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TECH NEWS

Strava adds ‘Points of Interest’ to its mapping tool

Landmarks, bike shops and cafes are marked out on the app and browser for subscribers and free users

Strava is expanding its ‘Maps’ tool with ‘Points of Interest’ now highlighted on the map in the app and browser to help users plan where to go and find essentials while on the move.

> Strava Premium (annual subscription)

The social fitness giant says it has combined the Open Street Maps’ database with the heatmap of its 95 million global athletes to identify the most popular spots and locations to be marked out on the map for its users. 

> Strava releases annual Year in Sport report revealing 2021 activity trends

When route planning, the base maps in the Strava app and on the browser now shows points of interest, which includes peaks, landmarks, photo spots, bike shops as well as popular start points. 

“While on the move, athletes in need of toilet facilities, water refill, or a snack break can reroute themselves to points like a water fountain, service station, or cafe via the Maps tab when the need arises,” Strava adds.

> How to make the most of Strava’s exploring features for your next adventure

It’s accessible on the web via the 'Routes' function, and through the 'Maps' tab on mobile.

This new feature will be available for all athletes on the platform, whether you have a subscription or not.

The Points of Interest tool is the first update to the app this year. Last year’s biggest update was the new Group Challenges functionality which allowed riders to create competitions themselves against fellow Strava users for the first time.

Do you see yourself using this new function?

Anna has been hooked on bikes ever since her youthful beginnings at Hillingdon Cycle Circuit. As an avid road and track racer, she reached the heady heights of a ProCyclingStats profile before leaving for university. Having now completed an MA in Multimedia Journalism, she’s hoping to add some (more successful) results. Although her greatest wish is for the broader acceptance of wearing funky cycling socks over the top of leg warmers.

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16 comments

Avatar
GMBasix | 2 years ago
1 like

POI maps. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than switching that layer off, if possible, so that my mapping is not cluttered by points that the marketing machine insists I find interesting.

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TheBillder | 2 years ago
0 likes

The 2019 Cycling UK best cafe in Scotland isn't shown, and in the app you can't tap on a Start Point to access a route, it seems. All a bit disappointing.

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0-0 | 2 years ago
2 likes

Is there an option to turn this s**t off?
Too many start points.

Edit: I apologise for not swearing 😉

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matt_cycles | 2 years ago
0 likes

Useful feature, especially when cycling somewhere new as you can now easily see cafes/local supermarkets etc and plan where to stop.

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Steve K replied to matt_cycles | 2 years ago
1 like

matt_cycles wrote:

Useful feature, especially when cycling somewhere new as you can now easily see cafes/local supermarkets etc and plan where to stop.

I'd agree, though looking in my area it's a bit hit and miss what's included, and also some of it's out of date.  The multiple "start points" just clog up the map without adding much value, in my opinion.  

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mdavidford replied to Steve K | 2 years ago
1 like

Steve K wrote:

matt_cycles wrote:

Useful feature, especially when cycling somewhere new as you can now easily see cafes/local supermarkets etc and plan where to stop.

I'd agree, though looking in my area it's a bit hit and miss what's included, and also some of it's out of date.  The multiple "start points" just clog up the map without adding much value, in my opinion.  

Most of the 'start points' near me appear to be meeting points for club runs / parkruns. If you're in that club / into parkrun you probably know where those points are already; If you're not, they probably have little relevance to you, having been chosen as a convenient point for those people to gather / that activity to happen.

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Secret_squirrel replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
0 likes

mdavidford wrote:

Most of the 'start points' near me appear to be meeting points for club runs / parkruns. If you're in that club / into parkrun you probably know where those points are already; If you're not, they probably have little relevance to you, having been chosen as a convenient point for those people to gather / that activity to happen.

Ditto.  They seem a bit pointless.

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matt_cycles replied to Steve K | 2 years ago
0 likes

You'd question how old the data was then if it's out of date locally for you. Must admit I've not checked my local area but will look later.

Wonder if you can toggle on/off certain bits then like 'start points' so they don't clog the feed then. 

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mdavidford replied to matt_cycles | 2 years ago
1 like

It's OpenStreetMap data, so it'll be as up to date as the submissions they get from their users, presumably.

It's a bit temperamental as to what displays when - when I first looked at our town centre, only one of the two bike shops was showing. Only after zooming in and out a bit and looking at what else was there did the other one suddenly appear. As best I can work out, it's decided I'd be more interested in the nearby Indian restaurant, and I have to have the zoom level and positioning just right to convince it to show both at the same time...

cool

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Secret_squirrel replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
0 likes

mdavidford wrote:

It's OpenStreetMap data, so it'll be as up to date as the submissions they get from their users, presumably.

Not 100% OSM.  The start points obviously arent.

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visionset | 2 years ago
0 likes

You can't create/edit routes as a free user

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mdavidford replied to visionset | 2 years ago
0 likes

True, though you can explore the map on the mobile app.

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Secret_squirrel replied to visionset | 2 years ago
1 like

visionset wrote:

You can't create/edit routes as a free user

Dont worry its virtually impossible to create a route as a paid user in the app too 

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visionset replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
2 likes

Secret_squirrel wrote:

Dont worry its virtually impossible to create a route as a paid user in the app too 

I'd hate for it to happen, but if strava bought RWGPS then you'd have all the heat data and the best planning software in one.

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HoarseMann replied to visionset | 2 years ago
0 likes

visionset wrote:

I'd hate for it to happen, but if strava bought RWGPS then you'd have all the heat data and the best planning software in one.

+1. Whenever I need to plan a route somewhere unknown, I have RWGPS and Strava Heatmaps arranged side-by-side on my desktop (and it's all free if you want it to be).

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visionset replied to HoarseMann | 2 years ago
0 likes

HoarseMann wrote:

And Bing OS

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