Heads up – Massive Sports Tech Holiday Deals List is Live!!! The Garmin Fenix 8 is $250 off (even the Fenix 8 Pro is $100 off!), the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on sale, the Garmin inReach Mini 2 is $249, the GoPro Hero 13 Black, DJI NEO, and a ton of other brands/deals, including Wahoo, Oura, Whoop, Polar, Samsung, Google, and more than 100 sports tech deals 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!
Sports Tech Deals of Note:
Ok, not much left this week. Sorta a lull. But hey, if ya need a GoPro Hero 8 Black or AirPods, it’s still on sale!
Product
Sale Price
Amazon
Other site
Sale Notes
Adobe Creative Cloud Pro (12 Months) - $389 off (50% off!)
As a side note, you can cancel and take advantage of this. Which, is precisely what I did when I realized my existing plan was gonna be stupid expensive. In any case, I use the Adobe Creative Cloud Pro suite for a lot of what I do.
We did see lower just back in July, at $199. So I'd probably hold out a bit more here. Assuming that happens, you can't beat this watch at this price point (heck,not even at $226 either).
Perhaps this deal will get better, but right now at $20 off...nah. Given the price of the Garmin Epix Pro has flirted into the $429 range a bit over the past few days (and is a vastly better watch), this needs to drop down closer to $299 to be worth picking up during Black Friday pricing.
Despite being a tech-focused dude, our kids don't actually get much tech in their lives. However, we got these two years ago for them in their rooms, to play music. They do lots of other things, but our kids mostly just use it to play music (from Spotify and Apple Music too), and occasionally they ask it questions. It has all the parental controls I want, so it locks it down from bedtime/etc...For $31? Solid deal (The coolest 'nice touch' feature is that if you whisper to it, it'll whisper back...in the owl kids voice it has.)
⚡ This is an awesome deal. I use my iPad primarily for TrainerRoad as well as Zwift when not with a larger display. I also occasionally use it for other apps, namely Indievelo, Kinomap, Rouvy, and Peloton. But I pretty much test every smart trainer app on it. For all these cycling apps, the graphics capabilities is really pretty irrelevant, so having the absolute top-end/latest model won't make any difference. I prefer the budget options.
Apple 2025 14" MacBook Air Laptop with M4 - $250 off
See my other note about the MacBook Pro. While I'd love the MacBook Air instead, the singular reason I use the MacBook Pro is the added USB-C port (2 vs 3 on MacBook Pro). Otherwise, this spec-wise woudl do the trick.
Apple 2025 14" MacBook Pro Laptop with M5 - $250 off
This is the updated/newer model of the MacBook M1 Pro that I use for all my video editing. In my case, I still use a 2021 14" MBP, with relatively modest specs (32GB RAM). And I've been super happy with it, even while editing complex drone/action cam videos with 4 concurrently 4K streams in a multicam configuration, it has zero issues rendering or anything else.
These are the just-released AirPod Pro 3, with optical heart rate sensors in them. These are my daily-driver headphones these days, and even more notably, the heart rate accuracy is incredibly good in these.
This is the first major sale for the Apple Watch SE 3, which came out just 2 months ago. It's essentially Apple's 'budget' offering, yet it still has all the same software features as a higher-end Apple Watch Series 11, as long as the hardware permits.
This is the first time we've seen the Apple Watch Ultra 3 on sale, and given it's $100 off, that tends to be the typical sale price for the holidays/Black Friday for the current/just-released version.
This is the singular piece of apparel that's lasted the longest in my collection - some 15-16 years of buying the same socks. Heck, some of them are probably half that old. EIther way, this be the ones I use. Love them (well, except for hiking and trail running, then I use other stuff that goes higher). I'm wearring them as I wrote this post too.
This is a great price for this watch. Note though that technically speaking, this is a price reduction (took effect Nov 14th following the launch of the Pace 4). Most companies would first call it a sale, then make that sale price the new price as a price reduction. But COROS often beats to a different drum. Kudos on being upfront about the reduction though!
This is a great price for this watch. Note though that technically speaking, this is a price reduction (took effect Nov 14th following the launch of the Pace 4). Most companies would first call it a sale, then make that sale price the new price as a price reduction. But COROS often beats to a different drum. Kudos on being upfront about the reduction though!
This is last year's model. And sure, the Action 6 came out 48 hours ago, but honestly, the initial rection hasn't been kind there. I just started testing it, so more to come very shortly.
Look, don't buy this drone. This is the drone that never should have left the napkin at the lunch table at DJI's HQ. The unit breaks easily (as I, and many others found out), and doesn't really do anything super well. Literally, buy any other DJI drone except htis one...you're welcome.
