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Strava users able to earn bike store credit as they ride - but only in US for now

Ride-logging app business hooks up with online retailer in US - "exploring opportunities" in the UK...

Strava users in the United States can now use the time they spend on their bikes to obtain credit at a major online cycling retailer – and the company says that it is exploring similar opportunities in the UK.

Bicycle Retailer reports that under a partnership launched with the company behind the ride and run logging app and website, customers of CompetitiveCyclist.com can link their accounts with the retailer to their Strava accounts.

Participants in the promotion, called ‘You Ride. We Pay,’ receive $1 in store credit for each hour logged on Strava, with a maximum of $40 a month. Any credit accrued expires on the last day of the following month.

Strava vice president of strategy and business development, David Lorsch, said: "Strava at its core is about motivating athletes. Our partnership with Competitive Cyclist leverages our platform and rewards activity with the types of perks to keep athletes more active.

“This is one more way we're extending the power of Strava's community to motivate athletes and help them improve."

Simon Kilma, UK country manager at Strava, told road.cc: “At Strava, we’re always looking at ways to help motivate our community of global athletes. Competitive Cyclist are rewarding Strava members for being active.

“This type of partnership is a first for the company and is currently only available in the US, however, we’ll be exploring if there are opportunities to provide these types of benefits to our members in the UK.”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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14 comments

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pedalpowerDC | 8 years ago
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I made $24 in credit on it in the 10 or so days it was running. I got a sale pair of casual shorts coming in the mail. RRP: $68, Sale Price: $36, Out-of-pocket after Strava credits: $12.

There is almost no way that Comp Cyclist was going to make this work. Plus, considering that the credits carry over for an additional month, I'd most likely be doing 6 orders a year with $80 worth of Strava credit on each.

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pedalpowerDC | 8 years ago
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They already canned the program. I think it got too expensive!

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What an incredible few weeks it’s been here at Competitive.

When we came up with the idea to pay you a dollar an hour to ride your bike through our partnership with Strava, it was pure, it was simple and it represented everything we stand for. Apparently you liked it too, because you signed up by the tens of thousands and told everyone you knew. We had expectations and you blew them out of the water.

Because of this we’ve had to pause new sign-ups, and we must stop issuing new credits beginning tomorrow, April 21st. We’re already hard at work on a revised program that can support many, many more people. We will update you with the details of this revised program on May 19th.

If you have earned money, it’s yours to keep and we encourage you to put it towards something great. Those credits will expire on May 31st at 11:59 pm MST.

Because you’ve already connected, when the program resumes, you’ll be ready to roll. We won’t do anything with your data and we’ll maintain the privacy policy we’ve always held.

Enjoy the ride and we’ll speak soon.

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juanerasmoe | 8 years ago
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I personally thik this is great. It should be just a matter or time for this to get to wiggle or crc.
In the mean time, there are other apps that will give you money for working out and that work in the UK. Take a look at bouts http://goo.gl/FGbefF, for example.

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Peowpeowpeowlasers | 8 years ago
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I'm guessing that with the $40 credit you won't be able to buy a $40 item for free - instead it'll be $40 off anything that costs more than (random guess) $100?

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Meonshore | 8 years ago
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To be honest anyone in the UK, or even the EU would make this worthwhile.

$59.99 flat rate shipping from the US is a real deal breaker for the current supplier - even if you logged 40+40 hours in the two months you could barely get away with a pair of socks + shipping.

Wiggle would be great of course but for free money and therefore free or reduced price kit I'd be happy with any of the retailers.

Sträva won't do this themselves because it would cost them money - at the moment the retailer themselves is using it as a loss leader to get new customers, or to get sales they wouldn't normally.

I works though as a technology I have $10 sitting on my account after a couple of days ready to spend picking up my rides nicely. I may have to use what I earn to send a present to a US based friend !

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PonteD | 8 years ago
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Shame they can't introduce this themselves purely as money off in their store (this doesn't need a partner after all). I'd quite like to get some of the challenge jerseys, but not at the ridiculous prices they charge (especially the shipping charges) maybe if they do get a UK partner they could also stock the strava kit for them as well and offer money off said kit using strava-miles.

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Housecathst | 8 years ago
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Brilliant, I hope it's wiggle

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sanderville | 8 years ago
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I bet it will be Wiggle.

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TheHound | 8 years ago
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Who makes money out of this?

Is it advertising for the shop involved?

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sam_bennett replied to TheHound | 8 years ago
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Well it may be premium only users, in which case presumably an uptake in premium accounts from strava.

Also if the shop is exclusively used, i'm guessing they'll get a bigger market share and people will spend whatever they've earned on things they wouldn't have baught in the first place?

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Erm.....its me | 8 years ago
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This could be Tangfastic

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PhillBrown replied to Erm.....its me | 8 years ago
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Erm.....its me wrote:

This could be Tangfastic

 24  41  21

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PhillBrown replied to Erm.....its me | 8 years ago
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Erm.....its me wrote:

This could be Tangfastic

 24  41  21

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mrmo | 8 years ago
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I looked at competitive cyclist, but the shipping charges are ridiculous. Now if they partner with Wiggle... Lots of free haribo.

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