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Strava

Who's using this? I've seen a handful of you on the leaderboards.


What it is: Another cycling gps tracker

What makes it cool: Segments are created with leaderboards, so you can compete for top time against others.


iOS and Android friendly.


http://www.strava.com/


robjdlc
2012-04-28 20:04:55

I'm myself there. Strava + folding bike feels like a funny combination but it's still fun to race and be last.


benstiglitz
2012-04-29 19:16:07

One advantage to using a Garmin over a phone is pretty much any site will import Garmin data, whereas the phone apps lock you into one service.


Of course it's one more (expensive) gadget to buy. Although it does have some other advantages - smaller form factor, waterproof, much better battery life.


salty
2012-04-29 21:49:26

Even better: Strava is compatible with Garmin GPS data. Upload to Strava.com to compete!


robjdlc
2012-04-29 22:23:41

Am I the only person that has a problem with people racing on public roads and trails?


eric
2012-04-30 02:19:08

Well, you're only going hard by yourself and then comparing that effort to other solo efforts via Strava.


And plenty of races take place on public roads (like Steel City Showdown) so perhaps your wording doesn't quite convey what you meant?


Full disclosure; I think Strava is dumb. Fine with me if you're into it but no thanks for me.


mayhew
2012-04-30 02:24:43

I dig Strava. Strava can be used by many people on the same ride and doesn't relegate you to riding and competing solo...it just makes it easy to compete without a scheduled event, even across time. It also makes it easy to compete against yourself.


pratt
2012-04-30 11:15:37

I use Strava. I find it easy to use and it maps my route and as soon as I am finished, I upload with a push of a button and it is done within a minute. Certainly much easier than trying to manually map routes and I didn't have to buy another device since it has an iPhone app. I use it on every ride and I put my indoor training in there to keep track of how much I was riding.


As for the segments, I don't care so much about where I place among the other riders but how this ride compares to my best time over a particular segment. Not the best way to judge improvement but certainly better than anything I was doing before.


sew
2012-04-30 11:39:06

I don't have a problem with racing at races, I am going to have a problem if the trails and streets be come full d-bags trying to best other virtual d-bags in some kind of on-line pissing contest.


People make really dumb choices while competing, taking risks they otherwise would not, making every ride a race seems like a bad idea to me.


eric
2012-04-30 12:12:14

+1


rsprake
2012-04-30 12:42:23

Hear hear. I’d love to nuke the Jail Trail segment.


Have to agree with sew, though; Strava’s the best cycling-focused GPS tracker I’ve used.


benstiglitz
2012-04-30 13:12:14

Do any of these apps allow you to map a route beforehand, then use your iPhone to show you where you are on the route as you go? As opposed to recording routes? I've just found that I can't do this in mapmyride... I want to map my route out first and then use my iPhone as needed when I think I may be making a wrong turn.


abracadabra
2012-04-30 14:46:34

I've been using Google Maps for this exact purpose on Android. Just map the route and save it to My Maps, then open the map in My Maps on the phone. Does the iPhone support something similar?


jonawebb
2012-04-30 14:58:20

No, it doesn't. The iOS "Maps" app is pretty pitiful in this respect.


abracadabra
2012-04-30 15:07:40

I mainly just ride around randomly, clueless. If I remember to, I occasionally zero out my Cateye Cyclecomputer. If the batteries are good.


edmonds59
2012-04-30 15:26:01