There’s a massive sales on smart cycling trainers right now, plus plenty other sports tech. There’s 20% off the Wahoo KICKR, KICKR CORE, CLIMB, Headwind, 20% off the Tacx NEO 2T, Flux 2, and Flux S, 20% off Saris Hammer 3 trainer and Saris MP1 Motion Platform. Plus also 20% off the Elite Direto X and Suito too, even the new Sterzo. Plus even steeper deals including with the Kinetic trainers at 30% off. Note: Wahoo KICKR sales end Sunday Mar 29th at 11:59PM US Eastern Time.
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!
This is a solid deal if you don't mind the slight racket that the original CycleOps Hammer makes. Note that basically there's virtually no feature differences between the H1/H2/H3 - just different colors of paint and on the H3, a different belt that makes it quieter. They're already running near identical firmware (the original Hammer got a big firmware update Aug 2019 to bring them all inline).
This is a sweet deal, unclear how long this deal will last. This is notable now that Wahoo, Hammerhead, and Stages all support the Varia radar (plus Garmin of course).
⚡ There's some great deals in here. The base GoPro Hero 8 Black is down to $349, but many retailers for $10-$20 more are adding in a crapton of accessories you'll buy anyway like extra batteries, the shorty stick, etc... I've linked to a collection of them, my personal fav is linked in the second link, and has two extra GoPro battires, a 64GB microSD card, and then a USB card reader.
Now, if you don't mind a bit of noise, and a bit of inaccuracy in the power data - then this is a steal for this trainer . Definitely the lowest price we've seen it to date. But, read the review first.
This is a very solid deal for this unit, and about the lowest we've seen it. Note that the price varies slightly based on the exact color band you select. But either way, it's a great deal.
⚡ REI & Clever Training 20% sale till supplies last (likely not long). REI use code MEMPERKS2020, Clever Training use code MARCH20. NOTE: Clever Training has NEO 2T in stock, whereas REI is backordered.
– Sea Otter is off…then on…then conflicts with their own event? – Pro teams migrate to indoor trainer apps – What could TrainerRoad do to partner with teams this season? – And perhaps Sufferfest too? – Strava’s “What’s Old is New Again” 2020 campaign continues – Wahoo drops price on BOLT – Then Wahoo drops a new BOLT! – Is there actually ebike integration demand? – Garmin drops price on Edge 1030/130/Varia Radar. – GoPro Hero 8 charging door test!
Listen here, or four options for where to find the podcast:
A) iTunes: If you’ve got an Apple device, we’re there! B) Google Play Music: Yup, we’re here too (and on Google Podcasts app) C) Spotify: Of course we’re on Spotify now – you can even cache it on your wearable too! D) RSS Feed: Follow along using the direct RSS feed
Stuff 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 (and in this case, some of these are from the past few weeks…as my backlog is a bit longer):
1) Apple Watch appears set to add blood oxygen detection and improved ECG: Among many other vNext Apple Watch or WatchOS features that seemed to have leaked out. I’m not however convinced that Apple will be able to do SpO2 any better than Garmin/Fitbit/etc. It’s easy to do sitting still, it’s really hard to do in movement (the FDA certification doesn’t even attempt to deal with at movement).
4) France looks at fines and jail time for e-bike modification: This seems a bit over the top. A lot of this really does seem to stem out of the slightly bizarre displeasure in certain circles against many of the bike sharing companies, which has in turn spilled out into e-bikes in general.
5) Ironman’s comments and plans for the upcoming season: Realistically, the short version could be ‘Everything is basically off till further notice. We’re rescheduling eventually, and your race fee goes to a future race. Roughly.’
7) Sister company to LifeQ shuts down: As a reminder, LifeQ makes optical sensors that are approved by Qualcomm for use in Google Wear devices (which are, in turn, on the approved list by Google for Google Wear devices). They used to make TomTom running watch optical HR sensors way back when. These days the most notable watch for them is the recent Suunto 7. While it might sound bad that their sister company HealthQ is shutting down, this is really about refocusing on LifeQ. So in this narrow focus, it’s a good thing for LifeQ. I think. Hopefully. (Thanks Matthys)
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 and a few other firmware updates.
