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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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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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 and Equipment 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! 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.
In the Queue: LifeBEAM Smart Helmet with integrated heart rate sensor
This came yesterday and I got it all un-boxed and even went for my first ride with it (albeit, on the trainer). Impressed with the data consistency thus far, comparing it against a traditional HR strap and watching the two numbers be nearly identical. The unit is sold in ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart versions, I bought the ANT+ version. Update: Full in-depth review is available here!
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In the Queue: LifeBEAM Smart Helmet with integrated heart rate sensor
This came yesterday and I got it all un-boxed and even went for my first ride with it (albeit, on the trainer). Impressed with the data consistency thus far, comparing it against a traditional HR strap and watching the two numbers be nearly identical. The unit is sold in ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart versions, I bought the ANT+ version. Update: Full in-depth review is available here!
In the Queue: LifeBEAM Smart Helmet with integrated heart rate sensor
This came yesterday and I got it all un-boxed and even went for my first ride with it (albeit, on the trainer). Impressed with the data consistency thus far, comparing it against a traditional HR strap and watching the two numbers be nearly identical. The unit is sold in ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart versions, I bought the ANT+ version. Update: Full in-depth review is available here!
In the Queue: LifeBEAM Smart Helmet with integrated heart rate sensor
This came yesterday and I got it all un-boxed and even went for my first ride with it (albeit, on the trainer). Impressed with the data consistency thus far, comparing it against a traditional HR strap and watching the two numbers be nearly identical. The unit is sold in ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart versions, I bought the ANT+ version. Update: Full in-depth review is available here!
In the Queue: LifeBEAM Smart Helmet with integrated heart rate sensor
This came yesterday and I got it all un-boxed and even went for my first ride with it (albeit, on the trainer). Impressed with the data consistency thus far, comparing it against a traditional HR strap and watching the two numbers be nearly identical. The unit is sold in ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart versions, I bought the ANT+ version. Update: Full in-depth review is available here!
In the Queue: LifeBEAM Smart Helmet with integrated heart rate sensor
This came yesterday and I got it all un-boxed and even went for my first ride with it (albeit, on the trainer). Impressed with the data consistency thus far, comparing it against a traditional HR strap and watching the two numbers be nearly identical. The unit is sold in ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart versions, I bought the ANT+ version. Update: Full in-depth review is available here!
In the Queue: LifeBEAM Smart Helmet with integrated heart rate sensor
This came yesterday and I got it all un-boxed and even went for my first ride with it (albeit, on the trainer). Impressed with the data consistency thus far, comparing it against a traditional HR strap and watching the two numbers be nearly identical. The unit is sold in ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart versions, I bought the ANT+ version. Update: Full in-depth review is available here!
In the Queue: LifeBEAM Smart Helmet with integrated heart rate sensor
This came yesterday and I got it all un-boxed and even went for my first ride with it (albeit, on the trainer). Impressed with the data consistency thus far, comparing it against a traditional HR strap and watching the two numbers be nearly identical. The unit is sold in ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart versions, I bought the ANT+ version. Update: Full in-depth review is available here!
In the Queue: LifeBEAM Smart Helmet with integrated heart rate sensor
This came yesterday and I got it all un-boxed and even went for my first ride with it (albeit, on the trainer). Impressed with the data consistency thus far, comparing it against a traditional HR strap and watching the two numbers be nearly identical. The unit is sold in ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart versions, I bought the ANT+ version. Update: Full in-depth review is available here!
In the Queue: LifeBEAM Smart Helmet with integrated heart rate sensor
This came yesterday and I got it all un-boxed and even went for my first ride with it (albeit, on the trainer). Impressed with the data consistency thus far, comparing it against a traditional HR strap and watching the two numbers be nearly identical. The unit is sold in ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart versions, I bought the ANT+ version. Update: Full in-depth review is available here!
In the Queue: LifeBEAM Smart Helmet with integrated heart rate sensor
This came yesterday and I got it all un-boxed and even went for my first ride with it (albeit, on the trainer). Impressed with the data consistency thus far, comparing it against a traditional HR strap and watching the two numbers be nearly identical. The unit is sold in ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart versions, I bought the ANT+ version. Update: Full in-depth review is available here!
In the Queue: LifeBEAM Smart Helmet with integrated heart rate sensor
This came yesterday and I got it all un-boxed and even went for my first ride with it (albeit, on the trainer). Impressed with the data consistency thus far, comparing it against a traditional HR strap and watching the two numbers be nearly identical. The unit is sold in ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart versions, I bought the ANT+ version. Update: Full in-depth review is available here!
Nice gadget – but I fail to see the practical side of this one. On the bike the HR strap is not impractical, and probably more accurate in the long run. The only application would be on a sort of daily commuter ride – but if you are serious about it, you change clothes at work anyway. Rather see those helmets come with integrated lighting solutions – infinitely more useful in my opinionm and more in line with the goal of a helmet. Why not combine both and have a nice red taillight flash at the pulse of your current heartrate? When you evaluate this product, could you expand a bit on the intended audience?
One of the things I hear most common is that heart rate accuracy on the bike can be difficult – especially in non-peak summer months where the temps are cooler and thus less connectivity from a perspiration standpoint. The reason is that it’s often dried out and thus makes getting good connection tough (producing spiking numbers). This eliminates that problem (in theory).
Lazer make a ‘Taillight’ for a few helmet models. I have one (extra cost accessory) for both my O2 and my wife’s Genesis. It’s a LED that does constant or flashing modes and fits into the small barrel on top for adjusting the size. The kit replaces the plate surrounding the barrel too. Pretty neat if you can find one. I’m guessing it doesn’t come with the Smart by default though.
Cheers,
Ben
I see that there is a head band from LifeBeam also. It is advertised as being both bluetooth smart and ant+. This would appear to be much for practical. You could wear it under you bike helmet as well as run with it.
Just a comment about transplanting the guts of the helmet into a different helmet. I did just that last night, and had no issues at all. The sensor part and padding is simply velcro’ed to the helmet, and therefore can easily be removed. The brains of the unit is double-taped to the helmet. With a bit of dental floss to cut through the tape and some patience, it can be detached from the helmet with no damage. I reattached everything to my Giro Aeon helmet and the whole setup is so much more comfortable than the Lazer helmet. The Giro Helmet would need to be cut for the brains to fit nicely, but this is probably not a good idea to start hacking a bike helmet.
Any idea what they mean by “Motion Resistance”?
I think that’s what happens when the helmet hits the ground. The ground resists your further motion. No?
Honestly, I have no idea.
Queue need an update…
Oops, forgot to note, but I published a review a few weeks ago here: link to dcrainmaker.com