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But I’m certainly not taking up a paid sub’ to “support” strava though. It’s a business FFS not a charity. If they did actually go under it would be a shame, but hardly a major upset surely?
I think the difference for me is that I would mis it
The feature that pushed me into paying was live tracking . Route planning is also good
But what I actually like is looking at where friends are cycling, running and swimming. It's the best social media for me. I could do that for free but then they'd have no income
I've ridden loads of trails that I'd never have found in a million years without Strava so I'll continue to pay, whether it's worth it is up to the individual and depends how it's used. I've heard people say it's not worth paying for but at less than £1 a week I'd have to say it has been over the years, and I paid for it before the recent changes so I'm not actually sure what the free version is like now. I used to get quite competitive with friends until it gave me a KOM up a hill that I'd pushed up, and combined with the number of e bikes being used (without Strava settings being changed) the leaderboards aren't worth taking any notice of these days. The emergency beacon feature (which I haven't set up yet but definitely should) could be worth the cost if you ride solo a lot
There is the Black Friday deal currently on as normal of buy an annual sub for someone else and get two months extra free for yourself, maybe that will help ease the £49 pain a little.
Doesn’t have to be for somebody else, you can mail yourself the code and get 14 months for yourself (it comes as two codes - possible to apply each one to your account)
But I’m certainly not taking up a paid sub’ to “support” strava though. It’s a business FFS not a charity.
Nothing to do with "supporting a charity" or whatever. It's paying a fair price for a service I use and wish to continue using.
I've just done it (well, a 99p for first 2 months thing) mainly because I wanted to use the beacon feature, but it turns out that doesn't work with Wahoo. I do like the heatmaps and I'll give the planner a go, but if that doesn't stack up against RWGPS I dunno if I'll keep it up.
Mr salmon
When I use beacon I use my phone. I also track on a Suunto watch. When I get home I delete one of the rides
Cancelled once my trial ran out, I use other apps which are far better for the performance stuff I’d actually get any use out of in the premium app so not really worth paying for again.
Actually started losing a bit of interest in it in general tbh, maybe it will pick up again for me when group rides start back up.
When I use beacon I use my phone. I also track on a Suunto watch. When I get home I delete one of the rides
Yeah, that's what I ended up doing yesterday, just a bit of an annoying workaround. Of course if Wahoo live track worked properly it would be moot!
You can use WhatsApp for location sharing. Go to start a message, click on the paperclip, location, share live location.
You can use WhatsApp for location sharing. Go to start a message, click on the paperclip, location, share live location.
I did not know that! Good tip.
Nah. I get the stats and data I need from VeloViewer. It would obviously be a great shame if Strava (which feeds VeloViewer) went away and at £19 pa I might consider chucking them a few bob. £49 pa? No way.
Hmmm, nobody's really persuaded me.
Yep Google maps/WhatsApp for location sharing with my family. I have to admit I've not bothered to setup any of the the Strava or Garmin 'stalk you buddies' tools, crash detection might be handy (but your Garmin and connect app does that without the need for Strava, right?) and I'm pretty sure she'd fail miserably to read any emergency messages anyway...
Route planning might be useful, but then there's lots of other tools to do that.
The only really unique feature is still the "social media" feed, which is still free. I like to see what friends have been up to and give 'kudos' now and then (maybe once a fortnight)... Would I pay for that? I don't pay for Facebook (directly) so probably only if it was relatively cheap I suppose...
I'm mostly of the opinion that Strava can try to monitise my shared data (within GDPR constraints) so they've had their "payment" for an activity logging/light social meeja app.
If they want more money I'm not really seeing what more they have to offer that I want at present (YMMV of course)...
But I’m certainly not taking up a paid sub’ to “support” strava though. It’s a business FFS not a charity.
Er... what is a business if not something you give money to in return for a service? What an odd statement.
I do think Strava have got a case of Silicon Valley Blindness. Apparently they employ 250 people - seriously? For a bit of software?
I find Strava really handy to identify MTB trails or loops I didnt know about and then download a GPX and go for a ride following said GPX.
Used to care more about PR's, leaderboards and beating my friends, that has faded greatly overtime.
I do think Strava have got a case of Silicon Valley Blindness. Apparently they employ 250 people – seriously? For a bit of software?
200 of them will be in HR, Accounts and Marketing.
Leaderboards are handy for me, they give me something to train for. I spent the summer of 2018 training to get a KOM, purely for the hell of it. I'm far down the leaderboard on most segments, so I am not vain about it - it's just a fun game to find a target and beat it.
Hmmm, nobody’s really persuaded me.
