down that dog!!
  • 1 0
 Sorry if already posted.. What remix is that soundtrack? Cheers!
  • 1 0
 straWHAT?
  • 1 0
 love the song
  • 5 8
 Strava and Enduro. Two words I love to hate. Scrolled to comments didnt watch the vid,
  • 7 1
 The video was pretty good actually. Your ignorance has cost you young padawan.
  • 2 1
 you probably should watch it you might learn something about biking
  • 1 2
 What a joke
  • 8 1
 that was the general idea...yes
  • 2 0
 What a joke a joke was made of this joke. Context. Uh. Laugh out real loud. Nipples.
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