Press 'play' at the start of a ride and 'pause' at the end of it – in between those points, this new app, available for Apple and Android smartphones, will plot your route via GPRS, giving you your total time, average speed, fastest speed and so on.
What makes it different is that it allows you to set up 'segments' on your local rides. Got an awesome descent on your commute? Set it up on the map and Strava allows you to see your times and averages from it, allowing you to plot your progress. Better than that, your mates can also compete on the same section and see their times on the online leader board.
The big benefit with Strava is psychological, though – for those who don't race, you'll be amazed at how much quicker you ride with a clock in your head. It's a fantastic tool for working out what line choices and techniques actually equate to seconds off the clock.
The only downside that we could find is that as it operates from your phone's GPRS (as opposed to GPS), so drop out of mobile signal and it'll struggle to continue mapping. That said, for a free download it's hard to fault.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
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Origin: BikeRadar.com Road Bikes & Gear
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