⚡ This is a great little drone as your first drone, especially for sports usage, where it'll do an astonishing job following you (running, cycling, etc...). And, you can crash it a gazillion times without any problem.
NOTE: This is not sold by DJI directly via Amazon. DJI itself is NOT selling the OSMO 360 in the US, and WILL NOT support/repair it in the US. That said, it's a solid deal if you're ok with those risks.
This is Elite's previous-gen trainer, but it's still a reliable workhorse. This bundle is paired with the Zwift Cog/Click, though, you can also buy it without a cassette for the same price.
These is the new model just released this past summer with stronger anti-scratch resistance (I even dragged it down a textured concrete pool desk, lens-down, to show this).
⚡The Favero Assioma Pro MX dual-sided power meter pedals deal is a no brainer. I use them in my testing constantly along with the PRO RS pedals. Note for US folks: Favero does include all taxes and tarrifs in the price.
⚡The Favero Assioma Pro RS dual-sided power meter pedals having their first sale yet. This deal is a no brainer. I use them in my testing, and will likely pick up another set in this sale. Note for US folks: Favero does include all taxes and tarrifs in the price.
FeedBack Sports Pro Mechanic Bike Repair Stand - $50 Off
We use this stand for both any of the work we do on any of our bikes (well, except the cargo bike). Super quick and easy to take out when we need it. Note: Feedback Sports is a DC Rainmaker Partner
FeedBack Sports Pro Mechanic HD Bike Repair Stand - $55 Off
I've got this setup, andit's basically got almost everything I need for regular/daily bike maintenance across virtually all of my bikes. Plus, in theory I can keep things tidy in that carrying case....I mean, if I were to actually put all the tools back in it. Note: Feedback Sports is a DC Rainmaker Partner
⚡ This is (by far) the lowest price we've seen on this watch to date. This is their first full smartwatch focused on kids activity tracking and gamification.
⚡ This is the go-to sale price for the Fitbit Charge 6. It happens often, but it still doesn't take away from the fast that it's argueably the best bang for your buck fitness tracker out there.
If you're looking for a simple and inexpensive activity tracker, you won't go wrong with a Fitbit (or this Inspire 3). It's got literally all the same software features in the Fitbit app as a higher-end Google Pixel Watch or other Fitbit device, except...just tiny.
⚡ This is Garmin's newest kids-focused and LTE connected smart watch. Our three daughters have been using it for about two months now, after using the original Bounce 1 for years. This is a *massive* upgrade over the Bounce 1, both in features/hardware, but frankly also battery life. My review should be up next week, but if you've got any questions drop them in the comments below.
This is the activity tracker that both of our oldest daughters have used for years (age 8 & 9), as well as most of their friends now. They/we all like it. Check out my full in-depth review for all my thoughts. That said, the new Bounce 2 came out two months ago, and while my review isn't out yet, it's a far better product. But, quite a bit more too. The TLDR on that review will be that it's the best kids smartwatch/tracker to date (for both parents and kids), but obviously will cost you $100 more.
This is Garmin's premier line of diving watches, which is based on the Fenix 7 seies, rather than the Fenix 8 series. Still, it's by far one of the most capable dive+everything else watches on the market.
Garmin Descent MK3i (Dive watch with air integration) - $250 off!
This is Garmin's premier line of diving watches, which is based on the Fenix 7 seies, rather than the Fenix 8 series. Still, it's by far one of the most capable dive+everything else watches on the market. The 'i' version (MK3i) means that you can connect it to an air tank monitor transmitter pod.
⚡This is a very solid deal, and is still one of the best bike computers Garmin has ever made, especially when you look at the battery side of things (it lasts far longer than the Edge 1050).
⚡At $249, it's pretty much impossible to beat this deal in terms of bike computers. There's no competitive option that beats it on features/battery/etc at this price, or frankly anywhere near it. Sure, it doesn't have a touchscreen, but it's not as bad as it used to be (I did a stint on it this winter for a week or so, and was fine).
⚡⚡This is the lowest price we've seen on the Garmin Edge 540 Solar to date, which has gained virtually all of the new Garmin Edge 1050 features as well. And notably, lower than the Edge 540 without solar (which is kinda silly, but hey, win for us!).
This is the lowest price we've seen on this to date. The Enduro 3 is simply the Fenix 8 with a MIP/Solar display (but without the scuba or voice calling features). It gets all the Fenix 8 features and updates otherwise.
⚡⚡⚡ This is a fantastic deal. By far the lowest price we've seen this! The Epix Pro has a flashlight which the regular Epix lacks, plus the newer Garmin Elevate Gen5 optical HR sensor with ECG support.
