Ride lost - Strava help pls

daddy0

So last night after work I went for a long ride (100km+). When I got home I ended my ride on Strava and left my phone uploading it. I went back to it a minute later but saw an error message that said something like "Server Error", which when I tapped on it it disappeared. Seems my ride data is lost. I have submitted a support request with Strava, which seems to be all I can do? Have any of you lot experienced this before, am I likely to get it back?

My device is a Samsung Galaxy S2 running Android version 4.1.2, Strava is version 3.3.0. I have checked the Strava folder on the phone where I believe it keeps unsynced data, but it is empty.

Normally I'd just think "oh well never mind", but I think this ride was my longest to date, with the most climbing, and highest top speed, with a few possible PRs at the end, and I'm trying to rack up the KMs this month. I say "normally", but this is the first time Strava has ever lost one of my rides, typical it was on a good one and not just a slow short commute...

fill_uk

Have you tried to record a ride since? I had had a few occasions where uploading has failed and next time I went to record a ride the app has said its found an unfinished ride and do I want to upload it, it can then be uploaded. There have however been times where its just gone, I think in those cases submitting a report to strava helps as I've heard of them being able to get it for you but I never tried that option.

markhewitt1978

I know this doesn't help you now, but I usually record by rides using Endomono, which will sync with their servers every 10 minutes or so, so if it crashes or the upload fails, I don't lose the entire ride.

spoonboye

I've the same phone and Strave did the same to me 2 weeks ago - not the same loss as yours so I just wrote it off.

lc1981

This sort of problem (not with Strava but another, similar app) was what eventually persuaded me to buy a Garmin!

CiB

fill_uk wrote:

Have you tried to record a ride since? I had had a few occasions where uploading has failed and next time I went to record a ride the app has said its found an unfinished ride and do I want to upload it, it can then be uploaded. There have however been times where its just gone, I think in those cases submitting a report to strava helps as I've heard of them being able to get it for you but I never tried that option.

I had exactly the same issue - when I tried to record the next ride it prompted me to save the last one, which it did and synched it as per.

You can also plug your phone into your PC and delve about in its folder structure looking for files with a datestamp that corresponds to your ride, and raise a ticket with Strava + upload that file, asking if they can use it. I did that but then found the previous answer (above) had resolved the problem.

mudcovered

I've also had the same happen recently. It didn't get saved the next time I recorded a ride but it did turn up 24 hours later. I've not yet lost a ride recorded by the Strava app and I've recorded hundreds. Of course now I've said this the next 20 rides I record will disappear into the void forever.

Mike

daddy0

fill_uk wrote:

Have you tried to record a ride since?

Tried, no joy.

fill_uk wrote:

...submitting a report to strava helps as I've heard of them being able to get it for you but I never tried that option.

Yup, submitted a ticket to Strava. Will let you guys know how that goes.

markhewitt1978 wrote:

I know this doesn't help you now, but I usually record by rides using Endomono, which will sync with their servers every 10 minutes or so, so if it crashes or the upload fails, I don't lose the entire ride.

Sounds sensible, although might hit your data allowance if you're putting the hours in the saddle...

lc1981 wrote:

This sort of problem (not with Strava but another, similar app) was what eventually persuaded me to buy a Garmin!

Yeah, I really want one. The EPO would notice though, so that will have to wait until we've managed to buy a house...

CiB wrote:

You can also plug your phone into your PC and delve about in its folder structure looking for files with a datestamp that corresponds to your ride, and raise a ticket with Strava + upload that file, asking if they can use it. I did that but then found the previous answer (above) had resolved the problem.

Took a copy of the com.strava folder. Couple of files called cache_vts_labl_com.strava.1 and cache_vts_labl_com.strava.m - only 64KB and 48KB though - is that enough data to record a 4 hour ride?! there is a 9MB file that was modified 5 hours and 7 minutes after the ride finished.

mudcovered wrote:

...but it did turn up 24 hours later. I've not yet lost a ride recorded by the Strava app and I've recorded hundreds. Of course now I've said this the next 20 rides I record will disappear into the void forever.

Cheers Mike, I am now hoping that this happens to me!

Thanks for all the responses chaps. Chapeau!

The Rookie

lc1981 wrote:

This sort of problem (not with Strava but another, similar app) was what eventually persuaded me to buy a Garmin!

