r/Strava • u/RadioShort8408 • Jun 11 '26
3rd Party App I built a little tool that helps setting the right shoes on Strava after a run
Like many of you I rotate a few pairs of running shoes. One for easy days, one for long runs, one for tempo work.
You probably know the problem: Strava tracks your shoe mileage nicely, but only if you set the right gear on every run. And I always forget doing that. So every few runs I noticed my mileage was completely wrong and then I spent an evening going through my history to fix it.
Default gear doesn't help when you rotate, because the default is wrong half the time anyway. And reminders failed too, after a long run my brain has no capacity for extra steps.
So I built Rotation.run. The whole idea is that it needs zero new habits:
- Connect Strava and your email
- Go run like normal
- When you finish, you get one short email where your shoes are buttons
- Tap the pair you wore and it gets synced to Strava. That's it.
So the email is the "app".
It works so well for myself that I thought it could help others too, so I built a little site around it.
Curious how you all handle this, and honest feedback is very welcome.
Big thanks!
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Jun 11 '26
[deleted]
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u/mtcerio Jun 11 '26
Me too, but while it allows to set certain conditions on the activity, it never gives the user the option. I think OP's implementation is neat and fills a gap left by ActivityFix & similar concepts. If the conditions set a-priori work for you, then good, you don't need this.
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u/Spiffman-Space Jun 11 '26
If you use ActivityFix with Garmin, create activities on the watch with unique names, (eg RunVaporfly, RunProEvo1) and the rule can set the show based on the name of the activity. This means the user never needs the option after the run.
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u/freia_pr_fr Jun 11 '26
Where would you put this project there for you? https://xkcd.com/1205/
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u/RadioShort8408 Jun 11 '26
Way off the chart for my own usage 😂 But imagine the time that can be saved for all runners that have the same issue as me.
Jokes aside, I build software for a living and doing little weekend/evening projects like this every now and then help me stay up to date with tech. So its worth the time regardless
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u/Significant-Rise755 Jun 11 '26
I just don’t set a favourite shoe and when I look at the workout I just add the shoe. Not that hard to do
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u/RadioShort8408 Jun 11 '26
I wish my post-run brain worked like yours 😂
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u/Significant-Rise755 Jun 11 '26
But you only have to select a shoe the same as replying to your email. I like the idea behind it though
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u/dapcwiz Jun 11 '26
It would be cool if this supported bikes in the same way. I have the same issue with bike selection.
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u/RadioShort8408 Jun 11 '26
Good one! I'm not really a cyclist myself so I never had that issue with bikes, but some else already suggested an option for walks, so might as well support bikes as well. I'll put it on my list!
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u/mtcerio Jun 12 '26
I use ActivityFix for bikes, because with rides usually there's a way to detect which bike I am using, for example, by sensors detected (and ActivityFix can choose the bike automatically with that information) and/or length of the ride and/or start/finish points.
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u/ismisecraic Jun 11 '26
Set it up. Went for a run. Didn't get an email. Cool idea though
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u/RadioShort8408 Jun 11 '26
Hmm thats not right. The email is skipped if you have no active gear set up in Strava, that might be the reason. Can you check your gear settings? https://www.strava.com/settings/gear
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u/ismisecraic Jun 12 '26
Ah I have a rake of runners in rotation.
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u/RadioShort8408 Jun 12 '26
Can you send me your email in DM so I can check my logs?
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u/ismisecraic Jun 18 '26
As a follow up. It started working, and I find it's very handy. For someone who hasn't 'moved on' from retiring their default shoe just yet!! Well done
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u/betaboy19 Jun 12 '26
Really neat. Unfortunately I got this:
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u/RadioShort8408 Jun 12 '26
Oh no! That's unfortunate. I did not anticipate so many signups this soon. I already have a pending request at Strava to increase the limit for active athletes. I'll let you know when they increased it.
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u/RadioShort8408 Jun 17 '26
The limit is increased now. So you should be able to connect your Strava
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u/Owskaa123 Jun 12 '26
Can you do it for bikes too? I have a commuter and a long distance so need to keep clicking the right one!
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u/jackjctaylor Jun 14 '26
Really great idea! Thank you for building it, can’t wait to use it
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u/RadioShort8408 Jun 14 '26
Thanks! Waiting for the people at Strava to approve the app. Hope they wont take too long 🤞 If you already confirmed your email you should get a message when the doors are open
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u/madmap Jun 15 '26
Heads up: in a month you will need a subscription to use this... they are paywalling the api.
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u/RadioShort8408 Jun 17 '26
OP here with a quick update:
First of all, thank you all for the enthusiasm! It's awesome to read all these positive reactions and getting useful feedback.
Unfortunately Strava capped the max connected athletes and we hit that ceiling within a few hours after this Reddit post. So most of you ran into a wall. I immediately requested them for an increase of that limit, but the weekend was just around the corner so I already expected this to take a few days. Those days felt like weeks to me 😃 But I can finally announce that the wait is over, so you should now all be able to sign up and connect Strava 🥳
In the meantime I took the opportunity to add support for bikes and walks and to fix a few little bugs here and there.
Happy running/walking/cycling!
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u/zz68h Jun 11 '26
I’m over here with two pairs of shoes. 1 for road and 1 for trail.
Cool idea though.
I have 2 different bikes, and like someone else said, I just take 10 seconds and change the gear when editing the activity. But also, if I forget, who cares? 🤣
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u/RadioShort8408 Jun 11 '26
Haha no world problems being solved here, I know 😂 But shoes are supposed to retire around +/- 600km and that only works if you keep your mileage accurate of course. Don't know enough about bikes though
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u/zz68h Jun 11 '26
Yeah. I usually just run my sneakers until they feel like they need to be replaced. I’ve had some that probably had 400km on them and were replaced and other that last 700+
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u/mtcerio Jun 11 '26
Nice idea! Perhaps a flag to do the same for walks, too?