What is VeloViewer?
VeloViewer is a web-based analytics platform built by Ben Lowe, a cycling enthusiast and software developer from the UK. Launched in 2012, it has grown from a personal side project into what many cyclists consider the most comprehensive Strava data visualization tool available. VeloViewer connects to your Strava account and turns your activity data into detailed charts, maps, and interactive visualizations.
It won the 2025 Strava App Award for Data Analysis, and its 3D climb profiles have been used in professional cycling broadcasts on Eurosport since 2015. In 2016, VeloViewer became an Official Supplier to Team Sky (now INEOS Grenadiers).
Key Features
Explorer Tiles
VeloViewer's most addictive feature divides the world into a grid of map tiles. Each tile you've ridden through gets colored in on your personal map. The goal? Fill in as many squares as possible. Cyclists routinely plan routes specifically to grab new tiles, turning every ride into a mini adventure. Your "max square" (the largest square of contiguous tiles) becomes a badge of honor.
3D Climb Profiles
View any climb in a 3D profile that shows gradient changes, elevation, and distance in a way that flat elevation charts can't match. These profiles have become iconic in the cycling community and are used in broadcast coverage of major races.
Segment Analysis
Deep-dive into your Strava segments with percentile rankings, effort history, power analysis, and weather correlations. See exactly how you stack up against every other rider who has ever ridden that segment.
Activity Statistics
Comprehensive dashboards covering your entire riding history: monthly/yearly summaries, power curves, speed distributions, elevation totals, and trend analysis over time.
Who It's For
- Segment hunters who want detailed performance analysis on specific climbs and sprints
- Tile collectors addicted to filling in the Explorer Tiles map
- Data enthusiasts who want deeper analytics than Strava provides natively
- Competitive cyclists tracking performance trends over time
- Cycling teams analyzing rider statistics
The Explorer Tiles Phenomenon
What started as a simple grid overlay has become a global community obsession. Cyclists plan entire vacations around grabbing new tiles. Max square challenges have their own online communities. The gamification of exploration, seeing those gray tiles turn to color, taps into the same completionist instinct that makes Wandrer and CityStrides so compelling.
