Heads up!!! Here’s your massive Cyber Monday sports tech deals list! This includes the Garmin Forerunner 965 for just $499, Garmin Epix for $429, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for just $619, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $299, (or Hero 13 bundle for $339!) and plenty more! Go check out the full list of 100+ deals here!
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.
You'll support the site, and get ad-free DCR! Plus, you'll be more awesome. Click above for all the details. Oh, and you can sign-up for the newsletter here!
Here’s how to save!
Wanna save some cash and support the site? These companies help support the site! With Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with either the coupon code DCRAINMAKER for first time users saving 15% on applicable products.
You can also pick-up tons of gear at REI via these links, which is a long-time supporter as well:Alternatively, for everything else on the planet, simply buy your goods from Amazon via the link below and I get a tiny bit back as an Amazon Associate. No cost to you, easy as pie!
You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.Want to compare the features of each product, down to the nitty-gritty? No problem, the product comparison data is constantly updated with new products and new features added to old products!
Wanna create comparison chart graphs just like I do for GPS, heart rate, power meters and more? No problem, here's the platform I use - you can too!
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.
-
Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
Get all your awesome DC Rainmaker gear here!
FAQ’s
I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
- Do you have a privacy policy posted?
- Why haven’t you yet released a review for XYZ product you mentioned months ago?
- Will you test our product before release?
- Are you willing to review or test beta products?
- Which trainer should I buy?
- Which GPS watch should I buy?
- I’m headed to Paris – what do you recommend for training or sightseeing?
- I’m headed to Washington DC – what do you recommend for training?
- I’m from out of the country and will be visiting the US, what’s the best triathlon shop in city XYZ?
- What kind of camera do you use?
-
5 Easy Steps To The Site
In Depth Product Reviews
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.
Read My Sports Gadget Recommendations.
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.
“*Sunweb is an official sponsored Sigma team.”
Shouldn’t that be the other way around?
My wording on that one is wonky AF, but technically correct (only just barely). ;)
Team Sunweb is officially sponsored by Sigma.
Looks straight from German. This is how they most likely would say it in German.
Nah, just straight from lack of sleep. :)
Ineos in not officially sponsored by Garmin anymore? It definitely was last year: link to teamineos.com
Figures… I had them listed out twice, then figured stars would be clearer. Got lost in the reshuffle. Fixed!
You were right! Sponsorship was not officially confirmed until yesterday:
link to twitter.com
Go figure… :)
Curious: why might teams or riders choose to use a 1030 over an 830 during a race?
Bigger digits to read in a hurry, being used to it (you seem to imply that they might want to keep a 1030 for training?), generally caring much less for a delta of 43 grams than we hobbyists like to believe?
It’s also quite interesting to see the high number of Garmin lanyards deployed. I rarely see those on hobbyists’ bikes, surely because “they don’t look pro”.
well observed. Pros crash a lot during races and it’s easy to lose or damage a computer.
I would love to know what a pro team like EF or INEOS does when their 830s completely lock up like mine does on occasion.
Interesting…
Did you by change take pictures (close up) of the riders data field. Curious to know how the Garmin folks have their units set up.
change=chance! Stupid auto-correct don’t know what I’m trying to type…. And where is the 300 second edit function when you need it
These articles are among the most fascinating on the site — thank you DCR.
Pretty telling even the Wahoo sponsored teams are sticking with BOLT over ROAM.
Here is a new one:
Pyloton: CircuitPython Cycling Computer
Open Source cycling computer that displays heart rate, speed, cadence, and song playback info!
link to learn.adafruit.com
You have to build it yourself. But it is only limited by your imagination.
I m new in the field of Pelotons. The name of the Adafruit Pyloton is probably a composition of the word Peloton and Python. It is extraordinary in the sence that is the only commercially available open source device which I could find to this date.
The name Pyloton suggests, that it was designed to be used as a Peloton, which is great. Since I was looking for a device where it is possible to access the ANT or BLE sensor by a PC application.
