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Week in Review: October 18th, 2020

WeekInReview22

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:

There’s still some leftover deals from Amazon Prime Day. Plus, you can always access all deals at dcrainmaker.com/deals

ProductSale PriceAmazonSale Notes
AmazFit T-Rex 3 - $80 off$199This is a solid deal, especially for a watch that has offline mapping.
Amazfit Active 2 - $20 off$79
Amazon Echo Dot Kids - 47% off$31Despite 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.)
Anker 737 Power Bank (24,000mAh) with 140W Fast Charging - 30% off$76⚡ This is one of my favorite purchases, especially for long hikes. Basically, I can recharge my phone battery about 8 times. Or, I can recharge smaller drone batteries. Or, in the airports, I can power my laptop off it (super handy when no power ports around). I've since converted most of my tech friends to using/buying one as well.
Apple 11" iPad - (Wi-Fi, 128GB) - $70 off!$279⚡ 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 AirPods Pro (2nd Gen with USB-C) - $100 off$149⚡ Both myself and my wife have been using these since last fall, after years of using the Beats Studio Buds...man, these things rock. Sure, they're good for sports, but frankly, I use them on planes, editing, and such more than anything else. In fact, I've been listening to them now for 8 hours as I type away on my flight across the ocean. Only briefly putting them in the case to top-up.
Apple AirTags (4-Pack) - 33% off!$64⚡I make no secret how much I utilize AirTags, mainly, cause they've saved my butt numerous times already. We have them in every suitcase, and every backpack, and every bike bag. They're also hidden in most of our bikes (sometimes two of them). We were able to get our cargo bike back when it disappeared, as well as figure out when all our suitcases went missing during an annual family vacation where they were (for 5 days!), and plan appropriately. Seriously, just get them.
Apple Airpods (4th Gen) - $40 off!$99
Apple Watch Series 10 - $120 off
$399/$499 (cellular)
$279⚡ This is by far the lowest price we've seen to date for the Apple Watch Series 10. Of course, we're probably only 60 days away from an Apple Watch Series 11, but Apple has alreay announced WatchOS 26 last month, which the Series 10 gets all the new features from.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium - $150 off$649⚡ This is the lowest price on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 we've seen to date. It's likely we'll see an Apple Watch Ultra 3 this September, but like the Apple Watch Series 10 above, WatchOS26 has already been announced and all the new features there go to the Ultra 2.
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds - $70 off!
$249
$179
DJI Action 4 - $90 off$209While prior gen unit (and probably, 2 generations behind in a few weeks), it's still a very strong contender at this price point especially.
DJI Mini 4K Drone - $60 off$239If you're looking to get into flying with a DJI drone, this is a solid place to start. Of course, moreso than that, the days are very limited for how much longer you can actually buy at DJI drone in the US. So, grab them while you can.
DJI NEO - $30 off!$159This is the lowest price on this drone, and is a great option if you want a follow-me drone that's pretty hard to kill, at a price point that's still super reasonable.
Elite Riser - $250 off!$749This appears to basically just be an Uncle Amazon sale, but hey, if you've got an Elite trainer and wanted Rizer, this is a super good deal for US folks!
FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles - $50 off$229
Fitbit Ace LTE Kids Activity Smartwatch - $100 off$129This 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.
Fitbit Charge 6 - 38% off!
$159
$99⚡ 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.
Garmin Edge 1040 Cycling GPS - $150 off!$399⚡⚡ This is a very solid deal, and the lowest price we've seen to date on it.
Garmin Edge 540 Solar - $150 off$299⚡⚡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.
Garmin Edge Explore 2 - $60 off
$299
$237
Garmin Epix Pro Series - $200 off!
$899/$999
$609I believe this is the lowest price we've seen for the Epix Pro series (which has an ECG-capable HR sensor). Note that while some sites might tout $500+ off, in reality, this watch has been floating around $800 recently.