Again, nobody's really trying to.
I do think Strava have got a case of Silicon Valley Blindness. Apparently they employ 250 people – seriously? For a bit of software?
That's a bit naive, it's a class-leading global fitness product that's almost a household name.
How many people do you think they should employ?
Granted it's suprising they can't refine the product in a more timely and useful manner, but perhaps not enough of those 250 people are developers. Or perhaps they are the wrong kind of developers.
Er… what is a business if not something you give money to in return for a service? What an odd statement.
🙂
Interesting how far we've come that (some) people now think businesses are organisations that give stuff away for free and only Charities get given money 😉
That’s a bit naive, it’s a class-leading global fitness product that’s almost a household name.
How many people do you think they should employ?
The old 'it's just software' trope!
Granted it’s suprising they can’t refine the product in a more timely and useful manner, but perhaps not enough of those 250 people are developers. Or perhaps they are the wrong kind of developers.
I think they're good at what they do and who they want to appeal to, not sure they want to be an all singing dancing training app that may alienate a few - with all the additional resources that would require.
I do think Strava have got a case of Silicon Valley Blindness. Apparently they employ 250 people – seriously? For a bit of software?
It's not just a bit of "software" - it's a global business.
That’s a bit naive, it’s a class-leading global fitness product that’s almost a household name.
Product that is a bit of software...
What do they do that's not software, that needs that many people? Whatever they do, they clearly aren't generating enough income their costs. Yes they put their prices up but loads of people are clearly not paying, as above.
Investment and running at a loss is all well and good when you are trying to expand into a market - but they are already the market leader...
It’s not just a bit of “software” – it’s a global business.
You mean a really big Excel worksheet?
😉
You mean a really big Excel worksheet?
Hmm, I'm not that ignorant of how large businesses run their IT, as I'm sure you're aware 🙂
Route planning might be useful, but then there’s lots of other tools to do that.
Are there genuinely other tools out there that offer the heat map function? I think it's brilliant, I'll even use it so scope out trails I'll probably never ride in my life (or looking for famous trails on the north shore, you can find GMG if you look reeeeeally carefully, but 'The Wink' obviously hasn't been ridden in a looooong time).
Yeah I've been a subscriber since they started charging this year. Mostly for the route planning functionality which I use a lot, though slightly differently this year as it's mostly been local rather than trips away.
The route builder has got better in some aspects (eg. upload gpx, distinction between road & offroad) but annoyingly got worse in some others - pretty sure it's now worse at going the wrong way up 1-way streets, and I've had a lot of problems with manual plot sections suddenly fragmenting and being mapped to the closest trail when you save your ride.
Leaderboards are interesting for comparing friends, but I'm less interested in the public parts. I wouldn't pay for either alone. Access to segment leaderboards is a great way to find new routes though. And if you can find some common ground with other riders it can even help estimate timings when planning epic days away - ie find a rider who's a similar speed to you elsewhere and use their timings as a guide.
I've also started paying for Trailforks this year too, and I plan on dropping one at renewal time.
Just wait 'til you find out how many people Google or Facebook employ Molgrips, it'll blow your mind.
I’ve had a lot of problems with manual plot sections suddenly fragmenting and being mapped to the closest trail when you save your ride.
Ditto, this does annoy me actually although for the purposes of gauging distance etc. it's usually fine as it might only fragment once you save the route and go back to it.
The obvious function that they need is to be able to 'snap' a route to a heat trace, trail or no trail. Some of the heat traces I follow are obviously extremely well used (logging roads etc) but I still need to plot manually.
I’ve had a lot of problems with manual plot sections suddenly fragmenting and being mapped to the closest trail when you save your ride.
Yep, and also it got into a state where I couldn't save it, so I had to restart and lose a chunk of manual routing....
"I’m mostly of the opinion that Strava can try to monitise my shared data (within GDPR constraints) so they’ve had their “payment” for an activity logging/light social meeja app."
The trouble is that it doesn't cover the costs does it. Although accept it's up to you what you think it's worth
I think the main problem is that free Strava is too good. It's a really great App with no adverts and almost no paid content. Also paid only Strava would be less good because less mates would be on it.
I hope they find a way through
The reason I use Strava beacon is that it links to a plot of your ride updated in real time. This is going to be really useful if you have no signal if you get into diffucuilty. I think on most rides knowing my direction of travel and the route I'm on would really narrow down where I am. I think Google location sharing would give nothing for an out of range phone. But even last known position is not much use
I started the trial, forgot to cancel it and ended up with the annual payment coming out. Can't say I noticed it, but do notice the better functionality in Strava. As above, route planning is great.