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Week in Review–May 20th, 2018

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:

Sunday: Week in Review–May 13th, 2018
Monday: 5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
Monday: Huge Spring Sale: 20% of all trainers, many power meters, and plenty more
Monday: Hands-on with Road Grand Tours and their new update: Is it a viable Zwift competitor?
Wednesday: What’s Baseline on a Smart Trainer in 2018?

Sports Tech Deals This Week:

While the biggest news of the week is the current 20% off sale going on here, where the biggest savings are, especially for trainers and power meters.  That’s all going on till Wednesday, so don’t miss out on that.

Still, on this past Friday another swath of items went out for sale.  The main points include:

  • $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

Here’s the full listing with links that support the site though:

ProductSale PriceAmazonOther siteSale Notes
Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ Deluxe Kit - 30% off!$125⚡ 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!
10th Gen Apple 10.2" iPad (Wi-Fi, 64GB) - $90 off!$249⚡ 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.
Amazon Echo Dot Kids - 50% off$27Despite being a tech-focused dude, our kids don't actually get much tech in their lives. However, we got these last Christmas 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 $27? 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.)
Anker 737 Battery Bank (24,000mAh) - 47% off$79⚡I've been using this on my hikes/treks/daily life since lst winter, and have been super happy with it. I can charge drones from it on treks, as well as just a crapton of other devices (wathces/action cams/etc), but it's not too terrible on weight. For day to day life, I use it on planes and such as a laptop battery bank (supports 100w charging). Super happy with it.
Anker PowerCore III 10K Wireless Portable Charger with18W USB-C - 48% off$28I've been using this unit for a long time as a quick grab and go charger. Best as a day-use thing, especially with the wireless charging when my phone gets wet at the beach/pool/etc and needs wireless charging till the charging port dries out.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen with USB-C) - $100 off$153⚡ Both myself and my wife have been using these since last fall, after years of using the Beats Studio Buds...man, these things rock. Sure, they're good for sports, but frankly, I use them on planes, editing, and such more than anything else.
Apple AirTags (4-Pack) - 26% off!$72⚡I make no secret how much I utilize AirTags, mainly, cause they've saved my butt numerous times already. We have them in every suitcase, and every backpack, and every bike bag. They're also hidden in most of our bikes (sometimes two of them). We were able to get our cargo bike back when it disappeared, as well as figure out when all our suitcases went missing during an annual family vacation where they were (for 5 days!), and plan appropriately. Seriously, just get them.
Apple Airpods (2nd Gen) - 31% off!
$159
$89These aren't the latest anymore, that's the newer 4th gen units. But if budget is in mind, it's hard to beat these. It's still what my wife uses as her daily driver, including tons of time on the indoor trainer/bike.
Apple Watch SE (2022/2nd gen) - $100 off
$249/$299 (cellular)
$149⚡⚡This matches again the lowest price we've ever seen the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) - a very solid deal, especially with the new WatchOS 11 features around Training Load, Vitals, offline mapping, and more.
Apple Watch Series 10 - $80 off
$399/$499 (cellular)
$329
Apple Watch Ultra 2 - $180 off!!!$619⚡ This is by far the lowest price we've seen an Apple Watch Ultra 2, to date. This is an incredibly solid deal, especially with all the new WatchOS11 features that recently arrived. NOTE: YOU NEED TO CHECK THE $80 off coupon next to it (plus the already discounted lower price!).
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium - $80 off$719⚡ This is a nice little deal for this unit which just came out.
Balega Comfort Running Socks - 34% off
$15
$14This 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).
Beats Fit Pro - 25% off$149
Beats Studio Buds - 47% off
$149
$79
Chipolo Card Spot (Apple Find My Network) - 20% off!$27This is virtually identical to an Apple AirTag, and shows up in the exact same spot as your other AirTags within the Apple Find My app. The only difference is that it's the size of a credit card and fits in your wallet. Been using it since it came out a few years back - love it!
DJI Action 4 - $90 off$209While not the latest unit, it's still a pretty good deal at $209.