⚡⚡⚡ This is a fantastic deal. By far the lowest price we've seen this! The Epix Pro has a flashlight which the regular Epix lacks, plus the newer Garmin Elevate Gen5 optical HR sensor with ECG support. Note: Availability on this deal fluctuates, just keep checking back, I'm sure it'll pop back again (it always does).
⚡⚡ If you wanted the battery life of a Fenix MIP series without the cost of a Fenix 8, this is basically your best deal. Plus, unlike the base Fenix 7 series, the Pro series includes the flashlight and Gen5 HR sensor with ECG.
⚡ If you wanted the battery life of a Fenix MIP series without the cost of a Fenix 8, this is basically your best deal. Plus, unlike the base Fenix 7 series, the Pro series includes the flashlight and Gen5 HR sensor with ECG.
⚡⚡ This is very unexpected, and is an Amazon-specific deal, not a Garmin-supported one. Thus, I expect it won't last more than minutes/hours. Grab it while you can! [Update: This keeps fluttering back and forth, just keep checking!]
⚡ The Fenix 8 keeps getting all the new software features of the Fenix 8 Pro that was launched two months ago. Setting aside that Fenix 8 Pro which gained LTE & Satellite Messaging, this is otherwise the most capable sports watch on the market.
⚡ The Fenix 8 keeps getting all the new software features of the Fenix 8 Pro that was launched two months ago. Setting aside that Fenix 8 Pro which gained LTE & Satellite Messaging, this is otherwise the most capable sports watch on the market.
As a general rule, the Fenix E is the watch that literally nobody is buying, and makes no sense at higher prices. The hardware is simply the Epix Gen 2 with Fenix stamped on it. That watch is going for $400, though I expect we'll see it down to $300 over Black Friday. However, one *KEY* difference with the Fenix E, is that it includes all of the software features of the newer Fenix 8, whereas the Epix Gen 2 doesn't get all the new software features. Otherwise, save your $200.
⚡ This is (by far) the lowest price on the Forerunner 265, which was recently replaced by the Forerunner 570 (but at nearly twice this price). What's fascinating about this sale price, is it's well beyond the usual sale prices for Garmin for this product. This pricing is 100% an Kansas-themed 'Hello!' to COROS and their just released COROS Pace 4 at $249.
The Foreurnner 55 is a great option if you simply don't want to spend a ton, but still want a super-capable runners watch (and general activity/sleep tracking watch). I've heard a lot of you get it for teenagers that run, as a great/inexpensive way to track their runs, and still be a good everyday watch.
⚡ This is the lowest price to date on the Forerunner 965, which is logical given the Forerunner 970 came out this past spring (which essentialy adds a flashlight and some other running metrics/features).
⚡ This is a very unexpected sale, just launched, on this very new watch, which is Garmin's top of the line Forerunner watch with virtually all the same software features as the Fenix 8 (but in a plastic case and without the diving features).
The Garmin Inded BPM is Garmin's medically certified blood pressure monitor. It integrates directly into your Garmin Connect account. I use it on occasion as a comparison for wearables, and it works just fine (obviously it's already medically certified by the FDA, so I say 'works' here in the sense of usability/functionality/etc...).
I use this scale, merely for the weight tracking functions (not body fat). It works just fine for that piece, and integrates with the rest of your Garmin data. If you aren't in the Garmin ecosystem, there's plenty of (far) cheaper options.
The Instinct 3 series came out earlier this year, with both an AMOLED and Solar variants. The big upgrade over the previous editions is the inclusion of the flashlight in all sizes, and a massive ugprade of sports features.
The Instinct 3 series came out earlier this year, and the Solar edition in particular has 'unlimited' battery life in certain scenarios. The big upgrade over the previous editions is the inclusion of the flashlight in all sizes, and a massive ugprade of sports features.
This is Garmin's radar without the light, so it's a bit smaller as a result. Same radar tech though, and compatible with Garmin/COROS/Hammerhead/Wahoo bike computers.
This is Garmin's standalone radar+taillight option, and $149 is pretty much the standard sale-price. Even despite all the new radars out there, this remains the most accurate option on the market. Now, only if Garmin would just re-release it with USB-C. C'Mon Garmin...maybe next year?
This is the first time this product has been on sale, since launching last spring. I'd argue it could have used a $100 off sale...but hey...they don't consult me.
⚡ The Garmin Venu 4 just came out two months ago, and one of the big ticket features is the LED flashlight built-in. However, it's also got a ton of other new features, as Garmin merged the codebase with the Forerunner/Fenix series, resulting in a boatload of added things like Training Readiness, Acute Load, and more.
⚡ This is the lowest price we've seen on the newest product in the entire Garmin Holiday 2025 sale lineup. This is basically a blend of a Forerunner 970, Venu 4, and Fenix 8...but super thin. It's argueably one of the best deals here at $599, though, Garmin is still clearly trying to figure out the right pricing to drive purchases.
