Uh Oh... Strava Premium getting 'better'
 

I figure it means either A) There's some new function or ability that's awesome, and I'll have to (want to) move from "free" version to get this new functionality; or 2) Functionality that we currently get in the free version is removed, and only available in Premium.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0ef986a58f.jpg

Yeah, I'm ready to be underwhelmed.

I use the free version & get a lot out of it, feel a bit guilty,

but don't see much in the paid version that I want.

So I will be on the lookout next week.

Honestly, I have no idea what the current premium offers (over what I have). I do have Stravastix though.. some 3rd party plugin that provides a lot of dorky information that's fun to look at but I can't say honestly changes my life.

My thoughts exactly.

A few weeks ago, on the app, they added an option to get one of three limited premium versions at $2 per month each. These are Training, Safety and Devices (this last one is very poorly named and I believe they have since clarified the meaning, it doesn't mean that devices support will now be premium only). On the full website it still only has one option for premium so maybe those cheaper, limited subscriptions are coming?

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a233132fa1.png

There are 9853 things more tempting than Strava premium.

My guess is that whatever they do bumps it up to number 8655 or so.


-Tim-

Already quit being a paid subscriber. They've "improved" it into being Facebook for Bikes.

I'd consider upgrading to premium if Strava included some of the features I liked in Cyclemeter:
Programmable voice prompts for interval training.
User selectable voice prompts for info updates (current compass direction, speed, average speed, distance, etc.)
More data on weather/wind conditions, synced to selectable increments (distance or time, or triggered at specific segments to make it clear whether we benefited from a tailwind, were hindered by a headwind, etc.)

Cyclemeter was a bargain at $10 a year. Strava Premium would need to offer more features that I want to make it worthwhile.

OTOH, I don't understand Strava's business plan. They're carrying a lot of us freeloaders and asking nothing in return, although presumably they use our activity data in some way that benefits them. I don't understand why they don't at least incorporate carefully targeted marketing toward free users. I don't mind relevant ads that don't get in the way, so if they incorporated ads from Amazon, Nashbar, etc., based on my shopping patterns, that would be fine with me.

Same. I even bought a year subscription because of I used it so much and felt I should, but I use none of the premium features so couldn't justify a second year.

I suppose getting the Fitness/Freshness curves miiiiiight be worth $2/mo just for convenience, but the problem they have is if you're serious (there's that word) enough to want F/F or whatever else probably also feed in through Garmin or Wahoo (or both), in which case you get equivalent features from those platforms already. Or you might have TrainingPeaks premium to work with your coach. For this to be really appealing you need to be a phone-centric app-using Strava user, and those aren't the folks looking to time their F/F curves for their A-race.

And the safety beacon was a nice thing that wifey used for a while, but then we bit the bullet and got a Qollector so I can track her during races as well. The yearly service fee is the theoretically the same as Strava Premium, but they've never charged it. And now I can see her power and HR while she's out riding, which is obvs critical.

They sell your information/target ads at you.

IF the service is free, then you are the product.

fyi
https://www.strava.com/legal/privacy

Yeah, it is not like they don't tell you they are doing this, it is right out there in the open all documented.

Most people just don't read it.

Can't say I've read all the way thru it either, but I didn't notice any mention of differentiated privacy/info-sharing depending on whether you're a free or paid subscriber?

\Nope.
They make money off of the information of both groups, paid and unpaid.

I've been using Garmin Live Tracking for years. Few years ago I got hit by a car as it ran a light. Beth found out because I called her and said I'm on my way to the hospital, not because she was intently watching the screen and noticed my little dot wasn't moving.

It's not a safety feature, it's a where to find the body feature.

Does that mean I should boycott it when they start selling my personal information to the Republicans?

Do you want to pay for being a product/commodity that is sold? Because you subscript doesn't support the site--the sale of your data does, and your subscription is just profit. It would be one thing if you were supporting the site, but they're honestly just suckering you at this point with Premium. The nice thing left about Strava is its convenience as a ride tracker....all the online ride trackers not-named Strava cost 2X+ what Premium does.

In my ideal world I'd have a client like SportTracks that isn't a data harvester, with the anywhere-convenience of Strava.

Maybe for you. When I was in marathon training and she was doing lengthy Ironman rides, I'd finish my run and check the dot. Then shower and check the dot. Then leave the dot up while drinking my smoothie and watching Netflix on the TV. Then cook lunch and check the dot again. And a few times the dot stopped moving because of lost cell signal, and a couple of times I did start driving out before it reestablished the connection.

Quarq Qollector doesn't. It has a bigger up-front fee, but it's an awesome little device. And it's legal for use during triathlon, which is a big feature for some of us.

$350 for the hardware...$100 per year for data service.

"Qollector is currently available to US residents through the Quarq website. The retail price is $349 (US) and the first six months’ cellular service is free. After six months, cellular service is $99 (US) per year. Qollector must use its own stand-alone cellular plan."

As I said upthread, I nor anyone else has been charged that $99 fee yet.