DJI Air 3 Drone - 20% off all packagesFrom $859This is a good-ish deal. Yet at the same time, the new DJI Air 3S jsut came out and is significantly better, especially for sports tracking. I'd probably pay the extra for it.
DJI Mini 3 Fly More Combo with DJI RC - $200+ off$369
DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly More Combo with DJI RC2 - $300 off!$869This is DJI's most powerful small drone, and the lowest price we've seen to date.
DJI Mini 4K Drone - $60 off$209⚡ ⚡ This is an incredible deal. I actually picked up one of these back a few months ago to test, but I've used it in a boatload of review shots since then. Despite me owning all the DJI drones (seriously), this is by far the best value there is. This also has far better quality than the Neo, though, zero tracking capabilities.
EVOC Bike Travel Bag Pro - $45 off!$755This isn't on sale a lot. But, it's notably the bag I use (as does my wife). Works great, packed in all types of bikes into it over the years.
FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles - $50 off$199These just came out earlier this year, and this is the lowest price to date. Very solid deal.
FORM Swim 1 Goggles (with heads-up display) - $50 off$129
Favero Assioma Duo/Uno Power Meter Pedals - 20% off!
$459/$719 (single/dual)
⚡ This is a strong deal from Favero, who is offering their Favero Assioma Duo pedals for 20% off. You'll pay the current exchange rate. The exact deal will vary based on which country you're shipping to.
Fitbit Ace LTE Kids Activity Smartwatch - $60 off$160⚡ This was just announced this summer, and is their first full smartwatch focused on kids activity tracking and gamification. This is the lowest price we've seen to date.
Fitbit Charge 6 - 38% off!
$159
$99⚡ 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.
Fitbit Inspire 3 - $30 off$69
Fitbit Sense 2 - $70 off$179
Fitbit Versa 4 - $40 off$119
Garmin Bounce LTE Kids Tracker - $20 off$139This is the activity tracker that both of our oldest daughters use (age 7 & 8), as well as most of their friends now. They/we all like it. Check out my full in-depth review for all my thoughts. The $20 off is about the only sale you'll see.
Garmin Edge 1040 Cycling GPS - $100 off!$499This is a good deal, especially since it's gotten virtually all of the Edge 1050 updates, and then a boatload more. That said, it wouldn't surprise me to see this drop further to $449, as it did this past summer.
Garmin Edge 540 - $100 off$249⚡⚡This is the lowest price we've seen on the Garmin Edge 540 to date, which has gained virtually all of the new Garmin Edge 1050 features as well. This is kinda an insane deal for this unit.
Garmin Edge 540 Solar - $100 off$349This 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.
Garmin Edge 840 - $100 off$349⚡⚡This is the lowest price we've seen on the Garmin Edge 840 to date, which has gained virtually all of the new Garmin Edge 1050 features as well. This is one of my main units I use daily.
Garmin Edge 840 Solar - $100 off$449This is the lowest price we've seen on the Garmin Edge 840 Solar to date, which has gained virtually all of the new Garmin Edge 1050 features as well.
Garmin Edge Explore 2 - $40 off
$299
$269This is a great little unit, though, with the sales on the Edge 540 and 840 series, you might want to look at those instead.
Garmin Enduro 3: ~$50 off!
$899
$851This is the first time we've seen this on sale, and I suspect this is a transient Amazon sale. The Enduro 3 is basically the 'cheaper' Garmin Fenix 8 with a MIP display (but without the scuba or voice calling features).
Garmin Epix Pro Series - 20% off!
$899/$999
$649⚡ This is the lowest price to date for the Garmin Epix Pro series, likely due to the Fenix 8 coming out a few months back (Epix as a brand was merged into the Fenix 8 branding). Still, if you don't care about diving or voice bits, this is an incredible deal.
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro - 31% off (All Variants)
$799+
$549+⚡ This is the lowest price to date for the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro series, likely due to the Fenix 8 coming out a few months back. Still, if you don't care about diving or voice bits, this is an incredible deal.
Garmin Forerunner 165 (Base) - $100 off!
$249/$299
$199⚡ This is the lowest price to date, and argueably one of the best deals this Black Friday in terms of runners watches and bang for the buck.
Garmin Forerunner 165 Music - $50 off!$249This is the first time we've head a meaningful sale on the Forerunner 165, released earlier this year, down to $249 for the Music edition, and $199 for the non-music edition.
Garmin Forerunner 255/255S - $100 off$249This is Garmin's mid-tier running watch, and is a very polished option with good multi-band GPS, and of course, a boatload of running metrics.
