BMC Racing Team Training Camp | Behind the Scenes | Ollie Weekly #14 | Cycling Weekly

[@evanwilliams7070]

Love this. Thanks Ollie.Who would have known their own chefs come in a take over! I noticed one of the other perks that the riders get is they were sporting the Tag Heuer connected watches. Not bad.

[@tubbycosmos]

Gave up Strava ages ago and it was so liberating. I'm able to enjoy the views, take a detour when I feel like it, and generally enjoy exploring on my bike. Still might Strava a couple of times a year out of curiosity, but stop chasing PBs and KOMs and go enjoy the world once in a while!

[@31518525corey]

Strava has been so pivotal for helping me achieve my goals and get in shape. I don’t know if I’d have lost a bunch of weight through cycling without something to make it a game. In two years, I’ve grown from a lazy potato into a KOM taker. I won’t give it up. More than once, I’ve pulled over due to the Garmin dying so I could record the rest of the ride on my phone.

[@blightyska6235]

Enjoying the vids Ollie. Your commentary is way better than the interviews.

[@BillEvans007]

Would like to see more like this. Both men’s and women’s teams please.

[@lewisdonovan5375]

I could never give up on strava, Strava is the friend i never had, the friend i wish to be, always listening to what I do, always connecting me to others around the world. Strava ignites and excites me to do greatness on the roads, i upload loads. Kudos and comments to keep morale high even when i eat all the pie. If i gave up on strava I would feel a sorrow low, not for my feelings, but for my soul.

[@the23rdshadowdragon]

I definitely agree with you there. Ever since I got my Garmin and started uploading to Strava I feel like I have become a lot more honest with my riding. I now have a coach etc so even if I did give up Strava (which I don’t plan on doing anytime soon) I would still keep my training honest as there will still be someone to check up on my riding.

[@peterneish]

Smashing little insight into what goes on behind the scenes!

[@rdcanyon]

good work Ollie. I've held off getting a power meter - but am tempted to complete the set so i've got all the data. I'm not so fussed on people seeing the ride, but more seeing how i'm improving on segments and see how I stack up amongst other riders in the area.

[@alexanderwendelbo1447]

I find Strava to be a usefull tool to get others on the bike. many of my friends wants to start riding, but are finding the motivation hard, so i tell them to go on Strava, and then we follow eachother, and ill give them kudos on their ride, and we talk about it when we met up. for me personaly, i like a stable app, to keep track of my data, in ride my roadbike, MTB, run and swim, so i like the versatility of Strava, and would not leave it anytime soon. Thanks Olli for a great vlog.

[@mattnugy]

Absolutely could *NOT* give up Strava. It's a blessing and a curse... Sometimes it motivates me to push on harder than I thought I could (because I know people will be watching). But, then again to feel legitimate anguish whenever I have a technical issue (GPS failure or the like) is a major drawback. In those situations I tend to lose sight of the fact that I just got out and rode my bike and should be happy! Instead I often feel like it was all for naught! At the end of the day, the historical tracking is something I couldn't live without. Easy decision.

[@aaronkellaway4423]

Hi Ollie I have been riding now for a few years and absolutely love it, however, the group of “mates” I now have and ride with with would not believe any ride I said I had completed if it was not on Strava. On the flip there has been some occasions where I have ridden and completely forgotten about segments and times and I enjoyed them more than some of the full gas rides. Keep the great work up I like your videos a great deal. Oh yeh I’m a MAMIL too haha Cheers Aaron

[@staceybollinger884]

The word Stava means “to strive”, which is great for those looking to improve their performance. I like having the ability to compete against others who are not there - a reason for me to try harder and maybe take that KOM. But I do enjoy the occasional “ride just to ride” ride. Strava is a tool to be used when needed.

[@harmanhead1]

I did give up Strava for a while, cos I was sick of how nice and supportive everyone was with absolutely no banter or sense of humour. Well I’m back now. Great ride mate! Well done 👍🏻

[@bryanmccullar4701]

harmanhead1 follow me and the witty will return... already has actually. You’re just missing it.

