Strava Premium - is it worth it?

[jonboy]

This post will mean nothing for those that don't know what Strava is. Check out http://www.strava.com if you're interested.

My family are struggling to find gift ideas for the 'man who has everything' (not my words).

I currently use the free version of Strava and love it.

But the question, for those who have it, is the premium (paid) version worth the $65 per year?

I'm just a hack rider who likes to feel as though I'm getting faster. The one thing that did interest me in the premium version is the age / gender filters which might make me feel better when I discover that my best effort on a segment puts me in 484th position on the overall leaderboard.

John

[utopia]

But the question, for those who have it, is the premium (paid) version worth the $65 per year?

I have it - in summary, It's ok enough for $65 - 2 coffees a month? , although I may or may not renew it when it expires unless they either :
a/ nerf the free version
or
b/ enhance the premium version.

I'm just a hack rider who likes to feel as though I'm getting faster. The one thing that did interest me in the premium version is the age / gender filters which might make me feel better when I discover that my best effort on a segment puts me in 484th position on the overall leaderboard.

I did do the filters too, but last is still last so it, erm, didn't make much difference.
You get suffer scores which is comes off your HRM zones, that's about the only premium feature I'm probably using.

[Strawburger]

From what I have read is that the premium version has power related items, a few extra leaderboards as you described and the heart rate analysis. If you don't have a power meter than the value would be in the heart rate and leaderboards if you train by heart rate and you don't have software to analyse your rides.

Edit: read above!!!

[weiyun]

The power feature is more about fun than anything of real value. As many would know, their power extrapolation can be way off the mark to make it just enough as a chatting point over coffee. Little else.

As Jonboy said, for someone who has _everything_, this discretionary expenditure of $65 fits the bill of something for nothing much.

[andrewm]

The power feature is more about fun than anything of real value.

It can take real power data if you have it. It appears to me 'value' in the premium version is the training analysis features it adds-including the suffer score (which appears to be TRIMP). I don't see any added value in the social network aspect. Which is Stravas point of difference.

If you are a data analysis geek like me - you'd get something like TrainingPeaks (subscription web based), WKO+ (power analysis software) or SportTracks (shareware, and has good plugins).

I have run sporttracks for years. The free version is an excellent training log. Expand it with some paid plugins and you can really analyse your data, and track your training load (the training load Plugin is excellent ). I then got WKO+ when I got way geeky and bought a power tap.

[Philip]

The main benefit as I see it is the fact that strava gives me a great deal of shallow, vain, competitive pleasure. Which as a shallow, vain, and quietly competitive fella is great. So I'm happy to offer my 65 bucks as a token of thanks and support.

Other than the above I also love the age filters, the new gpx route download feature, and of course the suffer score. Don't underestimate how satisfying it is to get an "EPIC" ride or two under your belt.

[jonboy]

Thanks for all the feedback. I've put my order in with 'Santa'.

I always enjoy the odd chat on the interweb.

I now know what it means to 'nerf' something.

I feel old...

J

[JoTheBuilder]

Strava are offering 30 days of Premium for free per an email I got today... Could be worth trying it out?