⚡ This is the first time we've seen the Vivoactive 6 on sale, which is essentially a Venu 4, but without the voice/calling/ECG features (and a few other tidbits). It's probably one of the best deals in Garmin's lineup (sale or otherwise).
⚡ This is the lowest price we've ever seen for this. This is my defacto satellite communicator when out of coverage area, and I've used it on a number of major treks over the past two years when well outside of cellular service, both in a 24x7 tracking mode for friends and family, but also there in case of emergency. Would strongly recommend for anyone doing anything in the wilderness.
This came out last fall, and is the second time this has been discounted, but now to the lowest price to date. The key difference with the new Plus model is that it adds the ability to send photos and voice messenges via satellite. I've used it a bit, and it's pretty cool because it makes it a lot faster to just say something rather than type it out, but the $499 price seemed excessive. $399 makes it slightly more palatable.
This is GoPro's budget option, which includes a full color touchscreen on the back as well. The main benefit is it's super small, but note it's not quite in the same quality ballpark as their higher-end cameras. If you want size and GoPro ecosystem on a budget, this is an option. But with the DJI Action 4 just $20 more than $199, that offers notably better quality.
We have more Nest cam's than I can count. No really, we have half a dozen at the DCR Cave alone, plus more at home. We love them. Nest Cam's really only go on sale about 1-2x per year.
The newer Pixel Watch 4 came out back in October. I see the Pixel Watch 4 as a pretty substantial hardware upgrade over the Pixel Watch 3, notably due to satellite SOS, as well as a user-replaceable battery.
This has become one of my favorite drones, given it's tiny size (fits in my running shorts pockets) and ease of use. Plus, you can crash the crap out of it (hundreds of times for me and my wife) without any issues. This combo includes an extra battery and fast charger.
⚡ This is a solid deal on a solid drone, and one of the two main ones I use when taking videos of myself hiking or running. This includes the two extra batteries as well as the fast charger (so 3 batteries total).
This is one of the other more popular display-laden rowing machines. I haven't tried this, but my sports-tech reviewing buddy DesFit has (linked at side) and liked it.
⚡ This just came out this past August, and is a great little unit. The pod isn't quite as tiny as the Go 3S, but the features and quality are a huge step up (especially the removable MicroSD card).
This is one of the best 360 action cams on the market, alongside the GoPro Max 2 (both have their pros and cons, check out my full comparison guide linked).
This is one of the most popular indoor trainer fan companies out there, which rivals the Wahoo Headwind fan but cost a fraction of the price. Of course, it lacks ANT+/Bluetooth integration, but realistically if you really want that you can add a smart outlet for $10 to toggle it on/off from your phone if need be. It's one of the ones in my rotation.
Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Machine by De'Longhi Delux Kit - 35% off!
⚡ Let's be honest: This place runs on Nespresso (or, well, the knock-off pods we buy). But, the machine is Nespresso. Without it, reviews most definitely would not get done (and certainly not on time). This is a pretty sweet deal if you ask me!
Ooni Karu 12 Multi-Fuel Outdoor Pizza Oven - $120 off
I use the Fyra 12 (with wood pellets), and love it. The Karu 12 is essentialyl the newer version of that, and there's both a gas-only version, and a multi-fuel option (gas or wood). Love it!
I use Philips Hue stuff all over the DCR Cave/Studio for lighting, both obviously colorful stuff in the background of shots, but also just for automation of the lights. Same goes at home. Love it (mainly when it's on sale like now). Starter packs are a good place to begin, and then I love the light strips (such as pictured).
⚡The Pixel Watch 4 LTE includes satellite SOS connectivity, even if you don't activate a cellular plan on it. I'd strongly recommend getting the LTE version for $50 more, to future-proof you a bit there (or, to save your bacon in the woods).
This is a great dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart (with two Bluetooth Smart connections) chest strap that you'll often find me using as a reference strap in heart rate sensor testing. We only tend to see deals on it around Black Friday, always topping out around 20%.
If you're looking for a good solid high-quality strap, that does both ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart, for a reasonable price...look no further than the Polar H9
These are the main gels I use when I don't need the bigger 90g ones. So for example doing something a bit shorter where I don't want to carry the bigger 90g packs (mainly running). Note: Precision Fuel & Hydration is a DC Rainmaker partner
Precision Fuel & Hydration PF90 Energy Gels 10pkg - 15% OFF
I primarily use these 90g packs on all my adventures, roughly doing 90g/hour for cycling/trail running/hiking/etc... Note: Precision Fuel & Hydration is a DC Rainmaker partner
We have a few SONOS speakers around the house and DCR Cave (the Ikea variants at DCR Cave), but by far our favorite is the Roam, which we take outdoors into the garden during the summer, beach vacations, AirBNB's, etc... It has a battery in it, and also connects to both WiFi and Bluetooth. Love, love, love. I think the main reason I love it, is that we heavily use it in summer, so...kinda reminds me of summer.
