I'm guessing some of you may be using Strava as a way of recording your training and recreational routes and details. It seems millions around the world do.
I have never understood how the Strava business model works but assumed those posting routes probably paid a fee,
Until a few days ago I was using a free service callled Strava Heatmap. It was very useful in looking at an area and finding where the traiuls actually went and which were the popular trails. Those would have a darker line meaning more traffic so more 'heat'.
Now it seems Strava will charge $6/month for anyone to use any of their service - even the heatmap. Strava users: am I reading that correctly?
Strava I'm sure is worth $6/ month for regular users but for the odd persom such as I who wants to look once every 2-3 months that seems a little steep.
Does anyone know of a by-pass of the fee just to look at the heatmap?
I "use" Strava but not the paid service, just the autoupload from Garmin that essentially just lists my activities. I have no interest in using the full service when I'm already using AP for data analysis. I only use it because my boss wanted me to go on there to motivate my colleagues. I don't think it's working (our group of ten has run 19km so far this week; I've covered 14.5 of those). Strava is presently trying to get me to sign up to a 60 day free trial for the full service, obviously to get me hooked so I continue with the paid service when the free one expires.
Our mapping coordinator has recently sent me Strava heatmaps for a couple of MTBO maps that I'm drawing so I'll ask him if he knows of any change to their policy.
I don't use Strava, but I just went to their website and was able to look at a fuzzy heatmap. It looked like if I signed up for a free account it would get less fuzzy.
For about 2 years now, you've needed to be logged into strava (a free account will work) to zoom into
strava.com/heatmap beyond level 15 or so. That still works with my free account as of this morning.
They have a comparison page which shows the features available in free accounts vs the monthly subscription. One of the paid-only features is Personal Heatmap, where they take every run/ride/training you've ever done and generate a special map showing the places that YOU have been. This is different from the Global Heatmap (linked above), which shows EVERYONE'S anonymized travel on one universal map.
I expect the Global Heatmap will stay available to anyone with a free account, and Personal Heatmaps will require a paid subscription.
Thanks for the information folks.
You are still getting the free high res Heatmap?
Now I have to figure out why when I log into the free account I have had for several years it is giving me a blank screen and an offer of account for $6/ month. This on both my computers.
I also have a free account and the full heatmap on my computer. Have you tried accessing the heatmap from the phone app? If you click on the map in any activity, there should be a heatmap checkbox in the map layers. It's in the map layers when you are recording a track with the phone app.
Phone app? I don't want or have a phone app. I bring the heatmap up on the computer, Take a screenshot/ snip of it to put in the background for a new orienteering map.
Open Street Map often shows the official trails.
Strava Heatmap shows the trails people are actually using.
I think the Strava Heatmap editor for Open Street Maps still works:
https://strava.github.io/iD/You can trace the info from heatmaps and load it to Open Street Map.
@gordhun wrote: You are still getting the free high res Heatmap?
Yes. As long as I'm logged into strava in that browser, I see the detailed heatmap. Just zoomed way into Waterloo, ON as a test.
strava.com/heatmap shows a link to my profile and a log out option in the upper right menu, so it recognizes me as logged in to my free account. Maybe you could try logging out and back in again?
Did you try different browsers on your computers? It might be that strava heatmap is not supported by some. Anyways, a free deleting the excisting account and making a new one could maybe help solve the problem.
Thanks folks for the great suggestions.
One other thing thta I notice is new for me. When I go to Strava heatmap it zooms in to a location close to where I am. Formerly it was centered somewhere over California. Have you all noticed that change or is perhaps that change part of the thing causing me problems?
I also don't have a Strava account. I just log in using Facebook.
I have had no issues accessing the Strava heatmap both logged in (it might be the only thing I use Strava for) and not logged in.
I did notice about a week ago instead of the default account login heatmap location of California it was centerred on Ottawa. As a Canadian account I suppose that makes sense, but California is closer for me ;)
Funny thing: As you know I was having that problem with the Strava Heatmap not showing up.
No one else was reporting the same problem. In the process I learned some interesting things.
So I fiddled and farted with different things including laoding a few of my tracks to Strava and then BINGO the Heatmap is back working on my computers.
I can't be sure the uploads helped fix the problem but sometimes if you kick enough tires or bang the side of the vending machine you can get things to work.
Thanks all for your help.
Strava began to move more and more functions into the premium paid service a year or more ago. With reference to your OP - so they can start to make some money.
I'm having the same trouble Gord was having a year ago. I would really love to have access to the high resolution heat map for the area in Kingston Ontario surrounded by Coronation Blvd to the W, Taylor Kidd to the North, Collins Bay Rd to the East and the lake to the South.
Any chance someone can get me a screenshot of that?
Sending it to you via e-mail ericT@the store.
What a great looking area!
Gord can you maybe send it to jeff@navigationsports.ca?
I think Strava has two kinds of heatmaps, one behind the firewall for paid users and one that is accessible--the global heatmap.
https://www.strava.com/heatmap#12.44/-76.47827/44....
Brian, one does not have to pay anything to become a user and get access to the global heatmap. I sign in with my free Facebook subscription and turns out I was able to send Jeff the higher resolution he was seeking. (I don't know what plans he has for that map but it looks like a great area with an awesome trail network, as demonstrated by the Strava Heatmap)
To clarify. Gord, you are correct, the global heatmap is accessible to the public but at some point the zoom feature maxes out. If you log into Strava (free or paid subscription) then the zoom is more powerful/higher resolution. On the other hand, the personal heatmap is a Strava Subscription Feature.
No Brian,
With the Facebook log in I can zoom in to a few sq meters.
I did not even know there is a personal heatmap. I have no need of it. When using strava for mapping I'm only interested in what trails other people are using and where they are going. Sure takes a lot of surprises out of fieldwork.
I get my own tracks from Garmin connect or sometimes a straight extraction of a gpx file from my hard drive.
Gord, you are logging in via your FB account so yes, you get access to global heatmap. Strava allows login via FB, Google, Apple or Strava. If you don't log in then the global heat map zoom feature is limited. That's my understanding.
This thread is certainly limited.
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