Originally Posted by
qclabrat
okay, I have a lot to learn, will look for a tutorial, I was thinking you have to start and stop on segments to compete with others, i guess the back pocket idea is if you know the course or just want to track your progress
Strava figures out existing segments automatically. If you want to create a new one, you do it on the website by selecting a portion of an uploaded ride. You need to start the app at the beginning of your ride and stop it at the end, but in between you never have to touch (or look at) the phone.
However, if you don't already have a cycling computer for real-time speed/distance readout, you might be better served by getting one that has GPS capability and can upload to Strava (via your PC/Mac) post-ride. If you get one that records cadence and heartrate, that data will be included in your Strava upload along with the GPS track. For certain types of training, having a historical log of that data for post-ride analysis can be useful. The Garmin 500 is the "go to" GPS bike computer. It's basic functions are accurate and reliable, it supports a wide range of ANT+ sensors, and it's reasonably priced when (frequently) discounted.
A GPS sport watch can also work. I used a Garmin Forerunner 410 for a couple years with no problems (and still use it for CX races). Support for sensors other than a HR strap may be pretty limited. Also make sure you look into the software/cables/etc. needed to get the data off the watch and onto your PC/Mac so you can upload it to Strava. Some can be quite "fiddly" and require you to buy additional accessories for connectivity.