[Closed] Who's using something other than Strava?

[quote=cookeaa ]but how many have actively opted out of using the [b]apparently[/b] all conquering Strava after a dabble?
I'm still an Endomondo fan as I do multiple activities and I record them all there. I'm also involved in a few challenges with mates. I've uploaded some stuff to Strava but It just doesn't grab me.

I've always liked SportsTracker too.

I use SportTracker too as it is purely for my own record / interest. Used for MTB, Road and Snowboarding.

I don't care what anyone else is doing as there will always be someone bigger / better / faster etc etc.

I've training data logged from 2004 - present and have kept most of it offline then uploaded to strava only in past year.

Using a mixture of WKO+ for 2004 - 2008 and Goldencheetah since 08 when I moved over to Linux based OS.

Nice to be able to look over all my training data and pull out some nice numbers and graphs to look at my training load and races. FWIW I am a exersice physiologist so this is possibly over nerdy for some 🙂

Performance Manager Data from Jan 2010 - Sept 2012

[img] [/img]

I don't care what anyone else is doing as there will always be someone bigger / better / faster etc etc.

Don't get me wrong I quite like Strava as a personal performance/progress monitoring tool, but thay are pushing the "Virtual competition angle more now, especially as I think they've become the biggest fish in the excercise logging pond...

One thing I liked when I went back to ST last night is that it seems far better at picking out multiple instances of the same route, my commutes to/from work for instance it caught them all straight away and lets me compare Avg times/speeds/etc it doesn't have the Strava segments thing but it does let you break a ride down in to chunks of 0.5 - 10 mile sections from start to finish so you can see which bits you are faster/slower on ride to ride, that I liked.
That's actually more use to me than knowing if some fella I've never met beat me up a climb by 23.67 seconds...

ST isn't perfect though, there seemed to be a lot of bitching on the "Community support" pages about features that Endo,Strava,etc offer but ST doesn't their main excuse seems to be the workload in pushing the app out on iOS, Android, WP and maintaining Symbian support, they might benefit from suspending Symbian updates, ditching WP and concertrating on iOS/Android like the others IMO (and I speak as a current Symbian user)...

I use a stopwatch and a Cateye Wireless bike computer. Seems about as accurate as most of my friend's Strava aps and much cheaper to replace if they get destroyed (compared to smart phones).

Also no one can ruin my peace and quiet when riding by phoning me.

Still using Endomondo for just logging. Don't care about all the training related stuff, but just a kind of "diary".
Was using Everytrail more for route sharing, just for those routes which might be of interest (but there's plenty of other sites that can fulfil that role).

Strava got the boot ages ago. I don't care about KoM on random sections of slight increase in elevation that nobody would even consider timing. And for those 1-2 real hills or circuits that I would time, I just use a watch. I won't be going back any time soon.

I seem to be one of the few using Sportypal for the logging side of things, mainly because it has a nifty online GPS editor that none of the other sites offer AFAIK - good for cleaning up errant traces and getting routes ready for export to sites like JustGoRide, etc.

I then transfer the .gpx files to the Endomondo site because I prefer its social aspects and statistical tools, and for a laugh throw them at Strava to 'race' myself on bits of my regular rides.

Tried Sportsracker and while its stat tools were possible better than Endomondos, something about the look and feel of the site puts me off (feels a bit 'old-fashioned interweb' to me with all the black and glowing colours).

[quote=cookeaa ] I think they've become the biggest fish in the excercise logging pond...
I'm not convinced that they have.

I use Runkeeper. I started using it when I began running - but it tracks everything I need when used in cycling mode too - (distance, maps your route, average speed, feet climbed, etc).

Plus if you connect it to your Twitter, it automatically enters you into the WorldRankins

MapMyTracks is my primary system but I also use Strava, Endomondo and sportstracker as my various mates use them.

zerocool - Member
I use a stopwatch and a Cateye Wireless bike computer. Seems about as accurate as most of my friend's Strava aps and much cheaper to replace if they get destroyed (compared to smart phones).

Also no one can ruin my peace and quiet when riding by phoning me.

This. Eyes, legs, stopwatch and if you want to get really technical, HRM. I don't think the dirge of gadgets being used make a damn bit of difference to anyone's riding ability or fitness. In fact, perhaps the opposite as people spend more time faffing and mentally setting themselves up with their widgets and not simply jumping on and riding in accordance with the way their body is feeling.

