... when my iPhone lost signal.

Is the data Strava collected since I'd begun this ride (I'd created then saved a route plan in it before I started out; signal lost about the 1/2 point) recoverable maybe?

Once I noted signal had returned, Strava showed me the Home Page with a Start button, so I began a new Record from that point.

Going back into Strava, I've done a new route that covers the route I rode this morning: 18.56 miles, 1,530' elevation.

Are there apps that can do a more reliable job of recording this kind of activity when cell signal strength is less than desired? I see several clubs use RideWithGPS for routing events, maybe that one's worth a try for some of the 'dead zones' around where I live and ride.

Flakiness from Strava usually corresponds to loss of GPS signal, usually in a narrow gorge, heavy tree cover, or something similar. I've lost cell service on multiple rides, but not GPS signal, and the ride is complete when I get back into cell range.

My outage was at the crest of a fairly long, steepish gravel climb with some fairly dense (for our area) tree cover so you may be on to something there.

Still, once I noted the lack of evident progress, there wasn't anything to indicate that I could 'pick up where I got dropped'.

There've been times I've seen loss of service too as you have, and once I'm back into signal connectivity Strava picks up where it left off. Today's event was unusual in that it didn't.

I've looked at Ride with GPS, haven't used it for navigation yet. Be curious if it's more 'reliable' when encountering dead zones or is this just something that happens once in a while that I have to accept?

That is strange. I control Strava from my Apple Watch, which is connected to my phone. Once I forgot to bring my phone with me, but my watch recorded the entire ride, and I was able to upload it with no issue after the ride. I can also upload rides from my Wahoo Elemnt Roam. I prefer to use my watch/phone combo as I like the heart rate monitor on my Apple Watch (Ultra 2) better than the chest strap monitor from Wahoo.

I do that as well, usually for shorter commuting rides. For the longer stuff I like using my iPhone as an aid to navigation with Strava as well as keep track of heart rate. Also use it to monitor my Varia radar for vehicular traffic approaching from behind.

Curious this. I have a Series 7 Apple watch, tricky sending HR from it to anything else via BTLE. I've been using a Wahoo Trackr for over a year, never yet failed to deliver the data it provides.

Older Wahoo chest strap devices I understand cost about half what this newer one does but could be problematic in their performance. I've heard that Polars are supposed to be about the best but then I've also read of problems with those so it's kind of a mixed bag when it comes to finding something that works.

What surprised me most yesterday was that before, when I'd inadvertently swiped Strava closed on my iPhone, if I immediately re-started it it would pick up where I'd closed it without a hitch. Yesterday it seemed as though it simply re-started by itself after regaining signal. I've posted a query to Strava support, yet to hear anything back in reply.

I don't use STRAVA anymore. I've been with RideWithGPS for a long time now. Can't say whether their app has the functionality that you need. However anytime I've ask RWGPS a support question. They get back in touch the same day. Not always with a solution, but enough to know that a actual person is at the other end asking questions and investigating. Perhaps my annual paid subscription plays a part in that immediate response.

Loss of GPS signal or a burp with your phone app crashing or such will cause a loss of the data for your track and metrics during that time. So you may end up with two activities or one activity with a straight line connecting the end of on track to the start of where it picks up again. And no data for the time things were screwed up. Same happens with both phone apps and dedicated devices. RWGPS does give a way to stitch activities together which might be of use to you. However that also is a subscription thing, IIRC. But there are tools out on the web that can help you stitch multiple activities together. And maybe even replace lost data with reasonable estimates of the missing data.

Have you checked your phones battery usage permissions and other power saving settings to ensure it's not just limiting the app's ability to run unfettered during the time of your ride?

I'll try it if I have time enough with what weather we have left this year conducive to riding outdoors.

I do the same with Strava, only had one prior need of assistance. That took a day for a reply, and that was late last year.

I can accept that, despite the few times I've had a brief 'loss of signal' or GPS that didn't cause a ride record to quit before I'd saved it at the end.

No. Never considered that that might be necessary, no idea whether an iPhone has that kind of capability. I've ridden longer rides before without something like this happening.

Thanks for your insights about this BTW. Gives me some things to look into going forward.