Heads up! The big Garmin spring sale has started, with $200 off the Fenix 8, $100 off the Edge 1050, Forerunner 965, Forerunner 265, and countless other Garmin products. Full list & thoughts here.
I’m DC RAINMAKER…
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.
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Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
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5 Easy Steps To The Site
1
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.
2
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!
3
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.
4
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!
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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 2024 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.
5 mile XC run. I live in the middle of nowhere so didn’t see a soul.
A morning yoga session at home.
I cleaned up my attic, it’s really pretty now, but unfortunately I got no indoor training equipment at all! Something like a Wahoo KICKR SNAP would be nice :)
My last socially distant workout was a 12k run along the Rhine yesterday.
I went on a local bike ride with my three year old son – he managed 5km on his 14” wheel pedal bike!
Today My treadmill die and I go to forrest for fun
I do a lot of zwifting in this period. From Italy
Running outdoors and trying to avoid bypassers as if they might explode!
I spent one hour riding on Zwift Innsbruck’s couse. Thanks for the giveaway!
An easy bike ride, alone, while it still can ;)
Recovering from a stress fracture, my last workout was a mere 1 mile trot around the block – with other folks “socially distancing” from me, probably scared by my huffing and puffing.
8K steady from my home with quite a lot in the road to avoid the people on the pavement.
I’ve got al pretty little pull-up and fingerboard set-up. being a climber that allows me to at least keep my strength up. So last workout was pull ups. might set up my rollers later on.
I have finally set up my Tacx Neo again and done a first Zwift session on it. Wasn‘t expecting to be doing indoor rides for a while, but hey-ho… :-)
190k cycle on my TRAX (without Zwift)
I’d really love to upgrade to the Tacx Neo 2T, maybe you’ll help me on my effort..?
hope so.
Cheers and keep safe.
Luca
I took part in the local park run as part of my way to rehab and get back into training following a heart operation.
Tacx virtual ride in Italy for 55 min
A zwift team time trial
Freeletics training in my living room.
The Gravel Grinder training program in Zwift helps me maintain my social distance!
Indoor cycling using Kinomaps.
A nice trip up Alpe du Zwift
A 4×8 min threshold run with 2 min recoveries between intervals. Ran outside but alone (in Sweden, we have no laws against exercising in groups, yet, but we rely on social responsibility for now).
Riding a 240 metre U shaped loop around the edges of my uneven garden on a commuter hybrid bike.
Laps:29
Distance:7k
Time:30 mins
People encountered:0
Hands numbed through vibration:2
Zwift ride on Tick Tock course all alone, both real and virtual
6k Night run through an empty park
Something to get us through the lockdown.
A neat little 5k in the very early morning
After breaking my leg & knee several months ago, I managed the first steps of a run whilst out walking in the fields alone! :-)
Quick run in the forest on the empty trails.
Another TrainerRoad workout indoor.
Yesterday a circuit workout at the local footy oval. Today , Zwift stage 5 TOW.
Throwing a nerf ball around the garden with child followed by a game of boules.
I kayaked in a local lake leading a pro triathlete who was swim training. We stayed at least 6 feet apart. Then I biked solo through the countryside for 1 hour.
My last trainer social distancing due to the fact that where I live is forbidden to ride outside and if you don’t observe such rule you will be banned is ZWIFT session (as I’m doing during the last 13 days)…. Thanks for this great “giveway” you and clever training are awesome!
my last work out was a tempo ride with sprints, zwift training work out
went for a run earlier than usual (7am) and haven’t met anybody
Tour of watopia stage 5
I’ve just been doing fairly easy rides on Zwift. Hard to get motivated for much more right now!
Just some strength training in the living room while my daughter was sleeping a safe distance away
5k treadmill run….keeping social distance
An abandoned indoor ride – waiting on a support call which may take some time!
Not really a workout, we go for a 5k morning walk with my husband every day.
fulgaz col d’iseran in bibs and a sweatband (no jersey), all while having a work video conference with the video on. no one said a word.
Did a Zwift session yesterday, combined with Hangouts with some friends for the social part :).
Easy 1h run
Had a run in the neighbourhood.
Keep yourself and everyone around you healthy.
4 socially distanced laps of Richmond park.