The instruction for the Peloton on Adafruits websites is excellent. They have also a forum, but I could not find any entries yet for the Pyloton, it is a new product. Here I could find a demo video:
link to youtube.com
I was looking for a long time for a solution to stream ANT+ sensor data from sports sensors to Matlab or Python. But it’s difficult. In Matlab, there is an example for BLE sensors, but it is very theoretical, no practical application yet. So I was looking for an application for BLE GATT client-server, and then I found the Pyloton.
It s an excellent instruction, and I love it. I was looking for a solution to pull out sensor data from the Pyloton, and I was looking at the Adafruit apps. But I could not see a solution. The circuit is Arduino compatible, and Arduinos can be connected by usb to Matlab or Python. That’s the solution which currently looks most promising to me.
I propose to try to use this device in connection to Matlab or Python on a PC. As far as I know, there is no practical example with sensors in Matlab or Python to this date:
link to mathworks.com
Resellers for Bike computers, when customers asks for a device to send your training data in real-time to Matlab, recommend this device. Shame on Garmin :-(
Excellent device and instruction from Adafruit, but shame on Garmin when a modern cycling computer is compaired to this device, what a modern cycling computer could do with an open standard, which allows users to do anything they want with the device, and not limiting users in making real own developements.
Adafruits device is a new developement, but Adafruits device does not limit users in what is possible with this device. Anything is possible with this device, sooner or later.
There where several Rasperri PI projects with an ANT+ stick, one of a former PhD student of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, one with a script which sends sensor data to an MQQT brocker to for instance Matlab or Python.
But the Pyloton Open Source Cycling Computer is simpler. The path goes from a BLE to the Pyloton which consist only of one chip, and from there via usb to Matlab or Python. The software on the Pyloton is similar to the Matlab BLE example code.
The sensor data are already displayed on the Pyloton, so there is nothing to do anymore in Matlab, exept for analysing the data. The path is short, and therefore more stable.
What I miss on the PYLOTON is a open source real-time data aquisition software. It is difficult to access raw data from sporting activies for instance from a Garmin watch. Integration of the Pyloton into OpenSignals could solve this problem:
link to forum.bitalino.com
or a Windows Python project for the PYLOTON with graphs, plots and a format of data (csv?) which easy to access.
The Pytolon is based on a circuit which is Arduino compatible. It should be possible to port the code to a Rasperri Pi. And code which runs on a Rasperri Pi should also run on the new Linux Pinephone.
link to store.pine64.org
Pine, the developer of the Linux Pinephone produces mini PC which are Rasperri Pi compatible. The Linux Pinephone and a Rasperri Pi are very close to each other. Therefore, the code which runs on the Pytolon Open Source Bike Computer should also run on a Linux Pinephone in theory. This would be a very handy Bike Computer which has the size of a large Android Phone.
Although I don t have any followers for this project yet, I m optimistic that this project will be successful, and will become attractive to more and more people, the easier the setup becomes.
Summary:
The GATT client-server for Bluetooth smart (BLE) is a path to stream BLE sensor data. It can be found in a Matlab example code without any practical example yet.
But the same code is in the Pytolon Open Soure Bike Computer, and it has been demonstrated with heart rate and cadence sensors that it is working there. But the same code could also run on a Rasperri PI, a Linux Pinephone, a Linux PC or as mentioned before on a PC running Matlab.
It is not about the right device, it is about the right code and the right sensors. This GATT client-server works as far as I know only with Bluetooth smart (BLE) sensors, and it is easier to use in my view than to use a ANT+ stick with ANT+ sensors.
Make yourself free from the dependency of Gamin. Read the 55 pages of instruction for the Pyloton Open Source Bike computer (pdf printout):
link to cdn-learn.adafruit.com
And build your own Pyloton. The only problem which is not descripted is how to read out sensor data from the Pyloton usb port. But this should be possible. There are many instructions for Matlab or Python how to connect to an Arduino through usb, and the Pyloton is Arduino compatible.
