WNCGoater

Okay, I ran Map My Ride for a while, mostly mtn biking and was satisfied. Now on my road bike, I've also been running Strava lately. Can't tell a bunch of difference between the two. I run them as a phone app, no GPS device, and I run them both as I ride. I hate being undecided but can't seem to firmly come down on one or the other. I probably need to run only one, running two uses more battery power. I recently rode and completed a century with both going but the battery was below 10% when finished at 6.5 hours. I'm currently only using the free apps as I can't see any real benefit to the premium subscription.

So I'm sort of leaning toward Strava now. Strava seems a little more "polished" perhaps. I also like the tracking of my own PR's and the segment sections comparisons with numerous PR's and KOM's. Not that I'm competitive against others, but I like to see how I'm doing, where I stand as an older dude against the real riders. I also like trying to best my PR's on certain segments of routes I ride. MMR doesn't track quite those same stats and particularly segments aren't really followed quite like on Strava. It is apparent Strava is much more popular in my area.
On the other hand, IF I decided to run the premium subscription, MMR is $30 vs $60 for Strava. As I said, at this point I see no reason to upgrade beyond the free service.

As it is, I see no reason to continue using both though I do have a fear of one crashing and losing my data if I use only one. In the great scheme of things, I suppose it isn't like that is a life or death situation. Generally speaking, I use things that are useful in life and don't worry about the rest. I hate being so wishy-washy about something so unimportant but for some reason I cannot decide which one to cut loose.

So those of you who use a phone app, which of these two do you run and why?

DrIsotope

I'm on Strava (premium.) Monthly challenges, segments, workout plans, and a much more polished phone app were the deciding factors. I don't sweat the monthly fee at all-- it's probably the cheapest recurring bike-related expense I have.

dr_lha

This is mostly a personal preference thing, but for me it's Strava.

Even if you don't pay for the premium, Strava don't bombard you with crap ads and their phone app feels elegantly designed (although not flawless by any means), rather than a jumble of junky UI elements and endless menus.

UnfilteredDregs

Strava for the social aspect. Good way to knit a club together. Everything else about it is neat candy. RideWithGPS for mapping routes...

HenryK

have you given Ride w GPS a look. Another option

Jarrett2

Strava for me.

cicatrize

The MMR mapping tools are spectacular. I use them for mapping my routes, but exclusively use Strava for recording my activities. I feel like the experience is a little more polished.

Seattle Forrest

I used Map My Ride briefly at the beginning of the year (long story) and agree 100 %, in fact this is the reason I stopped using it.

Between the two I'd choose Strava and go with the free membership. It sounds like you appreciate the segments and they're popular where you ride, that should be enough.

smarkinson

Unless you have a HRM or power meter I can't recommend strava premium. The free version of strava gives you 98% of the functions if you are just using the app.

You could sign up for a month (or hope for a free trial month) to see for yourself.

I can't comment on MMR premium.

Ride with GPS has the best route maker.

floridamtb

I like MMR for the reporting capabilities, but Strava for tracking etc. Strava seems more polished in my opinion and I link to Veloviewer for more detailed metrics which I do absolutely nothing with. Best bet is to get a Garmin Edge, it synchs with both so you have your rides logged in both of them and it saves battery life on the phone.

dagray

Strava as I can input my ride from my bike computer easily to Strava, AND Strava and BKool talk to each other so that if I ride the trainer it automatically will report to Strava and when I import my ride to Strava from my bike computer it automatically will send that information to BKool.

I use a BKool Pro trainer/simulator often so that I can get in my ride even if it is windy, hot, cold, dark, icy, or other situations outside, and also with the trainer if I haven't finished the route I can still quit, save my effort for that session and shower out to keep on the schedule I have or to meet an obligation/appointment.

RPK79

+1

I've never been a fan of Map My Ride. The website is horrible and half the time I can't even get it to load. I've heard it's better for creating maps, but honestly I find Strava routes easier to create especially with the use popularity option since it allows you to pick out often used roads in areas you don't know.

RIP Chainrings

Straavaaaaa *flies downhill*

DaveLeeNC

I use Strava to track/evaluate results. But I use MMR when I want to plan a route. But I'm running with a Garmin Edge device on the road and a laptop at home (pre and post ride). But this seems to be a sensible partitions of duties for me.

dave

kbarch

I like to know where I have ridden and how I'm doing, and like to follow others, so it's Strava for me. The flyby viewer is really neat. Then there's VeloViewer for awesome stats and graphs.

