Strava’s new dawn - and how wearables can unlock its true potential

We speak to Strava's new leadership team about its grand vision

Amid its many new product announcements last month - including the promise that nasty cheaters ruining your local segment will be weeded out - Strava revealed that its community is now 125 million strong.

It’s an impressive number - one that’s grown from a cycling-first community to become the kingpin of fitness-sharing platforms. But, in the interests of full disclosure, I don’t count myself among the platform’s power users. 

Over the last eight years or so, I’ve integrated countless wearables with the app and flicked through the odd workout that featured new records - but I’ve also never been much for sharing on socials.

The idea of strangers giving me Kudos - the platform’s version of likes - for a Wednesday night Zone 2 run in the rain has just never felt all that compelling to me.

Yet, I love the idea of what Strava could be. Contrary to what my own Strava habits would tell you, I think its potential is unrivalled. Could Strava map my sleep data, advice on recovery, or even on fuelling? Could its Premium tier become truly indispensable?

After spending some time listening to and speaking with the company’s new leadership team, I also believe it’s finally in a position to realize this.

Let me explain why.

Traverse whatever ecosystem you like

A few weeks ago, Strava’s new CEO Mike Martin appeared in a 90-second video on the company’s various social platforms to provide an update users have been craving for what feels like an eternity - Dark Mode. 

When I first covered the news and saw the clip linked above, I wrote it off as an easy win - especially because I don’t really care much for any kind of dark mode.