How to map all starred Strava segments

[Jdub]

So.. I've been learning new trails where I live in the Sierra Calderona, north of Valencia in Spain. There are thousands of kms of trails around here, some of them very dodgy indeed. I needed away to organize all of my starred Strava segments to view them visually for when I plan my routes. This helps me to improve, learn new trails and not get into trouble, like trying to ascend a dh only for instance..
I've added a sweet extension to Chrome "Export gpx-track from strava.com (c) Eugene Ivanov"
It allows me to export the .gpx, which I then convert into .kml with this free tool: GPX to KML Converter Online - MyGeodata Cloud
After that, I import it to Google Earth Pro on desktop and edit as desired. I add a trail marker with a link to the Strava segment.

Call me a dork, but this has actually been pretty fun. By the time I'm done I'll have 200+ segments mapped and visible on Google Earth for when I plan routes on Strava using the heat maps. A simple visual reference and I can plan epic journeys with ease! I hope this is helpful for anyone out there.
Here's the first couple dozen mapped. Cool colors for ascents and warm for downs!

 

[Tim1023]

You are a dork. Own it. Be proud of it. Looks like the sort of thing I would try if I had that range of runs near me.
Excellent job!
I'm also into graphical representation of data using Tableau.

 

[Gary]

I'm far too hungover to actually understand what you've done nevermind read all the trail names or try to work out which trail goes with which label but I'd have thought so long as your STRAVA segments are public they'd show up on Strava's segment explore and heat maps already?
And wouldn't it have been easier to just add them all to trailforks?
Does Google earth even have a GPS mapping app?

 

[Jdub]

Yeah Gary, that would be nice. Unfortunately, Strava has an inexplicable hatred of ebikes. Favorited segments are not visible on the map if they are ebike segments, they don't show up when you search for them.. They're basically hidden. And, as far as I know, there's no way to lay out multiple segments on Trailforks on one map. Google Earth's mapping capabilities aren't bad, but basically I'm just importing the exact segments and labeling them, so no need to actually map anything.

 

[Gary]

Ah.. sorry. I'd forgotten Ebike segments were even a thing.
I rarely ever look at Strava as I just use it for totting up my mileage with all my activities set to private.

as far as I know, there's no way to lay out multiple segments on Trailforks on one map.

Other than an occasional look on the laptop to check roughly where a trail is before looking for it the old skool way (ie. riding from memory to the area and looking for the start/end) I rarely ever actually look at trailforks... but surely all segments added individually will show on the area map when zoomed in/out appropriately?

 

[Jdub]

Ah.. sorry. I'd forgotten Ebike segments were even a thing.
I rarely ever look at Strava as I just use it for totting up my mileage with all my activities set to private.

Other than an occasional look on the laptop to check roughly where a trail is before looking for it the old skool way (ie. riding from memory to the area and looking for the start/end) I rarely ever actually look at trailforks... but surely all segments added individually will show on the area map when zoomed in/out appropriately?

Nope, no ebike segments show up ever, even when zoomed in on the segment and I refresh. No worries, I have a work around.
Yeah, I hear you on the oldschool riding style. Until recently, I never even had a Strava account. The fact that I've only lived in this area for 8 months and I'm unfamiliar with the local trails pushed me into exploring Strava. Honestly, I love the competition, both with myself, and with others. I'm having a blast and have improved as a rider by leaps and bounds. It helps to have a local friend who is a master at Enduro (former professional competitor) who has been showing me trails and teaching me the ropes.

 

[Gary]

Ah. didn't realise Strava explore doesn't show Ebike segments
Trailforks actually has an Ebike tab and its Ebike segments definitely show on the maps at all levels of zoom.

Back when Strava was new I used it all the time and made use of most of its features paying attention segment times and compare my times against the leaderboards/friends etc. on road and off road. But I ditched most social media a good few years back including Strava followers and along with riding Emtbs as well as normal bikes my interest in Strava times quickly wained.
Strava Premium now costs way more than I'd personally value the data. Pretty much all of which was originally available free (through Strava and third party apps which Strava has now bought and swallowed up). two or three years ago it was still fairly good value. (if you do value that sort of thing).