⚡This is one of the two the high speed drives types I use to store the footage I'm actively video editing. I typically buy the 2TB and 4TB ones, and then eventually offload the footage onto a NAS array when I'm done.
Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Camera w/ 28-70mm Zoom - $400 offThis is the main camera I use for still photography and video b-roll. I semi-recently wrote about all the photography gear I use, linked at side here.
Suunto Aqua Swimming Open-Ear Bluetooth Headphones - 22% off!
This is a very solid deal. It's got virtually all the software features of Suunto's higher-end watches (minus the app store), and just came out this past May.
While the new Suunto Vertical 2 just came out a month ago, if you wanted to stock-up on MIP-based display watches before they disappear, here's your chance. This is also the lowest price we've ever seen on the Vertical 1, which is otherwise still a very soild watch.
I have bigger Synology NAS units at the DCR Studio/Office, but I also have a smaller unit (this one) that I use to keep various piles of data here too. I like the Synology stuff, as it's generally quite dependable.
This is the go-to sales price for the NEO 2T, though has become more frequent over the past year. It's still an incredible trainer, and is the top-end non-moving trainer from Garmin/Tacx.
⚡ This is the lowest price we've seen to date on the Tacx NEO 3M, and finally takes it down to a semi-logical price (compared to it's competitors). This is a good buy, and obviously, given it's only a year old, I definitely don't expectany sort of new version of this anytime soon (the last NEO series unit was about 5 years between versions).
This is another very popular fan that people use for indoor training/cycling, especially due to inclusion of the remote and remote holder to clasp on your handlebars.
This simulates the up and down motion on Wahoo KICKR trainers moving your bike up and down. Also, there's virtually no product except SNAP, that Wahoo likes to put on sale more. Wouldn't be a sale around here unless this thing was discounted.
⚡ This is a very solid deal for this bike, and the lowest price to date. I actually like the KICKR BIKE SHIFT more than the higher-end KICKR BIKE V2/Pro, mainly because it's both quiter, and seems to be more resillient to issues (less complex design).
⚡This is actually the lowest price we've ever seen on the KICKR V6. Wahoo says we won't see a new top-end KICKR this fall, with them instead focusing on the new KICKR Bike Pro, KICKR CORE 2, and all their new bike computers/radar/etc...
Here’s all the goodness that ended up on the main page this past week, as noted last week, I planned for this past week to be pretty quiet as I prep for this upcoming week
Like I said, it was gonna be busy. It’s gonna be like this for the next few weeks. And, a few ‘hopeful’ things didn’t quite make the cut for last week. They’ll spill into this week.
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) Amazon Halo Wearable Announcement: Like most people, I’m part curious, and part side-eye to the wearable that listens to your voice. While this type of device realistically won’t capture my specific workout needs, I am curious from a review standpoint. There’s been a lot said about the device, but honestly, most of what has been said is easily disproven (no, you don’t take naked photos…but yes, the microphone is listening all the time…but also yes, you can physically turn that off if you want). I’m not entirely sure yet what part of the market this will impact. Sure, Fitbit is the most obvious. But I don’t think it takes much of a chunk (if any) from Apple, Garmin, or others. At least not at this point. But if we know anything about Amazon we know that this is only the beginning. And some of the integration at scale is super interesting – such as their plans to create ‘Labs’ like projects with health/medical institutions (similar to what Apple does), to get mass participation. Anyway, review eventually, whenever I get a device.
2) The Best Indoor Smartbike Non-Review Ever: The Bowflex VeloCore is…umm…something else entirely. Eschewing power output and other cycling focused metrics it…err…wiggles. I suppose they’d prefer the term ‘sway’. Or ‘tip’. Or…I have no idea. But, what I do know is that Iain Treloar absolutely nailed this piece.
3) An exercise in pointlessness: Emma Pooley on her world-record Everesting: For the most part, I’ve ignored the whole Everesting ‘thing’ lately. Perhaps because I live in a spot where it’d require about 578 repeats of the largest climb near me. However, if you’re like me, then this is the piece to read. Not because it’ll inspire any desire to Everest yourself, but because Emma’s like Iain, an awesome writer that has an astounding way with words. Seriously, just go read it.
4) A Rare Peek Inside a DJI Drone Factory: This is pretty crazy, especially the point where the drones are automatically triggered to fly off the assembly line (literally) for a series of automated tests.