Garmin Forerunner 255/255S Music - $100 off!
$349/$399
$299This is Garmin's mid-tier running watch, and is a very polished option with good multi-band GPS, and of course, a boatload of running metrics. This model also includes offline music such as Spotify and Amazon Music.
Garmin Forerunner 265 - $100 off$349This is the first time we've seen the Forerunner 265 on sale, and it's solidly priced right now at $349
Garmin Forerunner 265s - $100 off$349This is the first time we've seen the Forerunner 265 on sale, and it's solidly priced right now at $349
Garmin Forerunner 55 - $50 off
$199
$149This is a good little running watch, though, it also supports plenty of other sport types as well. This is the lowest sale price to date.
Garmin Forerunner 955 - $100ish off!$399⚡ This is one of Garmin's most popular running watches, and it's down to a very strong price. I often use this in my accuracy testing comparisons when validating other watches, due to it's very strong GPS performance. Note this is the base edition without solar. It'd be hard to find any better deal in sports watches today, from any company (given this has full mapping, tons of new features even this week, etc...). I say '$100ish', because it's usually been on forever sale at $499, so $399 is a strong price, though, it dipped to $319 for Amazon Prime Day.
Garmin Forerunner 965 - $100 off!$499⚡ This is the lowest price we've seen ever on the Forerunner 965, since it's launch. It's still Garmin's top-end Forerunner watch, and I expect it to stay that way for a while. It's one I often use in comparative testing as a reference device.
Garmin HRM-FIT - $15 off
$149
Look, this isn't much of a discount, but it's the first discount we've seen to date...so...better than nothing.
Garmin HRM-PRO Plus - 20% off
$129
$103A solid little deal for this strap, if you're in the Garmin ecosystem and want a dedicated chest strap. This strap is one of the two straps I use constantly for other HR sensor accuracy comparisons (alongside Polar H10)
Garmin Instinct 2 Series - $100 Off$199⚡The Instinct 2 base is from $199, a very solid deal - especially with all the major software updates it's had over the few years since release. The Solar editions are also on sale.
Garmin Instinct 2S & 2S Solar $100 off!$199-$299⚡The Instinct 2 base is from $199, a very solid deal - especially with all the major software updates it's had over the few years since release. The Solar editions are also on sale for $299
Garmin Instinct 2X - $100 off!$349This is a solid deal. Garmin Instinct 2X - $100 off!It's best thought of as an Instinct 2.5, as it has almost enough features to really be more of an Instinct 3 (which doesn't exist at this point).
Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar - $100 off!$399
Garmin Tactix 7 Pro - 20% off$1,049This is the largest discount we've seen to date on the Tactix 7 Pro unit. Note the other Tactix 7 Pro units/variants are also on sale for 20% off too (this link takes you to all of them).
Garmin Varia RCT715 Camera Radar - $100 off$299⚡ This is the lowest price we've seen on this unit ever. While I have some quibbles with it from an app/etc standpoint, it's still the best offering on the market by far for integrated radar + camera + bike light features.
Garmin Varia RVR315 Radar - $50 off$99⚡ 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/Stages/Hammerhead/Wahoo bike computers.
Garmin Varia Radar (RTL515) - $50 off$149This is Garmin's standalone radar+taillight option, and $149 is pretty much the standard sale-price.
Garmin Venu 3 - $100 off!
$449
$349This is the lowest price we've seen on the Garmin Venu 3, which is Garmin's answer to the Apple/Samsung/Google watches.
Garmin Venu 3S - $100 off$349This is the lowest price we've seen on the Garmin Venu 3, which is Garmin's answer to the Apple/Samsung/Google watches. The Venu 3S is simply the smaller edition.
Garmin Vivoactive 5 - $110 off!
$299
$189This is a great deal for Garmin's little-sibling to the Venu series. It has almost all the same features as the Venu 3, except the voice calling related bits.
Garmin inReach 2 Mini Satellite Communicator (2-way) - $100 off$299⚡ 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.
GoPro Hero 12 Black - $100 off!$299The new Hero 13 just came out, which mostly just adds a bunch of new accessory options. If you don't plan to purchase those accessories, then this is a solid deal.
GoPro Hero 13 Black - $100 OFF!$299⚡ This is the first time we have seen the newly announced GoPro Hero 13 Black on sale, and now even lower for the non-bundled version to $299! That's crazy!
