STRAVA has certainly changed the cycling landscape allowing us to be a little bit more social and, sometimes, rise to the challenge of defending historic performances against attacks from young whippersnappers from out-of-the-area trying to steal all our QOMs/KOMs.
It’s even helped Northern Hemisphere cyclists to keep cracking on with FTP-boosting efforts through the balmy heat of Watopia in the middle of Winter.
FREEBIE ALERT: FURTHER BELOW
It’s not all serious ‘training’ stuff of course. For example, it’s always great fun for our Sunday cycling group to bombard new joiners with STRAVA ‘follow’ requests specifically after the new joiner has just said that they don’t like people requesting to follow them. Is that a Brit-only thing? Or is it just the company I keep?
I have several STRAVA accounts, although I tend not to use them as avidly as many other people. My real one is for real club mates and real friends to follow if they really want to. My ‘the5krunner’ account is a mish-mash of rides and runs that I use as a means to sync data from disparate sports platform; primarily I then add “export_tcx” onto the URL of a specific exercise to get the data – you can only imagine what would happen if, instead, you added ‘export_gpx’. Exporting data this way is a bit long-winded and manual but it usually works. The times when it does NOT work are when I have to move around several lots of data as STRAVA doesn’t like duplicates. So I have other accounts to handle that eventuality too.
I don’t have a premium/Summit pack as I don’t need them although I occasionally do get a 3-month premium trial when I buy a new device – eg IIRC it’s Polar who are good at offering that perk.
I’ll start to get to the point now.
Many people use STRAVA as their prime workout repository. Others use it for the social aspects. Whatever reason it is used for, the fact remains that it is used by a LOT of people and hence the data has social and competitive value as well as there existing the sheer volume of users to make it attractive for 3rd party app developers to augment STRAVA’s functionality. Let’s talk about some of the apps that do that.
strive.ai
STRIVE.ai
My favourite STRAVA app is STRIVE.ai. I’ve written about it before and I won’t dwell on it too much here. Simply, it emails me whenever I do a breakthrough power/HR session either from running or cycling. Yes, I know that STRAVA doesn’t store running power data but STRIVE.AI does link to running power data on Garmin Connect (if you perform a one-time connect via iOS, only iOS). I’ve had a good few months of training, so Mike W at Strive has been emailing me some nice things via his clever app. Mike also suggested I looked at BIOSTRAP…but that’s another gadget for another story. Watch this space.
Here is some more stuff about STRIVE.ai, but you’re a clever lot and have probably already got the gist.
You guessed it again; just as STRAVA means STRIVE in Swedish, so does KLIMAT mean CLIMATE in Swedish.
The free version of Klimat automatically adds the starting weather conditions to your activity and very many weather characteristic are also added with the premium version for both the start and end of the ride that includes Cloud Cover, Dew Point, Feels Like Temperature, Humidity, Ozone, Pressure, Temperature, UV Index, Visibility, Weather Summary, Wind Bearing and Wind Speed.
KLIMAT : The Definitive Climate Tagging Tool For STRAVA
After you’ve signed up your future stream of workouts appears in STRAVA along these lines with the freebie version
Free Version
Premium Version
Then there’s also the KLIMAT dashboard that averages your workouts and provides a weather-focussed log by way of a summary of your STRAVA activities
Free Version
Premium Version
FREEBIE ALERTThe first 3 people who comment below and leave a correct email that corresponds to their STRAVA account will also get a free upgrade. Anybody else who also leaves their email up until the end of Feb 2019 may also selectively get a freebie upgrade too. No-one will use your email and Scott F will only get the emails of people who he’s giving an upgrade to.
YOUR EMAIL IS NOT PUBLICALLY SHOWN, if you are a registered user then it will be hidden. If you put your email in the comment section it WILL show…don’t do that.
Scott F @Klimat has kindly given me a premium account in return for the above link (he is hoping to break even with his service).
Cyced
There are a few STRAVA apps than turn your run/ride routes into art or mementoes. I most like the look of CYCED where you can get a quality piece of STRAVA art for £35-£45.