5) Zwift’s New Pace Partners: While bots aren’t new to Zwift, and while I thought this concept would be stupid at first glance – I actually kinda like the idea of joining a pace partner for a given wattage target. When I look to do a Zwift ride I usually glance at the schedule and then realize I’ve supposedly got 3 mins to make the race start…while I’m still sitting on the couch in street clothes and my bike isn’t even on the trainer. The idea of an ‘always-on’ group ride is interesting. Will probably give it a whirl this week.
6) Into aero testing? Then here’s a quick survey (under a minute) for you to help out the GoldenCheetah folks work on their AeroLab 2.0 and prioritize features.
Sports Tech Device 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, Wahoo, Polar, and a few other firmware updates.
GoPro Hero 8 Black Firmware Update: Adds webcam mode for Mac (and beta for PC), also enables HyperSmooth 2.0 High & Boost modes to more resolutions. Most notably Boost is now supported in SuperView.
I’ll likely be deferring to Iain on this one. I mean, sure, if they want to send one to me – I’m happy to put it through its sways, but for now, Iain will have to hold the torch.
Is Eurobike happening next week? You mentioned it in a video saying new trainers are typically announced here, but I can’t find any other info online about it.
No, Eurobike was postponed from what was this week, till late November.
Realistically, that won’t happen – Eurobike just hasn’t realized it yet. None of the sports tech brands I’ve talked with have any plans to announce anything there during that timeslot.
Instead, they’re announcing this ahead of the normal Eurobike timeslot. We saw Elite’s Direto XR, Elite’s Sterzo, Wahoo’s KICKR 2020/5, and Wattbike is set to start shipping their ATOM 2020. There’s probably a few others I’ve forgotten. However, I don’t expect much else near-term, nor any further trainers this year.
Does this mean there’s not even a new wearable like a Garmin Vivosmart 5, possibily something that has both GPS and PulseOx in the pipeline? I was hoping to switch back from a Fenix 3 HR to a traditional watch on my “watch wrist”, putting a Vivosmart 5 / Vivosport 2 on the other …
I’m surprised that we even got an update to the 645.
Some users have reported that the update has fixed the altimeter recordings on the watch, and if this is really the case, then it does fix the most annoying problem I have with the watch.
If this makes the watch less of a nuisance, then I just might be able to postpone buying a new watch until the next generation of watches comes out
Yeah, it’s a great one. I almost didn’t read it when I saw Everesting – but having Emma Pooley in the title I’m like ‘Ok, I’ll give it a few paragraphs’. Glad I did!
The editor’s comments about engagement of readers around the two world records (Alberto Contador and Emma’s) is also a really fascinating bit of insight. Pooley is just so talented at basically everything she does!
Any chance you’ll do an overview of your thoughts/analysis on the Garmin ransomware incident? Sorry to keep posting this same question but usually you’re all over something like this.
I posted a respond somewhere, but in short, I honestly don’t think there’s much more I have to add at this point. Sites like BleepingComputer have really good deep-dives into information.
Most of my Garmin contacts are on the product side, rather than IT side.
Over time, I suspect we’ll get more. I think the big piece outstanding in my head is whether or not they (Garmin) purposefully shut-down their consumer-facing infrastructure, or if that was gotten to as well. Based on what they’ve said, I’m going to guess they actually proactively shut that down, since they noted that the attackers didn’t have access to that data.
Ultimately, as I said somewhere else – any attacker that’s determined enough will get to *ANY* company. Especially large companies that have greater surface areas and integrations/end points. There’s various things you can do to mitigate and make it more difficult, but at the end of the day, no computer/IT security plan is perfect (and usually humans are the weak link). As an IT security person you attempt to reduce those avenues, but getting that to zero avenues is simply not possible in today’s highly complex and integrated IT systems.
Thanks! Missed your other reply -sorry.
Interesting you think they shut down customer facing side. I was wondering if you think they’ll do more to make Connect app work better without needing the cloud?
Anyways, thanks for the response here!
I suspect we’ll see better offline support. I also suspect some of the bugs/quirks around offloading more than X activities will simply happen device-side rather than via GC (people couldn’t start a new workout if their device was out of space, as normally GCM takes care of offloading old activities). I wouldn’t surprise me if that change was already pushed out via firmware update.
Emma Pooley’s article is brilliant! If anyone is familiar with British newspapers — particularly The Guardian — she is cycling journalism’s Marina Hyde!
Thank you for highlighting the article by Emma Pooley. I have long been a big fan. She has an honesty about sport and an ability to express herself which is refreshing in in world where “media trained” interviews are common which, simply put, are boring beyond belief.
As a side note I hope womens cycling gets through this difficult time and emerges stronger. They deliver exciting racing time after time despite being marginalised and under funded. They deserve better from the UCI, ASO, broadcasters and all the other “stake holders” in the cycling industry.