[Things be pretty slow in the sports tech world right now. Part of that is seasonality, but a very real part of that is COVID-19]
The fact that Ironman is not even considering refunds, shows to all those who were still wondering what a terrible profit maximizing corporation they have become. Postponing the event into fall? What if you already have another race lined up in fall? Just do both? In tough times like these you discover the true nature of a person/company.
You can also defer your entry into the 2021 race if the rearranged date is not suitable, so that solves that problem. Also, regarding refunds, as someone who has an IM entry this year, I’d love a refund if my event doesn’t go ahead, but if they end up refunding millions in race fees, there might be no more IM in the future. Companies are struggling to survive right now, and we all need to pull together to get through this. IM are not alone as I’ve had other races postponed and cancelled with no refunds. They are tough, unprecedented times.
For its price range, it was falling out of potential customer’s radar… and yes, more updates are coming… for instance, it is time to update your emoticons archive:
Speaking of Peloton (OK, you mentioned them once…), they’re offering a 90 day free trial of their app which I think is related to the C-word. I’m in Belgium and I can’t sign up on the website (the only regions offered are US, CA, UK, and DE; my card is in BE and the website does not accept my postcode). I also can’t find the app in the Google Play Store.
Am I being stupid, or is it actually just not available in Belgium? Does anyone know?
There’s a new firmware update for the Sigma ROX 12.0 out as well (as I discovered when trying to figure out why mine was no longer connecting to Sigma Cloud).
I’ve not tested the quicker charging yet, but that could be a real bonus when I’m bikepacking with a dynamo and power bank.
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? You have two options. The first is to use Clever Training with either the coupon code (DCR10BTF) or the VIP program. Both save 10%, see details by clicking below:
In the UK/EU/Australia/New Zealand? Then hit up Wiggle at the link below!
Alternatively, for everything else on the planet, simply buy your goods from Amazon via the link below and I get a tiny bit back. No cost to you, easy as pie!
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 the 2019-2020 indoor training season. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Check out my weekly podcast - with GPLAMA, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
Get all your awesome high quality DCR kit and gear here! Oh, and free US shipping too!
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.
Here’s my most recent gadget recommendations guide (Winter 2019-2020 edition) and trainers here (Winter 2019-2020 edition) – covering 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!
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 2019 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 2018 Gear Guide too.
By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to the use of cookies
![FIT-File-Logo-WorkingWide_thumb_thum[2]](https://media.dcrainmaker.com/images/2019/08/FIT-File-Logo-WorkingWide_thumb_thum2.jpg "FIT-File-Logo-WorkingWide_thumb_thum[2]"){kind=logo}
The fact that Ironman is not even considering refunds, shows to all those who were still wondering what a terrible profit maximizing corporation they have become. Postponing the event into fall? What if you already have another race lined up in fall? Just do both?
In tough times like these you discover the true nature of a person/company.
You can also defer your entry into the 2021 race if the rearranged date is not suitable, so that solves that problem. Also, regarding refunds, as someone who has an IM entry this year, I’d love a refund if my event doesn’t go ahead, but if they end up refunding millions in race fees, there might be no more IM in the future. Companies are struggling to survive right now, and we all need to pull together to get through this. IM are not alone as I’ve had other races postponed and cancelled with no refunds. They are tough, unprecedented times.
– What is a diagnosis of people who see the main problem of diseases from an economical aspect?
– Monetary mental retardation…
Why the price slash on the Garmin Radar unit? Are they releasing a new model this year?
For its price range, it was falling out of potential customer’s radar…
and yes, more updates are coming… for instance, it is time to update your emoticons archive:
Speaking of Peloton (OK, you mentioned them once…), they’re offering a 90 day free trial of their app which I think is related to the C-word. I’m in Belgium and I can’t sign up on the website (the only regions offered are US, CA, UK, and DE; my card is in BE and the website does not accept my postcode). I also can’t find the app in the Google Play Store.
Am I being stupid, or is it actually just not available in Belgium? Does anyone know?
Yeah, the countries you list are the only countries they sell the bike – and thus, the only countries they make the app available. 🙁
I agree, it’s largely stupid.
There’s a new firmware update for the Sigma ROX 12.0 out as well (as I discovered when trying to figure out why mine was no longer connecting to Sigma Cloud).
I’ve not tested the quicker charging yet, but that could be a real bonus when I’m bikepacking with a dynamo and power bank.
Good Morning, Mrs. Maker! Can you release Peanut1 to the playground, please?