Feelings of Going For a Strava KOM – Video

May 28, 2017
by Max McCulloch  
What It Feels Like When You Go For A Strava KOM

by maxmcculloch
Views: 27,093    Faves: 118    Comments: 7


If you've ever used Strava (the popular ride tracking app) you will know the prestigious title known as KOM (King of the Mountain) or QOM (Queen of the Mountain). This online racing feature can bring out the competitive nature in people as they fight for the top of the leaderboard. This video shows you how people feel when they go for a KOM (or QOM).



Filmed and edited by: Max McCulloch
Commentating: Rob Warner/Nigel Page

Posted In:
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104 Comments
  • 126 6
 It feels like you're gonna fucking die, just in the red the whole time. Then you see that crown beside the segment when you upload the ride, and it's worth it. God, I'm such a loser.
  • 29 4
 No, you are not. The absolute best thing about mountain bike racing is that the amateurs and pros get to share essentially the same experience on track. Give or take the fans.
  • 29 39
flag iamamodel (May 28, 2017 at 19:13) (Below Threshold)
 @mountaincross: Strava isn't racing though.
  • 26 7
 @iamamodel: Um, going for a KOM? Yes it is...amateur for sure, but you are racing if you're going for a KOM.

As for myself, I'm done with chasing KOM's.
  • 7 2
 @mountaincross: not really s starvation is a great tool I used it all the time but the rimes aren't always accurate so it's not a even race just a tool
  • 39 6
 mountaincross: I'd like some sponsorship.
MTB company: What are your race results like?
mountaincross: I've got a bunch of KOMs on my local trails!
MTB company: ha ha ha ha! But seriously, what are your race results like?
  • 2 1
 Try out 321sportslab.com for timing. It's not for racing and not social like strava but at least it's precise.
  • 7 0
 @iamamodel:
am·a·teur: 1. a person who engages in a pursuit, especially a sport, on an unpaid basis.
synonyms:nonprofessional, nonspecialist, layman, layperson;
"an amateur mountain biker"
  • 7 0
 I tend to claim i don't care about KOMs and all, i have a few around here where i live and i always say there's only one fast guy needed here to either start using Strava or move to the area. I will have zero KOMs left then.

Even so, yeah, seeing that crown at the bottom of an upload really really does stroke the EGO. Even if i know not that many people use Strava Smile
  • 9 1
 @Primoz: We all claim we don't care about Strava. Until you get within a couple of seconds of a KOM.
The you secretly start to care, but if asked we still say we don't. Wink
  • 1 0
 @HankBizzle: this.
  • 62 4
 Most of the KOM'S in my area have been done on eBikes !!! so I've decided to uninstall strava and just go back to riding my bike for fun No more clart kudos and pointless comments .
  • 26 1
 Flag em all, let Strava sort them out!
  • 75 2
 I think if you are only on Strava for the KOMs you are doing it wrong. Training, motivation, logging miles, testing equipment,and finding trails because the competition isn't real. I love Strava, but racing is the only real competition.
  • 47 30
 I think its stupid, for fun I switched from men to woman and owned every QOM......LOL the ladies were all pissed at me
  • 49 4
 What kind of shit house tracks do you have that eBikes can take KOMs on them haha?
  • 9 1
 @LionSnoop: anything uphill. F***n cheaters Wink Great for not-exactly-fit riders though.
  • 17 0
 As mentioned. I use Strava purely for a guide on how far I've riden that ride or past month/year.

