blacknbluebikes 

This question concerns getting outdoor ride power meter data into my Strava activities.
Strava, for better or worse, has become my "consolidated" source of all my stats. I get my Zwift power meter data for inside rides, all good. But now I'm outside with a new power meter pedal (garmin rally) and I'd like to add that data, too. Strava isn't giving an estimate on when it will be able to process the pedal/bluetooth feed, so I think I'm left to find some kind of cross-load from, ah, well... not obvious what I can do, from where, and whether this will create "duplicate ride records" on the Strava side. How are you solving this consolidation question? Thanks.

surak

I assume from your question that you are recording your rides using Strava. Strava is probably the crappiest recording app for cycling, especially after they removed all sensor pairing. There are third-party smartphone apps that'll work like the Wahoo Fitness app, which is free and can upload activities to Strava.

caloso

I just save my ride on my Garmin and it uploads the ride to Strava, power included. Are you just running Strava on your phone without a computer? I don’t think it reads power by itself.

himespau 

Is there a garmin app that could do that, or are they too afraid that would take away business from their cycling computers?

Seattle Forrest

I record my rides using a Garmin watch. The data just has my power output in it. Sounds like you're using Strava to capture and record the data. I think most cyclists who use Strava as a data repository use something else (app or device) to get the data, and then they send it to Strava.

tempocyclist

Basically the only way to do that is to buy a Garmin or Wahoo head unit and stop using your phone to record rides.

burnthesheep

The wahoo fitness app adds in power meters and hrm and such. Strava app does not.

I did that for a day or so waiting for a warranty return on my Bolt gps.

blacknbluebikes 

Thanks, some useful stuff there.

blacknbluebikes 

Looks like Strava can be a consolidation point and skip the mobile recording. Only downside I'm seeing now is that if I link G Connect, it's going to crossload 90 days of history. ugh. delete-a-thon? hmmm.

Seattle Forrest

That just means you had a really good summer. 🙂

PeteHski

I use a Garmin Edge bike computer to record all my ride data. Then it just uploads automatically to Strava. I never use Strava itself on my phone to record rides.

mikeymichaels

Same here

Branko D

I have a Polar head unit and I watch which syncs to Strava via Polar Flow, same thing with Garmin users and the like. I think Strava can now pair with Bluetooth sensors again at least premium if not the free version, but a phone just isn't a very good bike computer.
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spelger

that is an absurd assertion. i use a smart phone for recording rides and it pairs with sensors and all gets uploaded to strava automagically. CycleMeter, 11$/yr, there are others out there too.

Seattle Forrest

Another option is to assume the reason the data isn't coming through is because you're off the charts good. This method doesn't get you fancy graphs or anything, but you can tell people your FTP is 900w, so it's a trade-off.

tempocyclist

Interesting! I'd never seen that app before, thanks for the info! I just spent ages trawling their website. Always learning.

So you run this app on your phone, rather than recording the ride via Strava itself?

Their website says it's "free" but offers in-app purchases. Can you access most of the features via the free version or do you have to pay at some point?

Does having your powermeter connected to your phone negatively impact battery life much?

spelger

i don't remember if i like their website or not. i will say that they have some very good tech support. for example, when i started as a paying customer i was on an iphone but later switched to a samsung, this was around memorial day. when the year ended and it being a subscription i was automatically billed as expected but it somehow remained with my iphone that i was no longer using. this happened on memorial day weekend. a few emails on saturday and sunday and they had me up and running again on my samsung, they were awesome in this respect.

in any case, i waited to respond because although i know it does not use much in the way of battery i just could not recall exactly so i completed a long ride (for me) and the results are in the image below. i don't monitor while i ride, the phone is in my jersey pocket. if i did monitor i am sure it would not last as long.

regarding the free version, that is what i used for a couple of years prior, it only recorded speed, distance, and location (but at the time that was all i cared about). this was supported via ads that at the time and they were very small at the top or bottom, can't recall. the paid version allows me to ride with sensors which is what i really wanted. i only have cadence and heart rate and both operate over bluetooth. a power meter would not consume much in the way of additional power since all sensors are transmitters and the phone only transmits during the pairing period. also i upload rides to strava as my repository. the app will track equipment but since i only have one bike i don't use that facility. there are other features that i just don't use but i suspect that is true of most of these apps or bike computers.

i do recall even when using the free version when i did have it mounted on my handle bars that i could watch my former self if i picked and rode a saved route. that was a pretty neat feature i thought, it allowed me to beat my former self or watch my present self crash and burn. it probably still has that feature but since it sin my pocket i dont really know for sure.

-scott


i cropped out the map but normally there is one visible.

Sunwukong

New to sensors and still looking at power meters, but liking a phone based app, Cadence, for real time speed, cadence and heart rate data that posts to Strava, with options to add a power meter and lots of customization available

OBoile

There are some 3rd party phone apps that will do this too. But, IMO, a dedicated bike computer is much better than one's phone.
ETA: I guess I should have read the whole thread before replying. It's already been covered I see.

MinnMan

Once upon a time you could record your ride directly to the Strava phone app and your sensors (power meter, HRM) would pair. But for reasons I don't understand, they turned off that capability. Now, as people have said, you can do it with 3rd party apps.

Eric F

This ^^^ but a Wahoo Bolt. I move the Bolt between multiple bikes with no issues.

ZHVelo

You need a dedicated cycling computer, or use an app on your phone that pairs with your power meter. The Wahoo Fitness app is actually quite good for this, at least it was when I last used it. I think recently I tried to use it while skiing and it didn't pair with my HR monitor anymore. So now I use my cycling computer while skiing, too. Funnily enough, I have a new pair of pants for that that just happens to have a single little inside pocket where my Wahoo just fits. But yea, try Wahoo app, the Strava app is known to be utter *****.

scottfsmith

Good idea, I wanted data XC skiing last week and should have done that. I recently found out how to change the activity type in Strava (fairly trivial in Edit under the "...") so even though it will automatically upload as a bike ride it is easy to switch to a ski.

That CycleMeter phone app looks cool, I already bought a Bolt though.

OshkoshBiker

I am the developer of an app for Android smartphones which will collect the data from any BluetoothSmart or BLE Sensors. If you have a power meter and would like to help, I will set you up as a test rider and you can use it for free. In addition, my app will automatically send your ride data to Strava at the end of each ride. Set it up once and forget it like convenience. It sounds like you already have a power meter, but for those who do not, my app will also calculate a pretty good estimate of power and it does not have an averaging delays like other apps.

If you are interested please visit: cykelstrom.com

You can also message me here.

Kind regards,
Chuck