Heads up!!! Here’s your massive Cyber Monday sports tech deals list! This includes the Garmin Forerunner 965 for just $499, Garmin Epix for $429, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for just $619, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $299, (or Hero 13 bundle for $339!) and plenty more! Go check out the full list of 100+ deals here!
I’m DC RAINMAKER…
I swim, bike and run. Then, I come here and write about my adventures. It’s as simple as that. Most of the time. If you’re new around these parts, here’s the long version of my story.
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Here’s how to save!
Wanna save some cash and support the site? These companies help support the site! With Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with either the coupon code DCRAINMAKER for first time users saving 15% on applicable products.
You can also pick-up tons of gear at REI via these links, which is a long-time supporter as well:Alternatively, for everything else on the planet, simply buy your goods from Amazon via the link below and I get a tiny bit back as an Amazon Associate. No cost to you, easy as pie!
You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.Want to compare the features of each product, down to the nitty-gritty? No problem, the product comparison data is constantly updated with new products and new features added to old products!
Wanna create comparison chart graphs just like I do for GPS, heart rate, power meters and more? No problem, here's the platform I use - you can too!
Think my written reviews are deep? You should check out my videos. I take things to a whole new level of interactive depth!
Smart Trainers Buyers Guide: Looking at a smart trainer this winter? I cover all the units to buy (and avoid) for indoor training. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
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Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
Get all your awesome DC Rainmaker gear here!
FAQ’s
I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
- Do you have a privacy policy posted?
- Why haven’t you yet released a review for XYZ product you mentioned months ago?
- Will you test our product before release?
- Are you willing to review or test beta products?
- Which trainer should I buy?
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- I’m headed to Paris – what do you recommend for training or sightseeing?
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- What kind of camera do you use?
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In Depth Product Reviews
You probably stumbled upon here looking for a review of a sports gadget. If you’re trying to decide which unit to buy – check out my in-depth reviews section. Some reviews are over 60 pages long when printed out, with hundreds of photos! I aim to leave no stone unturned.
Read My Sports Gadget Recommendations.
Here’s my most recent GPS watch guide here, and cycling GPS computers here. Plus there are smart trainers here, all in these guides cover almost every category of sports gadgets out there. Looking for the equipment I use day-to-day? I also just put together my complete ‘Gear I Use’ equipment list, from swim to bike to run and everything in between (plus a few extra things). And to compliment that, here’s The Girl’s (my wife’s) list. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!
Have some fun in the travel section.
I travel a fair bit, both for work and for fun. Here’s a bunch of random trip reports and daily trip-logs that I’ve put together and posted. I’ve sorted it all by world geography, in an attempt to make it easy to figure out where I’ve been.
My Photography Gear: The Cameras/Drones/Action Cams I Use Daily
The most common question I receive outside of the “what’s the best GPS watch for me” variant, are photography-esq based. So in efforts to combat the amount of emails I need to sort through on a daily basis, I’ve complied this “My Photography Gear” post for your curious minds (including drones & action cams!)! It’s a nice break from the day-to-day sports-tech talk, and I hope you get something out of it!
The Swim/Bike/Run Gear I Use List
Many readers stumble into my website in search of information on the latest and greatest sports tech products. But at the end of the day, you might just be wondering “What does Ray use when not testing new products?”. So here is the most up to date list of products I like and fit the bill for me and my training needs best! DC Rainmaker 2023 swim, bike, run, and general gear list. But wait, are you a female and feel like these things might not apply to you? If that’s the case (but certainly not saying my choices aren’t good for women), and you just want to see a different gear junkies “picks”, check out The Girl’s Gear Guide too.
Classic post. I love reading about your long bike rides.
As to deer vs squirrel – which type of crash would do more damage to the bike? That’s what I’d be most concerned about. And are your bears an endangered or protected species? Because I’m sure someone in the district would love to slap a felony on you if you ever hit one of those guys.
Thanks for the smiles with this post – I needed it this weekend!
Nice ride, as for using a deer vs squirrel as a crumple zone…well it’s amazing what you can think of to think about!
I have this completely irrational fear of being eaten by wild animals. If I saw Boo-Boo I would have pedaled out of there sooo fast!
What a great post. We have the same problem with deer up here. They are so inquisitive that they will not move until the last second.
Hot, humid and hilly – all good stuff for IM.
you do not want to hit a bear! A gal at the Bolder Boulder Tri last year hit a black bear and ate pavement hard. The bear was only stunned and ran into the woods. As I recall, her race was over.
Squirrel…Could get caught up under the wheel or in the fork and take you down.
Deer…watch out for antlers!
Wow… If you aren’t careful, you just might end up hitting a bear! I’m pretty sure that would be far worse than hitting a squirrel.
… But I could be wrong…
Unbelievable..100+ miles..u make it sound like…all in a day’s ride…
If I saw a bear, there’d be no time to pull out the camera. But…then again…who would believe me without the shot?
your posts on bike rides are like donalds on long runs…. very entertaining stuff..
i would not want to hit anything, but i would prefer to hit it going up hill..(slight grade) that way theres not as much force and mayby both human and animal survive…but likely said humans bike would be slightly mangled)
your ironman is gonna be a helluva effort with all the biking you have done…
do you have to ask the animal to say cheese before you snap their photo..
Great workout!
Distance, heat, hills….
Nice ride!! And CRAZY elevation chart!
Great photos too!!
I saw a bunch of geese cross the CCT this morning!
somehow that sounds lame in comparison…
aww Boo-Boo, how sweet!