I see you're from Valencia. I have a friend I visit who lives nr Picassent (nr Torrent). Due to covid I haven't visited for a few years but when I do I always take a bike (road or mtb) with me. Found some lovely natural singletrack trails in the hills not far from my friends house and some good (although very flat) road routes. I love the respect the Spanish drivers give to road cyclists.
Whenever I've ridden in the area I noticed straight away how much quiter Strava seemed than over here. way smaller leaderboards and way less segments. Has it become any more popular now?
Do you know

 

[Jdub]

I like trailforks for the rich information on certain trails. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be used much here and most of the really challenging trails aren't listed.. Also, even with the ebike tab selected, none of the ebike segments show up.

Yes, Strava needs to deliver much more imo. They seem to have grown beyond their capacity to innovate and improve.

I'm on the opposite side of Valencia from Picassent, in the north close to Naquera. Very mountainous with countless trails for every level. Spain is very friendly when it comes to all types of biking. I would say road biking is by far the most dominant but mtb and now emtb is also very popular. The road bikers love it out here, as nearly all the roads have a very wide shoulder painted red, just for the bikers.

I'm not sure about Strava compared to where you are as I can't see your profile. The UK? I think it's highly regional and where I am there's quite a lot of activity. That being said, when I go out on a weekday, I often only see road bikers and can do 50 km without passing a single mtb. All I know is these dudes that hold the KOM's are absolute beasts, many of them race competitively.

When you make it back over here, give me a shout and we can go for a ride!

 

[Gary]

I like trailforks for the rich information on certain trails. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be used much here and most of the really challenging trails aren't listed..

It's users upload them. so upload your 200 to the database
"build it and they will come" n all that

even with the ebike tab selected, none of the ebike segments show up.

Weird.
They all show here.

Yes, Strava needs to deliver much more imo. They seem to have grown beyond their capacity to innovate and improve.

don't know how long you've used it for but I'd say what they deliver isn't an issue at all. Just what they're now charging users.
FWIW they've never been particualrly great or fast at implementing anything new. and a lot of Strava's curent features were built by frustrated users to be shared and many of the more popular solutions were then BOUGHT and implemented by strava rather than truely innovating.

I'm not sure about Strava compared to where you are as I can't see your profile. The UK? I think it's highly regional and where I am there's quite a lot of activity. That being said, when I go out on a weekday, I often only see road bikers and can do 50 km without passing a single mtb. All I know is these dudes that hold the KOM's are absolute beasts, many of them race competitively.

I'm in Scotland. The area in the trail forks map above is in a hilly rural area of southern Scotland which happens to be one of the busiest for mtb in Scotland. it's about 30 minutes drive from my door. Where I live is far more popular for road cycling. Typically a Strava leaderboard here on a popular trail or road segment has thousands of riders.
Just took a look at a road segment close to Valencia on the road to cullera (because I know it's v. popular) and it's been ridden by around 16000 strava users. right around the same number as a busy coast road 10 miles outside Edinburgh and close to me. Edinburgh's population is around half of Valencia's
I've no idea how busy your mtb trails are but "Spooky Woods" A popular mtb Red grade trail descent on the map I posted above has seen 23000 individual Strava users.
Many many professional cyclists ride these areas too including multiple DH world champions, XC and road Olympians and EWS racers. The area has a long history of being used for national DH, XC, endurance mtb and Enduro racing and the Enduro world series and Tour of Britain (road) have each visited the area twice. So KOM's are often world class times and the talent from riders from young to old is high.

When you make it back over here, give me a shout and we can go for a ride!

Thanks. I definitely will. I loved the trails I found on my own so a guide would be immense!

