How to Delete a Route on Strava: Website, Mobile, and Best Practices

How do I delete a route on Strava?

To delete a route you have created on Strava, you must use the Strava website on a desktop or laptop computer, as this functionality is not available directly within the mobile application. Navigate to your 'My Routes' section, select the desired route, and choose the delete option.

Understanding Strava Routes and Data Management

Strava routes are pre-planned courses that athletes can create and follow, either for training, exploration, or event preparation. They are distinct from recorded activities, which are the GPS traces of your actual workouts. Effective management of your Strava routes is a critical aspect of maintaining data hygiene, optimizing your training environment, and ensuring personal privacy. Deleting old, redundant, or incorrect routes helps declutter your profile, improves the accuracy of future route planning, and mitigates potential privacy concerns associated with sharing specific locations.

Deleting a Route on the Strava Website (Desktop)

The most comprehensive way to manage and delete routes you have created is through the Strava website. This method provides full control over your route library.

1. Log In to Strava: Open your web browser and go to strava.com. Log in to your account using your credentials.
2. Navigate to My Routes: Once logged in, hover over the "Dashboard" tab in the top navigation bar. From the dropdown menu, select "My Routes." This will display a list of all routes you have created and saved.
3. Select the Route to Delete: Browse through your list of routes. Click on the specific route you wish to delete. This will open the route's dedicated page, showing its details, map, and elevation profile.
4. Access the Delete Option: On the route's page, look for the "Actions" or "Edit" button. This is typically represented by a wrench icon or three dots. Click on this button.
5. Confirm Deletion: A dropdown menu will appear. Select the "Delete" option. Strava will then prompt you with a confirmation message, asking if you are sure you want to delete the route. Confirm your decision to proceed.

Key Consideration: Deleting a route from the website is a permanent action. Once confirmed, the route cannot be recovered. Ensure you select the correct route before proceeding.

Deleting a Route on the Strava Mobile App

It is important to understand the distinction between routes you have created and routes you have starred (saved from other users or explored sections) on the Strava mobile app.

• Created Routes: You cannot delete routes that you have personally created directly from the Strava mobile application. This functionality is exclusively available on the Strava website, as detailed in the previous section.
• Starred/Saved Routes: You can manage routes you have "starred" or saved from other athletes or Strava's route suggestions within the mobile app.
  1. Open the Strava App: Launch the Strava application on your smartphone.
  2. Navigate to Saved Routes: Tap on the "Maps" icon (or "You" then "Routes") at the bottom navigation bar.
  3. Access Saved Routes: Select "Routes" and then "Saved" or "Starred" to view your collection of non-created routes.
  4. Unstar/Unsave the Route: Tap on the route you wish to remove from your saved list. On the route details screen, tap the "Star" icon (it will be filled in, indicating it's saved). Tapping it again will "unstar" or "unsave" the route, removing it from your personal collection. This does not delete the original route if it was created by another user.

Important Note: Unstarring a route simply removes it from your personal saved list; it does not delete the route from Strava's servers or from the creator's profile. Only the original creator of a route can permanently delete it via the website.

Important Considerations Before Deleting

Before permanently removing a route from your Strava profile, consider the following points to avoid unintended data loss or inconvenience:

• Irreversibility: Once a route is deleted from the Strava website, it is permanently gone. There is no "undo" button or recovery option.
• Associated Activities: Deleting a route does not delete any activities you have recorded that used that particular route. Your past activities will remain on your profile, retaining their original GPS data. The connection to the deleted route will simply be severed.
• Privacy Settings: If you are deleting a route due to privacy concerns, also review your overall Strava privacy settings, particularly for activities, to ensure your desired level of data sharing. Consider using privacy zones for sensitive locations.
• Future Use: Reflect on whether you might need this route again in the future. If there's a possibility, consider renaming it or making it private instead of outright deleting it.

Best Practices for Strava Route Management

Maintaining a well-organized Strava route library is part of an efficient training strategy.

• Regular Review: Periodically review your "My Routes" section on the Strava website. Delete old, unused, or duplicate routes to keep your collection clean and relevant.
• Descriptive Naming: Use clear and descriptive names for your routes (e.g., "Morning Loop - 10k Hills," "Long Run - Park to River Trail"). This makes it easier to find specific routes later.
• Utilize Privacy Settings: For routes that pass through sensitive areas (like your home address), ensure they are set to "Only You" visibility or utilize Strava's privacy zones.
• Export and Backup: For particularly important or complex routes, consider exporting them as GPX files before deleting them. This provides a local backup should you ever need them again.

Conclusion

While Strava offers robust tools for planning and tracking athletic endeavors, understanding how to manage your data, including the deletion of routes, is crucial for maintaining an organized and secure digital training log. Remember that deleting created routes is exclusively a web-based function, ensuring a deliberate and permanent removal process. By adhering to these guidelines, you can ensure your Strava profile accurately reflects your training history and future aspirations, free from unnecessary clutter.