GoPro Hero 13 Black - $60 OFF!$339⚡ This is the first time we have seen the newly announced GoPro Hero 13 Black on sale. Solid deal, this is my daily use action cam! That said, the bundle version listed below this is a better deal, since for $10 more you get a bunch of other things.
GoPro Hero 13 Black Bundle (extra battery/SD card/floaty) - $100 off!$349⚡ This is a very solid deal. It's a Hero 13 Black on discount, but then an extra battery tossed in, then an SD card, and then a floaty.
GoPro Hero 4K - $20 off$179This was just released back in September, and is GoPro's budget option, which includes a full color touchscreen on the back as well.
Google Nest WiFi Pro - 6E (3xPack) - $120 off!$279I've been using the Google Nest WiFi packs for years. And this deal is strong enough that I clicked purchase on this deal to upgrade to the WiFi Pro after a few trusted reviewer friends upgraded as well. The 2x pack is also on sale for 34% off as well, if you don't need three pods.
Google Pixel Watch 3 (41mm) - $70 OFF$279Click to add $70 coupon into the cart. Bringing price down to $279!
Insta360 Ace Pro Action Cam - $50 off$299This is the previous edition, as the Ace Pro 2 just came out a few weeks back, but this is still a very solid camera from a year ago.
Insta360 GO 3S Tiny 4K Action Camera - $60 off!$239This is a great deal for this tiny little thing, which should really be named the Go 4, given how many new features it has (including 4K). It also has all the Insta360 sport integration features with Garmin & Apple, to overlay your Garmin/Apple data automatically on your footage.
Jackery Portable Power Station - $100 off!$169This is something I use frequently when shooting out and about and I need to re-charge a crapton of drone batteries, action cameras, or just cameras and such. I also use it on trips to Eurobike and elsewhere to keep equipment charged. I've even bought a solar panel to hook up to it (surprisingly effective). Heck, I've even powered a KICKR trainer ride from it!
Lasko High Velocity Pro-Performance Fan - 15% off$54This 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.
Oura Ring Gen 3 - $50 off$249While Oura just released their Gen 4 ring (which I'm currently testing), I'll be frank, there's virutally no real-world difference to Gen 3. About the only notable thing is the battery life difference (which is legit 7 days now, versus real-world 4-5 on Gen3). Otherwise, same-same.
Peloton Bike - 10% off$1,295This is still a solid bike, and actually one that I use at home (I have the newer Peloton Bike+ at the office). Both my wife and I use these bikes interchangeably, and while the Bike+ has a bigger screen and better accuracy, there's very little difference in the core Peloton experience. I'd still recommend this model to most people. Note Peloton has stated/confirmed there will be no 'bigger discounts' on products during this holiday period.
Peloton Bike+ is $500 off$1,995This is a solid deal for the Bike+, albeit largely the normal sale/deal price. Both my wife and I use both the Peloton Bike+ and the regular Bike (one at home, one at office) on a weekly basis. We like both. The Bike+ is more accurate than the regular bike, and also has a bigger screen and automatic resistance control. That said, the core Peloton experience isn't any different between the two - it's the same platform there.
Peloton Guide - A crapton % off$45Peloton keeps trying to get rid of these - and $45 is hilariously cheap (it started in a bundle for $495, and has slowly worked it's way down from there).
Peloton Tread - $300 off$2,695This is my main treadmill at home, and I really like it. I've got no complaints about it, and am happy I went with the smaller Peloton Tread versus the bigger unit.
Philips Hue Smart Lighting - 20-65% offI 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).
Polar Verity Sense - 15% off
$99
$84I use this as one of my reference devices for heart rate accuracy testing.
Samsung Galaxy Ring - $50 Amazon Gift Card Included$399Not a straight discount, but Amazon gift card is basically cash for most of us.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (40 & 44mm) - $100 off!$202⚡ This is a very solid deal for one of Samsung's best watches to date, and also just released this summer.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra - $215 off!$434⚡ This is by *FAR* the lowest price we've seen on this brand new watch. This scored very well in my accuracy tests, as well as battery testing.
Samsung Galaxy Watch6 - Just a crapton off$120
Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic - $200 off$199I'd probably go with the Samsung Watch 7, unless you *really* want the physical bezel (which admittedly, is a heck of a lot better than the touch bezel on the Watch 7). Either way, this is a very solid price.