Garmin Epix Sapphire/Titanium (Gen 2) - $400+ off!$469⚡ This continues to be one of the best deals out there. While this watch won't be getting much in the way of big ticket new features, it does continue to get minor software updates - and for the money, has far more software features than any of Garmin's competitors (or for that matter, products like the Instinct 3 AMOLED lineup).
Garmin Fenix 7X Pro Solar - $100-$200 off
$799+
$499⚡ This is the lowest price we've seen to date for the Fenix 7 Pro series, and is a very strong deal!
Garmin Fenix 8 Series - $100 Off!
$999-$1,199
$899While not as good as last month's $200 off, that annual spring sale price won't likely be seen again till Black Friday-ish type sales. Thus, if you want a Fenix 8 for the summer, might as well take the $100 off and put it towards ice cream.
Garmin Forerunner 165 (Base) - $75 off!
$249/$299
$219
Garmin Forerunner 255/255S - $100 off$199This is the lowest price we've ever seen the Forerunner 255 at.
Garmin Forerunner 255/255S Music - $100 off!
$349/$399
$249This is the lowest price on this watch to date (previous low was $299).
Garmin Forerunner 265 Series - $50 off!
$449
$399
Garmin Forerunner 55 - A Few Dollars Off
$199
$169Honestly, I just put this one in there, merely to point out you shoudn't buy it at this price. Buy the FR255 at $30 more, far better watch. This thing should be priced at $129 or something to move units.
Garmin Forerunner 955 - $150 off!$349⚡ This has been one of Garmin's most popular running watches, and it's down to a very strong price. I often use this in my accuracy testing comparisons when validating other watches, due to it's very strong GPS performance. Note this is the base edition without solar. It'd be hard to find any better deal in sports watches today, from any company (given this has full mapping, tons of new features even this week, etc...). I say '$100ish', because it's usually been on forever sale at $499.
Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar: $150 off!
$499/$599
$399See everything I said above on the Forerunner 955 base, except this one also has solar.
Garmin Forerunner 965 - $50 off
$599
$549This had been $499 for much of the spring, so $549 isn't that great of a deal.
Garmin Instinct 2 Series - $75 Off$169⚡I believe $169 is the lowest price we've ever seen for the Instinct 2. Or at least, I have no record of it being sub-$199. Very solid deal for a solid little watch.
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar$266
Garmin Instinct 2S & 2S Solar$217
Garmin Lily 2 - 20% off
$249
$199The leather version is also on sale as well.
Garmin Lily 2 Active - $50 off!
$299
$249
Garmin Venu 3 - $50 off!
$449
$399
Garmin Venu 3S - $50 off$399
Garmin Venu Sq 2 - $100 off
$249/$299 with Music
$149
Garmin Vivoactive 5 - $110 off!
$299
$189This is a great deal for Garmin's little-sibling to the Venu series. It has almost all the same features as the Venu 3, except the voice calling related bits.
Garmin inReach 2 Mini Satellite Communicator (2-way) - $20 off$379This is a pretty small deal for this product. 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.
GoPro Hero 12 Black - $100 off!$279This is the older gen model, and to me, $279 seems a bit high. Get the Hero 13 Black for $50 more and have access to all the new accessories. Or, save yourself $50 and get either the DJI Action 4 (prior gen) or Insta360 Ace Pro 1 (prior gen) models.
GoPro Hero 13 Black - $70 off$329
GoPro Hero 4K - $20 off$199This was released back in September, and is GoPro's budget option, which includes a full color touchscreen on the back as well. It was previously released at $199, but price increases forced it up to $219. Now, it's back on sale for $199.
Google Nest WiFi Pro - 6E (3xPack) - $110 off!$289I've been using the Google Nest WiFi packs for years. And then I converted over to this last fall. Super happy with this three pod pack.
Google Pixel Watch 3 (41mm) - $100 OFF$249
Google Pixel Watch 3 (41mm) - $100 OFF$299
HoverAir X1 Drone Combo - $100 off!$279This 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.
HoverAir X1 Pro Drone Combo Kit - $155 off$599This 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).
HoverAir X1 ProMax Bundle - $190 off!$765This includes three batteries, the drone, the vast charger, and some extra accessories.
HoverAir X1 ProMax Cycling Bundle - $332 off!$969This includes three batteries, the drone, the vast charger, and some extra accessories, plus the Beacon (handelbar remote)
