Route Planning
Strava is excellent when your goal is to map a route first and then go out and record the real-world activity.
Metric Limits
Route planning does not give you granular control over heart rate, watts, pace curves, or simulated timestamps.
File Workflows
A generator is better when the deliverable is the file itself, not just the line drawn on a map.
What is Strava Route Builder?
Strava Route Builder is the planning layer inside Strava. On web and mobile, it lets you place points on the map, snap the route to roads or trails, and adjust preferences such as sport type, surface, and elevation style. If you are planning a ride before work or sketching a weekend long run, it is a convenient way to build a route without leaving the platform.
It also helps with discovery. You can use popular paths, route suggestions, and visual map context to find roads or trails that fit the activity you want to do. For many athletes, that is enough. The route exists, the elevation profile is visible, and the next step is simply to follow the route and record the session with Strava or a connected device.
Limitations of Strava Route Builder
The main limitation is simple: it plans a route, but it does not generate a rich workout file by itself. If you want a finished activity in Strava, you still need an actual recording from the app, a watch, or a bike computer. That makes the route builder less useful when the real problem is a missing activity, a bad recording, or the need to upload something later.
It also does not give you deep control over custom metrics. You cannot sit in the route builder and decide the exact heart rate, power, or pace profile you want embedded across the whole file. If your use case depends on tailored data fields rather than just route geometry, Strava's planner is not the right layer for that job.
What is a GPX/TCX Generator?
A GPX or TCX generator is a tool that creates the actual file you plan to upload or move to another platform. GPX is usually the lighter format for route geometry. TCX is better when you need timestamps and workout data layered onto the route. In both cases, the point is that the file can be created offline without recording the activity live first.
That difference matters more than it sounds. With a generator, the route is only one part of the output. You can also control the timing, the density of points, and any structured metrics that the destination platform or device expects. If your workflow starts with the question "What file do I need?" rather than "What route do I want to follow?", a generator is usually the more direct answer.
ForgePace supports both sides of that workflow with a GPX generator and a TCX generator, depending on whether you need simple route portability or richer activity data.
Side-by-side comparison
When to use a GPX generator instead
Use a generator when the activity file matters more than the in-app planning view. That includes missed recordings, planned routes that never became real recordings, or sessions that need better structured data before upload. Instead of depending on a device to have captured everything correctly, you start with the file you actually want to own.
It is also the better option when you want custom metrics. If you need realistic pace, heart rate, or watts for a Strava import, a GPX or TCX generator gives you control that the route builder does not expose. The same applies when you want to send a route or activity file to Garmin or Wahoo instead of keeping the workflow inside Strava alone.
If your next step is manual upload, these guides help complete the workflow: how to upload a TCX file to Strava and how to manually upload an activity to Strava.
FAQ
Can I import a Strava route as a GPX?
Yes. You can export a Strava route or activity route as a GPX file in supported web workflows, then reuse that file in other tools. A GPX generator becomes useful when you want to go beyond the original route and control the activity structure itself.
Does Strava accept TCX files?
Yes. Strava accepts TCX files in its manual upload flow, which is why TCX is often the better choice when you want timestamps plus heart rate, cadence, or power fields instead of only map geometry.
Can I edit a Strava activity after recording?
You can edit basic details such as title, description, privacy, and sport type, but not every underlying metric. If you need deeper changes, the usual workflow is to rebuild the file, then upload the revised version.