Samsung T9 SSD (2-4TB) - up to 40% off$134I use a literal flotilla of these small SSD's for all my photo/video projects until they get moved off to the NAS system (Synology) for longer term storage. I have T5/T7 units, and are picking up a few of the larger T9 ones given the sale prices. Love them, incredibly fast and reliable.
SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO SD Cards - 51% off$29⚡I use the SanDisk Extreme Pro SD Cards exclusively for all my video/photo shooting on my Panasonic GH5 and Nikon cameras (video and stills), including up to 6K recording with the GH5. I've mostly used 128's, but more and more lately I'm filling up cards faster with higher bitrates, so this sale is gonna have me pickup a bunch of the 256GB ones instead. The 128GB/ 512GB/1TB ones are also on sale too viathe same link. Note that usually I wait till these are about $40-45, so this is a fantastic deal and I'll be filling up.
SanDisk Extreme Pro 256GB MicroSD Card - 18% off!$28I use this card for all of my drones and action cams. Sometimes, also the 512GB version as well.
Scosche RHYTHM+ 2.0 ANT+ & Bluetooth HR Monitor
$79
$39This isn't the newest chicken on the block, but for $39?!?! That's a solid deal for something that's actually pretty darn accurate. Really accurate.
Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Camera w/ 28-70mm Zoom - $400 off$2,298This is the main camera I use for still photography and video b-roll. I recently wrote about all the photography gear I use, linked at side here.
Suunto Race - $50 off!$399This is the lowest price we've seen on the Suunto Race. That said, keep in mind the Suunto Race S is $349, has the same software and a *MUCH* better optical HR sensor. Though, is a bit smaller and slightly less battery life. Still, great watches.
Suunto Race Titanium - $50 off!$499
Suunto Vertical (Solar edition) - $150 off$549This unit continues to get all the most current updates, and is Suunto's MIP-enabled device with dual-frequency GPS and mapping.
Tacx Flux 2 Smart Trainer - $300ish off
$899
$399I mean, I guess. Really, I don't see why anyone would buy this trainer at any price above $299. With the JetBlack Victory at $399 being more accurate, quiter, including WiFi, including Zwift Cog support (or mechanical cassette), including dual-Bluetooth, including Race Mode, and...one could go on and on.
Tacx NEO 2T Smart Trainer - $200-$300 off
$1,399
$899This 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.
Therabody Theragun Mini - $50 off!$149My wife uses the Theragun Elite, which is a bit larger than this Mini model, and also includes more tips. But, as noted - people seem happy with all these models.
Therabody Theragun Prime - 36% off$190My wife uses the Theragun Elite, which is relatively similiar to this newer model.
Vacmaster AM201R Fan + Remote/holder (13% off)$69This 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.
Wahoo BOLT V2 - 26% off
$279
$208⚡ This price is very solid for this unit, especially if you want a smaller bike computer that's very solid in terms of software stability at this point. I believe this is the lowest price ever.
Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM V2 - 15% off
$399
$339While Wahoo has announced a new bike computer coming December 3rd, this is Wahoo's top-end unit for now. 15% off is pretty much the norm for them.
Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One (COG V2) + Play Controllers
$499
$499This package includes the KICKR CORE with the Zwift V2 Cog, but notably now also includes the Zwift Play controllers. Basically, this saves you about $100 or so, and is the first time we've seen them bundle it.
Wahoo KICKR MOVE - $300 off!
$1,599
$999⚡⚡ This is actually a very solid deal, and the first time we've seen this discounted. In fact, frankly, this is the first time in years it feels like Wahoo is actually doing a legit sale on something. Kudos.
Wahoo KICKR ROLLR - $100 off
$599
$499
Wahoo KICKR SNAP - Lowest Price Ever
$499
$199This is lowest we've ever seen the KICKR SNAP priced. While the trend has moved towards wheel-off/direct drive trainers, this is still really solid deal if your budget it tight. That said, if you're in Europe, Decathlon has the D100 on sale for $199 also, and in my testing, I'd go with that almost every time.
Whoop 4.0 with 1-year subscription - 17% off$199This brings down the 1-year price to $17/month, which is the lowest it's been (only way to get that is normally a 24-month membership).
Withings Body Comp WiFI Scale - 25% off$149
Withings Body Smart WiFI Scale - 20% off$79
ZOLEO Satellite Communicator - $50 off$149I have not yet tried the Zoleo unit, though, many of you have and it's super popular.

