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Strava Beacon offers peace of mind through restricted live tracking

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Strava-Beacon_map

Strava wants to make athletes a bit safer while out exploring trails or just putting time in on the road training solo. So the newest addition to their Strava Premium features is the new Beacon tool that lets you share your real-time location information with a limited select group of contacts, either friends or family who want to keep an eye on you from home. Available through their mobile app, Beacon makes it easy to give your loved ones some peace of mind while you are out exercising on your own, without having to sacrifice your online security by opening up your location publicly. Check out how it works after the break….

Beacon is built into the latest version of the Strava iOS and Android apps, and is available only to paid Premium members.

From the app’s Record screen, you activate Beacon through the icon of a person’s head emitting a signal and then add up to 3 safety contacts. Strava will send them an SMS with a URL to follow once you begin an activity where they can follow your movement live on a map and even seen the remaining battery power of your device.  Your safety contacts don’t need to be Strava users and they will be saved for one touch notification on future activities if you want.

Strava.com

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17 Comments
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PROEDGEBIKER.COM
8 years ago

isn’t this sort of what the new Garmin does?

Dale
Dale
8 years ago

So this means I must have strava running on my phone, sucking up battery using the GPS, the entire time I’m running or cycling? Work this into a Garmin somehow and it’s perfect. But killing my phone battery during the ride sorta makes me unsafe as well if I ever need to use it.

mateo
mateo
8 years ago
Reply to  Dale

Tons of people are using Strava during their rides, so it is already “sucking up battery”. I’m sure this would use some additional power due to transmitting, but the GPS isn’t a factor for anyone using the app already.

myke2241
myke2241
8 years ago
Reply to  mateo

Yea but all power is critical. If you have had the luxury of riding in a remote area with your phone of course, then you would understand power consumption is much higher when signal is roaming or lost.

I have used the Garmin variant I good amount. I can’t see a reason for someone to buy into Strava paid service just for this feature.

jlg
jlg
8 years ago
Reply to  myke2241

Myke2241, how can you not see it would make sense if you don’t have a Garmin ?

dr_lha
dr_lha
8 years ago

You mean text people that you’ve died in a crash, when you just came to a stop?

Alex
Alex
8 years ago

How old is your phone? I have yet to notice a big drain even after multiple hours rides and switching between my virb app too..

myke2241
myke2241
8 years ago
Reply to  Alex

Do you have good reception? After 5+ hours of riding in OC Canyons / mountains my battery drain is @ 60-70%. Not bad but all it takes one app throw a wrench in that equation. I have batteries almost completely drained because of reception issues and data hogging apps! At the end of the day I rather know in a crash my phone is ok.

Phone is a iPhone 6s.

Mike Wottawa
8 years ago

This should be available to all strava members both premium and free.

Mike
Mike
8 years ago

Unless this works where there’s limited or no cell coverage, not sure the point. I mean, I’m going to use it anyway because my wife is a worrier and I tend to bike alone, but most road rides are in places that are heavily trafficked already. If this sent out a higher energy pulse off in the woods to reach farther cell towers that would be more helpful (but probably not possible on an iphone).

Flatbiller
Flatbiller
8 years ago

I like how the image shows the rider in the middle of a lake.

Allan
Allan
8 years ago
Reply to  Flatbiller

LMAO “welp I guess we know what happened to Fred…”

I’m not sure what the point of this is. I guess if the little blip keeps moving, people can assume you are still out riding. OK so the blip stops… now what? I guess your family can virtually know when you got run over by that car, but it doesn’t prevent anything. I guess if you’re out mountain biking and you crash into a ravine where gps still works and you are alive but unable to move, that could be useful. But not sure the need for roadies.

Henrik
8 years ago

Road ID has a great app that does this, and is VERY gentle on your battery. Sends occasional position updates to your friend/loved one. Best of all, it notifies them is you stop moving for 5 min (or any time you program it for). LOVE that bit – in case I can’t get to phone after running off a trail or having a car encounter.

ctguru
ctguru
8 years ago
Reply to  Henrik

@Henrik, agree with you Road ID is an excellent app, only stopped using it as I have a new Garmin and use LiveTrack feature now

feldybikes
8 years ago

For apple users there’s also the FInd My Friends app.

fuddsker
fuddsker
8 years ago

If carrying an iPhone, just use the Find iPhone utility. Just have to give your sign in info to whoever you want to be able to find you should you never return.

FredDerf
FredDerf
8 years ago

Google “Android Device Manager” would work like the Find iPhone utility as well –

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