Strava has announced a new partnership with Mapbox – an open-source mapping platform that provides features such as maps, location search and navigation to app developers – to enhance its static map.
While Strava previously used a more standard map, which often emphasised car-oriented features such as highway numbers, the new map is optimised to highlight more information that’s relevant to cyclists and runners.
Strava says that the enhanced map will show more trail names, elevation contours and will also include improved rendering of GPS tracks, thanks to a new smoothing algorithm.
The addition of elevation contours might seem like a minor addition at first glance, but it should vastly improve route planning because you’re now able to more easily seek out (or avoid) the hills and mountains. Frankly, it's a feature that seems so useful we’re wondering how it's taken this long to arrive.
And while the trail names might not be useful for the majority of road cyclists, they’ll definitely come in handy for gravel riders and mountain bikers.
For any cyclists who have been living under a rock, you can download Strava for iOS and Android now.