Enjoy (and thanks for helping support the site, even if it’s just buying toilet paper using the Amazon link on the sidebar).

YouTube Videos I Made This Week:

Here’s what hit the tubes over on the You of Tube, definitely don’t forget to subscribe there to get notified of videos the second they hit!

Stuff that I found interesting around the interwebs:

Here’s a not-so-small smattering of all the random things that I stumbled on while doing my civic duty to find the end of the Internet.

1) Next time you assault someone, don’t upload to Strava: While the underlying storyline here leaves some space for thinking about bike safety, what’s clear is that you shouldn’t upload rides to Strava when you commit a felony on a ride.

2) Clever Training acquired by JackRabbit Sports: While technically an acquisition, this is really more of a merger in terms of the ultimate goals. JackRabbit has some 60 stores, Clever Training a large online presence. From talking to CT, they don’t anticipate any immediate changes, CT will continue to operate as-is.  The biggest near-term impact you’ll see though is CT starting to get access to the massive inventory of shoes/apparel that Jackrabbit has.  Otherwise, business as normal. Ultimately, for you (and me and even employees) I think this will be a good thing.  The two entities have virtually no overlap, so it’s really more about synergies.

3) I need a new TV. NYC shot via aerial system at 12K! Now YouTube only supports 8K, so that’s the highest you can watch it in. But even within that, the level of detail if you watch at 4K is still incredible. You’ll notice it on the really long shot that slowly advanced towards times square. Just look at details like cars and such.  Of course, given I lack even 1 RED camera, I don’t think my reviews will start shooting with three of them anytime soon.  Though…I did take RED camera training…so…ya never know! (via Jonathan M.)

4) Go for a spacewalk, forget GoPro MicroSD card: I hate it when that happens!

5) Refactor bike computer with camera on Kickstarter: Here’s the thing, I actually rather like the overall specs of this device. I do think getting cameras on head units is the eventual goal (but like the Xplova unit I reviewed, camera quality will suck for a while).  But here’s the more important thing: There’s not a chance in hell I’d invest in a Kickstarter project that’s currently not slated to deliver till March 2019. That’s an eternity in the bike computer world, especially these next 12 months. And of course, even more an eternity when almost no sports tech Kickstarter projects meet their timelines. This launched too soon unfortunately.

6) Speaking of Kickstarter: I hate…no, I despise and hate, the new Kickstarter Hardware Studio badge levels recently announced. While Kickstarter says these are to make it easier for y’all to figure out where a product stands, they’re rather purposefully designed/named to make it look like all products are great. For all its faults, they should have gone with a simple color and level coded system like DHS has/had for attacks (Low to High, but was always high, making it meaningless), with these levels mapping into chance of success. A ‘Hardware Ready 1’ level might map to ‘Low to medium’ in the real world.  Not ‘Oh, it’s great, invest’. Again, hate, hate, hate. Purely designed to trick you into spending money. Did I mention I hate it?

7) How Shoddy Statistics Found A Home In Sports Research: Yup, just lots and lots of yup. If you’re familiar with 538’s work, you’ll definitely enjoy this. (Via Aaron C.)

8) The Commodore 64 Running Efficiency Pod: Wow, I never even knew such craziness existed! Thanks to UM for the tip!

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.

Hammerhead Karoo Firmware Update: This update brings some minor tweaks and a few bug fixes. It does though now support hotel style WiFi hotspots that require a login.

Garmin Vector 3/3S Firmware Update: Bug fixes and performance improvements

Garmin VIRB 360 Firmware Update: Power draw reduction, bug fixes

GoPro Fusion Firmware Update: Performance and usability improvements (this was technically last week, but I missed it)

With that – have a great weekend!

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42 Comments

  1. Chris Benten

    I remember the Puma! But I had no plans to the Commodore so no go…not that I actually ever saw the shoes for sale.

