One of the most popular cycling and running apps on the market, Strava combines activity tracking, competition, route planning and social networking all into a single powerful platform.
Using GPS data, Strava enables users to record or upload activities, allowing users to analyse performance metrics such as distance, speed, elevation, heart rate and power.
Whether vying for leaderboard glory on preset segments, planning the next route, joining clubs, or encouraging friends with messages and ‘kudos,’ Strava makes every ride more engaging.
A Premium subscription unlocks advanced features, including training plans, in-depth performance analytics, route recommendation, and tools like Beacon for real-time location sharing, ensuring safety and progression for every athlete.
During the holiday season, Strava is offering a premium Strava gift subscription for $79.99, which gives the recipient access to all the advanced features for 12 months and won’t auto-renew.
Ride with GPS is a powerful navigation and route-planning platform designed specifically for cyclists. This versatile tool lets users create, discover, record and share cycling routes and activities, all while offering real-time navigation and performance tracking through its smartphone app.
While its robust route creation tools are impressive, one of the platform's standout features is its vast library of user-uploaded routes. Whether you're exploring a new area or seeking fresh adventures close to home, Ride with GPS makes it easy to find a route to tackle. Routes can be sent straight to your cycling computer or smartphone for navigation.
Upgrading from the free version unlocks a wealth of advanced features, including detailed route planning, surface type data –a beloved feature for gravel cyclists–, turn-by-turn navigation, offline maps, and a mobile route planner with heatmaps highlighting popular roads and trails nearby.
During the holiday subscription campaign, anyone can buy a Premium yearly gift subscription, which unlocks 15 months of use for the price of 12. You can buy it as a gift or take advantage of the three free months by buying a subscription for yourself (even if you already have one!).
If the cyclist in your life prefers the paths less travelled and is most often found on wide, knobby tyres, then Komoot may be the route-planning platform for them. This versatile app is built for adventurers of all types who love to explore off the beaten path. Komoot makes it easy to plan, navigate and track outdoor routes and offers detailed, turn-by-turn directions and offline maps when out in the backcountry.
What sets Komoot apart is its personalised route recommendations based on terrain, fitness level and activity type, ensuring each route is tailored to your specific needs. KOMOOT has more than 35 million users worldwide and the platform houses thousands of tailored adventures—designed around things you want to prioritise like views, public transportation access, cafe stops, parks, camping sites – even the weather.
Zwift is the leading platform for indoor riding, training and racing, blending the intensity of real-world workouts with the excitement of gaming.
When time is tight or the weather isn’t cooperating, cyclists can jump onto their trainer and join riders from across the globe in various virtual worlds. Whether following a structured training plan, racing against others, or just riding for fun, Zwift transforms indoor cycling into an engaging experience that feels anything but stationary.
While Zwift doesn’t currently offer gift subscriptions, you can still surprise a cyclist with a Zwift Digital Card. This card can be used in the Zwift shop to purchase everything needed to ride indoors – from smart trainers and heart rate monitors to cycling apparel and sweat towels.
Between the time zone differences and lack of broadcasting, it can be pretty tough to be a cycling fan outside of Europe, the home of professional road cycling.
Most North American cycling fans, especially, will be familiar with the constant scramble to find live-streaming coverage. To ease the struggle, you can surprise your cycling fan with a VPN subscription.
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) subscription allows users to securely connect to servers in different locations, making it appear as though they are browsing from that region. This opens up access to geo-restricted content, meaning your cycling fan can easily watch live races, on-demand content, and exclusive broadcasts that may otherwise be unavailable in their home country.
NordVPN is one of the very best VPNs around for streaming and allows you to select from hundreds of different country locations. You can get 60% off NordVPN through this link.
Nothing beats flicking through a good magazine! If you're enjoying our digital content, why not subscribe to our weekly print magazine as well? With every issue, you’ll get the best of the cycling world delivered straight to your door—or tablet!--packed with exclusive content, expert advice, and much more.
TV Subscription for the Tour de France
(Image credit: Getty Images / Tim De Waele)
In the United States, NBC's Peacock is the only broadcaster that airs every stage of the Tour de France (along with several other live cycling events).
Cycling Weekly'sNorth American Editor, Anne-Marije Rook is old school. She holds a degree in journalism and started out as a newspaper reporter — in print! She can even be seen bringing a pen and notepad to the press conference.
Originally from The Netherlands, she grew up a bike commuter and didn't find bike racing until her early twenties when living in Seattle, Washington. Strengthened by the many miles spent darting around Seattle's hilly streets on a steel single speed, Rook's progression in the sport was a quick one. As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon she became a full-time cycling journalist. She's now been a cycling journalist for 11 years.
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