It's not accurate enough anyway to be competitive over.
  • 35 4
 @strasznyzbigniew: uphill KOMs count for nothing anyway
  • 1 1
 @sml2727 haha thats amazing, i might have to try that lol
  • 29 0
 i like the personal best feature. I am riding against my past times and trying to improve.
  • 9 2
 There is an e-bike category for Strava. Perhaps you're just not up to snuff and can't believe others could be THAT fast Smile ...Or there are a bunch of serious douches in your riding area.
  • 31 1
 Strava's about the PRs. Who cares about KOM.
  • 6 0
 @iamamodel: totally agree, i live in an island where i introduced MTB and strava has been my companion in discovering and building new trails, cheers from the Chiloe Island, Chile.
  • 2 2
 @Brenos: Thanks, you will have so many new female friends...
  • 2 0
 @Dustfarter: I know a few people who refuse to register their rides as e-bike. It might not help that they want to see how they stack up on the descents, which means they need to be in the regular MTB category. Plus the app doesn't seem to offer the choice of e-bike, so you'd need to go back in afterwards and update the ride.
  • 3 4
 @sml2727:
Ha ha i did this for april fools last year and stole the wifes QOM. Ha!
Man she was pissed
  • 5 0
 @DrPete: @DrPete: KOM’s are so subjective; the day, the weather, the bike weight/model, the GPS accuracy. Now with E-Bikes, they matter all the less.

Great comment.
  • 1 1
 @stevil-1: getting down voted by females for sure. Jokes ladies
  • 44 2
 Ain't no chance of getting KOM in the Vancouver/Squamish/Whistler area for us normies.
  • 8 1
 Same here in Boulder... even random neighborhood segments are KOMed by pros.
  • 10 0
 Yah there is! You've just got to hunt out the oddball trails that play to your strengths Smile
  • 16 0
 Or pray for a strava glitch.
  • 5 0
 I think McDonald's to Whitespot is open.
  • 14 1
 I'm having a good day if I crack into the elite top 500 on any Squamish trail. There should be a handicap feature where I can compete against people at my skill level, which in Squamish is the 10 year olds.
  • 1 0
 @savagefilms: haha. Totally. I have the paid version of strava which allows me to see how well I compare to people in the 200+ pound range. No chance I can get up fifty shades of green compared to the 140lb weiners.
  • 1 0
 Same in my area I'm always doing good on the "this year" until the bc bike race come around then I drooped down big time...
  • 1 0
 @savagefilms: Did the Lunar Enduro a few years back (end of season 6hr day/night costume "fun" race). Started on the front line cuz I was in AWESOME shape. Got passed by over half the pack before leaving the parking lot.
  • 1 0
 I have had a few top 10s aand was over the moon... Guys and Gals who are getting Koms are on another level all together.
  • 1 0
 @Squamishboz: same here that's my goal top 10 overall or even a top ten this year makes me happy as trail get worse year after year and Kom or top ten ar hard to achieve.
  • 25 0
 This is gold!! pure gold. I want an app that has Rob Warner cheering me on as I ride....id pay good money for that!!
  • 1 0
 save this as an audio recording & loop it Razz
  • 1 0
 Kinel! You got a kom!
  • 18 0
 Everyone's arguing about Strava is good/bad, it is/is not racing...I'm just over here like "that trail looks Rad!"

