Heads up – Massive Cyber Monday Deals List is Live!!! The Garmin Fenix 8 is $250 off (even the Fenix 8 Pro is $100 off!), the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on sale, the Garmin inReach Mini 2 is $249, the GoPro Hero 13 Black, DJI NEO, and a ton of other brands/deals, including Wahoo, Oura, Whoop, Polar, Samsung, Google, and more than 100 sports tech deals here!
It’s that time of year again – the semi-annual VIP 20% off sale! As with last fall and last spring, there are some amaze-balls deals in here. And while my title says all trainers and many power meters, the reality is that this applies to boatloads more devices/products too, especially if you think outside the box.
Historically speaking we see the biggest sports tech sales clustered in two timeframes: November (up to/around Black Friday), and May. Currently, it’s May. May usually brings sales from all wearable tech companies, as they often try and offload older products ahead of the summer. We’ve seen that the last few weeks with a slew of product sales rotating through.
So for background, in general sales fall into two buckets:
A) Retailer driven sales
B) Manufacturer driven sales (specified by the manufacturer, but then sold through retailers)
Within the US, manufacturers have to approve virtually all sales, to stay compliant with MAP policies (Minimum Advertised Price). Said MAP concept doesn’t exist elsewhere. So in the case of the Garmin and other sales below, those fall into bucket ‘B’ above. Whereas everything else in this post falls into bucket ‘A’ above. Make sense? Good.
So we’ve got one major sale here being driven by Clever Training for 20% off, though we’ve actually got a couple Garmin & Suunto sideshow sales on a handful of wearables as well. Ironically, all of which are current year models (usually they’ve been older models). As with past years, I expect we’ll see a handful more sales this month, though I wouldn’t expect any overlap with the way you could save 20% off on a given included product.
Said differently: No, you’re not going to see 20% off on Vector this month (or anytime soon), nor will you see 30% off on a Tacx Neo. Make sense?
Manufacturer-Specific Sales:
Here’s the handful of manufacturer driven sales that are currently announced:
Product
Sale Price
Amazon
Other site
Sale Notes
Adobe Creative Cloud Pro (12 Months) - $389 off (50% off!)
As a side note, you can cancel and take advantage of this. Which, is precisely what I did when I realized my existing plan was gonna be stupid expensive. In any case, I use the Adobe Creative Cloud Pro suite for a lot of what I do.
We did see lower just back in July, at $199. So I'd probably hold out a bit more here. Assuming that happens, you can't beat this watch at this price point (heck,not even at $226 either).
Perhaps this deal will get better, but right now at $20 off...nah. Given the price of the Garmin Epix Pro has flirted into the $429 range a bit over the past few days (and is a vastly better watch), this needs to drop down closer to $299 to be worth picking up during Black Friday pricing.
Despite being a tech-focused dude, our kids don't actually get much tech in their lives. However, we got these two years ago for them in their rooms, to play music. They do lots of other things, but our kids mostly just use it to play music (from Spotify and Apple Music too), and occasionally they ask it questions. It has all the parental controls I want, so it locks it down from bedtime/etc...For $31? Solid deal (The coolest 'nice touch' feature is that if you whisper to it, it'll whisper back...in the owl kids voice it has.)
⚡ This is an awesome deal. I use my iPad primarily for TrainerRoad as well as Zwift when not with a larger display. I also occasionally use it for other apps, namely Indievelo, Kinomap, Rouvy, and Peloton. But I pretty much test every smart trainer app on it. For all these cycling apps, the graphics capabilities is really pretty irrelevant, so having the absolute top-end/latest model won't make any difference. I prefer the budget options.
Apple 2025 14" MacBook Air Laptop with M4 - $250 off
See my other note about the MacBook Pro. While I'd love the MacBook Air instead, the singular reason I use the MacBook Pro is the added USB-C port (2 vs 3 on MacBook Pro). Otherwise, this spec-wise woudl do the trick.
Apple 2025 14" MacBook Pro Laptop with M5 - $250 off
This is the updated/newer model of the MacBook M1 Pro that I use for all my video editing. In my case, I still use a 2021 14" MBP, with relatively modest specs (32GB RAM). And I've been super happy with it, even while editing complex drone/action cam videos with 4 concurrently 4K streams in a multicam configuration, it has zero issues rendering or anything else.
These are the just-released AirPod Pro 3, with optical heart rate sensors in them. These are my daily-driver headphones these days, and even more notably, the heart rate accuracy is incredibly good in these.
This is the first major sale for the Apple Watch SE 3, which came out just 2 months ago. It's essentially Apple's 'budget' offering, yet it still has all the same software features as a higher-end Apple Watch Series 11, as long as the hardware permits.
This is the first time we've seen the Apple Watch Ultra 3 on sale, and given it's $100 off, that tends to be the typical sale price for the holidays/Black Friday for the current/just-released version.
This is the singular piece of apparel that's lasted the longest in my collection - some 15-16 years of buying the same socks. Heck, some of them are probably half that old. EIther way, this be the ones I use. Love them (well, except for hiking and trail running, then I use other stuff that goes higher). I'm wearring them as I wrote this post too.
This is a great price for this watch. Note though that technically speaking, this is a price reduction (took effect Nov 14th following the launch of the Pace 4). Most companies would first call it a sale, then make that sale price the new price as a price reduction. But COROS often beats to a different drum. Kudos on being upfront about the reduction though!
This is a great price for this watch. Note though that technically speaking, this is a price reduction (took effect Nov 14th following the launch of the Pace 4). Most companies would first call it a sale, then make that sale price the new price as a price reduction. But COROS often beats to a different drum. Kudos on being upfront about the reduction though!
This is last year's model. And sure, the Action 6 came out 48 hours ago, but honestly, the initial rection hasn't been kind there. I just started testing it, so more to come very shortly.
Look, don't buy this drone. This is the drone that never should have left the napkin at the lunch table at DJI's HQ. The unit breaks easily (as I, and many others found out), and doesn't really do anything super well. Literally, buy any other DJI drone except htis one...you're welcome.
⚡ This is a great little drone as your first drone, especially for sports usage, where it'll do an astonishing job following you (running, cycling, etc...). And, you can crash it a gazillion times without any problem.
NOTE: This is not sold by DJI directly via Amazon. DJI itself is NOT selling the OSMO 360 in the US, and WILL NOT support/repair it in the US. That said, it's a solid deal if you're ok with those risks.
This is Elite's previous-gen trainer, but it's still a reliable workhorse. This bundle is paired with the Zwift Cog/Click, though, you can also buy it without a cassette for the same price.
These is the new model just released this past summer with stronger anti-scratch resistance (I even dragged it down a textured concrete pool desk, lens-down, to show this).
⚡The Favero Assioma Pro MX dual-sided power meter pedals deal is a no brainer. I use them in my testing constantly along with the PRO RS pedals. Note for US folks: Favero does include all taxes and tarrifs in the price.
⚡The Favero Assioma Pro RS dual-sided power meter pedals having their first sale yet. This deal is a no brainer. I use them in my testing, and will likely pick up another set in this sale. Note for US folks: Favero does include all taxes and tarrifs in the price.
