What is Strava?

Strava is the most popular app for runners and cyclists to track and share their activities. With more than 100 million athletes worldwide, Strava combines GPS tracking with social features, making it both a training app and a social network for sports. Whether you are a beginning runner or an experienced road cyclist, Strava gives you the tools to track and improve your performance.

What makes Strava unique are its segments, club features and competitive element. You can compare your times with other athletes on certain routes, take part in challenges and share your activities with followers.

Downloading and setting up Strava

Getting started with Strava is easy. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Download the app

Go to the App Store or Google Play Store and download Strava. The app is free to download.

Step 2: Create an account

Sign up with your email address or sign in with Google, Facebook or Apple. Enter your basic details such as your name, date of birth and gender.

Step 3: Set up your profile

Add a profile photo and enter your location. This helps you find local clubs and athletes. You can also indicate whether you mainly run, cycle or do both.

Step 4: Grant permissions

Strava needs access to your location (GPS), motion sensors and possibly your health apps. Allow these permissions for the best tracking experience.

Step 5: Connect devices

If you like, connect your sports watch, heart rate monitor or bike computer to Strava so your activities sync automatically.

Recording your first activity

Recording a run or bike ride is the heart of Strava. Here is how to do it:

With your phone

  1. Open the Strava app
  2. Tap the orange '+' button or 'Record'
  3. Choose your activity type (run, ride, walk, etc.)
  4. Wait until a GPS signal is found (green bar)
  5. Tap 'Start' to begin
  6. When you are done, tap 'Stop' and then 'Finish'
  7. Add a title, photo and description
  8. Tap 'Save Activity'

With a sports watch

Most sports watches from Garmin, Polar, Suunto and Apple Watch can sync directly with Strava. Record your activity with your watch and it automatically appears in your Strava profile.

Understanding Strava segments

Segments are one of Strava's most popular features. They are marked sections of routes on which you can compare your time with other athletes.

How do segments work?

When you run or ride a route that contains a segment, Strava automatically compares your time with others. You see your position on the leaderboard and whether you set a personal record (PR).

Segment types

  • Climb segments: For hills and mountain climbs
  • Sprint segments: For short, fast sections
  • Descents: For mountain bikers and cyclists

Local Legend

The athlete who has completed a segment the most times in the past 90 days becomes the Local Legend. This is a fun way to claim your favorite routes.

Strava's social features

Strava is more than a tracking app; it is a social network for athletes.

Following and being followed

Follow friends, family and athletes who inspire you. You see their activities in your feed and can react with kudos (likes) and comments.

Clubs

Join Strava clubs for your favorite sport, local running groups or cycling clubs. Clubs often organize challenges and group activities.

Challenges

Strava regularly organizes challenges, such as running a certain distance in a month or a climbing challenge. Completing challenges earns you digital badges.

Kudos and comments

Encourage other athletes by giving kudos on their activities. This is Strava's version of a like and is highly appreciated within the community.

Strava free versus Summit (Premium)

Free features

  • Recording activities with GPS
  • Basic statistics and speed/pace
  • Discovering segments
  • Social network features
  • Clubs and challenges
  • Route planner (basic)

Summit features (paid)

  • Advanced training analysis
  • Live segment tracking
  • Route planner with heatmaps
  • Personal heatmap of all your activities
  • Fitness charts over time
  • Beacon (share your live location for safety)
  • In-depth heart rate and power analysis

Summit costs around 60 euros per year. The free version is more than enough for recreational athletes.

Planning routes with Strava

Strava offers powerful route planning tools, especially in the paid version.

Creating a route

  1. Go to strava.com (works best on desktop)
  2. Click 'Create Route'
  3. Choose your activity type
  4. Click on the map to add waypoints
  5. Strava automatically generates the best route between points
  6. Save the route and sync it to your phone or watch

Using the heatmap

The Strava heatmap shows where other athletes run and ride. This helps you find popular and safe routes in unfamiliar areas.

Privacy and safety

Strava has extensive privacy settings you should know about:

Privacy zones

Set up a privacy zone around your home or workplace. Activities that start or end there are automatically cut off so your exact location stays hidden.

Making activities private

You can make any activity private so that only you can see it, or only your followers.

Beacon

With Summit you can share your live location with emergency contacts. Useful for safety during solo activities.

Tips for using Strava effectively

Wait for GPS

Only start recording when the GPS signal is strong (green). This prevents deviations in the first few meters.

Calibrate your phone

Run a known distance (a running track) to check whether the GPS is accurate.

Use a sports watch for accuracy

Sports watches have better GPS chips than phones and measure heart rate at the wrist.

Analyze your data

Review your statistics regularly to spot trends. Are you training too hard? Are you improving? Strava shows it all.

Conclusion

Strava is the ultimate app for runners and cyclists who want to track and improve their performance. With GPS tracking, segments, social features and challenges, it combines functional training with motivating gamification. Whether you are training for a marathon or simply want to track how many kilometers you have cycled this month, Strava is your perfect training partner.

Frequently asked questions

Is Strava free to use?

Yes, Strava offers an extensive free version with GPS tracking, segments and social features. Summit (premium) offers extra analysis and features for about 60 euros per year.

Does Strava work with my sports watch?

Yes, Strava syncs with most sports watches from Garmin, Polar, Suunto, Coros and Apple Watch. Activities are imported automatically after your workout.

What are Strava segments?

Segments are marked sections of routes where you can compare your time with other athletes. You see a ranking and can compete for the fastest time or Local Legend status.

How do I protect my privacy on Strava?

Set up privacy zones around sensitive locations such as your home. You can also make individual activities private or make your entire profile visible only to followers you approve.

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