There have been many changes in the road bike industry in recent years. There were not only new models and completely new types of racing bikes. Admittedly, for us average Otto drivers, the different models make little difference, but they do make a difference. There were even greater innovations and improvements in technology in our favorite topic: Tracking.
The road cyclists I know use Strava. Some use them Strava APP on Android or iOS - like me until recently - but most use it Garmin or Wahoo Products to record your rides. Not only the software, which is responsible for the overview and navigation, has improved worlds, the sensors in the devices have also become a lot more accurate and now offer measurement technology that is not yet as accurate in smartphones. If you now take all these differences from the racing bike genus (Marathon road bike, aero road bike, cyclocrosser or Gravel bike) to the new measurement methods, one has to think about whether the KOM (King Of the Mountain) list on Strava is still valid.
KOM ranking by road bike type
First would be a COM Ranking to racing bike genus really useful. Of course, there can also be a ranking of everything. But if I ride my cyclocrosser at an average speed of 30 km/h for 35 minutes, it has a different meaning and a different training effect than if I ride the same route at the same average speed with my aero road bike. So I think a ranking by bike type would really make sense. Of course, all Strava users would have to take proper care of their equipment, including specifying the type of bike.
Strava should delete all KOMs
Let's be honest, that delete all KOMs on Strava would likely cause a huge outcry in the Strava community. Let's look at this matter-of-factly. Apart from the fact that I - who has only been riding a racing bike for 2,5 years - would like to have a real chance to get a KOM and would be very happy about it, you have to take a close look at the new measurement methods.
Tracking with the Starva APP on the smartphone
Modern smartphones bring all one GPS sensor with himself with. In this respect, the basis for recording bike tours and racing bike training is already given. However, they work GPS sensors different good, it is not for nothing that the smartphone manufacturers recommend leaving the WiFi functions switched on while determining the location. The smartphone reads them WiFi ID and compares them with a database in which pretty much all WLAN IDs including location are stored. In this way, a location can be determined even more precisely. The GPS sensors in smartphones are nowhere near as good as those in modern bike computers. Recording a training route and thus also recording and calculating it Strava COMs, so it is not an exact science. As a small test, you should compare your recorded data with those of your training partner. In most cases, these show significant differences. Just recording the driven altitude (hm) is very different.
Tracking with a cycling computer
Of course there are also differences in the quality of the sensors in bike computers. Let's assume that we are one of the top models from Garmin or Wahoo to use. These devices offer a very precise recording of the GPS data. In addition, the somewhat higher-priced devices with a Barometric altimeter are equipped and every meter of altitude is recorded exactly. APPs and rather cheap bike computers calculate the altitude using available data from Google or others GEO data Delivery. They then compare the route recorded by GPS with the altitudes of the data suppliers and calculate the meters in altitude covered. This works sufficiently, but not exactly.
Strava COM
Now let's get to my thesis: I claim that many KOMs on Strava are incorrect and are only due to GPS inaccuracies and errors!
Wouldn't it be about time everyone Delete KOMs on Strava or at least mark it as unofficial? It would finally be the opportunity to collect clean data with sensible trackers and to manifest valid KOMs in the community. And by the way: I would have a chance to get a KOM again, even if it were only for a short moment.
Conclusion
I actually don't think it's completely unlikely that Strava will take this step at some point. Similar to other cases of fraud such as doping or e-doping in the form of a hidden engine on a racing bike, fraud has long since penetrated hobby sports. No matter who you are, you sometimes want to be the best or the fastest somewhere. Welcome to the meritocracy. Even normal cyclists are starting to dope and the form of digital doping in the form of data manipulation is guaranteed to be taking place. Let's be honest, it's too easy to manipulate your data. Not that I've done it yet, but it's possible. For what, you ask yourself and you are right. You cheat yourself and everyone else, but that doesn't make you any better. But I bet it's happening, Strava still has a lot to do at this point. The next step should then be that KOMs can only be conquered with verified devices and no longer with manufacturer XY. Don't get me wrong, I actually hate regulations and find it sad that something like this is necessary from time to time, but I'm a friend of fairness and I think you just can't compare apples and pears. How do you think about the topic? Am I paranoid or am I right?