[@bryanmccullar4701]

The witty banter, that is. 🤗

[@kona6812]

Oli, another "other" vlog. Great work! Waiting for the next one 😏 Try a ride w/o strava, computer and navigation, just ride w/o targets. Enjoy pure riding!

[@Chrisb286]

Great insight and content, thank you for sharing.

[@mariosilva8173]

Giving up strava is like giving up your bike. It doesn't make to much sense without it, specially if you are not a pro and don't race as much. And we know it boosts the moral to get those KOM's and PR's. Better than all that is to do it in the BMC small kit that would fit me just perfect xD

[@brianundershute3465]

I have a T-shirt that says.."If you find me unconscious on the side of the road, please pause my Stava..." Nope...can't give up Strava...

[@headoverhillsuk]

Brian Undershute I so need that

[@jamesd5241]

man you got feel the tension when he said "performance enhancing" about the tirumasu lol

[@OllieBridgewood]

Kumar I know right! 🤦‍♂️ Caffeine is a legimate performance enhancer tbf!

[@dar29670]

I could never give up Strava, it is such a great motivational tool, why would you not want every second of every ride on it. But, if those few want to give it up, let them, I’ll happily take their places moving up on the leaderboards as they depart!!!!

[@Josh-fs9ot]

I personally love Strava! Don’t get me wrong, it can be dangerous when people take risks for that epic KOM. But if it encourages people to get out and ride then that’s awesome! I see it as another part of cycling, like tinkering with your bike, cafe stops, watching bike videos... some people enjoy it, some don’t.

[@jkclimberx8579]

I'm not doing any of my rides for someone out there who may or may not give me kudos. I'm spending my blood, sweat and tears for my self and this certain feeling I get from being lean and fit. So yes I could definitely live without Strava. Even though Strava Pics in BMC kit would look bloody awesome. Cheers mate enjoying your vlogs since the start of the campaign. Keep the good content coming up P. S. I have size Small

[@rieckstudio]

Really interesting seeing behind the scene.

[@simonbrunner9972]

Since I began cycling I and my mates had races up climbs. But due to us getting older and having to work full time now we find less time to cycle together. Strava enables us to have our battles virtually.

[@maxmichelson5649]

Been riding ten years without strava just joined it ,is good to see my times on different segments . I think it’s the cyclists FACE BOOK

[@HolmsOnBikes]

I COULD quit Strava and continue riding because I love the exploration and awesome places cycling brings me. However, Strava helps motivate everyone involved so I'll certainly continue "Strava-ing".

[@zakcollins987]

strava is always a must. the data is super important, so important that I've been known to skip a ride if my power meter or garmin was out of charge.

[@UltraR500]

I started road cycling 3 years ago, and I'm pretty sure after the second ride I was on Strava and ever since then I've been I was hooked like its a drug. if anything I could say Strava now is the no.1 reason I put in as many hours as I do, I don't race and I don't time trial but man do I give it my all for a Strava segment down some random stretch of tarmac just for that KOM. I compare myself to others on there all the time, which just motivates me to get the job done even when I feel lazy and miserable and throughout my ride I'm always thinking about what I'm going to title it for that sweet Kudos. I honestly don't think I would push as hard or go as far without it. I'd get such bad withdrawal symptoms if Stava disappeared one day, just the thought of it not existing makes me shiver with fear... (Oh and if it's not on Strava then it didn't happen)

[@MyHolyhandgrenade]

Not having Strava segments is like competing in the Olympics and never knowing where you placed. Strava is the single biggest motivator when hitting your local hills on a training ride. Could never give it up

[@jakevanderveen7522]

I gave up on strava for years and carried on riding without it. I done some of my longest and hardest rides without using it, the only reason I've gone back to using it is as a training tool for this coming season :)

[@djp4307]

For me, I don’t think I could train without strava: it provides me with the motivation to get out on my bike, especially when I see a mate has managed to squeeze a quick ride in, even if it is just to the shops and back. Strava encourages you to get on your bike more, so for me it goes hand in hand with riding.

