Changes coming to Strava

[AngryScientist]

Interesting video by DC Rainmaker.

I am not a Strava user (for the most part...), but the video was eye-opening how many people and apps use Strava as a basic "middle man" to get their data where they want it. I had no idea so many things rely on Strava data upload as an intermediary step. Seems crazy for so many people to rely on a single company for some pretty high stakes data transfer.

I'd be a little worried if I ran one of these companies potentially effected, and I'd be pretty pissed if I was paying for a coaching service as an athlete with some goals in mind that could be impacted here.

This digital world we live in is great until something breaks, or someone wants their corner of the sandbox to be private.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFqjRLeFGXc

[fourflys]

I watched that video, very interesting.. Ray certainly was not happy about it.. I don't renew my subscription until 20Dec, so I'll have to see if I go back to the basic, non-paid service or not.. never against saving some cash.. not that it's that much (less than $80 for the year, about the same as my XBOX live..)

[Turkle]

I use Strava, RidewithGPS, TrainerRoad and Garmin Connect, and to be perfectly frank I have absolutely no idea how they are set up to communicate information together.

I know that when I complete a ride, my Garmin head unit or TrainerRoad app automatically zaps it over to both RidewithGPS and Strava, and all that is pulled into TrainerRoad for analysis. Somehow.

But I think that if it all ever stopped working I would be totally unable to get it all set back up again! Ha. God help us all.

[fourflys]

Originally Posted by Turkle

I use Strava, RidewithGPS, TrainerRoad and Garmin Connect, and to be perfectly frank I have absolutely no idea how they are set up to communicate information together.

I know that when I complete a ride, my Garmin head unit or TrainerRoad app automatically zaps it over to both RidewithGPS and Strava, and all that is pulled into TrainerRoad for analysis. Somehow.

But I think that if it all ever stopped working I would be totally unable to get it all set back up again! Ha. God help us all.

from what the video said, your TR stuff will no longer be able to be pulled over from Strava as it is now it sounds like.. unless TR or Strava changes how it works currently anyway..

[Turkle]

Originally Posted by fourflys

from what the video said, your TR stuff will no longer be able to be pulled over from Strava as it is now it sounds like.. unless TR or Strava changes how it works currently anyway..

This all seems highly speculative. Typical YouTube influencer behavior or whatever. Find a couple sentences in a change of T&C email somewhere and boom, you have outrage bait for a 13-minute video.

This guy's product reviews are useful, but my goodness, come on now.

[tellyho]

People pay for Strava?

[nmrt]

huh...pay Strava to utilize it's services? Unthinkable!
Strava pays me to be a member!

Originally Posted by tellyho

People pay for Strava?

[fourflys]

Originally Posted by Turkle

This all seems highly speculative. Typical YouTube influencer behavior or whatever. Find a couple sentences in a change of T&C email somewhere and boom, you have outrage bait for a 13-minute video.

This guy's product reviews are useful, but my goodness, come on now.

he actually sent an email to his PR contact at Strava, per the video, to confirm he was understanding the new terms correctly.. they replied and did not say he was misinterpreting.. and they knew he was going to make a video.. take from that what you will..

[bigbill]

I got an email from Strava basically saying all this. I use the free version for the heat map and mileage totals for the year. I used to hunt segments but not so much in the last few years. I use the garmin app on my phone which uses my watch and bike GPS for inputs. For my trainer, I use Zwift, which finally added some new rides.

[marciero]

Those terms seem intended to be applied as broadly as possible. Note the "or similar" language. Prohibition on any analysis, any aggregated data. That bullet starts with AI, but goes on to includes analysis and aggregated data, which would include a ride summary, or total miles, number of rides in a week.

I guess Strava can do whatever they want. No one said they had to make an API available in the first place. But as Ray argues, it would seem to be win-win. In any case, what a huge vulnerability for these third party developers, basing their business model on the whims of another company.

[slowpoke]

The Strava iOS app could never send heart rate data to Apple Health, so I stopped using it as the primary recording app.

My flow is: record using Wahoo app, then after the ride is done, the Wahoo app syncs to Apple Health and Strava.

This way, Apple Health gets all the ride info + heart rate data. Strava is a dead end only used for social logging + kudos.

[Philster]

I actually didn’t know that some apps get data from Strava. My data goes to Strava from Garmin or the Waho trainer app. It sounds like apps have basically been leveraging off Strava’s integration with Garmin and Waho.

Maybe Strava woke up to the potential for privacy leaks from these other apps. Maybe they see the potential for profit leaks also when it comes to training AI. As usual, Strava botched the roll out with no sensitivity for users and partners.

[benb]

If you have a Garmin your data goes to Garmin Connect and from there you can send it wherever you like and Strava can’t do anything about it.

There’s probably a way to do this with the other brands as well unless some GPS brands sync directly to Strava.

If you’re recording directly with your phone to Strava you’re only able to do what Strava lets you do.

I paid this year and haven’t gotten the email. I closed my account for a few years and reopened it this year and only connected with just a couple people and it’s been positive. No KOMs on my new account but I enjoy the local legend feature a lot.

[unterhausen]

I feel like I could probably centralize on garmin connect if strava stops me from sharing data. I never felt fully comfortable with strava being the middleman, but it was really easy. RWGPS is pretty seamless with garmin for routes, I assume ride data is the same.

[gospastic]

This API change was a deal breaker for me. Deleted my Strava account and am happily moving on.