Hyperice Normatec Elite Leg Recovery System - $100 off$999
Insta360 Ace Pro Action Cam - $50 off$239This is the previous edition, as the Ace Pro 2 just came out last fall. But for this price, it's hard to beat.
Jackery Explorer 300 Portable Power Station - $100 off!$159This is something I use frequently when shooting out and about and I need to re-charge a crapton of drone batteries, action cameras, or just cameras and such. I've also bought solar panel to hook up to it (surprisingly effective) for very off-the-grid locales. Heck, I've even powered a KICKR trainer ride from it!
Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Machine by De'Longhi Delux Kit - 30% off!$149⚡ 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 - $80 off$319I 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!
Oura Ring 4 - $50 off!$299This is the first time we've seen a deal on the Oura Ring V4.
Peloton Bike - $300 off!$1,083⚡ This is the lowest price I've ever seen this (according to my records). This is still a solid bike, and actually one that I use at home (I have the newer Peloton Bike+ at the office). Both my wife and I use these bikes interchangeably, and while the Bike+ has a bigger screen and better accuracy, there's very little difference in the core Peloton experience. I'd still recommend this model to most people.
Peloton Bike+ is $500 off$1,995This is a solid deal for the Bike+, albeit largely the normal sale/deal price. Both my wife and I use both the Peloton Bike+ and the regular Bike (one at home, one at office) on a weekly basis. We like both. The Bike+ is more accurate than the regular bike, and also has a bigger screen and automatic resistance control. That said, the core Peloton experience isn't any different between the two - it's the same platform there.
Peloton Row - $330 off!$2,964
Peloton Tread - $300 off$2,694This is my main treadmill at home, and I really like it. I've got no complaints about it, and am happy I went with the smaller Peloton Tread versus the bigger unit.
Polar H10 Chest Strap (Dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart) - 27% off
$89
$76This 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%.
Polar H9 Chest Strap - $15 off$55If 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
Polar Verity Sense - 15% off
$99
$84I use this as one of my reference devices for heart rate accuracy testing.
SHOKZ OpenRun Headphones - 31% off$89
SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2 - 31% off!$124
SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2 Mini - 31% off!$124
SUUNTO Aqua Swimming Open-Ear Bluetooth Headphones - 22% off!$139
Samsung Galaxy Ring - $115 off$284
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (40 & 44mm) - 50% off$159As with the Samsung Watch Ultra, Samsung is less than 24hrs away from announcing a new version of the Samsung Watch series.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra - 50% off$325Look, Samsung is less than a day away from likely announcing a new version (on July 9th), so if you buy now, you might want to wait a few extra hours after delivery to decide if you want to return it. Otherwise, this is Samsung's best watch to date.
SanDisk 1-4TB Extreme PRO Portable External SSD - 30% off$128-$279⚡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.
Sennheiser Momentum Sport Earbuds - $60 off$129
Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Camera w/ 28-70mm Zoom - $400 off$2,398This is the main camera I use for still photography and video b-roll. I recently wrote about all the photography gear I use, linked at side here.
Suunto Race - $100 off!
$449/$549
$349⚡ This is a solid deal on this watch, which has offline mapping and continues to get new features. Further, it's the lowest price we've seen to date on it.
Suunto Vertical - $200 off!$399This is, by far, the lowest price we've seen on this watch (which also has offline mapping).
Vacmaster AM201R Fan + Remote/holder (15% off)$67This 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.
Wahoo BOLT V2 - $30 off
$279
$279
Wahoo KICKR Bike V2
$3,999
$2,974⚡ This is one of the lowest prices we've seen the Wahoo KICKR Bike at (ever).
Wahoo KICKR CORE with Zwift Cog+Click ($75 off)
$499
$424
Wahoo KICKR Desk - $30 off$169
Wahoo KICKR MOVE - $190 off
$1,599
$1,104⚡ This is a very solid deal.
Wahoo KICKR ROLLR - $90 off
$599
$509
Withings Body Comp WiFI Scale - 26% off$169
Withings Body Smart WiFI Scale - 31% off$89

