Strava - what are we saying?

[Pan2]

Mulling over this. Anyone subscribed the money and found it useful/less??

I ride a fair bit and like the fact it has a map, segments and speed breakdowns. Are the extra bits worth the money? Google comes up contrary and sketchy views. Obvs we all have differing demands, but generally??

I use it but don’t pay. The free version lets me look at segments which inspires me to pedal faster to try and get PRs.

Then I use (free) ride with GPS for route planning and a decent training record. Ridewithgps has turn by turn directions for my wahoo and I believe Strava doesn’t.

Yes, I've got the free version and that would probably do me. I was just wondering IF folks found the paid-for extras were worth it. I am recognising this urge to spend money on an indulgence and regret it weeks later.

I haven’t been out on the road for a while due to home schooling so have been zwifting but in normal times I find it useful as I come up with different routes, download them to my garmin and follow them! I also copy other people’s routes onto my garmin. Since I subscribed I have found places I would never have known about!

@icedancerlenny

I haven’t been out on the road for a while due to home schooling so have been zwifting but in normal times I find it useful as I come up with different routes, download them to my garmin and follow them! I also copy other people’s routes onto my garmin. Since I subscribed I have found places I would never have known about!

You can do all of that for free with ridewithgps.

I think if you’re bothered about segments and leaderboards then pay for the premium....otherwise I’m not sure there’s a you can’t get for free elsewhere. I asked the same question on a road cycling group and that was pretty much the consensus.

I started cycling again late last year after 2.5 years off. I've noticed the free version has removed loads of info now but I wouldn't pay still, maybe if I cycled three times a week I would

I subscribe and am a runner. I like the matched activities (comparing the same route over time), segments, flybys, route planning and fitness trends. It’s not necessary but it is interesting.

I subscribe, primarily because I like to compete for/ defend QOMs and top 10’s for both cycling and running. I was miffed when that went to subscription only. I use other software for training planning/ fitness trends (TrainingPeaks) which I find far superior to Strava for my needs (competitive cyclist), annoyingly this is also subscription only. The training trends on Strava are good though and if I wasn’t racing I would probably just use that. It does seem to broadly reflect what I see on Training Peaks, although Strava just seems to use heart rate data, whereas Training Peaks uses power (and HR if no power meter). I tend to use Komoot for routes in an unfamiliar area which I would say is superior to Strava and certainly better than mapmyride primarily because it’ll give surface types. So great for plotting an off road ride, or checking a road ride isn’t randomly taking you down a farm track.

E-bikes have ruined segment times. I don't know how you can take any times seriously

I know a guy that got a puncture, he got picked up by car and left Strava running. He now has the best KOM time on a huge climb!

Ah,I never thought about ebikes and seg times. Oh dear. The segs will just have to be challenges to myself then, but that's on the free version too.
will check out ridewithgps thanks.

Ebike issues are easily resolved - flag the ride and they lose it. It’s easy to work it out by checking the rest of the ride, their profile picture, stats etc. I’ve lost a fair few local QOMs to women on ebikes or men (not in ebikes - they put their sex as female FFS) flagged it and I’ve got them back. I’ve also managed to bump myself up the top 10 standings as I’ve noticed someone above has got there through ebike usage. Admittedly I’m a sad git for looking/ caring so much... but when you’ve gone out there segment hunting, busting a gut, breathing out your arse 🤷‍♀️🤣🙈

What has happened a lot locally to me is losing segments to pros. The Women’s ToB has been through a few times. Also we get BC Academy rides out this way. It’s also a hilly area, so lots of hill climb events. Not much to be done about that - but it’s fascinating comparing times with the pro’s and seeing what you’re up against if you enter a hill climb. You realise how huge the gap is between serious amateur to professional.