strava newbie question

Sprool
Sprool Posts: 1,022
edited September 2012 in Road beginners
i see strava gets a lot of mentions here. Seems like a pretty neat app, but does it need to have a good phone to work properly? I have a budget smartphone and pay-as-you-go chip, I can get on internet via home wi-fi but not out roaming. It does have GPS but I've never used it. (LG Optima E300). Do you need to have a proper iphone or blackberry and roaming data connection to use it properly?

Comments

  • Sanjay
    Sanjay Posts: 108
    I always use my Garmin so might not be the best source of advice but I'm sure if your phone has GPS then it will work fine. The best bet is to download the app, turn it on, do a normal ride and see if it records.

    Strava is indeed very neat, I do a lot of solo riding and the segments really do push you to go that bit faster and shave the odd second off your personal bests and climb up the leader boards!
  • springtide9
    springtide9 Posts: 1,731
    http://app.strava.com/how-it-works

    http://app.strava.com/mobile
    Simon
  • BlakeysFC
    BlakeysFC Posts: 233
    Sprool wrote:
    i see strava gets a lot of mentions here. Seems like a pretty neat app, but does it need to have a good phone to work properly? I have a budget smartphone and pay-as-you-go chip, I can get on internet via home wi-fi but not out roaming. It does have GPS but I've never used it. (LG Optima E300). Do you need to have a proper iphone or blackberry and roaming data connection to use it properly?

    From a quick google search, your phone doesn't run Android, but LG's proprietary OS which means that Strava would in incompatable with your phone unfortunately.

    Get an old-ish iPhone/Android phone and you'll be able to use it.

    Alternatively, get a Garmin 200 (£120)/500 (£200)/800 (£320) or Forerunner GPS watch (£150) and you can upload to Strava straight from that.
  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    hmm, my phone is an android and ive installed strada on it.
    Im just concerned about the data connection. If it stores all data till i get home then i can upload it via my mac's wi fi. I'll give it a try tomorrow :)
  • springtide9
    springtide9 Posts: 1,731
    Sprool wrote:
    hmm, my phone is an android and ive installed strada on it.
    Im just concerned about the data connection. If it stores all data till i get home then i can upload it via my mac's wi fi. I'll give it a try tomorrow :)

    FYI - There is no need for data while on the go.
    Simon
  • Mikey41
    Mikey41 Posts: 690
    Sprool wrote:
    i see strava gets a lot of mentions here. Seems like a pretty neat app, but does it need to have a good phone to work properly? I have a budget smartphone and pay-as-you-go chip, I can get on internet via home wi-fi but not out roaming. It does have GPS but I've never used it. (LG Optima E300). Do you need to have a proper iphone or blackberry and roaming data connection to use it properly?
    I'm using it on a Samsung Galaxy Mini, it does just fine :)

    No need for data connection, the app records the GPS trace and you can upload later over wifi if you prefer.
    Giant Defy 2 (2012)
    Giant Defy Advanced 2 (2013)
    Giant Revel 1 Ltd (2013)
    Strava
  • BlakeysFC
    BlakeysFC Posts: 233
    Sprool wrote:
    hmm, my phone is an android and ive installed strada on it.
    Im just concerned about the data connection. If it stores all data till i get home then i can upload it via my mac's wi fi. I'll give it a try tomorrow :)

    In that case you'll be fine
  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    brilliant, what an incredibly great app! Thx for the replies, off to try it out :)
  • Atari Boy
    Atari Boy Posts: 26
    Slightly off topic, but I can really recommend this bike mount when using Strava:

    http://www.rokform.com/cart/Rokbed-v3-B ... t-Kit.html
  • thefd
    thefd Posts: 1,021
    Atari Boy wrote:
    Slightly off topic, but I can really recommend this bike mount when using Strava:

    http://www.rokform.com/cart/Rokbed-v3-B ... t-Kit.html
    £60 seems a lot for a mount. I've used this and it works great. I've seen it for sale for £15.
    2017 - Caadx
    2016 - Cervelo R3
    2013 - R872
    2010 - Spesh Tarmac
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    TheFD wrote:
    Atari Boy wrote:
    Slightly off topic, but I can really recommend this bike mount when using Strava:

    http://www.rokform.com/cart/Rokbed-v3-B ... t-Kit.html
    £60 seems a lot for a mount. I've used this and it works great. I've seen it for sale for £15.

    mount? stick it in your Road-Holland-Utrecht-cycling-jersey-review03.jpg.