You can tempt fate and pre-order one before your key 2019 event for a £5 discount (hmmm). Reminds me of the story of the person who bought their IM T-shirt before actually finishing. That’s always tempting fate, I reckon.
The Earn Your Name app also does what you guessed it might.
Youare a legend in your own household and, probably, one or two of you might even be a legend amongst 5 or 6 like-minded Sunday cycling friends. But surely if you are a legend you deserve a more memorable moniker (spelt differently to Monica from Friends, she is the most memorable Monica).
The element of ‘deserving’ a new cycling name becomes even more important if you are going on an epic tour. Fear not. The Earn Your Name app will gladly give each member of your entire group a name to remember. Or a name to forget as soon as the tour is over.
As you can see, below, ‘the5krunner’ is ‘No Bacon’ and not so great when demonstrating aero. I am a baked-beans powered rider called ‘The Judge’. Interestingly, I am faster than the5krunner according to my STRAVA stats. I’ll have to figure than one out later.
Something different? Why not check out my Apple Watch 7 review…it’s a much more awesome watch than you think and only a battery and two buttons away from destroying Garmin’s market share. Just sayin’
Hopefully this works for the free upgrade! Assuming I don’t need to re-enter my email address in the public comments section
Interesting. Would love the freebie…. 😉
Great list of apps, thanks
those are the first 3…you were quick
Just missed out haha
might be a phase two …let’s see. i don’t think scott though he’d get 3 this quick. he forgot he was dealing with the A team this time 😉
nope you’re in.
one more …5 in total now
there may still be a chance after 5
Awesome!
I didn’t know about Strive.ai and Klimat, need to try them out. I’ve been using Elevate (Formerly Stravistix) plugin for Chrome/FF.
Yes, klimat would be great to try.
I find Elevate a useful Chrome extension that appends data to my Strava page. Today it says I’m the fittest that I’ve ever been – what’s not to like about that app!
Klimat sounds pretty cool!
Interesting article
So sad. It was past midnight when you posted the article. I just came to your page (usual weekend routine) after finishing my morning run…..I love klimat, I just started using a week ago and following Scott.
EDIT: The poster works for the company linked to (which is fine…I am just stating it – the5krunner)
Hopefully this works for the free upgrade! Assuming I don’t need to re-enter my email address in the public comments section
Interesting. Would love the freebie…. 😉
Great list of apps, thanks
those are the first 3…you were quick
Just missed out haha
might be a phase two …let’s see. i don’t think scott though he’d get 3 this quick. he forgot he was dealing with the A team this time 😉
nope you’re in.
one more …5 in total now
there may still be a chance after 5
Awesome!
I didn’t know about Strive.ai and Klimat, need to try them out. I’ve been using Elevate (Formerly Stravistix) plugin for Chrome/FF.
Yes, klimat would be great to try.
I find Elevate a useful Chrome extension that appends data to my Strava page. Today it says I’m the fittest that I’ve ever been – what’s not to like about that app!
Klimat sounds pretty cool!
Interesting article
So sad. It was past midnight when you posted the article. I just came to your page (usual weekend routine) after finishing my morning run…..I love klimat, I just started using a week ago and following Scott.
EDIT: The poster works for the company linked to (which is fine…I am just stating it – the5krunner)
There is also http://stravaemoji.hobbes.uk all free, adds a weather emoji to the title of your activity!
Worth leaving a comment, you never know.
Upgrade would be great
For some reason I couldn’t post yesterday 😢. Have just added Klimat will be interesting to see how it works
For some reason I couldn’t post yesterday 😢. Have just added Klimat, hadn’t heard of it before, will be interesting to see how it works
Oh no, was too late. 😭
Some useful things here, thanks. I use VeloViewer and MyWindsock, but will definitely look at Klimat.
I love Strava, so more functionality would be awesome!
You missed https://thomaschampagne.github.io/elevate/ :). Amazing app and free! It’s become my go-to method of managing my training on the bike.
Here is one cool tool to create a print or canvas of multiple activities: http://www.mapridesshop.com
I’m happy for you to explain more about this if you like. If your site adds value to the readers (which it does) feel free to tell us more…