My Mate lost his HONC log due to his Garmin freezing, so don't count on it 100%!

CiB

Daddy0 wrote:

Took a copy of the com.strava folder. Couple of files called cache_vts_labl_com.strava.1 and cache_vts_labl_com.strava.m - only 64KB and 48KB though - is that enough data to record a 4 hour ride?! there is a 9MB file that was modified 5 hours and 7 minutes after the ride finished.

Not sure but 9MB for for hours sounds more likely than 48K. I can't check here as our security precludes us from plugging anything into the laptop that isn't approved and secure.

You could try logging out of Strava and then reboot the phone. Cliché response (turn it off and turn it back on again...) but it often solves niggly problems.

Kieran_Burns

CiB wrote:

Daddy0 wrote:

Took a copy of the com.strava folder. Couple of files called cache_vts_labl_com.strava.1 and cache_vts_labl_com.strava.m - only 64KB and 48KB though - is that enough data to record a 4 hour ride?! there is a 9MB file that was modified 5 hours and 7 minutes after the ride finished.

Not sure but 9MB for for hours sounds more likely than 48K. I can't check here as our security precludes us from plugging anything into the laptop that isn't approved and secure.

You could try logging out of Strava and then reboot the phone. Cliché response (turn it off and turn it back on again...) but it often solves niggly problems.

8) :P

Oh, to be a member of the bypass group.... Oh, wait.

Kieran_Burns

Incidentally - Endomondo can be set to not give live feeds but I've always got mine on and never got anywhere near my 1Gb data limit (rarely go over a couple of hundred Mb to be honest as most of my phone surfing is on the myriad of wireless networks available (CiB: see above for why :P )

CiB

Life's not fair sometimes.

Sewinman

I have had the same issue a few days ago. It seems to be related to the battery running out mid ride and that then confusing the hell out of strava for subsequent rides.

Garmin can be equally bad...and for hundreds of squid it is much more unforgivable.

markhewitt1978

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Incidentally - Endomondo can be set to not give live feeds but I've always got mine on and never got anywhere near my 1Gb data limit (rarely go over a couple of hundred Mb to be honest as most of my phone surfing is on the myriad of wireless networks available (CiB: see above for why :P )

It doesn't use very much data! Think of the GPX tracks from an entire ride of say 50 miles, it's only a few kb for the whole thing.

Daz555

Strava was in a mess last night - they must have been having server problems. Usually when I've had a server error messages in the past the ride has sorted itself out eventually.

daddy0

Update - well, nothing to update really. The ride still hasn't magically appeared despite waiting, trying a phone reboot etc...

Strava tech support havn't got back to me.

I realised I was running a very slightly out of date version (3.3.0) so I have updated to the latest (3.4.0).

I've given up on it and just entered the ride manually. I shall just have to go and ride a longer, faster ride :-)

daddy0

Latest update - Strava tech support got back to me a week after I submitted my ticket and recovered my ride. I had to jump through a few hoops first, for eg they wanted me to restart the app, but I guess they managed to find the activity on their servers in the end.

Although it took a week I still consider this to be pretty good service for a free app. Might have to get a Garmin and Strava Premium membership...

veronese68

Daddy0 wrote:

Latest update - Strava tech support got back to me a week after I submitted my ticket and recovered my ride. I had to jump through a few hoops first, for eg they wanted me to restart the app, but I guess they managed to find the activity on their servers in the end.

Although it took a week I still consider this to be pretty good service for a free app. Might have to get a Garmin and Strava Premium membership...

So nice to hear somebody say that. Something that depresses me about modern society is to hear people complain when they are getting something for nothing, criticising volunteers when they are not prepared to help anyone themselves and such like.

daddy0

Veronese68 wrote:

So nice to hear somebody say that. Something that depresses me about modern society is to hear people complain when they are getting something for nothing, criticising volunteers when they are not prepared to help anyone themselves and such like.

I work in IT, so I'm one of the good guys ;-)

lc1981

Veronese68 wrote:

So nice to hear somebody say that. Something that depresses me about modern society is to hear people complain when they are getting something for nothing, criticising volunteers when they are not prepared to help anyone themselves and such like.

I'm pretty sure that Strava pay their customer support staff, but the point still stands - the app is free to use and the support is pretty good.

sloppyschleckonds

Daddy0 wrote:

I work in IT, so I'm one of the good guys ;-)