The Week in Review is a collection of both all the goodness I’ve written during the past week around the internet, as well as a small pile of links I found interesting – generally endurance sports related. I’ve often wondered what to do with all of the coolness that people write, and while I share a lot of it on Twitter and Facebook, this is a better forum for sending it on to y’all. Most times these different streams don’t overlap, so be on the lookout at all these places for good stuff!
So with that, let’s get into the action!
DCRainmaker.com posts in the past week:
Here’s all the goodness that ended up on the main page of DCRainmaker.com this past week:
Hello June. And hello random sales. At this point these are just sales to get you to buy stuff.
Once you pass the first week or so of June, you won’t see any new wearables products until the last week of August/first week of September. At least, any new products from companies that actually want your money this year. As almost any wearable company can tell you – launching a product mid-summer is basically a fail-boat scenario. Either before, or after…not in the middle. Alternatively, ask GoPro how that went two summers ago. Note that historically speaking bike trainer announcements and some minor bike stuff is expected around the Tour de France, but usually most announcements for bike things are saved to Eurobike/Interbike.
⚡This is the first time we've seen teh Edge 1050 on sale, since being announced last June (2024). It continues to be the most full featured bike comptuer on the market, and both reviews and consumers seem to be pretty happy with it. It's the unit I use if not testing anything else.
⚡At $249, it's pretty much impossible to beat this deal in terms of bike computers. There's no competitive option that beats it on features/battery/etc at this price, or frankly anywhere near it. Sure, it doesn't have a touchscreen, but it's not as bad as it used to be (I did a stint on it this winter for a week or so, and was fine).
This is the biggest sale we've seen on this to date. As noted above, the Enduro 3 is simply the Fenix 8 with a MIP/Solar display (but without the scuba or voice calling features). It gets all the Fenix 8 features and updates otherwise.
⚡The Fenix 8 is now down to $799 for the 42/47mm AMOLED editions, and from $899 for the Solar/MIP editions. This is the first big sale, outside of a short $70 discount back in January by Uncle Amazon.
This is actually the biggest discount the Forerunner 265 has seen since launch. Obviously the FR570 (successor to FR265) just came out this week, though with relatively modest updates.
This is the lowest price to date on this watch, bringing it down to a very strong $499. This unit includes maps and is more or less a plastic Fenix 7 Pro. The FR970 just came out this week, adding ECG functionality and a few other software features...but at $250 more!
⚡ This is my defacto satellite communicator when out of coverage area, and I've used it on a number of major treks over the past two years when well outside of cellular service, both in a 24x7 tracking mode for friends and family, but also there in case of emergency. Would strongly recommend for anyone doing anything in the wilderness.
This came out last fall, and is the first time this has been discounted. The key difference with the new Plus model is that it adds the ability to send photos and voice messenges via satellite. I've used it a bit, and it's pretty cool because it makes it a lot faster to just say something rather than type it out, but the $499 price seemed excessive. $399 makes it slightly more palatable.
2) Ironman buys Competitor Group: This includes the Rock & Roll series, as well as some publishing titles/sites/brands. It’ll be interesting to see how those publishing entities fair after this. In some ways I hope they end up being sold off to other buyers. I generally don’t find event-driven companies owning media brands as a successful thing.
3) New medical study out on Moxy sensor: I haven’t had a chance to buy/whatever the full text study, but this might be interesting to some. As for the Stanford study on wearables last week, I’ve spent some time chatting with the authors on that and am tweaking my piece before publishing slightly to include their responses. Should be out in the next day or two. (via Tim)
4) Are GoPro’s biggest new product hopes dashed? I’d generally agree with this. They need another basket with better eggs. More eggs. I think whatever they do for Hero6 this fall really has to take the wind out of people. I’d hope to see basically three levels of cameras. A higher-end prosumer action cam (i.e. $800-$1000 that drives crazy nuts like me to purchase), a Hero5 Black replacement at $299 (yes, $100 cheaper), and then a budget option at $119 (like they used to). And probably a Session replacement, even though Session isn’t really my thing, lots of others like it. Oh, and kill off the drone unless they can get something the size of the DJI Spark shipping *early* this fall. They have to shock and awe to stop the slide. (via Dragon Devil)
Sports Technology Software/Firmware Updates This Week:
Each week I quickly highlight some of the new firmware, app, software and website service updates that I see go out. If you’re a sports technology company and release an update – shoot me a quick note (just one-liners are perfect, or Tweet it at me is even better) and I’ll make mention of it here. If I don’t know about it, I won’t be able to post about it. Sound good? Oh – and if you want to get a head start on things, this page is a great resource for watching Garmin firmware updates.
