Heads up! Big sports tech sales have begun! Check out the massive list of everything, from 20%-30% off all smart trainers, to $200 off the Garmin FR945 LTE & $150 off the Edge 1030 Plus. Then $240 off Garmin’s Rally power meters (including MTB edition) and $200 off the Wahoo POWRLINK Zero Speedplay power meter. Plus deals on Varia Radar, rocker plates, more watches, action cams, drones, and more. Realistically the best deals we’ll see till November. Enjoy! Full and updated list here.
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:
All of the DJI Action 2 kits are 15-20% off (depending on the variant you choose), which is the first time we've seen the Action 2 on sale since launch.
⚡This is the first time we've seen the DJI Mavic 3 on sale (for a non-bundled deal). With all the firmware improvements since the fall, it's finally getting to a more stable place in terms of features.
⚡This is the first time we've seen the DJI Mavic 3 on sale (for a non-bundled deal). With all the firmware improvements since the fall, it's finally getting to a more stable place in terms of features. This is for the full bundle, which includes extra batteries (3 total), ND filters, extra props, and the battery charging station. Note this does not include the RC Pro remote (but does include the base/normal remote).
⚡This is the lowest price we've seen to date on the Edge 1030 Plus, far surpassing last spring's $100 off sale. The Edge 1030 Plus came out June 2020, but has continued to receive numerous firmware updates/features, and is Garmin's top-end unit.
Garmin Epix Sapphire Black Titanium - Actually in stock
This isn't on sale at all, however, it might feel like it. Cause this is the first time since launch the Sapphire Editions are actually in-stock and at list prices. Thus, I figured I'd mention it here. 🤣🤣🤣
Garmin Epix Sapphire White Titanium - Actually in stock
This isn't on sale at all, however, it might feel like it. Cause this is the first time since launch the Sapphire Editions are actually in-stock and at list prices. Thus, I figured I'd mention it here. 🤣🤣🤣
Both the Forerunner 245 & 245 Music are on sale for $75 off. This is neither a huge sale, nor the lowest we've seen them (previous low was $199 last Black Friday).
⚡ This is a solid deal on a very capable watch. More notably, it's also the watch I've long used when I'm not testing other things (and still use to compare things). While it doesn't have the onboard maps of the FR945, since I'm not traveling as much, it doesn't bother me. Of course, keep in mind that with all the Garmin units on sale, the price differences to map-inclusive units aren't very much. It's also the lowest price we've seen on the FR745 ever.
⚡Officially this is $200 off, but realistically the FR945 (non-LTE) floats at about $520 most of the year, so it's really only about $120 off the norm. Still, a fantastic deal.
⚡ This is a very solid deal, and only the second time we've seen it on sale. If you were looking at the Rally setup (which can be swapped between pedal types), grab these before this disappears (and it will disappear). Requires REI membership, using coupon code with REI link here: ANNIV22
⚡ This is a very solid deal, and only the second time we've seen it on sale. If you were looking at the Rally setup (which can be swapped between pedal types), grab these before this disappears (and it will disappear). Requires REI membership, using coupon code with REI link here: ANNIV22
Garmin Rally RS100 (SPD-SL Single Sided) - 20% off
⚡ This is a very solid deal, and only the second time we've seen it on sale. If you were looking at the Rally setup (which can be swapped between pedal types), grab these before this disappears (and it will disappear). Requires REI membership, using coupon code with REI link here: ANNIV22
⚡ This is a very solid deal, and only the second time we've seen it on sale. If you were looking at the Rally setup (which can be swapped between pedal types), grab these before this disappears (and it will disappear). Requires REI membership, using coupon code with REI link here: ANNIV22
Garmin Rally XC100 (Shimano SPD Single Sided) - 20% off
⚡ This is a very solid deal, and only the second time we've seen it on sale. If you were looking at the Rally setup (which can be swapped between pedal types), grab these before this disappears (and it will disappear). Requires REI membership, using coupon code with REI link here: ANNIV22
⚡ This is a very solid deal, and only the second time we've seen it on sale. If you were looking at the Rally setup (which can be swapped between pedal types), grab these before this disappears (and it will disappear). Requires REI membership, using coupon code with REI link here: ANNIV22
This is Garmin's standalone radar+taillight option, and $149 is pretty much the standard sale-price. While Garmin just announced their new RCT715 radar that includes a camera and taillight, that's $399 (and not on sale).
This is a pretty solid deal on the KICKR Bike, if for no other reason than we haven't really seen much in the way of KICKR Bike sales (except Zwift's clearance event recently). Note officially it lists the retail price as $3,800, but I don't think that's actually the real retail price lately. It's always been $3,500
⚡This is the first time we've seen the POWRLINK Zero pedals on sale, and thus far, about 4-5 months since launch - people seem really happy with them (as am I, it's become part of my testing rotation due to strong accuracy). Requires REI membership, using coupon code with REI link here: ANNIV22
Enjoy, and thanks for helping support the site, even if it’s just buying toilet paper using the Amazon link on the sidebar.