Intuitive training is about resting when you need rest, hitting the hammer when you feel good, and TELLING YOUR LEGS TO SHUT UP! (amen Jens)

Runkeeper here too, I like the UI, it's nice and clean. Also helps that it's what my mates use too.

I used to use sportstracker - I now use viewranger - very similar , but the maps are ace.

I usually use Garmin Connect, it works fine for me. Easy to upload from a Garmin, gives useful statistics and graphs, and no annoying adverts.

I sometimes use GPSies if I want to share a route. It has a better choice of background maps, eg OpenStreetMap, OpenCycleMap.

I hold a joint Strava KOM in Chicksands, joint with Tom Dowie (pro-rider).
I also raced the same section on sunday, with Tom Dowie.

My actual time: 28secs.
Toms actual time: 22secs

Strava sucks.

I use a playlist on my mp3 player. Hit start when I start and hit stop when I finish. There's no fancy graphs or anything, but there is music. I have set several KOMs (kings of music) and know when [i]i'm on it[/i] as i get home before the intro of Dancing Queen kicks in. 😉

Endomondo - recent upgrades are pretty good so I bought the paid app as a "thank you", although TBH the free one is all you need !

I tried Strava, it's only useful to have an account to see others trails, ie find stuff you didn't know about

Mapmyride I find good

Hmmm, thinking about it a single phone app that could log ride data and then push it to multiple upload services (ST, strava, endo'...) and provide similar features to endo' perhaps (current workout data, realtime sharing, etc.) could be quite popular.

A bit like those all in one social media apps but for excercise logging and upload.... Just a thought. anyone done such a thing yet?

Cookeaa...try Oruxmaps if using Android...think it does a fair amount of what you need...

I track with everytrail as well as strava for two reasons.

first everytail allows photo uploading which I can then link to for posting here etc.

second, as I found out when trailguru ended, you can suddenly lose all your rides otherwise...

Oruxmaps (android) here as well good UI. Plus you can upload OS maps created from MOBAC for a cheap GPS solution which will rival any garmin.

I've been using ST on nokia phone but have just downloaded the viewranger app as you can buy OS mapping tiles like the one's garmin use and use in the same way importing and exporting GPX files and will even give you audio prompting for waypoints and when straying off track. OS mapping tiles not cheap though but it basically turns your phone into a garmin unit

a Garmin unit with poor battery life and less accuracy (though still not bad) 😉

Been through loads
Sports Tracker - OK till I lost my Nokia (before they ported it out to all OS) Was good as an intro to it all. I found it hard to browse routes in the end.
My Tracks
Was OK did nothing really that special
SportsTracker Pro (Not the old Nokia One) Ok but PITA to use the site had some nice stats like best 5 mins/5 miles etc.

Never tried Endomondo

Ended up at Strava and stayed there - I enjoy the fun KOM's but dont take it seriously

Movescount for suunto, occasionally put stuff onto Strava.

Movescount excellent fitness analysis

Garmin fit app on the iPhone and really like for logging rides and knowing how far I've been

I'm using SportsTracker for tracking

I don't like the limited size viewport for the maps and have also tried Endomondo which I just didn't like the web interface for and the lack of review information in the Symbian app on the phone was annoying.

I export all my gps data from SportsTracker using the ST website (when you are in an activity select data view and then export), there is an issue with a few points landing on the same time occasionally and then a speed burst to get back on track, I don't get that with TTGPX which only logs GPS (so no heart rate) so it must be something in Sports tracker or my phone slowing down time (I've seen it skip seconds on a static ride today so reckon that may be the source of the problem)

I upload to Strava and RideWithGPS, by far RWGPS has the best user interface for looking at your route. Their segments are not much different from the Strava concept except that don't have demographic splits or automatic sections (a good thing really)

They also allow you to select may source, while sadly not linked to OS mapping, there is ESRI toppographical and OpenStreetMap options which are both considerably more useful off road than Google, yet OSM is as useful as a chocolate brake disc in places (due to some areas having only basic or mislabeled mapping (Which I can't be arsed setting myself up to fix))

A multi system uploader would be an interesting project, but I seriously doubt many of the developers would give you the webservice or other API specifications, and although working out what they are probably isn't too difficult could be a major headache.

Do some of them log as you go as well? Endo and Strava?

I just ride my bike, no computers, why the need for all the distractions,insane competition with people you never meet, seems that the simple pleasures are being overlooked...