[@evanwilliams7070]

No doubt Strava is a healthy motivator...aside from new gear/kit. Strava certainly helps get me out the door in the colder temps for sure. Just did a 21°f ride a few days ago. I always put the ride temp at the end of the title of each ride. Works for me!

[@nickowen9788]

You know your obsessed about collecting data for strava when you won't start your turbo ride without your speed sensor to measure the distance

[@the-happy-RC-flyer]

I never need a reason to ride my bike just do it! Even before Strava ridding a bicycle was fantastic.

[@jacobhansen4417]

I have strava and my data is collected there. I dont seek the approval of other riders, I just like to look back at epic rides that i've done. Strava is not a tool I use for the social aspect, it is more a platform to store and collect my own data. I would not mind leaving the bike computer at home and not log the rides on strava. Cheers, Great video! as always

[@kovacvisuals]

Nope, I' m mad if I don't have activity on strava. I simply can not ride with thinking that won't be on strava. I' m hooked also by Trainingpeaks Polar flow and Sport tracker so I promise to ride just one ride without any device but with Bmc kit😉

[@mcanix]

I tried to give up Strava, and I lasted about three months without it. But my problem was that all my friends use it, so it’s a better social network for me than Facebook. I just don’t check it very often and that gets me halfway there

[@lewispage2887]

Ever since I started using Strava I've felt as if my rides are being appreciated, even if no one is actually seeing them

[@paulwynne1811]

I gave up Strava months ago. Best decision ever as I'm now enjoying my rides and not getting judged.

[@bengibson9013]

Couldn't give up strava more because I feel it's a good way of tracking what I am doing. However Training Peaks is what keeps my riding however I am feeling as I don't want my coach to see I have missed a ride!

[@drouleau]

For me, Strava is more of a personal thing - it's nice to "compete" against others/segments and such, but at the end of the day, I mainly use it as just another tool to help gauge where I'm at fitness-wise and to see some sort of tangible improvement beyond just power numbers. Oh, and plus it's fun to view what my friends are doing, and get new route ideas that I would otherwise not know about.

[@NicShepPT]

I couldn't give up Strava, i use it to track improvement and to help me target my goals, have a couple of big sportives so I want to ensure I'm getting better , fitter and quicker. That's my main purpose of using Strava, not to show off to others but so I can track my own rides over time

[@benwoodland5786]

I put everything on Strava. Even when I go running I take my Garmin and attach it to my wrist with the mount, I also have gone with my heart rate monitor on a trip to the shops on holiday(about a mile round trip) to make sure it’s accurate.

[@anthonykent9387]

I’ve given up beer, caffeine and sugar (6 days a week) and even thinking of going vegan - but I’ve gotta have Strava!

[@GenErik253]

I log rides into strata but never really look at it. Only to look back at my own data to see how I’m improving. So maybe I could give it up

[@aarongalster1814]

Love your videos, yes I could give up strava.......maybe I don't use it enough then

[@joaovictorgoncalves6217]

Wow this BMC kit would look really nice with my new bmc bike on my strava pictures. Give up strava ? Whaaaat ??? No way!!

[@rob-c.]

I don’t think you need to give up Strava to find the purity of cycling. If you don’t want to look at the numbers, stick your head unit in your pocket. I went for a ride at the weekend just to go and ride my bike. I didn’t get a single PB but enjoyed just being on my bike, but I have the Strava data to look back on and remind me. On these relaxed rides I also go up random roads/lanes I have never ridden before (I won’t plot a route to start with) so having the map data is a great way to easily plan newly discovered good roads into future rides - and again this can all be done with the head unit hidden away if you want :)

[@kenfoley509]

I ride to escape the pressures of life, to have fun and make memories. No Strava required!

[@harryshingleton9463]

Im sure that i could give up strava, although i dont really see a need to. I mostly just use it to look at other people’s rides, because i can see my own data on apps like garmin. Secondly, i would never decide to not go on my bike because it wouldn’t be on strava. I enjoy making improvements and although I couldn’t see data to show said improvements, you can still feel them. Plus i just love being on a bike!