FeedBack Sports Pro Mechanic Bike Repair Stand - $50 Off
We use this stand for both any of the work we do on any of our bikes (well, except the cargo bike). Super quick and easy to take out when we need it. Note: Feedback Sports is a DC Rainmaker Partner
FeedBack Sports Pro Mechanic HD Bike Repair Stand - $55 Off
I've got this setup, andit's basically got almost everything I need for regular/daily bike maintenance across virtually all of my bikes. Plus, in theory I can keep things tidy in that carrying case....I mean, if I were to actually put all the tools back in it. Note: Feedback Sports is a DC Rainmaker Partner
⚡ This is (by far) the lowest price we've seen on this watch to date. This is their first full smartwatch focused on kids activity tracking and gamification.
⚡ This is the go-to sale price for the Fitbit Charge 6. It happens often, but it still doesn't take away from the fast that it's argueably the best bang for your buck fitness tracker out there.
If you're looking for a simple and inexpensive activity tracker, you won't go wrong with a Fitbit (or this Inspire 3). It's got literally all the same software features in the Fitbit app as a higher-end Google Pixel Watch or other Fitbit device, except...just tiny.
⚡ This is Garmin's newest kids-focused and LTE connected smart watch. Our three daughters have been using it for about two months now, after using the original Bounce 1 for years. This is a *massive* upgrade over the Bounce 1, both in features/hardware, but frankly also battery life. My review should be up next week, but if you've got any questions drop them in the comments below.
This is the activity tracker that both of our oldest daughters have used for years (age 8 & 9), as well as most of their friends now. They/we all like it. Check out my full in-depth review for all my thoughts. That said, the new Bounce 2 came out two months ago, and while my review isn't out yet, it's a far better product. But, quite a bit more too. The TLDR on that review will be that it's the best kids smartwatch/tracker to date (for both parents and kids), but obviously will cost you $100 more.
This is Garmin's premier line of diving watches, which is based on the Fenix 7 seies, rather than the Fenix 8 series. Still, it's by far one of the most capable dive+everything else watches on the market.
Garmin Descent MK3i (Dive watch with air integration) - $250 off!
This is Garmin's premier line of diving watches, which is based on the Fenix 7 seies, rather than the Fenix 8 series. Still, it's by far one of the most capable dive+everything else watches on the market. The 'i' version (MK3i) means that you can connect it to an air tank monitor transmitter pod.
⚡This is a very solid deal, and is still one of the best bike computers Garmin has ever made, especially when you look at the battery side of things (it lasts far longer than the Edge 1050).
⚡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 lowest price we've seen on the Garmin Edge 540 Solar to date, which has gained virtually all of the new Garmin Edge 1050 features as well. And notably, lower than the Edge 540 without solar (which is kinda silly, but hey, win for us!).
This is the lowest price we've seen on this to date. 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.
⚡⚡⚡ This is a fantastic deal. By far the lowest price we've seen this! The Epix Pro has a flashlight which the regular Epix lacks, plus the newer Garmin Elevate Gen5 optical HR sensor with ECG support.
⚡⚡⚡ This is a fantastic deal. By far the lowest price we've seen this! The Epix Pro has a flashlight which the regular Epix lacks, plus the newer Garmin Elevate Gen5 optical HR sensor with ECG support. Note: Availability on this deal fluctuates, just keep checking back, I'm sure it'll pop back again (it always does).
⚡⚡ If you wanted the battery life of a Fenix MIP series without the cost of a Fenix 8, this is basically your best deal. Plus, unlike the base Fenix 7 series, the Pro series includes the flashlight and Gen5 HR sensor with ECG.
⚡ If you wanted the battery life of a Fenix MIP series without the cost of a Fenix 8, this is basically your best deal. Plus, unlike the base Fenix 7 series, the Pro series includes the flashlight and Gen5 HR sensor with ECG.
⚡⚡ This is very unexpected, and is an Amazon-specific deal, not a Garmin-supported one. Thus, I expect it won't last more than minutes/hours. Grab it while you can! [Update: This keeps fluttering back and forth, just keep checking!]
⚡ The Fenix 8 keeps getting all the new software features of the Fenix 8 Pro that was launched two months ago. Setting aside that Fenix 8 Pro which gained LTE & Satellite Messaging, this is otherwise the most capable sports watch on the market.
⚡ The Fenix 8 keeps getting all the new software features of the Fenix 8 Pro that was launched two months ago. Setting aside that Fenix 8 Pro which gained LTE & Satellite Messaging, this is otherwise the most capable sports watch on the market.
As a general rule, the Fenix E is the watch that literally nobody is buying, and makes no sense at higher prices. The hardware is simply the Epix Gen 2 with Fenix stamped on it. That watch is going for $400, though I expect we'll see it down to $300 over Black Friday. However, one *KEY* difference with the Fenix E, is that it includes all of the software features of the newer Fenix 8, whereas the Epix Gen 2 doesn't get all the new software features. Otherwise, save your $200.
⚡ This is (by far) the lowest price on the Forerunner 265, which was recently replaced by the Forerunner 570 (but at nearly twice this price). What's fascinating about this sale price, is it's well beyond the usual sale prices for Garmin for this product. This pricing is 100% an Kansas-themed 'Hello!' to COROS and their just released COROS Pace 4 at $249.
The Foreurnner 55 is a great option if you simply don't want to spend a ton, but still want a super-capable runners watch (and general activity/sleep tracking watch). I've heard a lot of you get it for teenagers that run, as a great/inexpensive way to track their runs, and still be a good everyday watch.
⚡ This is the lowest price to date on the Forerunner 965, which is logical given the Forerunner 970 came out this past spring (which essentialy adds a flashlight and some other running metrics/features).
⚡ This is a very unexpected sale, just launched, on this very new watch, which is Garmin's top of the line Forerunner watch with virtually all the same software features as the Fenix 8 (but in a plastic case and without the diving features).
The Garmin Inded BPM is Garmin's medically certified blood pressure monitor. It integrates directly into your Garmin Connect account. I use it on occasion as a comparison for wearables, and it works just fine (obviously it's already medically certified by the FDA, so I say 'works' here in the sense of usability/functionality/etc...).
I use this scale, merely for the weight tracking functions (not body fat). It works just fine for that piece, and integrates with the rest of your Garmin data. If you aren't in the Garmin ecosystem, there's plenty of (far) cheaper options.
The Instinct 3 series came out earlier this year, with both an AMOLED and Solar variants. The big upgrade over the previous editions is the inclusion of the flashlight in all sizes, and a massive ugprade of sports features.
The Instinct 3 series came out earlier this year, and the Solar edition in particular has 'unlimited' battery life in certain scenarios. The big upgrade over the previous editions is the inclusion of the flashlight in all sizes, and a massive ugprade of sports features.
This is Garmin's radar without the light, so it's a bit smaller as a result. Same radar tech though, and compatible with Garmin/COROS/Hammerhead/Wahoo bike computers.
This is Garmin's standalone radar+taillight option, and $149 is pretty much the standard sale-price. Even despite all the new radars out there, this remains the most accurate option on the market. Now, only if Garmin would just re-release it with USB-C. C'Mon Garmin...maybe next year?