Hi Ray, is there no more FIT File podcast? You guys have been very quiet during the last week’s or months – at least together. What’s happened? Missing the podcast…
Do you think the Amazon Halo could impact Whoop? As it hasn’t been released, i don’t know if it’ll be as comprehensive as Whoop, but considering they look the same and Halo is around a tenth of the subscription price of Whoop, for the general user looking for more recovery information that might be a cheaper and ‘ok enough’ option.
@Don – that has got nothing to do with Garmin. If someone wants to integrate with Garmin, they provide an API for a 5000USD fee. That means Tacx are the ones that need to do the integration.
Not quite yet. Was on vacation for a bit, and then the last few weeks have been pretty slammed.
Ironically, last week was viable, except the winds were simply too strong – well beyond spec at 70-90KPH. I’m willing to push the spec a bit…but not when I know I’m gonna kill it.
This is more current week than last, but any thoughts on the Gopro Hero 9 rumor leaks?
I’m admittedly late to the Gopro party and was about to pull the trigger on a Hero 8 (thanks to your reviews), but now wondering if it’s worth waiting a few weeks for a potential front screen and better battery door of the 9 (at probably higher price).
And I thought all content on the internet was 100% accurate…
That’s an excellent callout. I’m sure we’ll get factual data from GoPro in the next month or so if history is our guide on new releases… then again 2020 has a love/ hate relationship with precedence
I want to go back and apologize for my comment on this thread a couple weeks back. I am sure this type of question is extremely frustrating while under embargo. I also want to applaud your ethicacy and wit in being able to reply without violating any agreements.
Now that the GoPro webcam feature has moved out of beta on the Mac, is it now possible to run it and the QR code feature together, or is it still one or the other?
Also, has the ‘older stories’ link disappeared off your home page (under the five thumbnails), or was that just something I imagined?
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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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 (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!
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.
Ray, are you going to review the Bowflex, or is Iain your guest reviewer for that one?
I’ll likely be deferring to Iain on this one. I mean, sure, if they want to send one to me – I’m happy to put it through its sways, but for now, Iain will have to hold the torch.
Is Eurobike happening next week? You mentioned it in a video saying new trainers are typically announced here, but I can’t find any other info online about it.
No, Eurobike was postponed from what was this week, till late November.
Realistically, that won’t happen – Eurobike just hasn’t realized it yet. None of the sports tech brands I’ve talked with have any plans to announce anything there during that timeslot.
Instead, they’re announcing this ahead of the normal Eurobike timeslot. We saw Elite’s Direto XR, Elite’s Sterzo, Wahoo’s KICKR 2020/5, and Wattbike is set to start shipping their ATOM 2020. There’s probably a few others I’ve forgotten. However, I don’t expect much else near-term, nor any further trainers this year.
Hi Ray,
love your work, thank you so much!
Does this mean there’s not even a new wearable like a Garmin Vivosmart 5, possibily something that has both GPS and PulseOx in the pipeline? I was hoping to switch back from a Fenix 3 HR to a traditional watch on my “watch wrist”, putting a Vivosmart 5 / Vivosport 2 on the other …
Thank you again & have a great day :)
Wooh wooh, 645 update. No wait, no new features. Boohoo.
I’m surprised that we even got an update to the 645.
Some users have reported that the update has fixed the altimeter recordings on the watch, and if this is really the case, then it does fix the most annoying problem I have with the watch.
If this makes the watch less of a nuisance, then I just might be able to postpone buying a new watch until the next generation of watches comes out
Thank you for highlighting Emma Pooley’s article! It really is a fantastic read. She is simply fantastic in every way.
Seconded. Go read that piece if you didn’t already!
Yeah, it’s a great one. I almost didn’t read it when I saw Everesting – but having Emma Pooley in the title I’m like ‘Ok, I’ll give it a few paragraphs’. Glad I did!
The editor’s comments about engagement of readers around the two world records (Alberto Contador and Emma’s) is also a really fascinating bit of insight. Pooley is just so talented at basically everything she does!
What happened to The Fit File podcast?
At some point we’ll have another episode.
Any chance you’ll do an overview of your thoughts/analysis on the Garmin ransomware incident? Sorry to keep posting this same question but usually you’re all over something like this.
I posted a respond somewhere, but in short, I honestly don’t think there’s much more I have to add at this point. Sites like BleepingComputer have really good deep-dives into information.
Most of my Garmin contacts are on the product side, rather than IT side.
Over time, I suspect we’ll get more. I think the big piece outstanding in my head is whether or not they (Garmin) purposefully shut-down their consumer-facing infrastructure, or if that was gotten to as well. Based on what they’ve said, I’m going to guess they actually proactively shut that down, since they noted that the attackers didn’t have access to that data.
