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I’m DC RAINMAKER…
I swim, bike and run. Then, I come here and write about my adventures. It’s as simple as that. Most of the time. If you’re new around these parts, here’s the long version of my story.
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Smart Trainers Buyers Guide: Looking at a smart trainer this winter? I cover all the units to buy (and avoid) for indoor training. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
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Here’s my most recent GPS watch guide here, and cycling GPS computers here. Plus there are smart trainers here, all in these guides cover almost every category of sports gadgets out there. Looking for the equipment I use day-to-day? I also just put together my complete ‘Gear I Use’ equipment list, from swim to bike to run and everything in between (plus a few extra things). And to compliment that, here’s The Girl’s (my wife’s) list. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!
Have some fun in the travel section.
I travel a fair bit, both for work and for fun. Here’s a bunch of random trip reports and daily trip-logs that I’ve put together and posted. I’ve sorted it all by world geography, in an attempt to make it easy to figure out where I’ve been.
My Photography Gear: The Cameras/Drones/Action Cams I Use Daily
The most common question I receive outside of the “what’s the best GPS watch for me” variant, are photography-esq based. So in efforts to combat the amount of emails I need to sort through on a daily basis, I’ve complied this “My Photography Gear” post for your curious minds (including drones & action cams!)! It’s a nice break from the day-to-day sports-tech talk, and I hope you get something out of it!
The Swim/Bike/Run Gear I Use List
Many readers stumble into my website in search of information on the latest and greatest sports tech products. But at the end of the day, you might just be wondering “What does Ray use when not testing new products?”. So here is the most up to date list of products I like and fit the bill for me and my training needs best! DC Rainmaker 2023 swim, bike, run, and general gear list. But wait, are you a female and feel like these things might not apply to you? If that’s the case (but certainly not saying my choices aren’t good for women), and you just want to see a different gear junkies “picks”, check out The Girl’s Gear Guide too.
Those cottages are a good idea, in America money talks so we could never have anything like that so regular folks could enjoy affordable beach visits.
That was the impression I got when I visited Bellevue – a stunning piece of water completely cut off for normal people by expensive houses. There wasn’t even a running path by the water and the houses seemed to go all the way around the shore! It must be very depressing to not be wealthy in the US.
To be fair, water-front property in major metropolitan cities in the UK or most other countries isn’t really any different. And in fact, for Lake Washington (which Bellevue is up against), there is a huge running path – the best in the region, the Burke Gilman trail that goes link to seattle.gov – which then turns into the East Lake Samamish trail – in total about 50 miles before you change trail names again – totally paved and bustling with runners.
Also – as noted below by another commentator – there’s actually a bit of a difference with the cottages I saw at the beach: They aren’t allowed year-round, so they have to be deconstructed/moved each year for the winter, which doesn’t really make them full time residences or such.
I don’t think there’s really any major difference between water-front accessibility for year-round homes in the US vs Netherlands vs UK vs anywhere else when it comes to dense population centers.
Thanks for the link, I’m certain I’ll be back there at some point with work so may try that trail. Most places in the UK with water like that would generally have a trail between the houses and the water but you’re right that we do build around water too.
Hi Dave, Ray,
Man, I fell hard into this dark hole of Seattle suburban communities trivia. I would argue that Dave makes a fair observation, if his point is that Bellevue (a suburb, which historically “bloomed from notions of private and exclusive space”… I borrowed that line from a Seattle Met magazine article about public access shorelines) seems to have a larger percentage of its shoreline owned privately than does, say, its larger neighbor across Lake Washington. Bellevue published a “Parks and Open Space Plan” in 2016 wherein they stipulate wanting to bump that 12% public-access waterfront to something that’s a bit more inclusive (Seattle has somewhere around 40%, by comparison… Although “public access” also includes standing on a bluff overlooking the waterfront, it seems). That said, I was surprised to read in the same parks report that Bellevue is actually more diverse than Seattle (2010 census). But more than a quarter of its residents earn an income below the poverty level.
But screw all that! Dave, check out Bellevue’s Lake Hills Greenbelt next time. I hear it’s nice.
Cheers from a chunk of suburban Amsterdam privately-owned waterfront property (disclosure, disclosed!)
“That said, I was surprised to read in the same parks report that Bellevue is actually more diverse than Seattle”
Would be interested to know how much of that is driven by high-tech. The likes of Microsoft and other companies bring in lots of workers from outside the country, and since Eastside traffic is so miserable (I’d say worse than Westside aka Seattle traffic), many want to live close (no matter the ethnicity). There isn’t much in the way of Microsoft employees in offices in Seattle proper (certainly, plenty live there).
Ok, I looked it up: link to statisticalatlas.com
It doesn’t specify what counts as ‘Asian’, but what is super-clear is it radiates out from the Microsoft campus. Which, as anyone in the area will tell you – is also where you find some fantastic Asian/Indian food.
Cool stuff.
Quattrovelo by velomobiel.nl, you should do a review of one of those. With a doublecheck by GPLama.
That’s awesome. Bike reviews are a bit out of my wheelhouse, but many…I’d love to take one for a spin!
Oh my…. I’d happily crash..er.. ride one of those for fun. I saw a similar one here the other day and thought it’d be the perfect candidate for the Garmin Varia radar on the back. I even checked for one on the back as it went past…. nope. These velopeople need to up their safety game. :)
Hey Ray any timeline for HRM’s as I’m in the market for one. Or is the Tickr X still the way to go ?
Keep up the good work.
In the week in review, he mentioned the schoche 24 review coming soon. I’d wait to see that one ;)
@Greg,
I believe that’s an optical armband, no high hopes for that one. I’m looking for the most accurate, price is no issue.