DCRAINMAKER.COM Posts in the Past Week:

Here’s all the goodness that ended up on the main page this past week:

Monday: Week in Review–October 12th, 2020
Tuesday: Amazon Prime Days Sports Tech Deals Round-Up!
Wednesday: Garmin Index S2 Smart WiFi Connected Scale In-Depth Review
Thursday: Strava Turns Off Flyby Feature For All Users, Have to Opt Back In
Friday: New US Partnership + $500 Gadget Giveaway: Backcountry.com & Competitive Cyclist!

Things I’m glad about: Only a handful of major product announcements remaining. And as such, some normalization and catching up with a few backlogged reviews (looking at you SRM X, Elite Tuo, Wattbike Atom 2020, and Peloton Bike+ reviews, among others…).

YouTube Videos This Past Week:

Here’s what hit the tubes over on the You of Tube, definitely don’t forget to subscribe there to get notified of videos the second they hit!

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:

1) Bears Testing Coolers: For realz.

2) Suunto delays Movescount changes: Remember those planned Movescount functionality disablements that were slated for this month? Nah, now next year sometime. That’s good news for consumers. Also good news is that the 30% loyalty discount for older units remains.

3) The physical effort & training that goes into doing the original esports: No, not Zwifting, but…playing games behind a computer.

4) Peloton sued by Icon Fitness over existing technology: It’s pretty much a right of passage in the sports tech industry to be sued by Icon Fitness, the king of suing companies for supposed patent violations (Icon does make hardware, but mostly buys up other patents from companies, also known as a Patent Troll). A brief look at this one and I’m pretty sure it won’t stand up in court. For example, Auto Follow, which is essentially ERG mode, has been around well before the timeframes mentioned, by RacerMate and numerous others. But again, Icon’s business is about buying patents to litigate. That said, Peloton is no stranger to the ‘litigate first, ask question later’ realm…so, takes one to know one. Or something like that.

5) Canadian Spin Class Studio Infects Over 60 people with COVID: Yes, this studio is somehow confused on why their COVID measures didn’t work. Oh, wait, I know: “It states masks must be worn indoors by everyone and cannot be removed until all riders are clipped into their bikes. Face coverings must be put back on before riders get off the bikes.” Seriously folks. Not kidding. They didn’t wear them during the actual high-intensity class indoors.

6) Rouvy Fall 2020 Updates Recap: They’ve added drafting, running, TT bikes, and of course…a price increase. The drafting was noted as a biggie this past spring when Rouvy held the Tour de Swiss virtually, which essentially just became a giant concurrent time trial (without drafting). Tariq runs through all the changes below.

7) MicroUSB Cable Tester: This is brilliant. Essentially you can plug any cable into it, and it’ll tell you whether it’s a charge-only cable, or a data+charge cable. This is useful if like me, you’ve got 9,283 micro-USB cables lying around. Funny enough, I just use the gazillion ‘Garmin’ branded ones that come with their Edge devices over the last near-decade, simply because I *KNOW* all of those are data+charge.

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.

Garmin Forerunner 245 BETA Firmware Update: Bug fixes

Garmin Forerunner745 BETA Firmware Update: Bug fixes.

Garmin Forerunner 945 BETA Firmware Update: Bug fixes.

Garmin MARQ & Fenix 6 Series Beta Firmware Update: Bug fixes.

Garmin Instinct & Instinct Solar Firmware Update: Adds concurrent ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart HR broadcast, plus some bug fixes

Garmin Venu & Vivoactive 4 Series Firmware Update: GPS Improvements.

Polar Vantage V2 Firmware Update: Just bug fixes.

Wahoo ELEMNT/BOLT/ROAM Firmware Update: Bug fix related to Di2.

With that – thanks for reading all!

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30 Comments

  1. Juri

    Will you pusblish a write up of the Garmin dev Conference? And detail the CIQ 4.0 /Ant+ news and such? :)

  2. Andrew

    My Movescount activities have stopped syncing with Sports Tracker?
    Is Sports Tracker also part of the transition to the Suunto app?

  3. Benjamin

    The Bear and Wolf centre in West Yellowstone is really good. Shame West Yellowstone is a bit of a dump, but it’s a natural entry point for anyone coming from the west.

  4. Kevin

    Re: the Spinco outbreak in Hamilton: I’m pretty sure this fiasco is going to lead to updated guidance from the public health authorities on gyms, requiring masks to be worn at all times. Hell, the gym I’m a member at does require them, and I’m still not going out of an abundance of caution.

