What does it take to steal a Strava segment crown these days? A sub-3 marathon? A meticulously planned effort? Or maybe just a pair of robotic legs.
That’s what British fitness influencer Ryan Cunliffe brought to his latest segment attempt in Bury, England, specifically on one of the UK’s nastiest hill climbs, Rawsons Rake, a short but brutal segment with an average gradient of 11 percent.
Cunliffe had tried, and failed, to grab the crown there once before. So for round two, he arrived with backup, a Hypershell X exoskeleton, a wearable robotic device designed to enhance leg strength by up to 40 percent.
Cunliffe, a 2:58 marathoner and creator of the viral “Segment Chaser” Instagram series, has built a following by traveling the world to take down iconic Strava records.
But this particular episode hit a nerve. His video, showing him powering up the climb with mechanical assistance, quickly racked up over a million views and a torrent of angry comments.
“Please give this guy a lifetime ban,” wrote one user, tagging Strava directly. Another put it more sarcastically, “How do you sleep at night? Or do you have a robot for that, too?”
Cunliffe had beaten his own previous time by 11 seconds and edged out the existing course record by five. But rather than bask in the usual social media glory, he found himself at the center of a digital ethics debate. Was it performance art, a harmless experiment, or outright cheating?
To his credit, Cunliffe didn’t double down. After posting a poll asking followers whether the attempt should count, 90 percent voted “absolutely not, it’s cheating”.
He removed the activity from Strava.
In a follow-up video filmed while floating in a rubber duck inner tube in Portugal, he issued a semi-serious apology. “Sincere apologies to anyone who was offended,” he said, adding that the stunt was meant to test the device’s potential, not snatch a record.
The crown has since been restored to its previous owner, local runner Andy Mellor, and the Strava page for Rawsons Rake is once again free of robot-aided times.
What Is the Hypershell X and Why It’s Causing a Stir
Launched earlier this year, the Hypershell X is a commercially available exoskeleton aimed at hikers, runners, and outdoor adventurers.
Powered by an 800-watt motor and guided by AI-based motion sensors, the device claims to reduce exertion by up to 30 percent and allows users to move faster or climb longer without fatigue. It retails for around $1,000 to $1,800, depending on the model, and has been compared to “an e-bike for your legs.”
Reviewers say it’s surprisingly powerful, capable of offsetting the equivalent of carrying a 30-kilogram load, but limited by short battery life and its lack of agility during more complex movements. Think hiking or steady-state running, not sprinting or trail racing.
“It’s like having a tailwind the whole time,” said one early tester on YouTube. Others, like Fast Company, have speculated the device could be revolutionary for certain groups, particularly people with mobility issues or those hiking at high altitudes.
But on a platform like Strava, where community norms prize raw effort and self-improvement, any kind of external boost, whether it’s from a motor, e-bike, or now an exoskeleton, is strictly taboo.
Strava’s Silence, and the Bigger Questions
Strava hasn’t issued a public statement on the incident, though the activity was presumably removed either by Cunliffe himself or flagged by others.
While the company has long discouraged e-bike riders from uploading to regular leaderboards, it doesn’t currently have a category for “exoskeleton-assisted runs,” a sign of how quickly technology is outpacing platform policy.
Cunliffe’s stunt may have been meant in good humor, but it pokes at a much larger question, What happens when wearable robotics collide with social competition? As gear gets smarter, and faster, at what point does it cross the line from fun to unfair?
For now, Rawsons Rake belongs to the humans. But with devices like Hypershell X becoming more accessible and powerful, it’s unlikely this will be the last time the gold crown comes with a little bit of controversy.