90min run with 6 intervals of 5min@4:00/km
A couple of Hill sprints followed by an out and back round the coast
10K indoor row on the erg
50 minute zwift in the garden.
30 minutes Zwifting on my Tacx Booster indoor bike trainer.
I managed a session on the turbo for an hour yesterday. Mind numbingly difficult and sweating buckets but that or nothing at the moment!
A short trainerroad ride, to get the day started.
13th day of lockdown in Watopia!
An easy gravelride through the forest! Clearing the head.
Treadmill running with Zwift :)
Zwift Slowtwitch group ride
A solid 6h bike workout on the trainer preparing for an ironman
Did some nordic skiing last weekend.
Doing a lot of zwift races in this period.
I’ve been doing yoga stretches and a lot of planks in my living room at home.
Base fitness on zwift in z2
Zwifting while zooming with teammates!
5 miles @ 5 am in 32 deg weather.. Refreshing :)
A core strength workout with 30 min indoor cycling afterwards.
I went out this morning as the sun rose before anyone else was out and run 6km, whilst my son cycled behind me.
In the morning hours, I set a new FTP record via the TrainerRoad ramp test, indoors on my Kickr Core. Later the same afternoon, to celebrate the loverly spring weather, i brought out my cross and went for a leisurely solitary 15k bike ride – and froze my feet off!
Build a route on my Garmin Fenix to stay at 1km from my home (confinement rule in France) and draw a nice pacman on the map. Efficient and fun…
Did intervals around the garden taking turns carrying my 3-year-old twins
a rather lacklustre set of squats, rows and deadlifts in my garden office (shed)
This morning I wrapped my 10-month girl up snug and took her in the buggy for a nice 12-mile run along a quiet river-path loop, only saw a few folk out as we started at 6am
I’m confined to the house but managed a jog around the ( small ) garden
Since 2 weeks Solorider has become my middlename
Watching Tour de Quarantine from the couch… I need a trainer.
I won one of the fan rides with Lucas Hamilton of Mitchelton Scott on Zwift
link to strava.com
I am in Spain and Zwift and dog walks is all I got now.
500 Push-ups at home lol
Trainnerroad workout last Tuesday.
Well, I did my FIRST ride on Zwift with my NEW trainer. Best example of social-distancing in sport effort, right? That deserve a round of applaus, … or a giveavaw from Ray ;-)
Thx!
I went MTBing with the boss.
I put my rowing machine on the floor, put my Headphones on, started the music and singing louder than ever…
1h cycle on Zwift. That’s the only racing we are going to get this year :/
Did trainerroad workout Eclipse. 3×20 sweetspot.
Annoyingly feeling pretty fit right now (for me!)
Thanks for this Ray
I live on the fourth floor – so I’ve ran the staircases a couple of times and managed to avoid all my neihgbors!
I did a ramp test on Zwift on Wednesday. Dropped by 20w since my last test ?
In Denmark we don’t have a full lockdown (yet) so Thursday last week I was riding a local MTB trail with the oldest son. They required 2 meter distance to others makes passing or getting parsed requiring “get of the trail and stop” but nice weather and a good ride. (still allowed for up to 10 people in a place but expected to be restricted to 2 before easter)
Besides that I’ve exclusively been on Zwift – got the tron bike now and badge-hunting the different courses
If i win the $500 will be used for a direct-drive trainer for the new “cave” that i am building in a corner of an old stable / shed.
2 hours on the tacx neo yesterday
1h15 workout on my Tacx indoor trainer … staring at a wall in my garage
No Zwift, no Rouvy, just Golden Cheetah with music. Three houer easy ride.
Hour long new road bike ride to nearby city
Yesterday fun was a trail run in nice Finnish forest + Zwift Watopia combo!
I was out running and need a trainer I just got an injury in my lower part of the stomach so now it hurts when running :-(
So please let me have it
Indoor trainer ride on Zwift. Can’t get sick, if I don’t go outside :D
A beautiful Zwift ride on the terrace
I got outside and did a solo bike ride, keeping as far away from people on the trail as possible. ?
Thankfully we have an ellliptical in the basement, so I’ve been using that a lot.
5km run in the country side yesterday.
Either a smart trainer or a treadmill.
I had a dance party with my son in the living room earlier this evening. Lots of star jumps, hip thrusts, and I even did the worm for some lower back strength work.