  5. Karl Brumund

    Up here, the guidelines for gyms (Spinco falls under that category) is that you need to be masked entering/moving between equipment/exiting, but not while actually working out. The idea is that the mask might interfere with your breathing during a high intensity workout. It both makes sense (harder to breath) and doesn’t (you can be spreading more, if infected, when you are breathing heavily). YMMV if you agree or disagree.

    Like the other poster, I’m not venturing back to local gyms; just not comfortable enough. And my local gym closed down months ago. :(
    (Though as of tomorrow, all gyms/fitness and more are closed again in my region for at least 28 days).

    • George Pajari

      In Vancouver (BC/Canada) we have conflicting advice on masks in gyms. The local health authority states “While the use of masks for prevention of COVID-19 among people without symptoms in non-healthcare settings is generally not recommended by Vancouver Coastal Health, some people using the facility (including staff and customers) may prefer to wear masks.” but the local occupational safety authority (WorkSafeBC) states “Fourth level protection (PPE): If the first three levels of protection aren’t enough to control the risk, consider the use of masks.”.
      I see a personal trainer for 1:1 strength sessions once a week. The two of us are the only people in his studio, and we’re both wearing masks and maintaining 2m physical separation. My trainer recommends the UnderArmour mask because it works well even when breathing heavily (it’s stiff enough to stay away from the mouth even when inhaling forcibly – but as it’s strength training, there’s not as much heavy respiration as in a spin class.)

    • Yeah, I think ultimately everything is about balancing risk (with reward, I suppose). I think there’s a reasonably significant difference between two individuals in an otherwise empty facility/room (masked), whilesocially seperate…versus having a class with umpteen people unmasked in a single room, breathing heavily for 45-60 minutes.

  6. Neil Jones

    I feel like I’m not getting something with the GoPro Max Lens Mod. If I’m understanding this correctly, Horizon Lock is meant to be a unique feature of the Mod which isn’t available on the standard GoPro HERO9. However, as there’s no electronic or physical authentication involved in the Mod, all I need to do is lie to my GoPro and say I’ve attached a Max and suddenly the Horizon Lock option is available, and what’s more, it even seems to work perfectly fine from my quick test just now. That can’t be right, can it?

    • Everything you wrote is correct. However, the challenge is that depending on the exact resolution you’re in, then you’ll see wonkiness. For example, kick it up to 5K, and it all goes weird, because it needs that extra space.

      Whereas, 1080p in narrow is probably fine. I did some early toying without it a month ago, but haven’t dug into all the use cases, or the lens clarity aspects.

  7. Brandon

    Hi DC quick question if you don’t mind about some of these Garmin devices that have training effect etc on them (like 645, Fenix etc). If you record a workout using a connect IQ app will you still get training effect and some kind of training volume from that workout? Or does the workout have to be completed in one or Garmins preloaded activities? I’m thinking more about Will anything show for training effect or volume on the connect phone App as I assume the watch won’t show anything during or post workout as it relates to training effect on another developers app.

  8. Stanislav Radkov

    Would there be a recording from your State of the union (or whatever it was called) this year? I really enjoyed your talks from previous years! I know it was available to stream but unfortunately could not watch it live.

  9. Artem

    Just noticed that Garmin recently unveiled D2 Air watch (with Amoled screen). Any plans for reviewing it? If D2 Delta is kinda Fenix for aviators, what is the D2 Air then?

    • Indeed. It looks cool, but no plans to review it. It’s basically just Venu hardware. And since I lack an airplane, it’d be hard to test unfortunately. :(

    • Artem

      Ray, thanks for the quick answer. Venu software means no mapping…a bit disappointing since D2 Air costs 500 EUR, and Venu ~ 300 EUR.
      Regarding the lack of airplane, I think in one of the previous reviews you mentioned something about being aviation geek and getting pilot licence at some point. I hope this point is getting closer and closer to you every day!

    • No mapping to my knowledge. I suspect we’ll get there, but I’d imagine Garmin would launch that on a higher end watch.