This is the first time this product has been on sale, since launching last spring. I'd argue it could have used a $100 off sale...but hey...they don't consult me.
⚡ The Garmin Venu 4 just came out two months ago, and one of the big ticket features is the LED flashlight built-in. However, it's also got a ton of other new features, as Garmin merged the codebase with the Forerunner/Fenix series, resulting in a boatload of added things like Training Readiness, Acute Load, and more.
⚡ This is the lowest price we've seen on the newest product in the entire Garmin Holiday 2025 sale lineup. This is basically a blend of a Forerunner 970, Venu 4, and Fenix 8...but super thin. It's argueably one of the best deals here at $599, though, Garmin is still clearly trying to figure out the right pricing to drive purchases.
⚡ This is the first time we've seen the Vivoactive 6 on sale, which is essentially a Venu 4, but without the voice/calling/ECG features (and a few other tidbits). It's probably one of the best deals in Garmin's lineup (sale or otherwise).
⚡ This is the lowest price we've ever seen for this. 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 second time this has been discounted, but now to the lowest price to date. 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.
This is GoPro's budget option, which includes a full color touchscreen on the back as well. The main benefit is it's super small, but note it's not quite in the same quality ballpark as their higher-end cameras. If you want size and GoPro ecosystem on a budget, this is an option. But with the DJI Action 4 just $20 more than $199, that offers notably better quality.
We have more Nest cam's than I can count. No really, we have half a dozen at the DCR Cave alone, plus more at home. We love them. Nest Cam's really only go on sale about 1-2x per year.
The newer Pixel Watch 4 came out back in October. I see the Pixel Watch 4 as a pretty substantial hardware upgrade over the Pixel Watch 3, notably due to satellite SOS, as well as a user-replaceable battery.
This has become one of my favorite drones, given it's tiny size (fits in my running shorts pockets) and ease of use. Plus, you can crash the crap out of it (hundreds of times for me and my wife) without any issues. This combo includes an extra battery and fast charger.
⚡ This is a solid deal on a solid drone, and one of the two main ones I use when taking videos of myself hiking or running. This includes the two extra batteries as well as the fast charger (so 3 batteries total).
This is one of the other more popular display-laden rowing machines. I haven't tried this, but my sports-tech reviewing buddy DesFit has (linked at side) and liked it.
⚡ This just came out this past August, and is a great little unit. The pod isn't quite as tiny as the Go 3S, but the features and quality are a huge step up (especially the removable MicroSD card).
This is one of the best 360 action cams on the market, alongside the GoPro Max 2 (both have their pros and cons, check out my full comparison guide linked).
This is one of the most popular indoor trainer fan companies out there, which rivals the Wahoo Headwind fan but cost a fraction of the price. Of course, it lacks ANT+/Bluetooth integration, but realistically if you really want that you can add a smart outlet for $10 to toggle it on/off from your phone if need be. It's one of the ones in my rotation.
⚡ Let's be honest: This place runs on Nespresso (or, well, the knock-off pods we buy). But, the machine is Nespresso. Without it, reviews most definitely would not get done (and certainly not on time). This is a pretty sweet deal if you ask me!
Ooni Karu 12 Multi-Fuel Outdoor Pizza Oven - $120 off
I use the Fyra 12 (with wood pellets), and love it. The Karu 12 is essentialyl the newer version of that, and there's both a gas-only version, and a multi-fuel option (gas or wood). Love it!
I use Philips Hue stuff all over the DCR Cave/Studio for lighting, both obviously colorful stuff in the background of shots, but also just for automation of the lights. Same goes at home. Love it (mainly when it's on sale like now). Starter packs are a good place to begin, and then I love the light strips (such as pictured).
⚡The Pixel Watch 4 LTE includes satellite SOS connectivity, even if you don't activate a cellular plan on it. I'd strongly recommend getting the LTE version for $50 more, to future-proof you a bit there (or, to save your bacon in the woods).
This is a great dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart (with two Bluetooth Smart connections) chest strap that you'll often find me using as a reference strap in heart rate sensor testing. We only tend to see deals on it around Black Friday, always topping out around 20%.
If you're looking for a good solid high-quality strap, that does both ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart, for a reasonable price...look no further than the Polar H9
These are the main gels I use when I don't need the bigger 90g ones. So for example doing something a bit shorter where I don't want to carry the bigger 90g packs (mainly running). Note: Precision Fuel & Hydration is a DC Rainmaker partner
Precision Fuel & Hydration PF90 Energy Gels 10pkg - 15% OFF
I primarily use these 90g packs on all my adventures, roughly doing 90g/hour for cycling/trail running/hiking/etc... Note: Precision Fuel & Hydration is a DC Rainmaker partner
We have a few SONOS speakers around the house and DCR Cave (the Ikea variants at DCR Cave), but by far our favorite is the Roam, which we take outdoors into the garden during the summer, beach vacations, AirBNB's, etc... It has a battery in it, and also connects to both WiFi and Bluetooth. Love, love, love. I think the main reason I love it, is that we heavily use it in summer, so...kinda reminds me of summer.
⚡This is one of the two the high speed drives types I use to store the footage I'm actively video editing. I typically buy the 2TB and 4TB ones, and then eventually offload the footage onto a NAS array when I'm done.
Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Camera w/ 28-70mm Zoom - $400 offThis is the main camera I use for still photography and video b-roll. I semi-recently wrote about all the photography gear I use, linked at side here.
Suunto Aqua Swimming Open-Ear Bluetooth Headphones - 22% off!
This is a very solid deal. It's got virtually all the software features of Suunto's higher-end watches (minus the app store), and just came out this past May.
While the new Suunto Vertical 2 just came out a month ago, if you wanted to stock-up on MIP-based display watches before they disappear, here's your chance. This is also the lowest price we've ever seen on the Vertical 1, which is otherwise still a very soild watch.
I have bigger Synology NAS units at the DCR Studio/Office, but I also have a smaller unit (this one) that I use to keep various piles of data here too. I like the Synology stuff, as it's generally quite dependable.
This is the go-to sales price for the NEO 2T, though has become more frequent over the past year. It's still an incredible trainer, and is the top-end non-moving trainer from Garmin/Tacx.
⚡ This is the lowest price we've seen to date on the Tacx NEO 3M, and finally takes it down to a semi-logical price (compared to it's competitors). This is a good buy, and obviously, given it's only a year old, I definitely don't expectany sort of new version of this anytime soon (the last NEO series unit was about 5 years between versions).
This is another very popular fan that people use for indoor training/cycling, especially due to inclusion of the remote and remote holder to clasp on your handlebars.
This simulates the up and down motion on Wahoo KICKR trainers moving your bike up and down. Also, there's virtually no product except SNAP, that Wahoo likes to put on sale more. Wouldn't be a sale around here unless this thing was discounted.
⚡ This is a very solid deal for this bike, and the lowest price to date. I actually like the KICKR BIKE SHIFT more than the higher-end KICKR BIKE V2/Pro, mainly because it's both quiter, and seems to be more resillient to issues (less complex design).
⚡This is actually the lowest price we've ever seen on the KICKR V6. Wahoo says we won't see a new top-end KICKR this fall, with them instead focusing on the new KICKR Bike Pro, KICKR CORE 2, and all their new bike computers/radar/etc...