[@jakeneale1]

I really hate to admit this, but on Sunday when we reached the finishing point of the club ride, one of my mates suggested we did some extra miles. However, my Garmin had run out of battery and I only agreed to it once I'd annoyed almost the whole cafe trying to find a charger. Honestly pretty sure i would have ridden straight home if not.

[@funkyfearon1]

GVA and Porte are 2 off my favourite riders but the blue on the new kit is so vile even they can’t make me like it!!!!!

[@Cyanydd]

If I gave up Strava, I would miss the tremendous satisfaction of receiving 25 kudos for my 2 km loop (to test out a new saddle height). (Yes, it ended up on Strava. Don't judge me.)

[@alifeinlycra5622]

I was getting so obsessed with Strava it started ruining my rides! Had to take average speed from my Garmin display. Just nice now to have a log of distance for the year and be a bit social.

[@dmv4554]

Gave up strava. It was a time suck and I was obsessing over times instead of enjoying ride. I don’t miss it.

[@stuartsanderson1615]

Strava, is addictive in an enjoyable, frustrating and exasperating kind of way, so until someone develops a patch, ( as for nicotine with smoking), then I’m hooked!!

[@itogarmendia7469]

Strava is vital for me!!! I'm a crazy fan of that social network because it helps me to train harder. There is nothing better to have a faster PR than a friend. And if you can remove a KOM to your friend is like reaching the paradise... So if i hadn't be in Strava probably i would be as fat as Betancur 😂😂

[@barmiebamf]

If I couldn't view my data on strava when I got back I would be gutted now I'm used to it lol...I have a question from for you on the training camp....when the teams go out on the bikes as a group...how many miles do they do...how do they cycle for the whole of the ride?..is it hard all the way or is it broke down into sprints etc....cheers Ollie another great report

[@ewanlivlingstone1759]

i love strava but not because I feel that I wouldn't ride without it but love the social side of it and like to see what other people are up to.

[@cyclingsimon4280]

I honestly like Strava and riding the segments. But at some point i got so deep into strava and this commutinty that, when i had a really bad day or just a recovery ride, i thought about not make it pubic on strava because the ride would be too slow, too short or my heart rate to high. so i put myself under pressure just to make it seem that i only have good rides, which was really stupid, because noone has. I've lost the pleasure of riding my bike just because of that. i hate myself for this phase ^^ luckily i got out of this mentality that every ride has to be a fast, long and an epic one and finally i love to ride my bike again :D just don't take it too serious anymore :D

[@conorakintola8485]

Even if I'm going to the shop....I will log that 5 minute ride on Strava!

[@harmanhead1]

The Strava thing reminds me of the tree falling in the forest saying. If no one hears it. Does it make a sound or if not on Strava, did the ride happen?

[@stormb777]

Nice I enjoy your videos

[@oraszuletik]

I'm the only one following me on Strava. People think only on social aspects and forget how great logging can be done with it. Even race with yourself.

[@andreasspreitzer7675]

Nice Vid as always! Thumbs up!

[@seanbreslin5836]

I stopped using Strava a few years ago. I don’t miss it at all and it no longer makes any sense to me as to why you’d want to upload something to the cloud for the whole world to see. Just ride your bike and have fun. I do have a RWGPS account and Sport Tracks account but they stay private. I’m originally from the UK but haven’t lived there for 17 years or so. Whenever I go home (usually once a year in May) I go riding with a couple of old mates who are complete luddites when it comes to data - they don’t even use normal bike computers. I love it though as riding with them always helps me to realign my expectations of what I want from a ride.

[@conorverbruggen5133]

I think I COULD give up Strava, but there would be a definite reduction in the frequency with which I absolutely knacker myself on the 100m 9% hill beside my house, at the start of a 100km weekend "easy" spin. Always seems so necessary at the time.....

