Using Strava Live Segments with Grit X/Pacer/Vantage
Strava Segments are previously defined sections of road or trail where athletes can compete for time in cycling or running. Segments are defined in Strava.com and can be created by any Strava user. You can use segments to compare your own times, or to compare with other Strava users' times who have also completed the segment. Each segment has a public leaderboard with King/Queen of the Mountain (KOM/QOM) who has the best time for that segment.
Note that you need to have a Strava Summit Analysis pack to use the Strava Live Segments feature on your Polar watch. Once you have activated Strava Live Segments and exported segments to your Polar Flow account and synced them to your watch you will receive an alert on your watch when approaching any of your favorite Strava segments.
When performing a segment, you'll get real-time performance data displayed on your watch showing whether you are ahead or behind your personal record (PR) of the segment. Your results are calculated and displayed instantly on your watch when the segment ends, but you need to check the final results at Strava.com.
Connect your Strava and Polar Flow accounts
You can connect your Strava and Polar Flow accounts in the Polar Flow web service or in the Polar Flow app.
In the Polar Flow web service go to Settings > Partners > Strava > Connect.
or
In the Polar Flow app go to General Settings > Connect > Strava (swipe the button to connect).
Import Strava Segments to your Polar Flow account
- In your Strava account, choose the segments you wish to import to your Polar Flow Favorites. This is done by choosing the star icon next to a segment name.
- Then in the Polar Flow web service's Favorites page choose the Update Strava Live Segments button to import the starred Strava Live Segments to your Polar Flow account.
- Your watch can have a maximum of 100 favorites at a time. Choose the segments you want to transfer to your watch by clicking the selection boxes on the left of the Strava Live Segments list to move them to the sync list for your watch on the right. You can change the order of your favorites on the watch by dragging and dropping them.
- Sync your watch to save your changes to it.
For more information on managing your favorites in the Polar Flow web service and app, see Manage Favorites and training targets in Polar Flow.
Hazardous Strava segments are no longer transferred to Polar Flow. Segments with an average grade lower than -.25% are no longer supported by Strava due to safety concerns. Downhill and similarly steep descending segments will not be synced. Unfortunately we cannot control which segments are determined as hazardous.
Find out more about Strava segments at Strava Support.
Start a session with Strava Live Segments
Strava Live Segments require GPS. Make sure you have GPS set on in the running and cycling sport profiles you wish to use.
When you start a running or cycling training session, the nearby Strava segments (50 kilometers or closer in cycling or 10 kilometers or closer in running) synced to your watch are shown in the Strava segments training view. Scroll to the Strava segments view with the UP and DOWN buttons during sessions.
When you approach a segment (200 meters or closer in cycling or 100 meters or closer in running) you’ll get an alert on your watch, and the distance remaining to the segment will be counted down. You can cancel the segment by pressing the back button on your watch.
You’ll get another alert when you reach the starting point of the segment. Recording of the segment starts automatically, and both the name of the segment and your personal record time for the segment are shown on your watch.
The display shows if you are behind or ahead of your personal best (or KOM/QOM if you are doing the segment for the first time), as well as your speed/pace and distance left.
After you've completed the segment, your watch displays your time, and the difference to your personal best time. The PR symbol is displayed if you set new personal record.
