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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- I’m from out of the country and will be visiting the US, what’s the best triathlon shop in city XYZ?
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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.
I really wish American’s would value vacation as much as the Europeans do. But it is a pain when everything shuts down. I was had to go outside Paris for work a few years ago and the genius of the Air Force sent me during this time of the year. Nobody was at EADS doing any work, so I hung out on that makeshift beach the whole time drinking wine and eating cheese.
It sounds a little like living in a resort/vacation community during the off season. We face that similar situation every winter (although there are still grocery stores open)
It’s a bit of a shock and even after nearly 9 years in France I still find it frustrating. Even more so the 2.5 hour closing for lunch from which they can turn up 20 minutes late after you’ve been waiting outside!
It’s all about culture and a really good help with understanding it can be had with this book :
link to amazon.com
You are in Europe now. That paper is probably A4, not US Letter sized. :-)
I thought the same when I read about the standard 8.5×11″ format.
The European paper formats are a better solution, all sizes have the same ratio of height to width.
French do capitalize the months’ first letter.
Not sure if we should learn french grammar in front of a Chinese restaurant :)
I don’t know, but everything I can find on the Internets says you don’t captilize the months or days of the week – unless they happen to be the first word in a sentenance.
For reference:
link to french.about.com
link to meta.wikimedia.org
link to dummies.com
So much for me! I’ve always though those as proper noun and used a capital letter. One more thing I’ve learned from your site :)
You have also to understand that shops are closing because, first vacations are good (and shop workers like vacanations like everybody ;-) ), second because as vacations are good, nobody is still in town at that time thus business is falling down, thus shops are taking a time off…
By the way, the fountains in Versailles are not working all together because it works like in the older time (you can’t modify ann historical monument in France), without electricity and thus you have to save the water!! Reserves are on the top of the building (link to youtube.com).
By the way, what about a race event in France? link to ironmanpaysdaix.com
BR, Mark
no a/c? is that common practice in eu?
While not unheard of, a/c is not common in Europe. You’re also more likely to find them in offices and shops than in private homes.
It’s fun to read you comments to European way of life. Things that are verry verry normal for us, seem to suprise you a lot.
I’m Belgian, and we don’t have the 2.5 break during mid-day, but everything else is the same here. No A/C as “standard equipment” here either, and this year it is really really really hot, so we really mis it!
just reading through some of the Paris blogs and came across this one – the Boulanger you visit was the one I went to when visiting Paris in ’04! It wasn’t exactly our “local” – we were staying next to Gard du Nord, but damn they had some mighty fine pastries and sweets! My favourite was just a camambert baguette with whatever sweet took my fancy, and we would then take them to the park not far away by the river overlooking Notre Dame. I would be constantly pinching myself over how incredible Paris was, still my favourite city!
Funny, small world! Indeed, from Gare du Nord down there is a bit of a haul!
I was rooting for the apartment in Notre Dam. Does the ice cream shop still exist?
Also about the month long vacations that the french shops take…someone should come in and offer to sublease and sell cupcakes.
Yup, absolutely still exists. We visit it frequently. ;)
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