Ultimately, as I said somewhere else – any attacker that’s determined enough will get to *ANY* company. Especially large companies that have greater surface areas and integrations/end points. There’s various things you can do to mitigate and make it more difficult, but at the end of the day, no computer/IT security plan is perfect (and usually humans are the weak link). As an IT security person you attempt to reduce those avenues, but getting that to zero avenues is simply not possible in today’s highly complex and integrated IT systems.
Thanks! Missed your other reply -sorry.
Interesting you think they shut down customer facing side. I was wondering if you think they’ll do more to make Connect app work better without needing the cloud?
Anyways, thanks for the response here!
I suspect we’ll see better offline support. I also suspect some of the bugs/quirks around offloading more than X activities will simply happen device-side rather than via GC (people couldn’t start a new workout if their device was out of space, as normally GCM takes care of offloading old activities). I wouldn’t surprise me if that change was already pushed out via firmware update.
I think this is what Bowflex was going for but they couldn’t negotiate the rights —
link to youtu.be
Amazing!
Emma Pooley’s article is brilliant! If anyone is familiar with British newspapers — particularly The Guardian — she is cycling journalism’s Marina Hyde!
Thank you for highlighting the article by Emma Pooley. I have long been a big fan. She has an honesty about sport and an ability to express herself which is refreshing in in world where “media trained” interviews are common which, simply put, are boring beyond belief.
As a side note I hope womens cycling gets through this difficult time and emerges stronger. They deliver exciting racing time after time despite being marginalised and under funded. They deserve better from the UCI, ASO, broadcasters and all the other “stake holders” in the cycling industry.
Hi Ray, is there no more FIT File podcast? You guys have been very quiet during the last week’s or months – at least together. What’s happened? Missing the podcast…
Just saw the earlier question and Ray’s reply…
Do you think the Amazon Halo could impact Whoop? As it hasn’t been released, i don’t know if it’ll be as comprehensive as Whoop, but considering they look the same and Halo is around a tenth of the subscription price of Whoop, for the general user looking for more recovery information that might be a cheaper and ‘ok enough’ option.
Ray, thx for posting interweb stuff #2, that one bowflexed my day… brilliant stuff
First off, great video in the karoo 2!
Could you ask garmin if they have any plans for Tacx Training apps and specifically connecting them to garmin connect?
@Don – that has got nothing to do with Garmin. If someone wants to integrate with Garmin, they provide an API for a 5000USD fee. That means Tacx are the ones that need to do the integration.
The fee is long gone (officially Apr 2019, reality was far earlier). Similarly, Garmin bought Tacx in January 2019. :)
Any update on the Skydio 2 high wind test?
Not quite yet. Was on vacation for a bit, and then the last few weeks have been pretty slammed.
Ironically, last week was viable, except the winds were simply too strong – well beyond spec at 70-90KPH. I’m willing to push the spec a bit…but not when I know I’m gonna kill it.
Sheesh that’s windy. Looking forward to it, but don’t risk a guaranteed splash down for our sake.
This is more current week than last, but any thoughts on the Gopro Hero 9 rumor leaks?
I’m admittedly late to the Gopro party and was about to pull the trigger on a Hero 8 (thanks to your reviews), but now wondering if it’s worth waiting a few weeks for a potential front screen and better battery door of the 9 (at probably higher price).
I’ve seen the leaks. Albeit, last year there were leaks saying 8K recording…
And I thought all content on the internet was 100% accurate…
That’s an excellent callout. I’m sure we’ll get factual data from GoPro in the next month or so if history is our guide on new releases… then again 2020 has a love/ hate relationship with precedence
I want to go back and apologize for my comment on this thread a couple weeks back. I am sure this type of question is extremely frustrating while under embargo. I also want to applaud your ethicacy and wit in being able to reply without violating any agreements.
No worries – I try my best to thread the line!
Now that the GoPro webcam feature has moved out of beta on the Mac, is it now possible to run it and the QR code feature together, or is it still one or the other?
Also, has the ‘older stories’ link disappeared off your home page (under the five thumbnails), or was that just something I imagined?
Hmm, I think it’s one or the other still. I haven’t re-tried the QR stuff in labs, or seen if they’ve posted a new labs one.
No changes to the site, though, you can always access old posts by hitting the ‘Blog’ header at the top (or, link to /www.dcrainmaker.com)
Thanks for being a DCR supporter!
The app you link for Normalized Power states its not compatible with Edge 130 Plus.
I’m confused. I don’t think I linked to any app about normalized power (or the Edge 130 Plus) in this Week in Review post. Can you clarify?