>>1066231>StravaUnless you also actually compete in actual bike races, Strava is kind of pathetic, really; it's for the 'Cat-6' crowd. In an actual race, with anywhere from 49 to 99 other riders out on the course with you, there are many different dynamics at play that have nothing to do with your athleticism. On Strava you're not really competing against anyone, it's just a war of numbers, and there's so many ways you can game the system and outright cheat the system that I consider any arguments for 'competing against other riders on Strava' to be laughably invalid. The fact that so many riders on Strava get so obsessed with it is even more pathetic.
If you actually race for real and are also on Strava, that's a little different; there are some guys on my team who are also on Strava, and it's much more laid-back because pretty much all our rides recorded there are training, and anyone 'beating' anyone else on distance, climbing, etc, from week to week is just good fun. The very nature of the training we do in order to be fit enough to race precludes most opportunities to ride with anyone else.
If you're not actually racing, and you're getting so caught up in Strava that it's not fun anymore to just go ride, then I'd recommend you delete your Strava account and never go back, and leave your phone at home or put it in the boot when you ride. Even those of us who race still need to enjoy the process of training, or we'd get so burned out that we'd quit. Even the professional riders, for whom riding is their livelihood, need to enjoy what they're doing; otherwise it affects their performance and overall quality of life. If you're not even racing for real, let alone a pro, it's kind of insane to be taking it so seriously as you're making it sound.