Here is a picture of the Pyloton, the most advanced Open Source Bike computer available on the planet, which that displays heart rate, speed, cadence, and song playback info. Fortunately, it is almost a open source sports watch with the Adafrui’ts Little Secret – CLUE:
link to youtube.com
which can be programmed with Circuit Python to add support for more sensors, connection to a PC, etc. I already printed out the 55 pages pdf manual hand out to work it through. An open source bike computer software is rare to find. When you understand how it works, you can add more features which fits for your needs.
There is also a variant of the Adafruit Clue as a Open Source Sports Watch, currently limited to the option to count steps:
link to learn.adafruit.com
The design is really extraordinary :-)
The code is great of the Pyloton Open Source Bike computer and the CLUE Step Counter, but I miss a version of the BLE GATT client-server for the Rasperri Pi, which could serve as a data logging device for sporting activites in Matlab friendly .csv format. And I miss a version of the BLE GATT client-server for the new Linux Pinephone:
link to store.pine64.org
The Pinephone is a real Linux computer, and software developement on Linux is more comfortable than software developement for the Clue or the Rasperri PI.
The Pinephone has a formfactor, which is more attractive as a Bike Computer than the Pyloton. The could could eventually be ported from the Pyloton to the Linux Pinephone. But the Pyloton is a good device to start with, and to get to know and to start developing the BLE code.
Sorry, I meant the code could eventually be ported from the Pyloton to the new Linux Pinephone, but this needs to be tested, a new user interface is necessary, etc.
Someone in the PinePhone community suggested to make out of the PineTime an Open Source Sports watch.
link to forum.pine64.org
Sorry for repeating this topic again and again. But sooner or later companies like Garmin or Polar will be confronted with more and more users asking this question: Why is is not possible to stream sensor data from a Garmin or Polar watch to my favorite PC application? It does not work with a Garmin watch or a Polar watch in an easy way. But as far as I know, it should be possible to connect the Pyloton open source bike computer over usb to Matlab or Python and to stream sensor data over usb:
link to forums.adafruit.com
It is the easiest way for a live-stream to scientific data analysis software like Matlab or free and open source data analysis software in Python I could find after a long, long, long search.
A discussion how to build your own Peloton open source bike computer or your own open source sports watch based on a Linux Pinephone can also be found in the Pinephone community:
link to forum.pine64.org
It should also be possible to run Rasperri PI ANT+ bike computer projects on the Pinephone, which is the better platform for a Bike Computer than a Rasperri PI:
link to forum.pine64.org
And here is an example of a low-cost high quality Peloton:
link to youtube.com
This low-cost high quality QBike Peloton Bike computer should in theory also run on a Pinephone with ANT+ stick, but the Pinephone community mentiones at least one hardware issue (see discussion there) affecting aspects of USB functionality, and recommends to stick to BLE projects, since BLE is built into the PinePhone.
I am still looking for a passionate programer who sees like me the great potential of the Adafruit Open Source Sports computer, and ports the software to a costumer friendly platform like Python or to a Linux phone like the Xiaomi Poco F1, which makes it possible to integrate contemporary software like MQTT, Grafana, Influx database, etc., and to add more BLE sensors:
link to petergamma.org
Most live-streaming options are available for peloton bike computers. Garmin has closed source devices with proprietary .fit file format, ANT+ sensors and data processing in Garmin connect. For people who are looking for open source projects with live-streaming option, .csv data format and freedom of choice for data processing applications, there are only few projects available.
Aren t Garmin watches based on Linux? As far as I know, nobody was able to hack Garmin watches yet. Therefore, it is time for an open source alternative. I propose Linux Asteroid OS watches, which have a great potential. The option to install standard Linux software on it, or to use desktop Python software are major advantages.
Unfortunately, I am not a programmer, but I can deal with Matlab and Python scripts. I reviewed some Linux Asteroid OS watches on my web site. I am looking for programers who are interested in these great watches, who see the potential of these watches. I first step would be to port the Adafruit Open Source Bike Computer to a Linux phone, or to Linux Asteroid OS watch:
link to petergamma.org…e-pyloton/
The Adafruit software is a professional BLE sports computer, which can compete with Garmin devices. There are only few open source sports devices available. Linux Asteroid OS watches paired to BLE sports sensors is the most professional option.