I’d keep checking back on the above table, especially over the next week or so. As most of the times manufacturers have lit up deals by mid-May. The table automatically updates as soon as a new deal shows up.
REI 20% off Sale:
[Update! Just added this section in!]
If you missed the much larger Clever Training 20% VIP sale, fear not – you’ve got two days to make it up. From now till May 28th you can still take advantage of the REI 20% off sale, which has a handful of sports tech items that are of interest here (plus of course all sorts of the usual REI stuff like tents and backpacks). All of these links help support the site.
Technically it’s a members-only sale, but it only takes a second to sign-up and then use coupon code ANNIV18 for REI.
For those curious, the Tacx Neo is my go-to trainer that I use when I’m not testing something else. But if you’re looking for the best bang for the buck from the available trainers in this sale, it’s the Tacx Flux. Sale ends 11:59PM Pacific Time May 28th. Oh, you can get free shipping to your local REI store. Woot!
Clever Training 20% VIP SALE:
[This sale has now ended]
In this sale, each Clever Training (CT) VIP member is given a coupon code (SPRINGVIP) that’s good for 20% off a single non-sale item including all trainers and most power meters. It doesn’t matter if that item is the Tacx Neo trainer, Wahoo KICKR 3 (2017) trainer, a WatTeam power meter, or Oakley aero helmets. Your choice, but it’s only available to CT VIP members.
There are a handful of limitations, most notably that it’s not valid on Garmin, GoPro, Fitbit, Quarq, Favero, and a few others I list down below in the restrictions. Those are all manufacturer driven restrictions. Note: The Favero Assioma pedals are still valid with the usual 10% off DCR Coupon Code (DCR10BTF).
With that in mind, there are some incredible deals to be had for trainers and power meters here – or other high-value items. Especially new trainers and newly released power meters. Here’s some quick guidance on both categories:
Power Meters: As I said earlier this year, I do not expect 2018 to be rich in new power meters, or significant price shifts. You’ve got the new SRM pedal-based power meter coming in a few weeks (they recently said to stay tuned for June 1st), but we don’t know a lot of details on that at this point (be it accuracy, pods or no pods, or price-point). Beyond that, virtually every major player in the market has released or started shipping a new power meter in the last 12-16 months. And there’s of course been a handful of Kickstarter and startup projects too recently. Certainly, it’s likely someone unknown might come out of the woodwork this summer at Eurobike or Interbike, but I wouldn’t expect any summer 2018 announcements to result in new summer 2018 shipments (since it never historically has worked that way). So basically – if you want a power meter for this year and want to save 20%, it won’t get better than this. Here’s my power meter buyers guide a well.
Trainers: Trainers are trickier of course, especially with Eurobike now shifted to July. We typically see new trainers announced at Eurobike/Interbike, though the last few years we saw them as early as June. I think we’ll be back to Eurobike though again for anything meaningful. And remember, none were available earlier than Eurobike (only the new Wahoo KICKR3 and new Elite trainers managed to be available then), while virtually everyone else was delayed into late fall and beyond. Despite these companies’ best intentions to be shipping in August/September, it didn’t often happen. I do expect 2018 to be a reasonably solid year for indoor cycling gear, but not necessarily massive changes in new models of trainers. I think you’re mostly going to see companies shift towards the Wahoo/Apple model of minor tweaks this year to a given product and stamping it with a new version number.
Meaning, if you see an option on the market you like today – go for it. If however you want the latest and greatest next fall and don’t mind waiting until fall for availability…then hold your cards. Here’s my Winter 2017-2018 trainer recommendations post, which still holds true today.
The sale is members only, but it’s simple to get started. If you’re already a member, just skip step #2.
Pick out the item you want to buy and add to cart (see below list as a starting point)
Add VIP members-only coupon code (SPRINGVIP) upon checkout to save 20%.
Enjoy gadget!
There are too many deals to list, because obviously that’d be tens of thousands of items that Clever Training carries, even running shoes and other sports gear. But you can find all power meters Clever Training carries here on their power meter landing page.
And all trainers Clever Training lists are carried here on the trainer landing page (it’s basically everyone).
I’m going to call out the most notable sports-tech ones in the table below:
Then there’s a pile of non-sports tech products that last year a bunch of you bought, or talked about. Or that you probably didn’t even know would be included in a sale like this but it’s worthwhile noting. I figured I’d dig into the analytics from last time and see what oddities you bought that I didn’t mention as well. I suppose if some of you bought these, there might be something that others will appreciate as well
So you’re probably wondering about that VIP requirement? That’s basically akin to what REI does with their twice-yearly members-only sale. Except in this case, the Clever Training VIP membership only costs $4.99. And the proceeds of that go to ‘Girls On The Run’, a running focused charity. So it’s basically a win-win. You get a massive savings, and an awesome charity gets supported.
And of course, your gadgetry purchase helps support the site here (as all Clever Training purchases do).
Here’s what I expect to be a few frequently asked questions:
It’s over. End of the road. Time to eat Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream.
Is shipping free?
Yes, US shipping is free as long as your order is over $49. For items that can be shipped internationally, it’s $29 flat rate. Generally speaking, trainers can’t be shipped internationally.
What about Clever Training Europe?
Unfortunately, this sale is CT US focused. However, you are welcome to ship any items that they can overseas, which is the $29 flat rate noted in the previous question item. You will have to do customs on your own, but if you live overseas as I do you’re familiar with that game. And you’d be able to do the math on whether it makes sense given any fees you might face. In most cases it probably will still save you money, especially for more expensive items.
As for the ‘why’ of not having this deal in CT Europe, it’s somewhat simple: There’s already an always-on 10% off coupon deal there. Obviously that’s different than 20% off, but that gets into some of the differences between the US having ‘MAP’ (Minimum Advertised Price) policies, whereas the rest of the world (including Europe) sees that as illegal. I explain a bit more in detail back this past fall.
To be super clear – it’s definitely something that Clever Training Europe would love to do, but it simply has to be viable from a business standpoint too.
Is this the end of the FAQ section?
Yes…you made it!
—
Phew – there ya have it! Go forth and enjoy. And feel free to drop any questions you have down below on recommendations, etc… I’d be happy to try and help ya out. Thanks for the support!
I wish that there was a clear winner in the power meter category. Each placement has so many different caveats and price points. 20% is a pretty great deal, and Clever Training is a fantastic shop.
Indeed, I think we’ll eventually get to the point whereby one of two things will happen:
A) Power meters become dial-tone within cranksets: My guess is this is at least 3-6 years away from high end cranksets (i.e. Dura-Ace), and 5-8 years away for cheaper (Ultegra and eventually 105).
B) Pedal based power meters will likely be where most efforts end up. Right now there are of course pedal type limitations, but that’s eventually going to go away and it’ll be harder and harder to have reasons not to get a pedal based power meter, especially as prices continue to drop.
On the bright side – more choice means lower prices. Power meter pricing has dropped like a rock in recent years, and as we see new players (even ones that fail), that drives others to produce better products and lower cost products.
You’re absolutely right. I’m looking at the Vector 3s as my power meter, but the price point is just a bit high. I appreciate all the reviews you are doing on the various products in this area as it’s helpful to get something that works for each rider.