It’s time for this year’s casual reminder of the DCR Newsletter. And even better…The Girl actually writes it. You can read through the archives here if you’d like. And you can sign-up here. And best of all? She’s been on a roll – some 5 weeks straight now. Having that happen is like…well…let’s be honest, it’s totally unprecedented for us. Woot to #6 or so coming up Tuesday!
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) Withings brand officially to return: After news of the sale of Withings from Nokia back to…erm…it’s original founder, there was question on what the future might hold. Withings essentially says that they’ll be returning to their old self in name, but outline a vision that’s focused a bit more on higher-end devices that seem to have an almost medical slant to them. Depending on how Withings plays their cards here, they could actually hit the timing of this just perfect with other major wearable companies all racing to get their foot more in the medical camp than not.
2) The Future of Triathlon Tech Interview with Me: Tri247 out of the UK interviewed me last week on the future of sports tech within triathlon, swing on over to see what I’m thinking (including who I think the biggest blocker is to the sports tech scene!)
4) Skydio adds car following mode: This is the crazy cool drone I tested this past winter that has 13 cameras on it to follow you autonomously. The latest update focuses on cars (off-road), but is still kinda cool to check out for sports geeks.
5) How cycling could use critical power data to flush out dopers: In the wake of the results at the Giro last week, there’s renewed talk on how to use power data to find cheaters (be it drug or bike motors). As noted in the piece, one challenge will remain accuracy. Not so much due to baseline accuracy issues seen in power meters pros use, but more due to lack of attention to calibration/zero offsets. (via Race Radio)
6) GCN Tech uses the DCR Analyzer: Cool to see GCN leveraging the DCR Analyzer for their videos. And in case you were wondering, yup, they actually paid for it. Oh, and their 5-bike computer Wahoo BOLT setup is almost a work of art.
(I didn’t surf the internet enough this week, only six items to share. Sorry! Next week I promise to spend less time hiking in the Alps and riding around Tuscany. #SorryNotSorry)
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.
Garmin Vector 3 Firmware Update: Aims to reduce/eliminate the usual Vector 3 dropout issues (especially when used in conjunction with new battery caps/pods)
“I didn’t surf the internet enough this week, only six items to share. Sorry! Next week I promise to spend less time hiking in the Alps and riding around Tuscany. #SorryNotSorry”
The start of which on the cycling side was the Sigma ROX 12 and SRM posts, while the hiking posts start with the Suunto 9 that I published this morning. 🙂
I swim, bike and run. Then, I come here and write about my adventures. It’s as simple as that. Most of the time. If you’re new around these parts, here’s the long version of my story.
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Think my written reviews are deep? You should check out my videos. I take things to a whole new level of interactive depth!
Smart Trainers Buyers Guide: Looking at a smart trainer this winter? I cover all the units to buy (and avoid) for indoor training. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
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FAQ’s
I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
You probably stumbled upon here looking for a review of a sports gadget. If you’re trying to decide which unit to buy – check out my in-depth reviews section. Some reviews are over 60 pages long when printed out, with hundreds of photos! I aim to leave no stone unturned.
I travel a fair bit, both for work and for fun. Here’s a bunch of random trip reports and daily trip-logs that I’ve put together and posted. I’ve sorted it all by world geography, in an attempt to make it easy to figure out where I’ve been.
The most common question I receive outside of the “what’s the best GPS watch for me” variant, are photography-esq based. So in efforts to combat the amount of emails I need to sort through on a daily basis, I’ve complied this “My Photography Gear” post for your curious minds! It’s a nice break from the day to day sports-tech talk, and I hope you get something out of it!
Many readers stumble into my website in search of information on the latest and greatest sports tech products. But at the end of the day, you might just be wondering “What does Ray use when not testing new products?”. So here is the most up to date list of products I like and fit the bill for me and my training needs best! DC Rainmaker 2021 swim, bike, run, and general gear list. But wait, are you a female and feel like these things might not apply to you? If that’s the case (but certainly not saying my choices aren’t good for women), and you just want to see a different gear junkies “picks”, check out The Girl’s Gear Guide too.
“I didn’t surf the internet enough this week, only six items to share. Sorry! Next week I promise to spend less time hiking in the Alps and riding around Tuscany. #SorryNotSorry”
? #mademyday
Are we going to see any posts related to said hiking and biking?
Yup!
The start of which on the cycling side was the Sigma ROX 12 and SRM posts, while the hiking posts start with the Suunto 9 that I published this morning. 🙂
My Forerunner 645 received new firmware (v3.30) this morning, adding Physio TrueUp.