Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Strava Challenge underway in Bella Vista
BELLA VISTA — A new challenge using a social media platform for cyclists is aimed at attracting all levels of athletes to Bella Vista trails.
The Bella Vista 2024 Strava Challenge invites cyclists to take part in a monthly challenge by joining the local club on a platform they may already use — Strava.
Justin Culpepper, trails and active transportation coordinator for the city of Bella Vista, said Strava started as a smartphone app that keeps track of how far and how fast a cyclist rides. It splits streets and trails into segments, he said, and can tell the user if they are the fastest one on a given segment, for example.
“It can show you how you stack up against your friends. It’s a good way to keep track of your data — how far you’re riding, how fast you’re riding. You can encourage people and like their stats. It’s gotten really popular. Most cyclists are probably using it or something similar,” he said.
To join the Bella Vista 2024 Strava Challenge, download Strava, go to the clubs section and join Bella Vista 2024 Challenge. Information can also be found on the Bella Vista Trails — Back 40 & Little Sugar Facebook page. There will be a different challenge each month, Culpepper said. Cyclists can tackle the challenge at their own pace, and there will be prizes awarded.
January had bad weather, so there was no challenge last month. As of Jan. 31 there were 260 members in the group, and Culpepper was hopeful for growth, he said.
“One of my main objectives with it is to make people comfortable out on the trail,” he said. He explained that there are many competitive events in the mountain biking world and that some people might be intimidated if they do not have a certain type of bike or clothes or shoes. Or they might be afraid of getting left behind on the trail, he said.
“This is something they can go do in their own time, and it’s going to be tracked digitally. Not every month is purely competitive,” he said.
For example, one month will involve learning about trail maintenance, which is by the Trailblazers Trail Adoption Program (TAP).
“One month I want everyone to go learn about trail maintenance. I think that helps with attracting riders of all abilities if it’s not always competitive,” he said.
He added there are many talented riders in Bella Vista who ride every day and never compete, and he wants them to have an opportunity to win prizes.
At the end of the year, he hopes to reserve a space and hold an event with a giveaway for people who completed every challenge, he said.
“This is less about winning and more about getting outside and using the trails,” Culpepper said.
He added, “One of the prizes at the end of the year is going to be getting to name a new trail. It might be everyone gets a vote or a drawing situation — it depends on how many people make it that far. There will be prizes from several of our sponsors. I think most of them are going to pitch in for a nice prize package.”
The February sponsor is Bison Bikes, located on Forest Hills Boulevard by El Pueblito. The shop has donated a $200 gift card for first place, a $50 gift card for second place and a $25 gift card for third place, along with other prizes for first, second and third places. Culpepper said he believes more people will become interested in the challenge once they learn about the prizes.
Culpepper said his initial thought going into the challenge was to try to appeal to hikers and trail runners as well, and he said once he gets a feel for the Strava aspect he wants to address that. He said 98% of trails are open to those types of users, so for now he is focusing on bikes, but he does want to look at venturing out into other activities.