Strava

Strava
Developer(s) Strava
Initial release 2009[1]
Stable release
39.0.0[2] / March 29, 2018
Operating system Android, iOS
Available in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazilian and Portugal), Russian, Spanish (Spain and Latin America) and Traditional Chinese
Type Fitness
License Proprietary
Website strava.com

Strava is a social fitness network that is used to track cycling, running, and swimming activities, among others, using GPS data. Activities are recorded via the Strava mobile application or GPS-enabled fitness watches or cycling computers. Users can upload activities to the Strava site directly, via the Strava mobile application, or via one of Strava's data partners such as Garmin. The software provides statistics such as distance, pace, speed and elevation, and provides comparisons with other users' activities. Strava will also take into account heart rate and power data if the user has paired such accessories with the Strava mobile application or their GPS-enabled devices.

Founded in 2009, Strava is headquartered San Francisco, California. As of March 2015 there were an estimated one million active users and around 200,000 premium users.[3] In May 2017, Strava said that it was adding one million new users every 30 days, with 8 million activities uploaded each day.[4]

Company

The company was founded in 2009 by Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath. Horvath and Gainey were both CEO at different times until 2017 when James Quarles became the CEO.[5]

Technology

The service uses the GPS functionality of mobile phones or other devices such as Garmin or Fitbit devices to record multiple types of data during athletic activities.

The service also functions as a social network: users can follow each other and activities are automatically grouped together when they occur at the same time and place (for example, taking part in an organised marathon/sportive or group run/ride). Users can give "kudos" (similar to a Facebook Like) and comment on each other's activities, and upload photos to activities.

Strava includes an API which connects into numerous third-party services such as map visualizers.

The site has aspects similar to other sites like MapMyRide or Ride With GPS. The basic service is free but an optional subscription component allows access to additional statistical detail. Members include both amateur and professional athletes.[6]

Data

Various aspects of logged activity include:

  • route (plan view)
  • elevation (net and unidirectional)
  • speed (average, min/max)
  • timing (total and moving time)
  • power (with optional accessory)
  • heart rate (with optional accessory)

Performances can be uploaded via the Strava mobile app (iPhone or Android), from a GPS device file manually, or via one of Strava's data partners (e.g., Garmin).[7]

Strava can import and export GPX format files.

Datasets gathered by Strava are available to other services. Aggregated GPS logs of Strava users help design bike traffic solutions in cities through the Strava Metro initiative.[8] Strava Slide is a fork of iD Editor for OpenStreetMap, which allows map editors to draw roads and trails more accurately using the same aggregated and anonymized GPS data.[9][10][11] Cycling and running traffic may be monitored by everyone on the Strava Heatmap page which shows a global heatmap.[10][12]

In July 2015, Strava switched to MapBox maps and imagery, based on OpenStreetMap data. Strava allows users to report issues with the maps, which are linked the OpenStreetMap editor so that users can contribute improvements to the map.[13]

Premium features

Strava Premium features include "suffer scores", fitness/freshness ratings, support for power meter data, and filtered leaderboards (e.g., the facility to see a leaderboard specific to your own age group, the ability to set goals, and view live where the athlete stands in relation to the King or Queen of the Mountain on a specific segment).[14]

In July 2018, the Strava Premium feature was renamed Strava Summit and the features were divided into three packs. Going forward, users could subscribe to a sub-set of the previous Strava Premium feature set.[15][16]

Challenges

Gran Fondo challenge "badge" for March 2017.

There are additional features including periodic challenges that require a member to run or ride a certain distance during a given time period. If the challenge is successfully completed, the member will receive a badge that can be displayed on their profile page. Some challenges also offer the ability to purchase special prizes upon completion.[17]

Run challenges tend to be focused around a typical race distance, such as 10 km or a half marathon. Run challenges also include challenges for climbing a certain amount during a month for a different badge. Ride challenges differ slightly, although they too offer a badge for riding or climbing a certain distance in a month.

Controversies

Strava user location data has been seen in remote locations in developing countries corresponding with the presence of western military personnel utilizing the service whilst on deployment. Some data showed known US bases in Syria, forward operating bases in Afghanistan, and a trace from a user in Area 51.[18][19] Additional data was apparent in Her Majesty's Naval Base, or HMNB Clyde, home to the UK's nuclear arsenal.[20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Strava Run". Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Strava: Track Running, Cycling & Swimming With GPS". Android Police. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  3. ↑ Slavonia, Mark (March 12, 2015). "Sampling Strava". markslavonia.com. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Fitness app Strava really, really wants to be the social network for athletes". The Verge. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
  5. ↑ BikeBiz https://www.bikebiz.com/business/new-ceo-for-strava
  6. ↑ Delaney, Ben (December 16, 2013). "Inside: Strava's San Francisco studio". BikeRadar.com. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  7. ↑ "How It Works". Strava.com. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  8. ↑ MacMichael, Simon (May 7, 2014). "Strava moves into 'big data' - London & Glasgow already signed up to find out where cyclists ride". Road.cc. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  9. ↑ Mach, Paul (April 12, 2014). "Slide: Auto-drawing Geometry to Remove the Pains of Map Tracing". Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  10. 1 2 Clarke, Keir (April 29, 2014). "Mapping the Burn with Strava Labs". Maps Mania. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Strava Labs Slide". Strava.com. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Strava Global Heatmap". Strava.com. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Feedback for Strava's new maps (OpenStreetMap)". zendesk.com. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Make the most of your sport". strava.com. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Goodbye, Premium. Hello, Summit". Retrieved 2018-08-24.
  16. ↑ "Your goal is our mission". www.strava.com. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
  17. ↑ "Strava - Challenges". strava.com. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  18. ↑ Hern, Alex (23 January 2018). "Fitness tracking app gives away location of secret US army bases". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  19. ↑ "Fitness tracker highlights military bases". BBC News. 2018. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  20. ↑ "Strava Endangering the Military Accidentally". Crash Security. 2018-01-28. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
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