[@DanishDynamo17]

I dont think I could give up strava as it is my addicition and so I would need to find another addiction to takes its place that could potentially be worse XD Slave to the data and its a really good way to keep training and maintaining the motivation for progression. PS I am a small in kit size :P

[@davidstewart3015]

Give up Strava!? No way, before I got my Garmin head unit and was recording all my rides on my phone (worst idea ever!!), the disappointment that I used to feel when my phone would lose signal and not record my full ride, was horrendous, so many miles lost last year due to map jumps. I love to show off my achievements/distances. Plus like you said Oli, not on Strava it doesn't count.

[@mrwhiteshorts]

Hi Ollie, Was there any riders slagging off any of the new kit or perhaps a size of frame or stem? I am not bothered about whether im 50th or 5th on any climb segment on strava. However, Strava is an excellent way of keeping up with your mates and their rides if you don't live near them, and exchange 'light-hearted' banter in the comments below regarding their efforts. So , no, i couldn't give up Strava; because i can't take enough of a hammering on the road as it is.

[@paulfabb2317]

Cycling is huge because of Strava! The majority of us are all looking for that validation that we’re all great cyclists and improving all the time hence striving/strava! We all buy upgrades in the hope we will all become quicker and jump up the local leaderboards, and as a result the retailers are making a fortune! Rides would almost certainly reduce without strava......not to mention the drop in sales for the cycle retailers!

[@alanc2039]

Those moments you ride and your GPS has failed you feel cheated. Those moments when the battery dies but don't realise and think 'I've just nailed that' and feel gutted... Strava becomes a way of life. A way of setting unintentional targets, a way of riding with your mates who can't be there but can still experience that epic ride or lack luster commute. Strava.. If you didn't exist would I ride without you? Yes.. As riding is freedom, it's man and machine and I love it.. However, Strava.. Would I without you if I had the choice?? Hell No... That's my KOM I'm defending afterall... And that's my Garmin I forgot to charge 😟

[@dickmartino9933]

Housekeeping jobs? Wow these guys are really talented cleaning their rooms, the toilets, etc. The pictures you show them should be what hoover brand is this, bleach or Zif, favourite type of cloth? My question would be do they do housekeeping at home too?

[@conormaher8535]

Luv the vids too

[@TheSailingCyclist]

Ollie, you mentioned you were going to give the riders a picture for video segments, did you give Richie (Porte) a picture of Chris Froome and an Inhaler?

[@OllieBridgewood]

I didn't! you can see it here...! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJy2n6VsoZqVgaM

[@ClassicAudiobooksWithJohn]

Oh the pain when you've gone 400 m and then you realize you've not started Strava! Do you go back and start again or just crack on? Also I go out super early in the morning as Singapore's so hot in the day SO for at least a VERY short time I'm the fastest guy, even if I am the only guy, along my favourite routes and Strava says so too! Screen shots ensue for vanity...

[@Urtica1313]

Hey Ollie, Don't think i could give up strava willingly. I have 3 kids under 5 which makes 'predictable' times through the week near impossible. (Kids are chaos). My cycling friends are mostly in the same situation. This means we cant often meet up to ride together but with strava, we can atleast get out at our own times to try to decimate eachother's PRs on certain segments. And, in a wierd way, riding solo you don't feel alone. Sorry for any speling mistakes or grammatical error; this comment was time sensitive.

[@PrydsFishing]

Noooo not posible it is what makes my training more fun and want to beat yesterday, I have some climbs where I measure myself every year 💪🚴‍♂️ and what to do after race in no nearding on Strava 😂 PS I use small 😇

[@s44Strike]

I use Strava for the most part to keep track of my own training. So I could do that on any other trainingplatform its just that I have been using Strava for years now so thats for my data is. With Zwift I have been using Zwift power to geek out the some extra data. I was also wondering if price winners are picked at random or do you need to have a funny comment to win?

[@Kaoori97]

I ve gone into a bike ride of 100+ km to register my longest ride in strava when at the end of the ride I realized it was not recording properly. If I knew it wont be recorded I would never have done that ride. PD: Still havent done any ride longer than that one.

[@conormaher8535]

Nope on mt very short spin to work of 5.5k i always load ir to strava. to make it even sadder i use my hr strap just to make sure im staying in zone 1.....

