Strava unveils new 3D terrain to help with route-planning

Strava has unveiled a helpful new tool to improve your route-planning, with 3D terrain view. 

The new feature, which went live on Wednesday (September 22), lets you better visualise the climbs and descents as you map your route on Strava. 

This 3D Terrain View is the latest update for Strava subscribers, along with a new “Featured Map” style, which now lets you customise your map when you upload your ride to the social media platform, allowing you to choose a Black Lives Matter or Pride themed activity. 

Strava says these map styles are part of the “fundamental belief that the platform is a place for every athlete and every athlete deserves to feel safe doing their sport.”

Map styles are free to all users and are available on the mobile app only.  

The 3D terrain feature is available on the website version of Strava, and gives you a better look at the topography and elevation as your plan your activity and runs alongside the Global Heatmap and Personal Heatmaps, which all help you find the perfect ride. 

Earlier this month, Strava finally added the gear options to its mobile app, letting you share your bike, shoes and other kit with an activity.  

Listing your gear has been a long-standing feature of the web browser version of Strava, but the social media for athletes has recently updated the app so you can give more details about your ride from your phone. 

The update went live on September 15, and now lets you add your gear, shoes and bike to your athlete profile. 

You can then gauge the mileage for each piece of kit, helping you to plan maintenance, upgrades, and care of your bike.  

Last year, Strava made sweeping changes in the hopes of becoming a profitable organisation, by encouraging more people to cough up and pay for membership.

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The decision decision to remove a number of free features, including leaderboards and segment analysis, proved controversial, as a Strava subscription costs £47.99 for the year, or £6.99 if you pay monthly.