  2. Mickie

    Ray, why are you saying that “especially this 12 months” would ve an eternity for bike computers. Do you expect major updates/launches this upcoming year? I know you cannot/shouldn’t spoil any product launches, so it is more of a rethorical question – nonetheless any hints appreciated! :)

    • I’m moreso focused on new entrants to the market than existing major players. So companies akin to Hammerhead. The vast majority of them will be based on Android. Some will fail (though not immediately), and some will likely rise up to challenge Garmin/Wahoo/etc…

      Should be exciting!

  3. Dr. D

    Garmin 935 and Fenix 5 also got some new beta firmware.

  4. Timothy Follis

    With the 20 percent off the PowerTap P1 pedals are 635. That’s pretty amazing, think that is half what I paid 2 years ago.

  5. Claus Jacobsen

    Just had an update to my 735xt to version 9.30 – not registered anywhere yet though except on the forums. However it does state “phased rollout: 100%” in the forum post – so it appears no more new functionality/updates will be delivered to that platform?

    • Phased rollout simply means that specific firmware version is now fully available to all users. Phased rollouts happen over usually a few days or so, primarily designed to minimize issues should there be something uncaught in testing. Most companies, including Apple, do the same.

      That said, at reaching over 2 years since introduction, it would be common to not see it get new features (just bug fixes, as the nearly 4 year old FR920XT continues to get). But sometimes things randomly show up. I don’t know either way what the plans are for the FR735XT (and likely, they wouldn’t say anyway).

  6. alibi

    speaking of kickstarte, how about link to kickstarter.com ?

    • alibi

      ah, sorry, there is already post about that. initially try search for iq² and didn’t get result.

    • No worries. For others looking for it, here ya go: link to dcrainmaker.com

    • Mike Richie

      Closing in on the end of the campaign, and almost a million dollars raised, with still no real data to suggest that this isn’t vaporware. The real possibility, though, that you can buy a fairly inexpensive “gadget” that you just clip on your bike and get power with 1% accuracy is pretty alluring. (I’m a backer ;)

    • Phil A

      With a comment they made back on April 27 it makes me really question it. Provided the comment they made below.

      “We think it is not fair to give data of our prototype and show the world we can build a prototype that works, instead of showing the world we can mass-produce a power meter that is accurate in every condition and affordable for every cyclist.
      When the first mass production power meters are produced, we certainly give accuracy data to our backers. We hope you have just as much trust in our new approach as we have!
      In addition, we cannot thank you enough for your support, without your support we were not able to give every cyclist the opportunity to ride with a power meter.”

  7. Nicolas

    Ray, big update for the suunto spartan too.. Any news on a spartan 2?

  8. Marcus Fahy

    Fenix 5 would be good at that price if in the US

  9. Kevin

    Wahoo kickr and snap 20% off at REI with code anniv18 until the 28th

  10. Robin

    I’d like to see data on the number of sports science studies that have used MBI analysis. You know you’re in trouble when essentially the whole statistics community rejects your methodology and when your methodology is in direct conflict with methods that have proven to work.

    I wonder if US Representative Mo Brooks used MBI to conclude that boulders falling into the ocean are a significant factor in the rise in sea level?

    • Mike Richie

      The problem for Sports Science is much more nuanced than the title of that paper would suggest. The real problem is not the statistics itself, but the extremely small sample sizes in any of these studies. Getting athletes to participate in often complex, time consuming studies rather than concentrating on their own training is difficult. Most studies are really just a small step up from purely anecdotal evidence, which is basically what you get when you rely on a coach based on his previous results. In an attempt to tease out meaningful data from small sample sizes, MBI produces results but with the potential for more false positives. Unless a study can find a way to increase the number of participants (aggregating data from other studies and publishing more raw data?) there is no silver bullet, which this article points out.

  11. Todd

    I’m the market for an action camera. Is the $250 price point for the hero 5 enough to justify picking it over end hero 6 or is it better to spend a little more now and get better tech in the hero 6?

    • I think in general it is. If I look at all the day to day stuff I use the Hero 6 for, every bit of it can be accomplished with the Hero 5.

      It’s super rare that I shoot in 4K60 (mainly because it’s ‘wide’ only and I mostly prefer a linear view to match DSLR footage, which isn’t available in 4K60).

