# Strava without data plan, is this possible?



## martinrm

Since strava seems to be the new thing with cyclist world wide i was thinking about getting it for myself. However i do not have a garmin, iphone, android phone. My plan was to buy a used iphone thats unlocked from ebay or a friend since everyone is trading in their new fancy iphone 4's for newer fancy iphone 5's. So if i get an iphone and do not buy a plan for it (so no data or cell signal) but it will still have GPS functionality will i still be able to run and record my rides on the strava app then upload it when i get home with a internet connection. 

Thanks,
Martin


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## Coolhand

Be much cheaper/better just to get a Garmin 500 and keep your current phone.


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## martinrm

Coolhand said:


> Be much cheaper/better just to get a Garmin 500 and keep your current phone.


Friend said he would give me his old iphone 4 for free


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## kookieCANADA

martinrm said:


> Friend said he would give me his old iphone 4 for free


If you're getting the phone for free, just try it out.

I don't know what happens when you startup the app, it may try to connect to the Strava site and download data. Assuming it fails to connect, hope that the app just continues working as normal.


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## RubyRoad

I don't have a data plan either, and I use strava. As kookieCANADA said, it fails to connect, so you cannot search for routes, or see the rank lists, but you can record your ride. Once you finished and saved your ride you need internet connection (WiFi) to upload your ride. At least that is how it works on an android phone, but I guess it should work like this on the iPhone too.


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## martinrm

RubyRoad said:


> I don't have a data plan either, and I use strava. As kookieCANADA said, it fails to connect, so you cannot search for routes, or see the rank lists, but you can record your ride. Once you finished and saved your ride you need internet connection (WiFi) to upload your ride. At least that is how it works on an android phone, but I guess it should work like this on the iPhone too.


Thanks for the response, sounds like its exactly what i needed.


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## ecub

I'm not familiar with an iPhone, but is it a stand-alone GPS? If so, then you should be able to use it. Otherwise, if it's a-gps, then it would require cell antennas to determine your location. But since it's free, just try it anyways.


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## thalo

what RubyRoad said. I used an iphone without data plan with endomondo. it would track the route, but you couldnt see where you were, just a blue dot on a grey, grid back ground. as soon as you have internet connection it would display the map.


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## AndreyT

Strava works locally, using GPS alone, as long as you are recording the ride. It does not need Internet connection during the ride.

Once you stopped recording and pressed the "Finish ride" button, Strava will finalize and upload the ride data. This is when you will actually need the Internet connection. 

So, use it accordingly (i.e. press the "Finish ride" only when you get home and connect the phone to the Internet) and it should work without any problems.


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## RubyRoad

AndreyT said:


> Strava works locally, using GPS alone, as long as you are recording the ride. It does not need Internet connection during the ride.
> 
> Once you stopped recording and pressed the "Finish ride" button, Strava will finalize and upload the ride data. This is when you will actually need the Internet connection.
> 
> So, use it accordingly (i.e. press the "Finish ride" only when you get home and connect the phone to the Internet) and it should work without any problems.


Actually the "Finish ride" button can be pressed any time, even than the "save ride" button. But when you try to see the saved ride, than you need the internet connection. At least how it works for the android based app.
I am just writing this, because in that case what you described the end of the ride will always be "home", which might be inconvenient on a public website. But may be I am too paranoid, and it doesn't matter to anybody else.


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## AndreyT

RubyRoad said:


> Actually the "Finish ride" button can be pressed any time, even than the "save ride" button. But when you try to see the saved ride, than you need the internet connection.


Yes, you are right. "Finish ride" can be pressed at any time. If the Internet connection is not avaliable, Strava will keep the ride data locally, and upload it later when Internet connection becomes available.


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## velocanman

I used Strava to record runs on my iPod Touch before I got a GPS running watch. Once I got back home on the WiFi network, I saved the route and uploaded it. Should work the same with the iPhone.


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## heybrady

Yep. I use it with my wife's old Droid X. The gps works great and the wifi will allow you to upload routes once you are back home.


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## locustfist

It's actually a great way to save battery...put the phone in airplane mode then fire up strava and it flips on GPS.


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