Heads up!!! Here’s your massive holiday sports tech deals list! This includes the Garmin Epix for just $419, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for just $699, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $249, (or the brand new Hero 13 or $299!) 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.
You'll support the site, and get ad-free DCR! Plus, you'll be more awesome. Click above for all the details. Oh, and you can sign-up for the newsletter here!
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.
-
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?
- Which GPS watch should I buy?
- I’m headed to Paris – what do you recommend for training or sightseeing?
- I’m headed to Washington DC – what do you recommend for training?
- I’m from out of the country and will be visiting the US, what’s the best triathlon shop in city XYZ?
- What kind of camera do you use?
-
5 Easy Steps To The Site
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.
It’s not my garage I’m worried about, have been pretty good on that one. It’s the underground parking lot for a hotel I pulled into that created much embarrassment . Bikes were fine…somehow. Rack and car not so much.
These seem like a good idea, but only at home. I too had a similar parking garage incident, luckily minor damage to the bike, the rack and roof took a bit as well.
In the video, the late warning seems to come from the garage door opening fully rather than distance, doesn’t it ? Looking forward to hearing news about the production-version chip, though…
There are two kinds of people with roof racks.
1- those who have smashed their bikes
2- those who WILL smash their bikes
Happened to me (about 20 years ago).
Cost to repair bike: $600
Cost to repair car roof: $800
Outloud laughs from neighbor who watched me do it: Priceless.
Love the morse code… “Don’t d…”. Wonder what the clever little box says next.
I also hated using roof racks for my bike, so I developed an interior transport system, CycleRest. If you have an SUV it is the most secure and safe way to transport an expensive Tri/Road bike. Designed to work across a wide range of vehicles it might work for you today.
Ray if you wanted to test it out Id be happy to send you a free sample.
Unfortunately, living in Paris at this point I lack both a car and a garage – so that seems unlikely.
Well, I had the inevitable happen this weekend. Arriving home from a weekend trip to a ride in western Colorado I forgot the bike was on the roof and pulled into the garage to the sickening sound of my front wheel slamming into the brick facade above my garage door. Crashing and the rearview image of a bike sliding down my back windshield and over my trunk to bounce onto the driveway ensued. I got off light. Some broken/bent parts on my rack tray, a gouge in my trunk, some scratching on my shifters, a ruined Mavic front wheel and no damage to my carbon frame.
So I think it’s time to be prophylactic. I have an integrated garage door opener, so I can’t do the throw it in the glove compartment trick. I bought an iPhone app, but it requires that I arm it when I leave the house, and the GPS taxes the battery, thereby making my phone less useful as a ride computer when I reach my destination.
This device seems like it might be the answer. Especially since it requires no intervention from me, and it costs less than half the price of the new wheel I’m having installed. Ray, can you speak to the difference between the distance on the second test unit you received? Also, do you know if it handles lateral deviation very well? In other words, if the light panel is 5 feet or so to the right of my approach path when entering the garage will the unit still alert me? Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.
This appears to be no longer in business. My issue is not just home… I’ve done this at a few other locations… I’m looking for the same system, but with a detector where it looks for something in front. I like this done without an app due to the delays with apps – so something simple is great. A loud beep inside the car if something is in the way. Are there any other systems?