If power meters come with the cranks and not as a large markup then it would seem like all non crank makers will fail in the long term. Pedals would also be a long term failure if you’re just going to attach them to cranks that can already measure power.
The image for the power meters (as distinct from the text-based link) links to an image on the media.dcrainmaker.com website. I’m guessing that that wasn’t what was intended.
Also: no Quarq and no Garmin? Vector 3, I can understand, considering that it’s still relatively new and companies are struggling to keep it in stock, but even the older Vectors? Ouch. Guess I’ll be heading over to a UK-based mob I know that will sell me the Quarq SRAM Red DZero for a shade under $AU1k, then. (Under $US750… I’d love to support the site, but when the price difference is that great…)
Thanks for the catch on the image, updated link – appreciate it!
For Quarq, yeah, it’s ultimately a manuf choice. Older Vectors actually probably would be allowed to be honest, since I don’t believe they’re under MAP. I can double-check. Though honestly I’d have a hard time recommending Vector 2 at $800 over PowerTap P1 (which are dual ANT+/BLE) at the same $800. Especially since Vector 2 still require pods.
Oh, there’s no way I’d buy Vector 1 or 2 now, not unless they were at a steep discount to the price for a new set of Vector 3 or similar pedals. Just the way it was worded implied that no Garmin product would fall under the discount code, which surprised me (especially for the older products).
Is there any likelihood of the situation on the Quarq changing, or is it pretty much set in stone? (Read: I’m happy to delay the purchase to help support the site, if it’s likely to change, but if it’s fixed, then so be it.)
Oh – and there’s the same issue for the very first image in the body, the one with the Wahoo, Tacx, etc. (Sorry, only just noticed it.)
Ahh, yeah, I think technically it works on non-MAP products (which are all older things), but I didn’t try and figure out what those are. I’ll have them circle back with confirmation one way or the other on it, and if there are some older things that it’s valid on, I’ll create a list.
I don’t think we’ll see Quarq change their position on this one. Obviously they could, and obviously it’d help them sell units, but it sounds like they’re sticking with that position.
No worries on the first image, it was just meant to be a pretty header pic – but I agree, logical to direct that to somewhere. Thanks!
I pulled the trigger anyway with the basic 10%, but the two month delay was the most disappointing. However, I spent hours researching and reading, so I really appreciated your review. It was a deciding factor.
I pulled the trigger myself on the Assioma’s last week, got impatient waiting for a sale. When I saw the email this morning I was annoyed… until I saw that Favero was excluded so I guess my impatience worked in my favor for once.
Does the sale work for pre-orders, e.g. the Scosche Rhythm 24? I was hoping your review would come out before or during the sale, but it sounds like things are being kicked down the road a little. Any new thoughts that weren’t covered in your Hands On? And just for a sanity check, the sale won’t work on even non GPS Garmin items? (such as the RD Pod)
Yup, works for pre-order items that are listed. The Rhythm 24 is listed and totally one you can do. Whereas Wahoo has made the KICKR CLIMB available for purchase/order yet, so that one doesn’t work.
Nothing major of concern that I’ve seen with the final Scosche 24 unit that I have. I haven’t pulled in the files from the last 3-4 days yet into the DCR Analyzer to really dig into every second, but while out for workouts, things seem in-line.
Considering that the Powertap pedals ARE on sale and Favero is not, does it make sense to go with P1s rather than Assiomas? Or are the rave reviews/rechargeability/lower stack height on the Assiomas worth an extra $80?
I suppose it depends on discount, since with the Favero you can still apply the usual 10% discount using DCR Coupon Code DCR10BTF. So that means you’re actual price is $720USD (dual), versus the PowerTap P1 at $600 with the 20% deal.
At that price point, I’d probably go PowerTap P1 – since the savings is $120…unless I’m doing my math wrong somewhere.
That’s correct, definitely should work (and seeing a few other transitions showing it working). Just to validate, you’re using DCR10BTF – with no additional quotes/etc, right?
I had my credit card ready to go bought the VIP package last night, but could not get it to work on Assioma’s. Really disappointed. Power pedals was a luxury for me. Now I am considering waiting or just not doing it. That last minute decision did not make me happy! Grrr!
Ok I stayed until midnight, bought the VIP, and then it did not work. Found out hey were excluded. I am a bit irritated at Favero/Clever Training. I know probably not justified, but I have not had my coffee yet.
I have waited for a month to buy the pedals. They were not excluded in the past. They still seem the best option for my Campy equipped, bike, but it is just not a fun purchase any more!
Sorry John. Indeed, I suspect it may be lack of coffee driven. I tried to be super clear on the above (and them on CT’s terms too) that the Favero units weren’t included per manufacturer direction this time around.
Still, I have no doubt that CT would happily refund you last night’s purchase. :) Unfortunately, they can’t do anything about the rain.
You were very clear as always. I went to Clever Training last night and saw the VIP discount and started before your article
If I remember correctly the VIP membership goes to charity so I will not Pursue a refund.
I have had coffee now I am no longer irritated. It also stopped raining so life is good ?. That being said I usually choose to spend my money elsewhere when a company ruins my fun. Was this a Farvero or Clever training decision?
We are very surprised to read these comments.
We don’t know where this misunderstanding originated from but we will contact the reseller for clarification.
We have never agreed to be part of a “VIP discount” of any kind.
We prefer to focus our advertising on very hard factual product features and the quality of our service.
– The Scosche 24 is actually announced Winter 2018, as it was announced in January 2018 at CES
– Vivoactive 3: I’m not sure I follow – the base Vivoactive 3 is $20 off, making it $249. The Gunmetal is the more fancy variant, which costs a bit more.
Based on your experience, which one would be a better deal for a first PM?
– Powertap C1 for 350 USD
– 4iiii Precision for 400 USD
I know that the 4iiii is left-only, that is his major downside. The C1 would be a bit cheaper (even with selling my 6800 crankset and buying a used 105 5700 crankset on ebay). On the other hand, the C1 adds about 200 gramms to the bike and I also read a couple of other reviews which were complaining about the front shifting with the FSA rings.
Do you have an idea which one is more reliable? I have read your C1 and 4iiii reviews and every single comment below those reviews, in both cases I have read good and bad alike. I am a hobby rider so I am not sure that I should pay much attention to the whole left-only argument…
I didn’t have any issues at all there, no problems shifting. As one who rides wonky cranksets in my bikes that don’t match all the time, perhaps I get used to the oddities. But I think it honestly just comes down to fine tuning shifting anytime you swap cranksets.
Yes, officially only via the PT website, although I think you can still find it here or there.
For example: link to performancebike.com
The normal price for the C1 was around 5-6-700 USD, so even with 20% off from the old price, that would be a worse deal than buying it from the PT website.
Do not buy the c1 I repeat do not buy the C1 I went through 7 of them in 2 years all with water leakage in the battery compartment there is clearly a design and manufacturing issues being that the same thing persisted through 24 months of usage before I finally sold off the last warranty replacement on ebay. Also it only worked with a few of my frames and most of the cranks that fit it are outdated or heavy.
