The fitness app Strava has published its twelfth annual "Year In Sport: Trend Report". Because many athletes specify the sports equipment they use, conclusions can be drawn about the material. Trek is ahead of Specialized and Giant when it comes to road bikes. Among gravel bikers, most users had a Specialized bike, followed by Trek and Scott. Finally, in the MTB category, the Specialized brand came in ahead of Trek and Giant. The Asics Novablast took first place in the running shoe category and Garmin took the top spot in the autonomous recording devices category. The most Activities were recorded directly via the Strava smartphone app.
Strava 2025: Cities in comparison
The Strava data also allows an interesting comparison between different cities and regions. In Germany, southern Germany leads the rankings for the most steps per day: Freiburg tops the list with 6,766 steps, followed by Upper Bavaria with 6,643 and Swabia with 6,574 steps. Berlin proves that it is not only the largest, but also the fastest metropolis in Germany. It tops the list for walking speed with 05:52 minutes per kilometre, followed by Hamburg (05:54 minutes per kilometre) and Upper Bavaria (05:54 minutes per kilometre). An evaluation in the area Bicycle was unfortunately not provided by Strava.
Users in South Africa and Colombia were the most likely to walk in groups (18.5 per cent). Uri in Switzerland was voted the most photogenic place with 42 per cent of activities involving a photo. The cities around the world also showed clear differences in the time of training: Yogyakarta in Indonesia has the most early risers (55.4 per cent of activities between 4 and 7 a.m.), while Seoul in South Korea has the night owls (11 per cent after 9 p.m.).
Strava sees Gen Z's urge to move
Based on analysing billions of activities from over 180 million users worldwide in more than 185 countries, as well as survey data from over 30,000 people (Strava users and non-users), the report shows that Generation Z in particular is increasingly turning away from passive scrolling on social media and instead seeking active experiences in the real world. According to Michael Martin, CEO of Strava, more than half of Gen Z plan to use Strava more often in 2026, while most say they use Instagram and TikTok equally often or less. "As the fastest growing demographic on Strava, we know that Gen Z is looking for real experiences, not more screen time," said Martin. A total of 14 billion "kudos" (likes) were awarded on Strava in 2025. "Gen Z" (Generation Z) refers to the demographic cohort born roughly between the late 1990s and the early 2010s
Running dominates, hiking gains in popularity
Running remains the most popular sport on Strava, with participation in competitions increasing significantly in 2025. According to the report, Generation Z is 75 per cent more likely than Generation X to be motivated to train for a competition or event. Beginners are also increasingly active: data from Runna, a training partner of Strava, shows that most users classify themselves as beginners (26 per cent) or advanced (34 per cent). Remarkably, 86 per cent of runners connected to Runna have achieved a personal best this year. Hiking has become the second most popular activity on Strava, reflecting the general trend towards low-threshold outdoor activities. More than half of Strava users (54 per cent) now track several different types of activity, underlining the versatility of the community.
Generation Z invests in fitness instead of dating
Despite economic challenges - 65 per cent of Gen Z say they are directly affected by inflation - this generation is investing more in fitness. 30 per cent of Gen Z plan to spend more on fitness in 2026, with wearables cited as the biggest investment in 2025 (63 per cent more than Gen X). Particularly interesting: 64 per cent of Gen Z say they would rather spend money on sports equipment than on dates. When asked about workout dates as a first date, 46 per cent of respondents answered "definitely", while 31 per cent categorically reject this. The Strava community is also growing offline: The number of new clubs on the platform almost quadrupled in 2025 and now totals one million. Hiking clubs recorded the strongest growth (5.8-fold), followed by running clubs (3.5-fold). At the same time, events organised by clubs increased 1.5-fold year-on-year.
Strava: Fitness on holiday
For Generation Z, working out on holiday is not an option, but an integral part of the trip. 23 per cent more representatives of Gen Z than Gen X (approx. 1960 to 1980) state that fitness on holiday is non-negotiable. The most popular holiday workout philosophy: 30 per cent of respondents named "running, sun and snacks". Interestingly, active people stayed closer to home in 2025: 22 per cent of survey participants went on holiday at home more often than abroad. The exceptions were the British and Germans, who continued to travel abroad for adventures. When people travelled, it was most often for winter sports (65 percent), followed by hiking (58 percent) and water sports (48 percent).
Strava survey: AI as a training partner
46 per cent of respondents said they would use AI as an intelligent coach for sports, with Generation Z embracing AI for coaching more than other generations. Strava and Runna are already positioned to lead this trend with features such as Runna's Workout Insights and Strava's Athlete Intelligence. Strava's community-based routes feature - which analyses data from popular routes to generate personalised recommendations - proved particularly popular, with a new route created every 19 seconds over the course of the year.
The smartphone dominated the recording devices in 2025: 72 per cent of Strava users recorded workouts directly via the Strava app. Garmin took second place, followed by Apple Health in third place. The Apple Watch was number one in the smartwatch category, with COROS gaining significant traction. Non-watch wearables such as Oura and WHOOP also saw rapid growth. In running shoes, the ASICS Novablast came out on top, followed by the Nike Pegasus in second place and the HOKA Clifton in third.
Strava city comparison: Boulder dominates US rankings
Strava's global data also revealed which cities topped the US leaderboards in 2025. Boulder (Colorado) dominated the US rankings with the most steps per day (6,302), the longest average runs (4.4 miles), the most weekly exercise time (3:09:58 hours), the longest median streak (39 days) and the highest percentage of runners setting personal records (57 per cent).
A comparison between New York and Los Angeles showed that New Yorkers run faster, lift more weights and do more yoga than the residents of Los Angeles. LA counters with more walkers, longer hikes and earlier risers. Globally, Copenhagen was the fastest metropolitan area with an average running pace of 8:52 minutes per mile, while users in South Africa and Colombia were the most likely to run in groups (18.5 per cent). Uri in Switzerland was named the most photogenic location, with 42 per cent of activities including a photo. The weather was no obstacle for dedicated Strava users, as demonstrated by the Riau Islands in Indonesia and Greater Reykjavík in Iceland, which led the way despite extreme heat and cold respectively.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