Thanks,
As for traditional chest straps, I generally use a TICKR-X. But any TICKR is fine, I never use any of the ‘X’ features (nor I have I ever, aside from early product review testing).
Thanks Ray.
I’d be very interested in an article detailing all of the features you do/don’t use. As an athlete rather than a reviewer, of course. Personally I think I use fewer features on my watches now than I did with my old Polar S625x 15 years ago, although maybe that’s due to less focussed training :)
It would also be interesting, once you have that list, to work out what the oldest/cheapest device would be that satisfies all use-cases
This is a nice run in November in the area:
link to olympischstadionloop.nl
Very nice!
Super closer to home for the start, and even runs past the DCR Studio along the way!
I second the Stadionloop! Always super cool to start and finish in the stadium track, especially since its renovation in 2016 for the European Championships.
Le Fournil de Sébastien? Mmmmm… So much goodness.
Yeah I third the stadionloop, it’s a fantastic run. Plus you could sign up the group as a business run group and go for a team prize!
Or the 2018 edition of this one will likely also be around the right time: link to movemberrun.nl
Don’t forget the Amsterdam City Swim on September 9th (your chance to swim in the canals). Training has started already, though I doubt you need it. Not sure if you need to sign up (probably) and when entry closes.
Looking forward to the pictures of the cave (both old pre-redesign and after it’s all ready and in working order)
Also looking forward to the rhythm24 in depth. I hope you will go into detail about the early design issues and how the current state is. I also hope and look forward to a certain wahoo watch in depth review, because I’ve seen some leaked images. But I understand you can’t tell anything about that.
Yup, got a browser tab open meaning to sign-up for the swim!
Hey Ray, do you know (or can you share) when we can expect an announcement about the Wahoo Rival watch?
Hi Ray. Quick question: I’m looking for a bike to take my daughter(s) when we go out. Similar to you, I have a 2-year-old and a 3-month-old. I see you use a cargo bike…how do you like it? Any specific recommendations?
We love the one we’re loaning (UrbanArrow) – and it’s working out great so far. The Girl loves ‘driving’ it as well.
Our kiddos are 2yo (this month) and 8 months. Below about 6 months you’ll need to do more of a baby carrier instead, but that’s easily placed in the bottom of the box, as you’d see all over town. Around the 6.5-7mo part we moved her up to her own little semi-reclined seat.
I think the biggest thing is simply that the infrastructure in Amsterdam is designed for it. We use it just like a car, taking it everywhere (we don’t have a car). But in the vast majority of America for example, it likely wouldn’t work well unless you had specific routes/paths to go on. In Amsterdam there’s zero concern on sharing space with cars in roadways sans-bike lanes, but I’d be very hesitant to do so in most US cities. But again, totally depends on how your city is constructed.
Off-topic but you mentioned the dog … how dog-friendly is Amsterdam? Are there many off-leash areas in the city? Can you bring into shops or bars etc. thx
Seems pretty dog friendly to us. A number of off-leash areas in many parks, and many owners will even walk down the street with the dog off-leash (our dog isn’t smart enough to do that).
I’d say most shops allow dogs, but I think Paris may be slightly more open there, especially with restaurants and such. But it hasn’t really been an issue.
Come on Ray even with my puny legs and lack of training I can keep the UA over 25kph on the flat. Amazed you haven’t fitted some pedal based powermeter to read you total input although I can’t think how you would measure total output.
I think the upgraded Bosch Nyon screen can give some input output stats.
It’s funny, it’s actually easier to keep it above 25KPH if you simply shut-off the motor. I have with the motor on it’s a bit tricky because it tries to assist you and basically causes you to spin out (even on the ‘hardest’ gear setting).
I have been planning to put some power pedals on there to see what it’s like. It’s really not bad without a motor (I even did it cross-town Amsterdam with an adult male in the box). The only thing that sucks is the stops/starts. Once you’re 3-5 seconds off the line momentum kinda caries you.
Ray,
It would be hilarious if you could put a power meter and aeropod on the cargo bike and report the results!!
For those houses you have to register on a waiting list as there are no more houses allowed. as the beach and the dunes are protected by very strict regulations (and our defence against the sea. Propably 50-66% of The Netherlands would disappear without the dunes.). 15 years ago the waiting list could take 5 years before you could have the opportunity to buy a house. The houses are allowed between april and october. They have to broken down in the other period. You should go there in autumn and winter it is astonishing beautiful and silent there (no tourists). A must see also if there is a storm (8 beaufort ore more)
I see you have discovered the wooden bridge on the cycling path between Amsterdam and Haarlem and you have discovered the very popluar Ringvaart route for cyclists. The whole round is approx 80 km. There are some nice parts on that route but also some very ugly parts.
I was just in Amsterdam for the first time on business and borrowed a bike from the hotel last night and happened to ride by that pool. I still can’t quite believe how amazing the bike culture is in Holland. I wish we could have it like that stateside. Now if only they had some hills…
Hills are available in the Netherlands, upto approximately 300 meters high (in the south, near Maastricht). In other areas there are hills up to 100 meters high (near Nijmegen and Amersfoort for instance). The Dutch mountains!
What we lack in the hills department, we make up for it with wind and lots of it everywhere (always a head wind no matter where you’re headed)
Nederland is a fabulous friendly place to cycle and live. Do check out the Randstad ride from Den Haag to Bloemendaal (including the kopje which is a steep hill at Overveen) then to Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam via Schoonhoven, Massluis and back to Den Haag approx 265 km but with plenty cafe stops. Especially the chocolate cake by Eindpunt (last cafe at Zandvoort.