What is a GPX file?
GPX stands for GPS Exchange Format. It is an open XML standard designed to share geographic data across devices and mapping tools. In practice, a GPX file usually contains the essentials: latitude, longitude, elevation, timestamps, routes, tracks, and waypoints.
That makes GPX excellent for portability. You can move a route between Strava, Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, and planning tools without much friction. It is also why GPX is common when the priority is the path itself rather than deeper workout structure. ForgePace uses that same route-first logic in the GPX generator.
On Strava, GPX is usually enough when you want a clean route line, basic timing, and a straightforward manual upload. The limitation is that GPX does not naturally carry as much workout context as TCX, especially when you care about richer training metrics after the activity lands in your account.
What is a TCX file?
TCX stands for Training Center XML. It is a Garmin-origin format built for activity data, not just route sharing. A TCX file can still describe the path of a ride or run, but it can also include structured training fields such as heart rate zones, watts, cadence, distance progression, and laps.
That extra structure is the main reason athletes choose TCX for Strava. If you want the upload to feel like a fuller training record instead of only a route trace, TCX gives you more room to express that data. It is especially useful when you care about post-upload analysis or want the file to match a more detailed cycling workflow.
ForgePace leans into that richer model in the TCX generator, and the separate guide on how to upload a TCX file to Strava walks through the import flow once the file is ready.
GPX vs TCX: side-by-side comparison
| Category | GPX | TCX |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Open GPS Exchange Format used across route planners, watches, and mapping tools. | Training Center XML, a Garmin-led activity format built for workout context. |
| Metrics supported | Basic coordinates, elevation, and timestamps. Some extensions exist, but support is inconsistent. | Coordinates plus heart rate, cadence, watts, laps, and training structure in a cleaner activity model. |
| File size | Usually smaller because it focuses on the route line and basic point data. | Often larger because it can carry more per-point metrics and lap metadata. |
| Strava compatibility | Accepted by Strava and fine for route-focused uploads. | Also accepted by Strava and usually better when you want richer analysis after import. |
For Strava, the table above is the decision framework. GPX is leaner and more universal. TCX is heavier, but that extra weight usually comes from useful activity fields rather than pointless complexity. If your goal is analysis-rich training data, larger files are often a fair trade.
When to use TCX
Use TCX when you want more than a map trace on Strava. It is the better fit when your activity should include power data, heart rate zones, cadence, or laps. Those fields matter most in cycling, but they also help for structured runs where the timeline and effort signals are part of the story.
TCX also makes sense when the upload is meant to behave like a fuller workout record instead of a simple route import. If the file should preserve the training side of the session, TCX is usually the cleaner choice.
When GPX is enough
GPX is enough when the route is simple and the advanced metrics do not matter much. That often applies to straightforward course files, easy runs, or situations where you are not using a heart rate monitor, power meter, or cadence sensor.
It is also a practical option when you want maximum compatibility across tools. If you are building a route for a simple bike workflow, ForgePace's cycling GPX route generator guide shows why GPX remains a strong default for route-first use cases.
How to generate a TCX or GPX file
1. Pick the location
Start with the city, address, or landmark where the route should begin so the file matches real roads instead of a generic line.
2. Add waypoints
Guide the route through the roads, climbs, or checkpoints you actually want so the export follows the intended shape.
3. Set duration
Choose the workout length to control distance, timestamps, and the overall pacing of the activity file.
4. Choose the metrics
Export GPX when you only need the route, or export TCX when you want heart rate, power, cadence, and other training signals attached.
In ForgePace, the workflow is the same whichever export you choose: define the route first, then decide how much training data should travel with it. If you need a lightweight file for a route preview or simple upload, export GPX. If you want real roads plus HR and power context, export TCX.
A practical rule is to choose the format based on the destination view you want inside Strava. If the activity only needs a clean map and timeline, GPX does the job. If the upload should support deeper training analysis later, start with TCX so the richer metrics are part of the file from the beginning.
Choose the right format
Build the file that matches your training data
ForgePace helps you generate GPX and TCX files on real roads so you can export the route-only version or the richer metric-ready version depending on what Strava should display.
FAQ
Does Strava prefer TCX or GPX?
Strava accepts both. In practice, GPX is enough for simple route uploads, while TCX is the better choice when you want the platform to ingest more workout context such as heart rate, cadence, power, or laps.
Can GPX files include heart rate?
They sometimes can through extensions, but support is less predictable across apps. If heart rate needs to survive the upload cleanly, TCX is usually the safer format for Strava-oriented workflows.
Is TCX better than GPX for cycling?
Usually yes when cycling data matters. Bike uploads often benefit from watts, cadence, lap structure, and heart rate trends, so TCX tends to be the stronger option for analysis-heavy rides.