Have you seen REI’s sale catalog (May 18 – 28)? It says the Fenix 5’s are $100 off. I think the date goes through 6/16 too, which makes me think that’s manufacturer driven.
Found it! Indeed, Fenix 5 a flat $100 off, and also one of the older Garmin inReach models at $75 off. I’ll re-sort the chunks above a bit later to reflect those sales. Dates as you noted.
Since those are standard Garmin sales, you’ll see them at any Garmin retailer.
I’ve added all the new sales into the upper section of the post:
• $100 off all Fenix 5s – 5/18-6/16
• $50 off Edge 25 units (base and bundle) – 5/18-5/28
• 20% off on Saris and Cycleops – 5/18-5/30
• $50 off Edge 520 5/18-5/28
I’ve been hoping we would see a power2max “summer” sale some time soon. But the US website hasn’t been updated in ages (it actually still lists last years summer sale) and the new mountain bike power meters haven’t even made it onto the US site. I only learned they had been available when I accidentally wondered onto the euro site a few weeks back.
Hm I got excited to buy the Stages LR Ultegra power meter for a good price until I calculated the taxes and duties I would have to pay when shipping to Germany. So basically I can also buy it directly here :P (too bad though cause 20% is a pretty nice offer)
Coming from a Forerunner 235 I’m trying to figure out what which will ‘feel’ the most similar out of the Forerunner 935, 645 music, or Fenix 5. I’m worried some about the weight of the Fenix 5 but the 645 music does seem to be smaller on the display side. Any tips on making this choice?
I think if you look at the Fenix 5S, you’d find the weight/size in the same ballpark. The poles of the watch are a bit wider on the Fenix 5 series than the Forerunner though.
I never do this, but I am mad at Favero for changing their exclusion policy for their pedals.
I know I am overreacting for $70, but after waiting for this deal for a month this ruined my buying experience. Therefore, I am not going to buy from Favero even though they are the best solution!
Sometimes I think companies do things because they know they can. Well I do not have to buy from them!
Thank you Clever Training for the great sale. Ray as usual you are the best!
Lastly, I am sorry about the negativity, but this just rubbed me the wrong way.
Why consider the Fenix 5? Style. The Fenix series is designed to be more of a stylish fashion accessory, rather than the utilitarian design of the 935.
For some people, that’s important. It isn’t for me (which is why I have the 935; I’m more interested in the function than the form), but your tastes and mine are not everybody’s.
As do I, Dan, although obviously some would disagree with that opinion. The 5S is decent in its styling and size (it’s the only one of the Fenix series I’d consider wearing on my wrist; the others are far too big), but has the issue of a shorter battery life – on par with the 735XT.
Choice is a wonderful thing, is it not? It’s almost as if everybody is free to choose whichever watch suits their needs, tastes, and desires… ;)
I also noticed that if you purchase any Pioneer Dual Leg Power Meter or Dual Power Meter Kit from Biketiresdirect.com you will get to receive a free Pioneer SGX-CA500 Cycle Computer
My response is obviously hindered by NDA’s. But, my guidance tends to be the same each year:
If you want a trainer that you can use before ~September/October, get what’s available now. Whereas, if you plan to ride outside between now and then, then consider waiting to see if something better comes along. Generally speaking most trainers announced at Eurobike/Interbike start to ship by September, with most of the time companies sorting things out by October. There are still numerous examples where by either delays or backorders, a given unit won’t ship to you until Nov/Dec, even January or February sometimes.
torn between the stages l/r and the pioneer dual crankset options.
any recommendations? things i’ve considered:
– stages has dropout issues
— was released this year so newest gen
– pioneer looks to be updated with the ultegra r8000, but can’t find the release date.
— is this a newer model?
i’ve already preordered the 520+ so don’t think the free pioneer unit would really make a difference.
Ray,
I’m in the market for a new bike computer, and I’m struggling between the Edge 130, 520, and 520 plus.
Basic thoughts here, would love your (and everything else’s) input:
520: $199 is a great price.
130: Same price as the 520, a bit smaller (probably doesn’t matter to me), seems like a newer version of the 520 and won’t fall out of Garmin favor as quickly but might also not get some of the big updated 2-3 years down the road.
520 plus: Basically the “new” 520, but with the sale is $80 more than the 520/130. Will be the unit that get updates down the road, but frankly not sure who much I’ll need those updates. The routing / yelp is the biggest driver here for me, don’t think I’ll get a bluetooth only sensor any time in the future.
Thanks in advance, happy Memorial day (or, as I suspect they call it in Holland, “Monday”)
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I wish that there was a clear winner in the power meter category. Each placement has so many different caveats and price points. 20% is a pretty great deal, and Clever Training is a fantastic shop.
Indeed, I think we’ll eventually get to the point whereby one of two things will happen:
A) Power meters become dial-tone within cranksets: My guess is this is at least 3-6 years away from high end cranksets (i.e. Dura-Ace), and 5-8 years away for cheaper (Ultegra and eventually 105).
B) Pedal based power meters will likely be where most efforts end up. Right now there are of course pedal type limitations, but that’s eventually going to go away and it’ll be harder and harder to have reasons not to get a pedal based power meter, especially as prices continue to drop.
On the bright side – more choice means lower prices. Power meter pricing has dropped like a rock in recent years, and as we see new players (even ones that fail), that drives others to produce better products and lower cost products.
You’re absolutely right. I’m looking at the Vector 3s as my power meter, but the price point is just a bit high. I appreciate all the reviews you are doing on the various products in this area as it’s helpful to get something that works for each rider.
If power meters come with the cranks and not as a large markup then it would seem like all non crank makers will fail in the long term. Pedals would also be a long term failure if you’re just going to attach them to cranks that can already measure power.
Yup, totally agree (very long term).
Of course, that assumes other tech doesn’t come along which becomes cheaper or easier to integrate elsewhere that does it more accurately.
The image for the power meters (as distinct from the text-based link) links to an image on the media.dcrainmaker.com website. I’m guessing that that wasn’t what was intended.
Also: no Quarq and no Garmin? Vector 3, I can understand, considering that it’s still relatively new and companies are struggling to keep it in stock, but even the older Vectors? Ouch. Guess I’ll be heading over to a UK-based mob I know that will sell me the Quarq SRAM Red DZero for a shade under $AU1k, then. (Under $US750… I’d love to support the site, but when the price difference is that great…)
Thanks for the catch on the image, updated link – appreciate it!
For Quarq, yeah, it’s ultimately a manuf choice. Older Vectors actually probably would be allowed to be honest, since I don’t believe they’re under MAP. I can double-check. Though honestly I’d have a hard time recommending Vector 2 at $800 over PowerTap P1 (which are dual ANT+/BLE) at the same $800. Especially since Vector 2 still require pods.
Oh, there’s no way I’d buy Vector 1 or 2 now, not unless they were at a steep discount to the price for a new set of Vector 3 or similar pedals. Just the way it was worded implied that no Garmin product would fall under the discount code, which surprised me (especially for the older products).
Is there any likelihood of the situation on the Quarq changing, or is it pretty much set in stone? (Read: I’m happy to delay the purchase to help support the site, if it’s likely to change, but if it’s fixed, then so be it.)
Oh – and there’s the same issue for the very first image in the body, the one with the Wahoo, Tacx, etc. (Sorry, only just noticed it.)