      I’d say unless you have a very specific Hero6 Black only item in mind, I’d think $150 savings is a solid deal.

  12. Tony

    Hi DC Rainmaker.

    Are you planning to review the new Spot X (just released; possibly competitor to the new Inreach mini)?

    • Maybe.

      I haven’t quite decided yet to be honest. It’s definitely an interesting device, though, the main reason why I reviewed the new inReach was mainly the integration aspects (whereas I haven’t reviewed previous devices).

      Still, it’s a compelling device and it’s been a while since I bought a SPOT device.

  13. Giles E

    Hey Ray. Quick question regarding Garmin IQ apps. Is there any kind of ring-fencing / protection between the core watch and the IQ? I recently had a lot of problems with the watch (735XT) crashing when using the stryd power field, which hasn’t done so after removing the app, thus I’m confused between true watch problems and app problems. It seems strange that Garmin wouldn’t create some kind of fail proof side of the watch where the core functions couldn’t be affected by bugs in non Garmin software, but maybe that is the way?

    • In theory there is, but in reality there are gaps. Turns out some of my recent Edge 520 Plus crashes were actually caused by a CIQ Data Field. There are lots of protections they have in place, but it seems like any app platform, there are always some holes yet to be addressed.

  14. Colin

    I’m calling that Refactor light/camera/GPS “dangerous accessory of the week”.

    Two equally bright, but slightly separated LED lights on a horizontal plane looks, to your average inattentive car driver, like another car in the distance. You know, sufficiently far enough away to allow them to pull out….right into your path.

    Spectacularly bad idea. One can only hope they will never actually deliver anything.

    • Ken

      Not really. From 50′ or 100′ feet up the road there’s just simply not enough separation to see that they are distinct bulbs, kind of like how train track seem to narrow in the distance.
      It’s like the futility of underseat turn signals on a bike; great in concept but poor in execution. Turn signals work on a car because they’re separated by a few feet. Unless a car is right on you; one can’t distinguish the difference between a blinky light under the middle of you left cheek vs. under the middle of your right cheek as they’re both under your body; they just look like a generic blinky under your seat.

  15. Jon

    No way was that shot in 12k. I know the difference between 11.215K and 12K, and that sir, is no 12K ;)

  16. Mike C.

    Hi Ray,

    Just an FYI for sport tech deals.

    Suunto has up to 30% off for their Memorial Day sale. It started on Friday, May 18. :)

  17. Tyler

    I remember the Pumas, from sports and computing magazines I got as a kid, but never saw one in real life.
    I was interested, but only the big shots had a Commodore 64, while us plebes had the lowly Vic 20.

  18. Nathan B

    Hey Ray,

    Wasn’t sure where to post this…

    Just done my first swim with a 935 and HRM-Tri, and the HR doesn’t appear to transfer to Strava.

    The HR data is showing in GC.

    Is this the same as your experience?

    Cheers.

    • Yeah, I can’t remember if Strava has implement ANTfs support for that in the .FIT files. I know it wasn’t for a while, but I vaguely remember them adding it a while back. Or perhaps it was Training Peaks that added it.

      Either way, it’s not rocket science…yet continues to be for some platforms.

  19. JD

    Refactor has the right idea but it is doubtful they can pull it off. There is too much to go wrong.
    If Garmin decides to introduce a 1030+cam+light combo device I’d buy it. They have the required expertise producing all three components.
    The light primarily needs to operate in daytime mode with a wide beam directed forward, plus an emergency mode that directs a narrow beam downward to get you home after dark if needed.

  20. Tosin M. Akinmusuru

    I used to work for JackRabbit when it used to be just 2 stores, and I helped open their third store back in 2009. It went from being a great mom and pop triathlon store, to this behemoth. Along the way, they shed all things triathlon, sold out to mega advertising in their stores, and got rid of the very personal service that they were know for. The one good thing that came out of it is that they now have a decently strong online presence.

    I hope that with all the moving and shaking that JackRabbit has done in the last 6 years, it won’t ruin the overall experience that I have come to get used to with Clever Training.

  21. Lenka

    Hi Ray! If you were a small-wristed woman in the market for a Fenix 5s, would you buy now or hold out for the possibility of a 2018 update?