Thanks for the video.
  • 15 0
 This video was so well done. Great riding too!
  • 12 0
 Using Strava I've learned that most times I think I'm taking it easy I'm usually going faster than normal. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
  • 2 0
 You're not wrong there. There has been times when I've tried my ass off for a PR only to fail, then times where I've just been having a casual blast and ended up with a PR.
  • 2 0
 @HankBizzle: It's actually one of the most important things I've learned on a bike and without Strava I'd never have learned it.
  • 2 0
 completely agree! the flow is real
  • 12 0
 I feel exactly like that. Especially for that 30 second trails segments, where my kom is probably down to GPS error... Wink
  • 12 0
 Strava cant see the trail short cutting that happens on some trails.
  • 9 2
 Lately it seem like every other ride I'm plugging up corner cuts with a bunch of sticks because some jamoke wants to go 5 seconds faster. What I'd really like to do is convince a pro who lives here part time to lay down some hot laps and out the KOMs to rest for good.
  • 1 1
 @SangamonTaylor: I got one to do some Razz that KOM battle is now history and even Ebikers cant seem to match his uphillspeeds. fun to watch them try though.
  • 2 0
 @SangamonTaylor: I haven't heard anyone use "jamoke" for years! Made my day. It should now be the official term for trail cutters.
  • 2 0
 I build a lot and have recently started building anti-corner-cutting defences into the trail. This stops 99% of the cutters.
  • 8 0
 The some of the KOMs in our local trails aren't due to eBikes but due to packed snow in winter. The fatties get to fly through most technical features. Strava doesn't categorize seasons or weather conditions. Likewise, Strava is relegated as a tool to log PRs, performance and all day epics!
  • 10 0
 I was waiting for the whip the whole time hahaha
  • 5 0
 I went straight to YouTube and watched the Danny clip.
  • 11 3
 Strava is like masturbation. There are those that do it and those that claim they don't (but actually do).
  • 8 0
 that trail is outstanding
  • 4 0
 Ok ok I feel totally vindicated. I'm not the only adult male who like a little boy, has Rob Warner screaming in his head pretending it's you he's announcing for! My daughter says "Dad! Really??? Your 52 yo!" Oh well there's a little boy inside all of us and Mtb let's us find it. Great vid here. Classic Warner soundtrack 2011 Champrey!
  • 7 0
 that's a sick trail
  • 5 1
 I saw a strava massacre go down after the BC Bike Race came through town. What few top 10s I had (probably due to glitches or gps errors) now sit nicely in the top 150.
  • 3 0
 Strava and any other gps system is a great training tool... I will never get a KOM, I ride with strava to beat myself and log my km's...PB's are all that matter
  • 3 0
 When your pump up music is downhill commentary's you know you're on the next level
  • 4 0
 You're gonna make me really work to get that one back. Nice job dude!
  • 6 2
 What is Strava, I don't have boost frame will it fit my bike?
  • 1 0
 Strava is best way to push what is impossible and make it possible. If your about personal progression Strava is for you. Great feeling knowing your at the edge of what is possible.
  • 1 0
 There is an excellent resource for conducting Strava races, you can determine the winner in a certain period of time. You can see here: mtb-russia.ru/rss
  • 1 0
 The wind can be a killer! Not exactly cheating you can use a href="http://www.codeslam.co.uk/kominator.html">KOMinator/a> to see how much it helps / hinders
  • 4 0
 Hilarious and skilled!
  • 3 0
 Ebikes are messing up Strava round here.
  • 5 0
 Do you mean exclusively on the climb segments? How can a 60 lb bike be faster on your local descents?
  • 3 5
 I like all the work that local and national groups are doing to insure we have access to awesome trails and dumb shit like STRAVA comes along only to risk those countless hours of blood, sweat and tears all because some puss wont pay his dues to go sign up to race on a legit course.
  • 3 1
 So, did he get the KOM? Wink
  • 4 2
 I hate strata but fuck I loved this. Couldn't stop laughing. Good job.
  • 2 0
 Who needs the UCI when we have Strava
  • 4 4
 I never know where my segments start or end in my local trails...so I can't go for KOMs Frown
  • 4 0
 You can set the app to beep at you when a segment starts or finishes.
  • 1 0
 @panaphonic: is that only with premium?
  • 3 0
 @Brenos: No, I've only got the free version on android. Plus you can have a look at the segments to get an idea.
  • 2 0
 @panaphonic: our local trails have a load of different versions of the same segment though so it's just going to be beeping at you all the time surely.
  • 1 0
 @el-nombre: start swearing and go with it lol
  • 1 0
 HAHAJAJA Love it!! Awesome trail too!
  • 2 1
 That was exciting. haha. Have to love Rob Warners commentary
  • 1 0
 That was pretty funny. Great segment!
  • 2 1
 Get out of my way bro my Strava is on
  • 1 0
 That trail tho. That looks freakin mint !
  • 1 0
 I feel like my heart was going to explode listening
  • 1 0
 Sweet trial
  • 1 0
 Super cool ride!!!
  • 1 0
 lol that was unreal
  • 1 0
 Killer video. Mad Max!
  • 1 1
 What is STARVA, Strava? whatever......
  • 1 0
 Wait, what is strava?
  • 1 1
 Nope to that.
  • 3 4
 Nothing feels better than destroying people's times by using a moto
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