Two very similar road cycling apps, but with important differences. One focuses more on in-depth training analysis, the other is more intuitive and social.
Details make the difference
Tell me what technology you use and I'll tell you what kind of cyclist you are. Yes, because among true road cycling enthusiasts, using one of these two technologies, Garmin or Strava , to measure distances, times, and performance has become very common, almost indispensable. Sometimes the differences are macro, sometimes microscopic, but they represent important details. Let's find out.
What are Garmin and Strava for?
Garmin and Strava could be defined as the two giants of sports apps , especially for cycling. How do they work? By connecting them to your smartphone, GPS system, bike computer, or heart rate monitor, you can record and then download all your training data to your phone or PC: distance traveled, time, average speed, elevation gain, calories burned, and so on. Why is it useful and important? To track performance, measure improvements, compare yourself with other cyclists, and download routes so you can repeat them later.
Garmin: a name, a guarantee
For several years now, Garmin has been one of the best-known and most widely used technologies for measuring sports performance for runners and cyclists. Garmin cycling computers are mounted on millions of bikes worldwide and are produced in various models and series.
Garmin's advantage is precisely that it offers the complete package: the computer and the app for downloading data. Through its sensors, the bike computer displays and records in real time:
- distance traveled
- real-time speed
- average speed
- travel time (actual)
- total difference in altitude
- heart rate (if integrated with heart rate monitor)
- calories burned ( find out why it's important to eat well )
- route map
This is all the data you need to accurately measure your performance. Once your workout is over, this data can be easily downloaded to the Garmin Connect app. It's a completely free road bike app designed to intelligently and comprehensively interact with the entire Garmin accessories range.
This app lets you download and analyze a wealth of useful, interesting, and even fun data: from training stats to route maps, from race calendars to goals, from training progress to comparisons with other athletes. Thanks to a global community, Garmin Connect also lets you share your training and competition results with athletes around the world, allowing you to compare notes, find ways to improve, and even spark a little healthy competition.
The application has a customizable interface and is obviously available for both PC and smartphone, so you always have all your performance data at hand.
Strava, a social world
Strava, like Garmin Connect, is an application for cyclists that allows you to monitor and analyze all the most important data and aspects relating to your performance during races and training sessions.
It can be connected to iPhones and Android smartphones, GPS watches, cycling computers like Garmin, and many other devices. After downloading your activity data, you can access it easily and intuitively to track your performance progress, plan a workout schedule, view route maps, and compare yourself with thousands of other cyclists.
And it's precisely this social aspect that is Strava's strong point, an application now commonly considered the social network for athletes . On Strava, you have your own profile, you can join and create groups, share your activities, and follow those of others. Just like on the most popular social networks, the more followers you have, the more your posts can be seen, commented on, reshared, and kudos (as Likes on Strava are called).
A Strava group can spark many activities: from creating communities and training groups to forming clubs and teams. You can compete with others, record your times on a given route, and view the updated leaderboard.
Strava also lets you let others know where you are, in real time. By activating the Beacon feature, your friends and family can see your location, a very useful feature in an emergency, or to meet up and continue training together. In short, it's not just a social network, but a whole world where you can meet, discuss, and share data, goals, projects... and so many emotions, all tied to the world of cycling.
Commonalities and differences
Although Garmin Connect and Strava are competitors in the app world, the interesting fact is that Strava interacts very well with the Garmin cycling computer . The two applications, in their main functions, are very similar: both are available for iOS and Android, downloadable to PC and smartphone, and with the ability to share data and images with others.
The differences? While Garmin offers a little more depth in data analysis, Strava is more intuitive and undoubtedly the social network par excellence for cyclists , as well as one of the largest route mapping resources in the world .
Garmin Connect is completely free , while Strava provides 80% of its features in free mode, but requires a premium account to take advantage of its full range of features.
Conclusion
Tools aren't all the same, but they're often very similar, like Garmin and Strava. Which one should you choose? Perhaps a final decision isn't necessary, because you can also use both apps, which complement each other in some ways. The choice is yours!
What's important to know is that both apps are the absolute best for analyzing and tracking cycling activity . So, whichever one you decide to use, the important thing is to measure what you do to track data and improve, and share it so your experiences can enrich others.