      I am definitely a huge aviation geek, and started my private pilots license many years ago, but wasn’t able to finish it before moving to DC (where it’s far more difficult to complete due to the ADIZ). Someday…

  10. Alan James White

    Watch and equipment reviews are useful. I am wanting something more. I need help improving my metrics. Such as: stride length, run cadence, vertical ratio, ground contact time balance, and, of course, V02 max. I would like for Mister Rainmaker to discuss these variables, one at a time in a series of in depth videos. I need to know exactly what these numbers mean and what I can do do improve my results.

  11. Chris Capoccia

    for the SpinCo case, lots of gyms operate classes that way, so I wonder if there isn’t something special going on in this case. Maybe a contagious instructor was walking between bikes yelling without a mask? Spin classes without music sound pretty boring. Also found an update story with a good infographic about the spread link to cbc.ca

    • Raul V

      In the say 5 pieces about this case no mentioning of the air circulation aspect. Does the rest of the world not know about this? In Europe (at least some countries) we do!
      It’s still not fully accepted by the people responsible for all policies since the early days but that’s considered to be fear of being held responsible for all that has gone wrong.
      A closed circuit system works like a distributor!!

  12. TK B.

    There isn’t an option for me to reply to your post for the backcountry give away. Maybe you’ve reached you maximum amount of comments allowed?

    Anyways, here are my weekend workout plans:

    Saturday: 2 hour 30 min endurance bike
    Sunday: 1 hour run followed by a 1 hour bike

    • Hi TK!

      The entry period ended on Monday evening unfortunately. Doh!

      Fear not, I’m hoping to get back into the previous monthly rhythm of things with them going forward. Also, I usually have 1-2 DCR Supporter Only giveaways as well each year. :)

      Cheers!

    • TK

      Totally missed that! Lol. Love your content. It’s so helpful, informative and funny too. Look forward to reading and watching for many years to come.

  13. Larry Marshall

    Put me down for the giveaway, will be doing a 6 mile esy run and planning for a backpacking trips to Arkansas the following weekend. Larry

  14. balandreau

    Hi Ray, I came across frontier X product which should be the first medical HR chest strap for athlete? They apparently tested vs Holter monitor. Any plans on reviewing it ?

    • Hmm. I think it’s honestly a bit niche for me, especially at that crazy price point.

      Generally speaking, HR straps are pretty reliable these days – and I’m honestly not seeing anything in this strap that makes it more accurate than others. Instead, it appears the bulk of their pitch is around the software platform, training load/etc type stuff – which I think most athletes are getting from their watches these days.

      It does have ECG functions, though, unlike an Apple Watch/Fitbit/etc…the disclaimer notes it’s actually not a medical grade/approved device. In fact, no part of their device is.

      So while I think they might be doing some interesting bits for the training ‘extras’, I’d struggle to see there being that much interest in a device like this in 2020, since virtually everyone that would want a device like this already has a HR strap that does all of it.

      Perhaps there’s a market for a de-bundled version of it. Such as a $99 HR strap without all the software features people aren’t going to need.

      Just my two cents…

    • Balandreau

      Thanks for the reply. They told me they are getting it fda approved.
      Agreed not for the hobby runner but competitive athlete.
      I believe more than anything is the data that could show any heart malfunction. We know in endurance long term effect might induce heart damage as well as viruses can trigger it too. Might not replace the cardiologist but be a complement to it.

    • Drew

      It is being heavily marketed on social media but quickly reading the blurb it is not clear to me what it does. It seems to be a mishmash of quasi-medical and sporting features and the cost is crazy (because its medical … but it isn’t). Optical HR devices for sport have come so far that I have stopped using a chest strap. They can even make a stab at beat to beat variability at rest. The only reason I can see for using a strap would be for real time R-R variability during exercise as an alternative intensity measure, perhaps with R-R variability zones. These would be cool as they would adapt naturally to your state of recovery and also in exercise fatigue. FirstBeat have some algorithms based on R-R variability. It is not clear to me that Frontier-X does this. The Garmin CIQ API does not expose a field with R-R variability during an activity. It is not available on my old FR935. I suspect Frontier X is all mouth and no trousers!

    • Marcus

      Might be worth looking into it again and checking out the newest version. There are not far away from getting medical device status in the USA.

  15. Kasha Williamson

    Fourth frontier? Cardiac issues and would like to see your thoughts on this new product.