Ahh, yeah, I think technically it works on non-MAP products (which are all older things), but I didn’t try and figure out what those are. I’ll have them circle back with confirmation one way or the other on it, and if there are some older things that it’s valid on, I’ll create a list.
I don’t think we’ll see Quarq change their position on this one. Obviously they could, and obviously it’d help them sell units, but it sounds like they’re sticking with that position.
No worries on the first image, it was just meant to be a pretty header pic – but I agree, logical to direct that to somewhere. Thanks!
Pioneer power meters have a free head unit offer to go with them. link to pioneerelectronics.com
Ouch. Put off my Assioma purchase for two months only to find they are excluded.
Yeah, it was an unexpected last minute change last week. :( Sad Panda too.
I pulled the trigger anyway with the basic 10%, but the two month delay was the most disappointing. However, I spent hours researching and reading, so I really appreciated your review. It was a deciding factor.
I pulled the trigger myself on the Assioma’s last week, got impatient waiting for a sale. When I saw the email this morning I was annoyed… until I saw that Favero was excluded so I guess my impatience worked in my favor for once.
Does the sale work for pre-orders, e.g. the Scosche Rhythm 24? I was hoping your review would come out before or during the sale, but it sounds like things are being kicked down the road a little. Any new thoughts that weren’t covered in your Hands On? And just for a sanity check, the sale won’t work on even non GPS Garmin items? (such as the RD Pod)
Thanks
Yup, works for pre-order items that are listed. The Rhythm 24 is listed and totally one you can do. Whereas Wahoo has made the KICKR CLIMB available for purchase/order yet, so that one doesn’t work.
Nothing major of concern that I’ve seen with the final Scosche 24 unit that I have. I haven’t pulled in the files from the last 3-4 days yet into the DCR Analyzer to really dig into every second, but while out for workouts, things seem in-line.
Considering that the Powertap pedals ARE on sale and Favero is not, does it make sense to go with P1s rather than Assiomas? Or are the rave reviews/rechargeability/lower stack height on the Assiomas worth an extra $80?
Don’t forget the Assiomas are a boatload lighter as well.
I suppose it depends on discount, since with the Favero you can still apply the usual 10% discount using DCR Coupon Code DCR10BTF. So that means you’re actual price is $720USD (dual), versus the PowerTap P1 at $600 with the 20% deal.
At that price point, I’d probably go PowerTap P1 – since the savings is $120…unless I’m doing my math wrong somewhere.
They’re listed at $799 less 20% = $639.20. ;)
Still torn…
See, was never good at the maths…
Just tried to use that code on the UNO and it isn’t recognised?
Unfortunately, the Assiomas were not included in the sale.
yes but Ray mentioned that the 10% code should still work?
That’s correct, definitely should work (and seeing a few other transitions showing it working). Just to validate, you’re using DCR10BTF – with no additional quotes/etc, right?
thats right, just copy and pasted from your post
fed up with battery housing issues on the vector 3S
Weird, I just tried it with Uno and it shows the discount down below.
Can you shoot me a screenshot of what it’s saying/erroring?
I am trying to buy on the European website as I am based in the uk, could that be why?
Hmm, odd also. I just tried that and it works there too (on Uno). What does it show/say for you?
make any more sense?
screen shots attached, I get a price in Euros?
Ahh, I see. You need to be on Clever Training UK’s site, not Favero’s. :)
Here ya go: link to clevertraining.co.uk
duurrrhh, soz, thanks
on order
I had my credit card ready to go bought the VIP package last night, but could not get it to work on Assioma’s. Really disappointed. Power pedals was a luxury for me. Now I am considering waiting or just not doing it. That last minute decision did not make me happy! Grrr!
Ok I stayed until midnight, bought the VIP, and then it did not work. Found out hey were excluded. I am a bit irritated at Favero/Clever Training. I know probably not justified, but I have not had my coffee yet.
I have waited for a month to buy the pedals. They were not excluded in the past. They still seem the best option for my Campy equipped, bike, but it is just not a fun purchase any more!
Oh yeah and it is raining! Great Monday!
Sorry John. Indeed, I suspect it may be lack of coffee driven. I tried to be super clear on the above (and them on CT’s terms too) that the Favero units weren’t included per manufacturer direction this time around.
Still, I have no doubt that CT would happily refund you last night’s purchase. :) Unfortunately, they can’t do anything about the rain.
You were very clear as always. I went to Clever Training last night and saw the VIP discount and started before your article
If I remember correctly the VIP membership goes to charity so I will not Pursue a refund.
I have had coffee now I am no longer irritated. It also stopped raining so life is good ?. That being said I usually choose to spend my money elsewhere when a company ruins my fun. Was this a Farvero or Clever training decision?
No worries!
No, it wasn’t a Clever Training decision.
Ok, I will take Clever Training off of the “naughty” list.
I have a Pinarello with Campy parts, so putting Italian pedals just seemed right. Alas, Favero is on the “naughty” list.
I wish there were more viable/affordable options for power for Campy. I probably just should have my wheel rebuilt with a power tap hub.
Hi John,
We are very surprised to read these comments.
We don’t know where this misunderstanding originated from but we will contact the reseller for clarification.
We have never agreed to be part of a “VIP discount” of any kind.
We prefer to focus our advertising on very hard factual product features and the quality of our service.
Have a good day,
Andrea | Favero Electronics
Love reading your reviews
However, 2 things:
– Scosche Rhythm 24 is written as “announced in Winter 2018”.
– Garmin Vivoactive 3 Black/Gunmetal is $279, not $249
Thanks!
– The Scosche 24 is actually announced Winter 2018, as it was announced in January 2018 at CES
– Vivoactive 3: I’m not sure I follow – the base Vivoactive 3 is $20 off, making it $249. The Gunmetal is the more fancy variant, which costs a bit more.
Cheers.
Hi Ray,
Based on your experience, which one would be a better deal for a first PM?
– Powertap C1 for 350 USD
– 4iiii Precision for 400 USD
I know that the 4iiii is left-only, that is his major downside. The C1 would be a bit cheaper (even with selling my 6800 crankset and buying a used 105 5700 crankset on ebay). On the other hand, the C1 adds about 200 gramms to the bike and I also read a couple of other reviews which were complaining about the front shifting with the FSA rings.
Do you have an idea which one is more reliable? I have read your C1 and 4iiii reviews and every single comment below those reviews, in both cases I have read good and bad alike. I am a hobby rider so I am not sure that I should pay much attention to the whole left-only argument…
Which one would YOU get?
Thanks a lot in advance!
Best,
Daniel
I’d go C1, purely because it’s total power versus left-only.
In the case of support/etc, I think in general you’ll see better support/responsiveness out of PowerTap lately than 4iiii.
Thanks Ray. I guess you didn’t notice any degradation with the front shifting after installing the C1, right? Same effortless shifting as before?
Btw, the previous was my first comment here :) You are doing an awesome job, thank you for all your hard work you put into your reviews.
I didn’t have any issues at all there, no problems shifting. As one who rides wonky cranksets in my bikes that don’t match all the time, perhaps I get used to the oddities. But I think it honestly just comes down to fine tuning shifting anytime you swap cranksets.