Speaking of Moxy, I just saw this: link to apps.garmin.com while browsing for new apps on ConnectIQ, which is for a similar oxygen sensor coming out later this year. Will you be reviewing it when it comes out/you get it?
There’s a bug in the latest version (5.1.0) of the Garmin VIRB Edit for Mac. Specifically, the app will crash as soon as you try to import a FIT or GPX file. The previous version 4.2.3 (which I was fortunate enough to be able to restore) has no such issue.
When you say “you won’t see any new wearables products until the last week of August/first week of September”, is there any sense about what Garmin might launch for runners? I bought my 225 a few years ago about a month before they released the 235. If they launched a running focused watch with basic mapping I’d be a happy chap.
Richard – why not give the FR935 a look? It has all the navigation features of the fenix line but is intended more for runners/triathletes. Just used the TracBack feature this morning for the heck of it and had a nice little map to follow back to my starting point.
There is one thing I cannot understand if 935 is “Fenix5P” why do they make a different firmware tracks for Fenix5 and 935. Could it be that they will give more features to Fenix 5 over time or?
Also there as been a lot of talks about bugs in Fenix 5 series and non i 935. Are Fenix 5 and 935 different than we thought from the start? link to the5krunner.com
Because the Fenix and Forerunner teams are separate. Though they both access the same codebase, they do run as separate product groups (although reporting up the same chain).
I’m an NRA member and owner of dozens of guns who lives in Western Oklahoma. But, to carry and shoot a gun from a bike in a more populated portion of Colorado. What a freakin’ moron!! What is it with guns and Colorado? He makes doping look good. “If you’re a pro rider, don’t shoot your gun on a ride” How about, “Unless you are a complete moron and drain on society, don’t shoot your gun on a ride” Yo dude, are you down with this, let’s go gang bangin and do a drive by on our Orbeas. WT*
Ray,
Any known issues/fixes for E1000 or FR935 power dropouts when paired with P1’s? I see 60-70 drops in a 70 min Zwift ERG workout. First started seeing it in April right after the E1000 firmware was updated from 12.10.0.0 to 12.20.0.0. Still seeing it with firmware 13.0.0.0. I also pair an E810 w/ KICKR1 and see 15-20 drops during the same workout, but don’t think that firmware has been updated as recently as the E1000, so don’t know if that’s always been there or not.
Joe
+1 for missing the podcast. It was a regular one for me to listen to.
Also, if we’re doing requests … have you thought of having a page like the macbuyersguide which lists cycle since last update for Mac items. So for example, Garmin, you’d say Gamin 305 released 2008, then 740 days later, the 500 came out, then 432 days later the 510 etc. So once it approaches the average lifecycle, your page would say ”don’t buy, update expected soon” etc?
Podcast is coming back. We’ve have 2-3 attempts in the last week trying to get it recorded, but ended up like Craigslist Missed Connections. Timing is always tricky.
As for the guide, I’ve actually thought about doing something similar. For now what I do in the product comparison tool is list the announcement and actual shipping date of all products. I find that to be a pretty good indicator.
The challenge with a buy now/update expected soon is two fold. First is that unlike Apple, product names don’t tend to stay the same. So for example people have to know that the FR935 is the successor to the FR920, which is the successor to the FR910, which is the successor to the FR310XT, which is the successor to the FR305. You and I might know that, but the average consumer won’t.
The second issue is simply that I know too much. I know what all these companies plans are (under embargo/NDA’s), so I have to balance that a bit and talk to historical trends for replacement (i.e. every year, every two years, etc…).
I wondered if you were aware that Strava is trialing a new algorithm for the activities feed. This is apparently based by social media factors rather than the traditional chronology. There is no option to have one’s feed in the standard reverse chronological order.
