Strava, the popular social media platform for runners, cyclists, and walkers, today announced a new feature that allows users to message each other on the platform, without setting up WhatsApp or iMessage groups. Users can send direct messages to other users and groups on the platform to organize group runs and rides without having to set up a WhatsApp or iMessage group.

To learn more, see our review of the Strava app.

Strava Messaging, as the name implies, is a feature that allows users to send messages to other users on the Strava platform without having to launch the app or ask for a phone number. The messaging feature only works with the Strava mobile app at this time. Using the messaging app, users can send messages of praise, coordinate runs and rides, plan routes, etc.

Who you can message depends on your personal privacy settings: "Following" allows anyone you follow to message you." Mutuals" requires both parties to be following each other, while "No one" allows only you to start a conversation with another person.

To send a message to another Strava member, simply go to the athlete's profile and tap the message button; for more information on how to send messages on Strava, click here. Note that you must enter your birth date to send a message, so if you skipped this step when setting up your Strava account, you will need to add your birth date again.

No, you do not have to be a Strava Premium member to send messages to other members on the app; for more information on Strava Premium and the benefits of membership, see this Strava app review.

For many Strava users, safety is a primary concern. If you are a habitual user, uploads often reveal your usual running routes and even where you live; we wrote more about how to adjust Strava's privacy settings here, but when it comes to the new messaging feature, Strava has taken some different measures.

You can easily decide who can and cannot send messages on the platform, but you can also block or filter out unwanted messages. It is even possible to block an individual entirely, in which case they will not be able to contact you, even if you are in the same group on Strava.