Gear up with Strava
Tim Bothwell shows you how to get powerful insights into your cycle or run.
Riding a bike is a skill usually learnt as a child, with the shift from four wheels to two a daunting yet rewarding experience once mastered.
Cycling as an adult though is another skill entirely. No longer is it just a leisurely bike ride, but rather a form of exercise that requires endurance and continued practise. Cycling is something that anyone can get into (as long as you have a bike), and that is the reason we’re looking at the exercise tracking app Strava. Built for both cyclists and runners, Strava tracks and records your workouts in order to build valuable insights into your performance over time. So without further ado, it’s time to hop on your bike, put on your helmet, and pedal to the metal!
The basics
Getting started. If you’re new to Strava, start by registering for a new account. Once done, you’ll be taken to the main area of the app, organised into a series of tabs. To start your first workout, tap Record at the bottom of your screen. From here you can switch between a run, cycle or one of the other supported exercises such as canoeing, skiing, or swimming. In Settings you can also adjust audio cues indicating your distance and time. Once ready, tap Start to begin recording. In addition to tracking via a smartphone, Strava can also connect to a range of smartwatches and heart-rate trackers.
Analysis. After completing your workout, tap Finish to be taken to a screen with an overview of your results. In addition to a map, the app will show your distance, average pace, and elevation. Any personal records or achievements will also be listed under Results. You can see more information about your workout by tapping View Analysis, but note that some things require a premium subscription. To add additional information to your activity, tap the ellipsis icon and select Edit – it’s here that you can add notes or comments about
Built for both cyclists and runners, Strava tracks and records your workouts in order to build valuable insights into your performance over time.
your workout, plus upload photos before publishing to your profile.
Segments. In addition to tracking entire workouts, Strava also lets you virtually ‘compete’ on different parts of your route. Segments are portions of road, path, or track created by other members. By running or cycling through one of these segments during your workout, Strava will automatically record your time and add it to a communal leaderboard made up of other users who’ve also completed that segment. Any segments that you go through will appear on the post-workout summary screen – just tap the map to see a list along with your time for each. To find new segments, visit the Explore tab. You can even create your own using the desktop site.
Step it up a level
Routes. Looking to try a new route? Strava lets you create new running or cycling routes using just your
finger. From the profile tab, scroll to the bottom of the page and select Routes before tapping the plus icon. After choosing an activity type, tap the pencil icon and drag your finger along the map to begin drawing your route. As you do this, Strava will build a path in real-time while also showing the accumulated distance. Once finished, tap Done and give it a name. Before starting a new workout you can add your route for easy reference – to do this tap the Trail icon.
Friends. While you may tend to exercise alone, that doesn’t mean you can’t share your progress with others. Adding users as friends will allow them to see and cheer you on after every activity. To add a new friend, from the Feed tab select the people icon in the top-right corner and search using your phone contacts, Facebook account, or by name. Once a user accepts your request, their activity will appear in your feed, plus you can visit their profile to see past activities.
Privacy. With any locationtracking app, it’s important to understand what information other people can see. From your profile screen tap the settings cog and select Privacy Controls to be taken to a page where you can change the visibility of your activity to everyone, followers, or just yourself. You can even set up privacy zones to hide parts of your route that start or stop near places such as your home or workplace.
Clubs. In addition to friends, you can also join one of the many clubs active on Strava. Located in the Explore tab, you can browse through a list of popular clubs nearby, or search by name, type or location. Each club has its own feed where members can post announcements and ask questions. There’s also a leaderboard which shows the most active members each week.
Going pro
Challenges. In need of some motivation? Why not sign up to a challenge. Strava offers various competitions focussed on distance, frequency or time. Accessed from the Explore tab, each challenge runs over a number of days or weeks, with a communal leaderboard showing how you’re performing alongside other participants.
Strava local. If you’re somewhere unfamiliar, then you may struggle to know where to go on your cycle. Strava offers curated collections of routes in places all over the world for both cyclists and runners. You can even save ones you like to your profile for easy reference. You’ll find them here: www.strava.com/ local.
Premium. While a premium subscription isn’t always worth paying for, with so many features on offer, we think a Strava Summit subscription is a worthwhile investment if you’re looking for a more powerful workout tracking experience. Priced at $11 a month or $82 a year, Strava Summit offers deeper insights into your workouts with features such as pace and power analysis, heart rate zone monitoring, custom goal setting, live location sharing, and personalised route suggestions. To see a more detailed breakdown of features visit www.strava.com/ try-summit.
Training plans. One benefit of a premium subscription is the ability to sign up for one of Stava’s virtual training programs. Accessed via the desktop site (not the app unfortunately) under Training you’ll find programs for both cycling and running, with each focussing on a different goal. Customised to your needs, you can specify how much time you have to devote to training each week, along with your desired start date. Program content is sent regularly via email straight to your inbox.