Thanks!
The C1 is really only available via PowerTap’s website, correct? Unfortunate because it’d be almost a no-brainer for me with a CT discount.
Yes, officially only via the PT website, although I think you can still find it here or there.
For example:
link to performancebike.com
The normal price for the C1 was around 5-6-700 USD, so even with 20% off from the old price, that would be a worse deal than buying it from the PT website.
350 USD is a very good price for it, I think.
Do not buy the c1 I repeat do not buy the C1 I went through 7 of them in 2 years all with water leakage in the battery compartment there is clearly a design and manufacturing issues being that the same thing persisted through 24 months of usage before I finally sold off the last warranty replacement on ebay. Also it only worked with a few of my frames and most of the cranks that fit it are outdated or heavy.
Fly6 CE this morning. $138 after 20% and $5 credit. Been waiting for this.
Next on the list (perhaps my wife joins up next week too), Stages XT crank.
Have you seen REI’s sale catalog (May 18 – 28)? It says the Fenix 5’s are $100 off. I think the date goes through 6/16 too, which makes me think that’s manufacturer driven.
I don’t have it handy to post a pic of it though.
Nice, that sounds about right. If I can find a copy of the flyer, I’ll include it up above!
Found it! Indeed, Fenix 5 a flat $100 off, and also one of the older Garmin inReach models at $75 off. I’ll re-sort the chunks above a bit later to reflect those sales. Dates as you noted.
Since those are standard Garmin sales, you’ll see them at any Garmin retailer.
Would we expect this sale to happen on Garmin’s website as well?
In theory.
It’s live now on Amazon and Clever Training.
I’ve added all the new sales into the upper section of the post:
• $100 off all Fenix 5s – 5/18-6/16
• $50 off Edge 25 units (base and bundle) – 5/18-5/28
• 20% off on Saris and Cycleops – 5/18-5/30
• $50 off Edge 520 5/18-5/28
Enjoy!
Thanks for all you do. I started biking this year and already picked up a helmet and (today) the Stages LR power meter with the discount.
I’ve been hoping we would see a power2max “summer” sale some time soon. But the US website hasn’t been updated in ages (it actually still lists last years summer sale) and the new mountain bike power meters haven’t even made it onto the US site. I only learned they had been available when I accidentally wondered onto the euro site a few weeks back.
> No, you’re not going to see 20% off on Vector this month
> At this time, it’s not valid on Garmin (except Vector)
I’m confused – what do you mean by “except Vector”?
I mean that I missed that snippet in my copying terms from last fall. :( Fixed!
Hm I got excited to buy the Stages LR Ultegra power meter for a good price until I calculated the taxes and duties I would have to pay when shipping to Germany. So basically I can also buy it directly here :P (too bad though cause 20% is a pretty nice offer)
Coming from a Forerunner 235 I’m trying to figure out what which will ‘feel’ the most similar out of the Forerunner 935, 645 music, or Fenix 5. I’m worried some about the weight of the Fenix 5 but the 645 music does seem to be smaller on the display side. Any tips on making this choice?
I think if you look at the Fenix 5S, you’d find the weight/size in the same ballpark. The poles of the watch are a bit wider on the Fenix 5 series than the Forerunner though.
Why even consider the Fenix 5? The 935 is basically a plastic version that has all the same functionality why spend more for something heavier?
Now 935 vs 645? That’s harder
I never do this, but I am mad at Favero for changing their exclusion policy for their pedals.
I know I am overreacting for $70, but after waiting for this deal for a month this ruined my buying experience. Therefore, I am not going to buy from Favero even though they are the best solution!
Sometimes I think companies do things because they know they can. Well I do not have to buy from them!
Thank you Clever Training for the great sale. Ray as usual you are the best!
Lastly, I am sorry about the negativity, but this just rubbed me the wrong way.
Why consider the Fenix 5? Style. The Fenix series is designed to be more of a stylish fashion accessory, rather than the utilitarian design of the 935.
For some people, that’s important. It isn’t for me (which is why I have the 935; I’m more interested in the function than the form), but your tastes and mine are not everybody’s.
Eye of the beholder. I think the 935 looks far better than the bulky, ugly Fenix watches.
As do I, Dan, although obviously some would disagree with that opinion. The 5S is decent in its styling and size (it’s the only one of the Fenix series I’d consider wearing on my wrist; the others are far too big), but has the issue of a shorter battery life – on par with the 735XT.
Choice is a wonderful thing, is it not? It’s almost as if everybody is free to choose whichever watch suits their needs, tastes, and desires… ;)
I also noticed that if you purchase any Pioneer Dual Leg Power Meter or Dual Power Meter Kit from Biketiresdirect.com you will get to receive a free Pioneer SGX-CA500 Cycle Computer
Should I get the Wahoo KICKR now or wait to see what new trainers come out?
It’s always the usual question this time of year.
My response is obviously hindered by NDA’s. But, my guidance tends to be the same each year:
If you want a trainer that you can use before ~September/October, get what’s available now. Whereas, if you plan to ride outside between now and then, then consider waiting to see if something better comes along. Generally speaking most trainers announced at Eurobike/Interbike start to ship by September, with most of the time companies sorting things out by October. There are still numerous examples where by either delays or backorders, a given unit won’t ship to you until Nov/Dec, even January or February sometimes.
Phew, that’s a lot to read to discover it’s not Garmin, and not Europe.
Ray, correction – The rear FLY camera is the FLY6, not the FLY12 Rear (as listed) :)
Thanks for the typo catch, fixed!
I tried with the Kickr and got the following message
“Coupon ‘SPRINGVIP’ was not applied due to more than 1 item being in cart or the added item is ineligible for this promotion.”
Hi Bill-
Are you logged in with your CT VIP account?
Thanks for the support!
torn between the stages l/r and the pioneer dual crankset options.
any recommendations? things i’ve considered:
– stages has dropout issues
— was released this year so newest gen
– pioneer looks to be updated with the ultegra r8000, but can’t find the release date.
— is this a newer model?
i’ve already preordered the 520+ so don’t think the free pioneer unit would really make a difference.
I’d still go Stages LR, primarily because it has dual ANT+/BLE, which Pioneer lacks.
thanks! got the stages with the VIP discount.
great work on the site!
Ray,
I’m in the market for a new bike computer, and I’m struggling between the Edge 130, 520, and 520 plus.
Basic thoughts here, would love your (and everything else’s) input:
520: $199 is a great price.
130: Same price as the 520, a bit smaller (probably doesn’t matter to me), seems like a newer version of the 520 and won’t fall out of Garmin favor as quickly but might also not get some of the big updated 2-3 years down the road.
520 plus: Basically the “new” 520, but with the sale is $80 more than the 520/130. Will be the unit that get updates down the road, but frankly not sure who much I’ll need those updates. The routing / yelp is the biggest driver here for me, don’t think I’ll get a bluetooth only sensor any time in the future.
Thanks in advance, happy Memorial day (or, as I suspect they call it in Holland, “Monday”)
Appears that clevertraining still hate me. Not entirely sure why but they keep “riskifying” my orders.
Maybe it’s as simple as not liking my email address or maybe my cologne.