Not really. You can track your rides for purposes other than wanting to race everyone or you can race everyone and still enjoy the ride.

Just because you can't understand it, doesn't mean it's wrong.

I use Sports Tracker. Have done since its conception pretty much on my old n73, then n95, it was the major + point for me buying the N8. I'm Android now and still use it on every ride+run. I occasionally upload to Strava just to see comparisons. I also have viewranger - but dont use that for tracking at all (too late into the game imo)

I use Garmin training centre. I find it has all the information I want to know about my ride and it allows you to view the route in Google earth. I do use Starva on occasions just as a bit of friendly competition with mates when we are not out riding together.

My only "dabble" with strava was to see if there were any KOMs on my commute. There was one, someone managed 28 mph up a 1 in 4 hill which i thought was a bit suspect. Overall it seemed okay, but it didnt do anything more than Garmin Connect for me. Garmin connect also tracks my swimming, so i only have to look in one place for my data.

I'm not going to be getting any KOMs so like most that's not what Strava is about for me - it's about being able to compare my own times to see how I'm going relative to my best (worst, some might say 🙂 ). That said, I won't pretend that it's not nice to see my times up in the top 10-15% on some technical trails but I won't be running over any other riders shouting 'STRAVA' as I do it to try and improve 🙂

When I can be bothered I use endomondo, purely for the fact you can hurl abuse at your friends as a pep talk

No one else using Motion X GPS? I've been using it for a couple of years for rides, runs, walks etc and have not found any problems or weaknesses with it. I've never given Strava a go because I'm worried it will appeal a little too much to my competitive streak 🙂

I gave up on HRMs because it was one more pre-ride faff that I could manage without.

Tortoise,

Yes I still use MotionX which is really good; compatible with HR monitor too, although my suunto provides more geeky data.

I find it provides an added element to my rides, particularly trying to improve my best times. I got into it by simply wanting to know how many calories I burnt on a bike ride as I
Wanted to shift some weight. It's all got a bit geeky since!

[b]rudebwoy[/b] - Member
I just ride my bike, no computers, why the need for all the distractions,insane competition with people you never meet, seems that the simple pleasures are being overlooked...

Understood completely, I use Endomondo on a lot of my rides/walks/hikes but not all. It's useful for logging distance and time taken, it's especially good when you are scouting trails as you have a record of their location (I upload to OS getamap), it's useful for sharing routes. It's useful when you get a bit lost and you can orientate yourself. All of this it does for free and I take my phone with me anyway.

i am not saying technology is pointless, far from it, but i see many people become slaves to this sort of thing. its easy to get sucked in, and before you realise, your 'ride' is determined not by you, but other factors !

getting lost can be a good thing-- in this country you are unlikely to come to much harm, but you may find a new place to explore inadvertently, a sense of adventure needs to be allowed !

getting lost can be a good thing

Totally agree. I have discovered some cracking riding just by trying new lanes I've not been on before, even if I'm not sure where they go. I still take my phone to track where I've been though. I use it to record my riding rather than dictating where I ride.

in this country you are unlikely to come to much harm

Sat here with a broken collarbone I'm tempted to rephrase that 🙂

Cheers for most of the responses...

So as a bit of a summary;

1- There's still plenty of users for GPS activity logging apps other than strava (TBH the impression I had was that Strava was the biggest/most popular and all others were playing catchup)...

2- Logging is used differently by different users and this may affect their choice of app/upload sites; some want a record of the excercise, others like to have a map from explorations/scouting/"getting lost" rides, some want to do a bit of "virtual racing", all are valid uses of the technology...

3- Every available app has some drawbacks/positives (nothing is perfect).

4- Some people use multiple apps during rides/runs; to take advantage of different app's features and/or to generate a secondary log where one app is prone to bugs/dropout of service (a bit of redundancy)...

5- Like with anything cycling/sport related; whatever someone uses themself is what they will tell you is "best"...

5- Some old gits will always feel the need to witheringly state their dissaproval/non-engagement with us 'kids' and our 'gadgets' on these threads... Cheers Grandad(s)!

6 comes after 5 😉

agree with all the above, basically. Strava is just this year's fashion. Endomondo was last year's. Sprotstracker the year before. And MapMyRide/Run the year before that. Something else will come along soon.

Not for me I'm a "Sixist" - it's a religious thing...