Wanlock Dod wrote:Box wrote:All models are wrong but some are useful
The suggestion seems to be that Strava heat map type data is a useful model of overall cycle activity, and so far I haven't seen any evidence that would present a serious challenge to that view.
OK, if you're not willing to take our words for it, fire up
https://www.strava.com/heatmap#12.06/0. ... 4/hot/ride and look at somewhere you know and ask yourself whether it reflects where people cycle. The link I've put there is centred on Newmarket and the wavy warm line from bottom left to top right is the 3-lane 70mph A11/A14 multiplex which I've never seen a cyclist on (and my eyesight is fine, thanks).
Then if you go northeast to
https://www.strava.com/heatmap#11.25/0. ... 1/hot/ride you've got far more people cycling around the forest than to/from it - OK, some are probably arriving by car, but many more will be only activating Strava for the MTB ride and leaving it switched off for the transport cycling. There's a similar false hotspot at
https://www.strava.com/heatmap#12.55/0. ... 6/hot/ride which is the Snetterton Motor Circuit which holds cycling days.
I could go on picking fault with the heatmaps for plenty of local towns and cities that overemphasise fast-but-low-cycle-traffic bypasses and undervalue many popular commuting routes, plus hotspots on the local club MTB, TT and weekly training loops but the above are some of the more obvious anomalies IMO.
Wanlock Dod wrote:That said, I have seen some suggestions that it is also considered to be a useful model of overall cycle activity in The Netherlands and that would be the one place Strava ought to be a poor model of overall cycle activity because cycling is normal and virtually everybody does it.
Not really because even the roadies use cycle routes in the Netherlands.