[@OllieBridgewood]

you're not the only one! ;-)

[@adamcoatham]

How could I give up Strava, for where else can my woeful inadequacy on my local climbs compared to hundreds and hundreds of people (including skinnier friends of mine!) be displayed quite so clearly for me?!

[@TezTezTezTezTez]

The odd occasion that I've forgotten to start strava before a ride has been soul destroying lol.. trying desperate to add a manual upload 😂

[@Mindblower008]

Cool vid!

[@freddieprentice3035]

I reckon I could stop uploading to Strava but I would still want to be able to record rides as it gives me better data then my cycling computer. I would also want to still be able to look at other peoples rides especially the pro's as it is always interesting to see how fast the best in the world go. Basically I couldn't give up Strava, I'm addicted, help me

[@santiagoarenas9912]

If it wasn't for Strava, I probably wouldn't commute by bike as much as I do now, especially in Winter, and I'm probably not alone in this one. So yeah, I wouldn't ride my bike to school or to the shops if it wasn't for Strava-posting, but that is not necessarily a bad thing!

[@jaakkosillankorva]

Fortunately atm not uploading all the rides to strava so it wouldn't that big difference if I would give it up :)

[@reeform2125]

I use Strava and Training Peaks simultaneously, both have their own unique features that I find are useful for checking personal progression and monitoring development as a rider. If I had to choose one to keep and one to sack, at this moment in time I would have to let Strava go, but definitely not both.

[@scottthomson6064]

I could give up Strava but it is a massive motivation tool. Also i forget what I have done in the week (I'm only 21, I have no hope) Ps. I'm small so could make good use of the kit ;)

[@leeeeigh796]

I only logged 296hr last year as I don't log my daily commute. I was trying so hard to log ever ride this year. Already failed! Gave up after 2 day's. Just log the rides that count!

[@AidanMcManus]

I actually gave up logging my rides on Strava in 2017 and had my best cycling year ever. I rode over 15,000km and gained 75,000m in elevation. But, of course, no one believes me and I've got no way to prove it. 😉

[@tarmacsurfers]

STRAVA - Well during the winter months I still keep the varied on bike training up but only upload 25% of what I do. Normally the worst sessions. This is so the large group I tend to ride with during the summer don't know my true form. I am sure I am not the only one ha ha.

[@georgehugh3455]

Strava segments have been fun but they're pretty much done and dusted for what I can do in this cycling area. I rode more the decade prior to Strava and, frankly, with more people (not trying to take KOM's). However, it would be easier if we committed Stravacide as a group.

[@8rk]

I would never give up data but I could easily give up Strava. I'd absolutely keep my power meter and Trainingpeaks though for logging my workouts. I want to be able to quantify my fitness gains not just go by feel which can be absolutely wrong. I don't care if others see my activities or not.

[@danielcostello5299]

I couldn't give up Strava, no way. Sometimes when I'm on recovery rides being overtaken by postmen and takeaway delivery rides I wish it wasn't on Strava but it does hold you to account and helps make sure I keep getting those kilometres in. Also, how would I be able to spy on my mates to make sure they aren't getting fitter than me?

[@andrewbreuninger6993]

Strava Segments help me go faster than ever before. I don't have a car, and record almost everything on Strava - no shame, even if it's slow I keep those miles rolling in.

[@markhallowell4059]

If I ride to the local shops on my old hybrid Strava just happens to magically appear on my phone, not being on my road bike is no excuse for no Strava :) First thing I do when i get back from a ride is check my Strava feed to check segments/flyby's and how others have ridden that morning and whether ahead or behind on my yearly goal. Addicted much? Not me :)

[@milwaukeestor6617]

What is Strava ?

[@DansereauPhoto]

On occasion, I've had my cycle-computer fail or I've simply forgotten to turn it on. If I discover this during the ride, I can't begin to describe the hollow feeling in my gut. Although I feel like turning around and going home, I always force myself to finish the ride albeit sad and unfulfilled. Thanks for listening. Perhaps I need professional help.

[@fatnab704]

Always better to be accountable on Strava! Plus it puts the fear into your competitors churning out the miles!