Strava unveils new segment feature that lets you top leaderboards without being fastest

Strava has unveiled a fascinating new segment feature that lets you top a leaderboard without being the fastest rider.

‘Local Legends’ is a unique new addition to the cycling and running social media app, which introduces a new way of competing on local segments.

Leaders in the new classification will be determined based on the highest number of efforts on a particular segment, so it’s consistency rather than speed that matters.

The feature will be rolled out in phases across the world and is available in the US from Wednesday (June 10), but will not be available in the UK until July 15.

Strava has introduced Local Legends as a more inclusive way of competing on segments, as riders who aren’t necessarily the fastest will be rewarded for their efforts.

The feature is currently in a BETA version and is available in seven states in the US.

Once you have access to Local Legends, head over to your most recent run or ride and look at your segment results. You’ll see a new section added to the segment details page – click through to see who the Local Legend is on that segment.

Strava recently underwent a major shake-up as the company tries to become profitable.

Local Legends will be awarded based on their rolling number of efforts over 90 days.

The San Francisco-based fitness app has removed the free leaderboards feature and segment analysis, instead making them only available to paying subscribers, which proved controversial for some users.

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

To simplify the offering, it’s doing away with the somewhat shortlived ‘Summit’ model and replacing this with one subscription price, at £4 a month, whilst offering current non-paying members a 60-day free trial.

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The new subscription changes were introduced last month, after company bosses revealed Strava had not been a profitable company since it was set up in 2009.