Allow activities to specify and include multiple segment types

[hwalm]

It would be useful to be able to specify that an activity includes segments of multiple types. I have segments specified for walks but I like to class scrambling or rough walk activities as hikes to single them out. Hike activities may include walk segments but when this happens the walk segments are not associated with the activity. Similarly hike or walk segments that are followed on activities I class as rock climbs are not associated with the activity. A day rock climbing could easily involve segments of mountain biking, hiking and walking. It makes no sense to recreate the segments and falsely call them rock climbing just so they are recorded. Hence It would be useful if it was possible, for each individual activity, to be able to specify what segment types should be included. A default of just the main activity type with an option to select others would be ideal.

[marcoregalia]

I do a lot of trail running, hiking and mountaineering and realized there are different leaderboards and segments for each type of activity: that creates a lot of confusion when choosing the activity type as this choice will modify the segments available and the position on the leaderboards.

I noticed that in bike sports there is just one leaderboard (and segment category) for all the bike activities (road bike, gavel and mountain bike) and that makes things much simpler.

I suggest to unify leaderboards and segments for all the foot-based activities (run, walk, hike, trail run and climb): this would simplify activity selection and make leaderboards more meaningful and complete.

Thanks

Marco

[Jane]

Hello,

Thanks for submitting your idea. It has been reviewed by our moderation team and is now open to voting.

[zecanard]

It’s a bit tricky, since walk/hike and run/trail run are inherently performed at different speeds. At the same time, it would be very easy to “cheat” the walk/hike leaderboard by jogging here and there (which many hikers do anyway whether or not they care about leaderboards), until eventually anyone seriously competing just starts jogging the whole way.

So merging them all does seem like the best solution.

[Silentvoyager]

I tend to agree with this. In a big scheme there is no difference between walking, hiking, and running. Trail running in particular can easily combine all 3 in a single activity. It makes absolutely no sense to have 3 separate sets of segments that duplicate each other on popular trails. I am not sure about the leaderboards thought. Perhaps leaderboards could be filtered by activity type, but at the same time it would be very easy to cheat and run a walking or hiking segment. So I also see a point why the leaderboards should be combined too. 

[Spyros]

There are different segments for run, walk, hike. An idea is to put them together in the same list.

[drtdogger]

I think this is a great idea and would add that ideally we could track yearly and weekly goals by combining walking/running/hiking. A easy trail run is a hike, where as a easy bike ride is still a bike ride. Honestly for me this creates a weird pressure that I don't feel on the bike. On a bike ride if it's an easy day I just go easy and know I'm still getting in miles and hours and doing what I need to for my training. If I'm doing a "trail run" as marked in Strava there is some pressure to be running when you can, but maybe that day you really should be taking it easier which turns it into a "hike", but Strava tracks hikes and walks totally differently, but for our bodies they are quite similar.

[chrisbaker]

Great idea. Was just trying to find a segment I saw my friend do - but they were hiking and I was running. Unifying these segment types makes a lot of sense.

[Jane]

​​Thanks for submitting your idea. It has been reviewed by our moderation team and is now open to voting.

The idea title was edited so it will be easier for others to search and vote on. Thank you for your contribution.

[DaynSorensen]

This would be great as competitive running/hiking on mountains/trails means there are at least 2 leaderboards which could easily be combined and streamlined. How do we make this happen? 

[mkoerner]

I only partially agree. I think merging walking and hiking segments and leaderboards makes a lot of sense, but I'd keep running separately. 

It's very arbitrary to classify an activity as a walk vs a hike, but a run is clearly different (even though certain sections on a trail run might be walked).

[Silentvoyager]

Running is not any different. You have a segment from point A to point B. You cover it by moving on two feet. It isn't really that different between running and walking. There are many cases where the speeds are comparable.

There are already many running segments where the majority of people on the leaderboard (if not all of them) have walked the entire segment. That applies mostly to steep uphill segments. For example, take a look at this running segment where the KOM has average pace of 25:44/mile, and this segment has over 1147 entries:
https://www.strava.com/segments/7776234

There is likely a similar hiking segment on the same path, although there is't really a way to explore hiking segments, so I can't give you a link. I am sure the top result on the hiking segment would be faster than 90-95% of entries on the running segment - some people can hike amazingly fast. That's why simply merging everything would be the best solution.

[mkoerner]

I don't doubt that with steep uphill segments a lot of people who are out on a run are walking that particular segment, but that isn't the case for flat or downhill segments. And even with steep uphill segments - there will be people who do run them, in particular if they're out to bag a crown.

I know a lot of people who can run 3min/km, I don't know anyone who can walk/hike that fast. So I stand by what I said earlier - it makes a lot of sense to merge walking and hiking segments, but I'd keep running separate, otherwise people who are walking/hiking only will never have a chance to enjoy the fun of trying to get on the segment leader board.

[Silentvoyager]

What would prevent someone from grabbing a walk or hike segment KOM by running it?

[mkoerner]

You will always have people who cheat. I often see people on leader boards who must have used a vehicle to get cycling segments, cycled to get running segments etc.

I usually set out with very different kit depending on if I'm out for a hike or a run. And whilst I'd frequently hike the uphills when out running, I pretty much never run when out hiking - a much heavier rucksack and boots make running really not enjoyable when out for a hike.

Hiking vs running a route give very different experiences - the gait is different, the skill set, the risk of injury. I know a lot of hikers (some of them very fast) who would never run, it's a different sport and not for them. If we would merge all segments we would exclude all those people from leader boards. 

[DavidCV]

What; hacing a SINGLE database for segments across ALL sports. Then having simply a filter per activity. KOMs, local legends, live segments, etc would continue working the same way, based on the activity type done at that particular time. 

Why: what is the point of having separate segments across different activities? Creates hassle, redundancy, inconsistencies, innacuracies. And probably counts of complexity to Stravas databases and system in general. 

This will also allow for a quick glance on how other sports are doing in that particular segment (for instance running vs mountain biking vs eMTB) just as a PERSONAL reference, 

Simple as the outcome would be AMAZING. Though I guess with a complex fix in the backend. But here it goes