    Its not like you need to be watching it as it records?
    Bianchi Infinito CV
    Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
    Brompton S Type
    Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
    Gary Fisher Aquila '98
    Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem
  • haf1zur
    haf1zur Posts: 124
    t4tomo wrote:
    TheFD wrote:
    Atari Boy wrote:
    Slightly off topic, but I can really recommend this bike mount when using Strava:

    http://www.rokform.com/cart/Rokbed-v3-B ... t-Kit.html
    £60 seems a lot for a mount. I've used this and it works great. I've seen it for sale for £15.

    mount? stick it in your Road-Holland-Utrecht-cycling-jersey-review03.jpg.

    Its not like you need to be watching it as it records?

    or this

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221087889404? ... 1439.l2649

    keep your tools in it too for less than 4 pounds
    http://www.facebook.com/BringBorisBikesToNewham
  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    liking this:
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221087889404? ... 1439.l2649
    Loving Strava! Works seamlessly, did a trial route this morning now I'm drawn to all the other timed sectors in the area to see how I fare. What a great bit of technology for a free app.
  • Mikey41
    Mikey41 Posts: 690
    I just put the phone in my pocket :?
    Giant Defy 2 (2012)
    Giant Defy Advanced 2 (2013)
    Giant Revel 1 Ltd (2013)
    Strava
  • thefd
    thefd Posts: 1,021
    Mikey41 wrote:
    I just put the phone in my pocket :?
    I keep food in my pockets and phone on stem. If I come off then less likely to damage phone!! :D
    2017 - Caadx
    2016 - Cervelo R3
    2013 - R872
    2010 - Spesh Tarmac
  • BlakeysFC
    BlakeysFC Posts: 233
    I usually just put my phone in my zipped-pocket on my Jersey.

    I usually have to get it out a couple of times on a ride and check Google Maps to check I am where I should be.
  • Philinmerthyr
    Philinmerthyr Posts: 135
    I used strava for the first time today. There was a big difference between my bike computer (cateye micro wireless) and Strava. Just over 20 miles in the computer and 21 miles on Strava.

    I'm assuming Strava is correct as its gps and my computer in set up wrong even though I used the numbers corresponding to my tyre size when setting it up.

    I've been riding further than I thought :mrgreen:

    How do I get the computer set up correctly?
  • djfleming22
    djfleming22 Posts: 116
    On a another note I have an android phone and it only shows recording time is another way to show average speed and distance traveled without the senors.
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    Welcome to the world of the strava junkie. Life will never be the same again. No more easing gently up hills. Got to hammer them to get on the list...
  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    Philinmerthyr wrote:
    How do I get the computer set up correctly?
    Theres normally a quick and dirty setup on bike puters where you put your tyre size in (e.g.: 700c) and also the option to more accurately dial in the circumference measured on the ground when the bike travels forward exactly one revolution of the front wheel. It will be as accurate as you can measure, but only 1 or 2 mm out over one rev will end up being a big error over 20 miles. My Cateye told me I'd done 20.8 miles today and Strava said 19.6. My mates computer said 19.2. Thats as accurate as I need it to be.
  • Inutero
    Inutero Posts: 111
    Mikey23 wrote:
    Welcome to the world of the strava junkie. Life will never be the same again. No more easing gently up hills. Got to hammer them to get on the list...

    Which is great if you dont have a galaxy s2 through vodaphone, which loses connection to the internet, resulting in all your hard graft going up said hills, only to find its not been recorded. :evil:

    Vodaphone seems to have a problem with trees :P
  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    i only have a PAYG chip and do not have data enabled on my cheap LG phone. All the gps data is logged onto the phone without need for internet connection. It just syncs with my wi fi when i get home, uploads the route and costs me nowt.

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