Strava changes - great analysis by DC Rainmaker: "Today, Strava sold its segmented soul."

I asked Ricky Bobby. Waiting on a reply....

Pretty $hitty. Segments were literally the only reason I signed up for the site. Everything else can be done (arguably better) by tons of other services (Garmin Connect, etc.). Don't they make any kind of ad revenue off the non-paying users? They have all the sponsored "challenges" and whatnot. I'm sure they could add some banner ads or something, too.

Apparently I have been using Strava wrong. I use it as a log for my runs. What are segments and all these other features? You find a route someone has run and try and beat their time? Isn't that was races are for? Genuinely asking.

You can race people, sure. But you can also compare your pace on segments and routes. So it's a great way to keep track of your progress.

Yes. Exactly that. I joined because all races are canceled. Incidentally, there's a guy about my speed who lives like five miles away, and it's actually been kind of fun taking the top spot on the leaderboards back and forth from each other. I assume it will be less cool once races start back up again.

Who cares? It is a running log that automatically uploads my runs and tracks the mileage/pace. All I use it for anyways.

The segments are full of blatant cheaters or people who go there to sprint the section in question.

Good article. Thanks.

Segments always made more sense for cycling as it's significantly less stressful to go "hard" for a bit on the bike than a run.

It was fun, at least, to have to way to compete against yourself and others.

Sounds like they are in dire financial trouble, so all of this may not matter if they fold in a year.

I read the article. Most of it won't affect me because I just use Strava to record my training and follow local runners. I could imagine paying for Strava since it works pretty well and it's quickly turning into the Facebook for endurance sport. At this point I think it would be better served by drawing in more users and stamping out the competition to achieve greater network effects. I can record my training lots of places, but why bother if I can't see what the other guys in town are doing at the same time?

my 2c wrote:

I read the article. Most of it won't affect me because I just use Strava to record my training and follow local runners. I could imagine paying for Strava since it works pretty well and it's quickly turning into the Facebook for endurance sport. At this point I think it would be better served by drawing in more users and stamping out the competition to achieve greater network effects. I can record my training lots of places, but why bother if I can't see what the other guys in town are doing at the same time?

I felt the same way, until I noticed something disappointing: it doesn't look like you'll be able to compare runs on the same route without paying for the strava subscription. Segments you can still compare, but the "Runs on this route" comparison is gone.

What’s the best alternative to Strava? I’ll happily change to an app that does not charge

Just heard about this on bikeradar. I'm a Premium subscriber so it doesn't bother me in a way but its a big shame nonetheless. I guess I'll move down the leaderboard in relative terms...

It’s not like segments are completely gone for the free version, unless I’m missing something? You just get top 10 and lose the ability to compare to your friends or clubs if you have them. That’s really no big deal to me as I’ve never cared how my friends rank on the same segment.

If Strava reads this though I will give them a way to guarantee I sign up for a membership, start auto flagging blatant bs CRs.

My 37 Strava segment records I set last week are going to away because I'm cheap and don't want to pay?

Damnit. How is anyone going to know about my:

Fastest Time from my couch to my bathroom in the morning

Fastest Time from my bed to the bathroom between 3:30 and 4 am

Fastest Time to from the front door to my car when it's the 2nd car in the driveway

Fastest Time from the car to the kitchen counter with 3 plastic grocery bags on each arm

Fastest Time from the 2nd bush on the right hand side of the house to the 4th step up to the deck

I live in an area that hardly has any segments anyways. That's not the best part of Strava.

The fun part of Strava is to see what your friends are doing and giving them kudos on working hard and vice versa. There is a positive energy on there not seen on most social networks.

Yeah not sure what the big deal is about segments when it still shows the top 10 for free....

I only use Strava for cycling and I am in the top ten of all the climbs and segments around here, so I guess I am cool with the changes.

Make total sense. They got most of the athletes hooked for this kind of BS and now they make everybody to sign up, so they can make some doe.

MeHereYouWhere?! wrote:

My 37 Strava segment records I set last week are going to away because I'm cheap and don't want to pay?

Damnit. How is anyone going to know about my:

Fastest Time from my couch to my bathroom in the morning

Fastest Time from my bed to the bathroom between 3:30 and 4 am

Fastest Time to from the front door to my car when it's the 2nd car in the driveway

Fastest Time from the car to the kitchen counter with 3 plastic grocery bags on each arm

Fastest Time from the 2nd bush on the right hand side of the house to the 4th step up to the deck

Please start a Go fund me campaign or something.

I am following you for the last 5 years and I was surprised how fast you where with 3 grocery bags in each arm.

April The Fourth wrote:

I only use Strava for cycling and I am in the top ten of all the climbs and segments around here, so I guess I am cool with the changes.

Exactly. They could reduced it to showing only the KOMs and I'd still be fine since I have nearly all of them.