It is dreadful, there is no apparent reasoning behind the order. I have a friend who does a commute, bike, train, bike twice a day and logs 4 rides. Sometimes all his rides for the week come at the top of my feed despite the fact he entered them daily!
Feedback has been overwhelmingly negative but as yet elicited no response from Strava. link to support.strava.com
Some of what I believe are insightful comments have highlighted the fact that Strava raised $70m from venture capital funds who are seeking to maximize their return. To this end the new CEO and a new main board director have been brought in from the Facebook/Instagram side of the industry to try and obtain a valuation of Strava similar to these types of company. This would require providing the right sort of metrics to a potential buyer.
Personally I think they risk damaging what value they have as a wonderful data performance data source but they can never hope to make to make as much money from tiered premium subscriptions than they might do if they persuaded somebody to pay a LinkedIn type price for them.
I am aware RidewithGPS, who I use for route planning, are watching the situation closely. They claim they remain wedded to being a data source funded by a tiered premium service, although I do notice social media type items appearing on their site.
It just struck me that if Strava render their site very difficult to use you could become a focal point in a search for viable alternatives
Must say I don’t like the latest windows version of VirbEdit. Is it my imagination or have they moved things around just for the hell of it? And why is there no proper help file or online help resource? /rantover
I thought it felt a tiny bit different when I started using it with the VIRB 360, but I got used to it pretty quickly. I don’t use it a ton otherwise (mostly use FCPX).
The story about a pro rider with a gun has to be bogus. There are probably super light guns made of unobtainium but a cyclist carrying lead bullets? No way!
Five minutes googling tells me that half a dozen handgun rounds weigh maybe 100g, and the whole package can be as light as 500g. Carrying that much extra weight wouldn’t be the worst decision he made that day.
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Speaking of Moxy, I just saw this: link to apps.garmin.com while browsing for new apps on ConnectIQ, which is for a similar oxygen sensor coming out later this year. Will you be reviewing it when it comes out/you get it?
Thanks again for all the posts man!
I’ll likely give it a whirl once they get closer to release. Looks interesting!
To be fair, shooting at a residential hillside from a bike (or anything else) is generally not a great idea, pro rider or not. :)
There’s a bug in the latest version (5.1.0) of the Garmin VIRB Edit for Mac. Specifically, the app will crash as soon as you try to import a FIT or GPX file. The previous version 4.2.3 (which I was fortunate enough to be able to restore) has no such issue.
When you say “you won’t see any new wearables products until the last week of August/first week of September”, is there any sense about what Garmin might launch for runners? I bought my 225 a few years ago about a month before they released the 235. If they launched a running focused watch with basic mapping I’d be a happy chap.
Richard – why not give the FR935 a look? It has all the navigation features of the fenix line but is intended more for runners/triathletes. Just used the TracBack feature this morning for the heck of it and had a nice little map to follow back to my starting point.
A 935 would be awesome, but I’m not sure if my wallet would agree.
> Garmin FR735XT BETA firmware update: More or less same as FR735 update.
Do you mean FR935 update?
Oops, yup!
Any news for a Garmin edge 1010 or 1000 replacement… My Garmin 1000 needs a new revision!!
There is one thing I cannot understand if 935 is “Fenix5P” why do they make a different firmware tracks for Fenix5 and 935. Could it be that they will give more features to Fenix 5 over time or?
Also there as been a lot of talks about bugs in Fenix 5 series and non i 935. Are Fenix 5 and 935 different than we thought from the start?
link to the5krunner.com
Or is it all due to that 935 was released latter?
Regards
Henning
Because the Fenix and Forerunner teams are separate. Though they both access the same codebase, they do run as separate product groups (although reporting up the same chain).
Hi Ray
Thanks for the answer.
So will the Fenix and the 935 endup with equal featuers or will they be different?
Regards
Henning
On amazon.it today (5/6/2017) the Garmin Forerunner 735XT at 299€.
I do not know how long the offer will last.
