How to lock down my Strava account?

[smontanaro]

I recently joined Strava for the sole purpose of tracking cumulative mileage. I don't want to share anything with anybody. I also remember (apocryphal?) stories a couple years ago about thieves targeting people by learning where they lived from their Strava segment shares.

What do I need to do to insure nothing leaks? I put a privacy zone around my house and clamped down what I could in the Where You Appear section. Do I need to do more?

[R3awak3n]

https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/articles/216919377-Activity-Privacy-Controls


good link on privacy controls.

But pretty much set your account so that you have to approve your followers. After a ride say only you can see it instead of public and you should be good.

[Clean39T]

Just put some tinfoil around your Garmin...

[BobC]

Just put some tinfoil around your Garmin...

POD.

Well done!

[FlashUNC]

I'd go with a lower tech solution for the training diary:

https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/Daytimer/06552_1?$mead_ProductHero$

[Spaghetti Legs]

^^^

I recently found an old pen and ink exercise log from the early 90’s and it was cool to see my old run times, locations and distances. I was mostly a runner and mountain biker. This was in SF @FlashUNC so brought up some Bay Area nostalgia.

OP, when you use a free service (like BF) you’re actually selling access to you, so it’s not completely free. I shelled out the $30 something for Rubitrack for my Mac and it all stays on my hard drive.

[trener1]

If nothing else this thread makes for some good laughs :banana:
No offense meant to the OP

[Clean39T]

I'd go with a lower tech solution for the training diary:


Funny, I decided to start using a journal to record my rides in by hand this year...in addition to letting Strava do its thing so I have that safety beacon watching me...

So far its been good. Writing half a page about where I went and what I saw and how I felt is a nice way to really absorb the joy of riding and think about how much it means to me to be able to get out and do this sport we love. I'm hoping over time it will draw me further away from quantifying rides in terms of PRs and such - and more toward stopping to take in the sights, appreciate the clean air, etc.

I'm about 30 pages into this: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Zen-on-the-Trail/Christopher-Ives/9781614294443

https://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/book_images/onix/cvr9781614294443/zen-on-the-trail-9781614294443_lg.jpg

And you could really re-write the book with cycling words/themes without changing much of the message or impact.

[smontanaro]

Thanks for the replies. I've got this new Wahoo Elemnt Bolt (Xmas present) which apparently doesn't track cumulative mileage. I was just looking for something dead simple and this seems to fill the bill.

I had been using MapMyRide but recently tossed them on the ash heap when it became clear they were sending data to Facebook whenever the MMR app started. When I asked about it, the reply convinced me seems they were using a FB analytics library without understanding what it did. Of course, there's no guarantee Wahoo+Strava doesn't do something similar but for now, this works.

[Clean39T]

Thanks for the replies. I've got this new Wahoo Elemnt Bolt (Xmas present) which apparently doesn't track cumulative mileage. I was just looking for something dead simple and this seems to fill the bill.

I had been using MapMyRide but recently tossed them on the ash heap when it became clear they were sending data to Facebook whenever the MMR app started. When I asked about it, the reply convinced me seems they were using a FB analytics library without understanding what it did. Of course, there's no guarantee Wahoo+Strava doesn't do something similar but for now, this works.

I think the Wahoo app does track cumulative - and also features a "beacon" like service..

I really like my Wahoo. I just tend to ride with it in my pocket more often than not these days.

[SpeedyChix]

Take a look at RideWithGPS.com ?

[tigoat]

Why even bother joining Strava with your desire not to share? Strava is a social media of cycling (and others) so it was meant to share. With that said, you could go into settings and turn on "private" mode so every activity you upload is not visible unless you turn it on manually. I think there are other sites that might be more suitable for your intention. I think Garmin Connect would be a better one than Strava.

[teleguy57]

Why even bother joining Strava with your desire not to share? Strava is a social media of cycling (and others) so it was meant to share. With that said, you could go into settings and turn on "private" mode so every activity you upload is not visible unless you turn it on manually. I think there are other sites that might be more suitable for your intention. I think Garmin Connect would be a better one than Strava.

My view of the world too. I may not be paranoid, but there is so much about technology and the lack of privacy that I err on the side of caution. I post on two cycling forums, follow some other forums, have a FB account but don't post (and still thinking about cancelling it) and dropped my strava account a while back. No maybe if I cared about segment hunting I'd be more inclined, but not sure it's worth it.

One tip which may or may not be valid. When I did use strava I read somewhere that for route planning etc use an address on your route that is several blocks from your home. Still gets you good routes, but no one who sees it actually knows your exact address.

[unterhausen]

I only post my rides on strava so they will make it into trainerroad so I can track training stress. I have thought about locking down my account. So far we haven't had strava thieves in this area.

I don't see why the op couldn't lock down his account and track his rides that way. There is no way I would do it via pen and paper, but I do like to have the information. If I did it manually, I would put it in a spreadsheet. Since most modern gps's will talk to a phone and upload automatically, that's a pretty trivial effort in comparison.

[smontanaro]

Thanks again for the feedback. I understand that Strava is this social thing. That's not the part of it I care about. I just want to track my mileage. I know I could keep a manual tally or create a simple spreadsheet, but as simple as that seems, I know I would eventually forget to do even that. Auto-upload seems like the easiest way to go. All I have to remember is to turn on my Elemnt and toss it in my pocket. I'll try RideWithGPS as well as Strava for the time being and see which I like better.

[dbnm]

Keep in mind that if you remain private, you can't do any of the Strava challenges, which is BS to me.