 

[Jdub]

It's users upload them. so upload your 200 to the database
"build it and they will come" n all that

I guess I can start contributing there with all the riding I'm doing lately.

Weird.
They all show here.

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don't know how long you've used it for but I'd say what they deliver isn't an issue at all. Just what they're now charging users.
FWIW they've never been particualrly great or fast at implementing anything new. and a lot of Strava's curent features were built by frustrated users to be shared and many of the more popular solutions were then BOUGHT and implemented by strava rather than truely innovating.

True. They have also shut down a lot of promising projects that were working with their api. Veloviewer is still around and a great place to study trails that are tricky before riding them.

I'm in Scotland. The area in the trail forks map above is in a hilly rural area of southern Scotland which happens to be one of the busiest for mtb in Scotland. it's about 30 minutes drive from my door. Where I live is far more popular for road cycling. Typically a Strava leaderboard here on a popular trail or road segment has thousands of riders.
Just took a look at a road segment close to Valencia on the road to cullera (because I know it's v. popular) and it's been ridden by around 16000 strava users. right around the same number as a busy coast road 10 miles outside Edinburgh and close to me. Edinburgh's population is around half of Valencia's
I've no idea how busy your mtb trails are but "Spooky Woods" A popular mtb Red grade trail descent on the map I posted above has seen 23000 individual Strava users.
Many many professional cyclists ride these areas too including multiple DH world champions, XC and road Olympians and EWS racers. The area has a long history of being used for national DH, XC, endurance mtb and Enduro racing and the Enduro world series and Tour of Britain (road) have each visited the area twice. So KOM's are often world class times and the talent from riders from young to old is high.

Interesting comparisons. Yes, now that I know you're in Scotland.. Epic for mtb, my friend Steve who is mentoring me is from Aberdeen. He competed in DH and enduro throughout Scotland before moving to Spain. He's in his 40's like me, but still holds quite a lot of KOM's in the area. Looking at "Spooky Woods", there's really no comparison. I would say our most popular trails in the area have maybe 15% of the users you see there.

Indeed, Scotland is on my shortlist for places I want to do some extensive rides. How often do you head up to Glentress Forest? It looks epic. I love watching youtube ride-alongs in the Scotland hills.


Thanks. I definitely will. I loved the trails I found on my own so a guide would be immense!

We've got a little crew I go riding with sometimes. I'm sure you'd love Steve, he's a wealth of knowledge.

 

[Jdub]

Hmm Trailforks, I guess I can start contributing there with all the riding I'm doing lately.

Yes, Strava is becoming an oppressive regime. They've shut down/ or bought a lot of promising projects that were working with their api. Veloviewer is still around and a great place to study trails that are tricky before riding them.

Interesting comparisons. Yes, now that I know you're in Scotland.. Epic for mtb, my friend Steve who is mentoring me is from Aberdeen. He competed in DH and enduro throughout Scotland before moving to Spain. He's in his 40's like me, but still holds quite a lot of KOM's in the area. Looking at "Spooky Woods", there's really no comparison. I would say our most popular trails in the area have maybe 15% of the users you see there.

Indeed, Scotland is on my shortlist for places I want to do some extensive rides. How often do you head up to Glentress Forest? It looks epic. I love watching youtube ride-alongs in the Scotland hills.


"Thanks. I definitely will. I loved the trails I found on my own so a guide would be immense!"

We've got a little crew I go riding with sometimes. I'm sure you'd love Steve, he's a wealth of knowledge.

 

[Gary]

Glentress is just to the left/West of the trailforks map I posted. Its 40mins drive from here. I've ridden there on and off for almost 30 years. A very different forest now to what it was back in the early 90s
There's a pretty good chance I might know Steve if he raced SDA DH.
If you ever make it over this way I'd be happy to show you around.

 

[Jdub]

Cheers Gary, I may just take you up on it. My son is studying down in Bristol and we want to come visit and make a tour up north to Scotland. The retched never-ending Covid has delayed our plans but hopefully this year.