I’m an NRA member and owner of dozens of guns who lives in Western Oklahoma. But, to carry and shoot a gun from a bike in a more populated portion of Colorado. What a freakin’ moron!! What is it with guns and Colorado? He makes doping look good. “If you’re a pro rider, don’t shoot your gun on a ride” How about, “Unless you are a complete moron and drain on society, don’t shoot your gun on a ride” Yo dude, are you down with this, let’s go gang bangin and do a drive by on our Orbeas. WT*
Ray,
Any known issues/fixes for E1000 or FR935 power dropouts when paired with P1’s? I see 60-70 drops in a 70 min Zwift ERG workout. First started seeing it in April right after the E1000 firmware was updated from 12.10.0.0 to 12.20.0.0. Still seeing it with firmware 13.0.0.0. I also pair an E810 w/ KICKR1 and see 15-20 drops during the same workout, but don’t think that firmware has been updated as recently as the E1000, so don’t know if that’s always been there or not.
Joe
Hi Ray,
What has happened to the Podcast? Will it be back soon as we really miss it!
+1 for missing the podcast. It was a regular one for me to listen to.
Also, if we’re doing requests … have you thought of having a page like the macbuyersguide which lists cycle since last update for Mac items. So for example, Garmin, you’d say Gamin 305 released 2008, then 740 days later, the 500 came out, then 432 days later the 510 etc. So once it approaches the average lifecycle, your page would say ”don’t buy, update expected soon” etc?
Thanks
Podcast is coming back. We’ve have 2-3 attempts in the last week trying to get it recorded, but ended up like Craigslist Missed Connections. Timing is always tricky.
As for the guide, I’ve actually thought about doing something similar. For now what I do in the product comparison tool is list the announcement and actual shipping date of all products. I find that to be a pretty good indicator.
The challenge with a buy now/update expected soon is two fold. First is that unlike Apple, product names don’t tend to stay the same. So for example people have to know that the FR935 is the successor to the FR920, which is the successor to the FR910, which is the successor to the FR310XT, which is the successor to the FR305. You and I might know that, but the average consumer won’t.
The second issue is simply that I know too much. I know what all these companies plans are (under embargo/NDA’s), so I have to balance that a bit and talk to historical trends for replacement (i.e. every year, every two years, etc…).
Hi DC,
I wondered if you were aware that Strava is trialing a new algorithm for the activities feed. This is apparently based by social media factors rather than the traditional chronology. There is no option to have one’s feed in the standard reverse chronological order.
It is dreadful, there is no apparent reasoning behind the order. I have a friend who does a commute, bike, train, bike twice a day and logs 4 rides. Sometimes all his rides for the week come at the top of my feed despite the fact he entered them daily!
Feedback has been overwhelmingly negative but as yet elicited no response from Strava.
link to support.strava.com
Some of what I believe are insightful comments have highlighted the fact that Strava raised $70m from venture capital funds who are seeking to maximize their return. To this end the new CEO and a new main board director have been brought in from the Facebook/Instagram side of the industry to try and obtain a valuation of Strava similar to these types of company. This would require providing the right sort of metrics to a potential buyer.
Personally I think they risk damaging what value they have as a wonderful data performance data source but they can never hope to make to make as much money from tiered premium subscriptions than they might do if they persuaded somebody to pay a LinkedIn type price for them.
I am aware RidewithGPS, who I use for route planning, are watching the situation closely. They claim they remain wedded to being a data source funded by a tiered premium service, although I do notice social media type items appearing on their site.
It just struck me that if Strava render their site very difficult to use you could become a focal point in a search for viable alternatives
RE. App for treadmill speed into Zwift. A similar app called “Treadmill Smart Speed” is available in iOS
Must say I don’t like the latest windows version of VirbEdit. Is it my imagination or have they moved things around just for the hell of it? And why is there no proper help file or online help resource? /rantover
I thought it felt a tiny bit different when I started using it with the VIRB 360, but I got used to it pretty quickly. I don’t use it a ton otherwise (mostly use FCPX).
The story about a pro rider with a gun has to be bogus. There are probably super light guns made of unobtainium but a cyclist carrying lead bullets? No way!
Five minutes googling tells me that half a dozen handgun rounds weigh maybe 100g, and the whole package can be as light as 500g. Carrying that much extra weight wouldn’t be the worst decision he made that day.
+1 An airweight model S & W .38 weighs about as much as a couple granola bars. Far less than a bottle of water. But still, what an idiot.