tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1564958057737541664.post6224499646241658188..comments2024-02-14T17:11:22.168-08:00Comments on On Bicycles, and.... what else is there?: Improving on Strava's Segment Timing for Low-Key Hillclimb?djconnelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484858820878605035noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1564958057737541664.post-44635662087448433112011-10-06T09:58:09.650-07:002011-10-06T09:58:09.650-07:00Agree Low-Key is different for mass-start events, ...Agree Low-Key is different for mass-start events, but for time trial events, we use difference between start and finish time. Agreed, however, were we to run a "self-timed or GPS-timed" week, optimal strategy might be distorted from that of either a time trial or a mass-start event. I don't see big issues with this, however. And I agree we'd only use it for maybe two climbs, max. Otherwise the series wouldn't have much point: people can chase Strava segments on their own already.<br /><br />The idea on start and finish lines is that lateral errors in position have no effect, while if you use proximity to a point, then lateral errors increase the time, assuming proximity is a fixed radius. Maybe not a huge difference, but honestly I don't know what Strava does.<br /><br />I agree the main thing for Strava to do isn't to worry about lines or points, but to allow customization over segment selection such that "check-points" can be placed at positions where I care about the rider passing, but omitting them where the rider has no choice. If there are parallel paths, for example a dirt road next to a paved road, and I want to make sure the rider stays on the dirt, I'd need periodic checkpoints along the dirt and tighten down on the threshold radius to make sure riders on the road don't trigger these points. On the other hand if the dirt road is surrounded by sheer cliffs, there's no need for "checkpoints" except the end-points of the road, and the threshold can be defined relatively loosely to avoid GPS error failing to match a legitimate rider. Presently Strava doesn't know what portions of a segment definition are important.djconnelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01484858820878605035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1564958057737541664.post-71360275195627791642011-10-06T07:33:22.662-07:002011-10-06T07:33:22.662-07:00Love the idea of gates (or some other form of inte...Love the idea of gates (or some other form of intermediate checkpoints). This would solve a huge number of the segment (mis)matching issues we currently see on Strava.<br /><br />I'm less concerned about the issue of start/end lines vs. points - I don't think this would make a big difference in the timing. I'm assuming that the current point-based matching looks for the closest data point to the segment start point. If the segment start were instead defined by a perpendicular line across the road, I think you're going to get pretty much the same results (particularly if Strava were to begin interpolating between data points, which they've hinted might be coming soon).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1564958057737541664.post-88904721486173249902011-10-04T21:10:22.049-07:002011-10-04T21:10:22.049-07:00I don't have a horse in this race, or any race...I don't have a horse in this race, or any race, I suppose, but here are my 2 cents anyway: the Strava model (even assuming "perfect" GPS performance) is completely different than the Low-Key model.<br /><br />With Strava, your time is "delta between the start and finish points" (lines, whatever).<br /><br />With Low-Key, your time is (usually) "delta between the time the whistle blows and the time you cross the finish line". These are NOT the same thing. There's additional strategy with Low-Key, in positioning yourself at the start, finding/holding the right wheels, and knowing when/where to go (or, not).<br /><br />I can understand possibly using Strava for maybe one event, in places where permitting a "race" (sorry..."mass start event") is an issue. But I definitely would not like to see the bulk of Low-Key events switch to Strava timing as I feel this would really ruin the character of Low-Key.<br /><br />And don't get me wrong...I'm a huge Strava fan, even got myself a paid membership and one o' them fancy Garmins...but I don't really consider my results against others as "real"...ballpark, at best.<br /><br />--JoshJoshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05698932814424984195noreply@blogger.com