I rarely map out rides beforehand and do NOT like attempting to follow a map or a cue sheet during a ride (will use the navigation system in my car when I HAVE to be somewhere or if the route is particularly complicated, but otherwise I dislike it), so MMR hasn't piqued my interest.

benlees

I use Strava for looking at the ride on the computer, but I also use Cyclemeter. Cyclemeter has a lousy web based experience, but really has a ton of stuff in the app- way more than Strava. Has a rundown of every Km, or daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly data shown per ride or as graph. Time spent at a certain value... all kinds of stuff.

Never used MMR or the gps one.

WNCGoater

Thanks for all the input. I think Strava is going to get the nod, rather than running both apps. I like some of the features of Strava just enough to go with that primarily. I can "log a workout" into MMR if I want a backup to store my ride data, and to get the weekly email updates, as well as the monthly progress updates as well.

I particularly like the segment tracking on Strava and the social feed to see what others are doing in my area and as a comparison to my own performance.
However, at the end of the day, I just want to ride my bike, enjoy it as a great stress reliever and enjoyable exercise option. The apps are just a nice addition to keep tabs on my progress.

Inpd

Interesting. More Strava users than MMR.

I tried Strava but end up with MMR because of one feature. MMR offer's instant speed on their display. For a beginner this is kind of nice as you experiment with different riding styles and as positive feedback over similar rides as you improve.

Just my 2 cents.

WNCGoater

Yeah, they both have their positive features that the other doesn't have. And they each have some shortcomings. That's what has made the decision so difficult for me and frankly, I'm not ready to scrap either one of them.
Just that it doesn't make much sense running two apps that essentially do the same thing.
I don't use either for real time tracking such as speed. I have a cateye computer that gives me instant speed and distance readouts.
I DO like the MMR calling out distances and speed every 5 miles. Strava doesn't do that.
There is also a delay when you stop before Strava detects and announces, "Pausing ride". Sometimes as much as 30 seconds and more. That delay, over the time of a long ride, effectively increases your ride time and decreases your average MPH. MMR almost always gives me a slightly higher MPH and seems to agree with the bike computer a little more closely. Again, while somewhat irritating it isn't life and death here and thus not that important. I mean, realistically, what difference does .6 mph or .4 total mileage matter over the course of 74 miles?

So we just have to decide where my priorities are and go with the app that best meets those. For me, the segment tracking of Strava, along with the irritating pop-up ads on MMR, gives the nod to Strava.

gregf83 

I have a powermeter and HRM and I still don't see any value in premium. I've had it before on a trial basis and have it now for 3 months as a result of buying a Garmin 520 but I don't use any of the premium features. Live segments on the 520 is cute but also annoying as I don't feel like attacking segments every time I ride them.

Jarrett2

I guess I should have clarified. I don't use a phone to track my rides, I use a Garmin Edge 1000 and then I have my rides auto sync to Garmin Connect, Strava and MyFitnessPal when I hit save.

I actually have MyFitnessPal get the data from Strava as their calorie estimator is WAY better than Garmin Connect.

I used to use my phone as my ride computer, but once I switched to the Garmin there's just no going back. Way better.

series1811

Strava.

MMR is for people who ride with gel seat covers, raised stems and plastic pedals.

BigC_82

I use mmr and I find it easy to creating courses(like segments). I also have their premium membership for live tracking for my family members. I also like the live coaching to work on different aspects of my workout.

MCODave

I am a long time Map My Run user who recently got back into cycling.

As much as I wanted to like the Map My Ride it just wasn't doing it for me, and mostly it just wasn't being used by the other guys I ride with. So now I do all my riding with Strava and all my running with MMR.

It's not really a pain to use both since i use them for different things. I use my phone (in a jersey pocket for riding and in an armband for running) and it doesn't seem to bog down my phone at all having both apps since they are never running at the same time.

TimothyH

Agreed. Their route planner is blazing fast compared to Strava and has the best features by far.

Map Bike Rides with Elevation Profiles, Analyze Cycling Performance, Train Better. Ride With GPS


Current speed is not just for beginners and unless they fixed it recently, the latest update for Strava does not have it. They show average speed instead which is all but useless on a ride. Many premium members were furious when they lost current speed at the last app update and lack of current speed makes Strava a a non-starter for me as my primary app.


-Tim-