Strava, a popular app for tracking hikes and runs, is transitioning into a social media platform for fitness enthusiasts. Users can now message other Strava profiles either one-on-one or in groups. This allows users to coordinate community runs and share exact routes or activities on the app.
Previously, athletes had to use other platforms like WhatsApp or Facebook to discuss meetup events outside of Strava. With the new chat feature, users can control who can send them messages and also have the ability to manage group chats by adding or removing participants.
In addition to messaging, Strava also offers features like reacting to messages with gifs or likes. With over 100 million users and 40 million activities uploaded per week, Strava is aiming to become a hub for fitness-focused individuals to connect in real life. The app has also integrated music streaming and made some of its features accessible to free users to continue growing its user base.