let's say Bruce ...
We can all play the "let's say" game.
Let's say that due to misfortune, Bruce loses his GPS and we have a week of rides where we rely on his self-reported daily distances.
Let's say another rider decides to enter the challenge on the same basis of uploads to Strava but decides on a bit of 'digital EPO' on a couple of days when the weather was foul, gets found out but continues with the unaltered GPS data.
Let's say that another rider enters the challenge using a faired recumbent.
Let's say another rider enters and uses motorised drafting.
Let's say there's a dispute over the veracity of a Strava upload with two groups of people taking different views...
etc. etc.
I think there are significant benefits to be gained in having some form of neutral party setting out the rules over such matters to avoid unnecessary doubt about the achievements of the riders. That's not to say we can't 'crowdsource' our record holders, but as a member of that crowd, I'd like to have some confidence in the fairness and consistency of the record attempts.