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
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
Spending time with the LeMond Revolution Fitness ANT+ Trainer
There were/are very few non-bike vendors at Interbike that actually show up at BOTH the Outdoor Demo, and the Indoor Expo. In fact, I think PowerAde was probably about the only other one. But perhaps that shows something about the … Read More Here
A bit of time playing with the Tacx VR Trainer
Over the past few months I’ve received more and more e-mail asking what I thought about the Tacx trainers, and how I thought they compared to RacerMate’s CompuTrainer. And it wasn’t until I started poking at the Tacx trainers that … Read More Here
A look at Pedal Brain
Out of all the companies developing iPhone based cycling computers and/or applications – it’s actually Pedal Brain that’s been beating the drum the longest. I had a chance to sit down…well…stand up actually, with Matt Bauer – the founder of … Read More Here
Hands on with the iBike Dash at Interbike
I first heard about the iBike Dash a few months ago, while looking at information related to their normal iBike Aero power meters. The iBike Dash represented a bit of a departure from the companies past power meter products. In … Read More Here
The Las Vegas Triathlon (not much of a) Race Report
If you were following my Tweets this past weekend, you know that things weren’t quite all rosy in Las Vegas for me. Shortly after wrapping up my week-long wandering of the Interbike floor, The Girl and I headed out for … Read More Here
Talking with Timex about the future of the Timex Global Trainer
One of the great things about Interbike is the ability to sit down with engineers and product folks about their products and have a good chat. While some companies shy away from having their top engineers show up at trade … Read More Here
Interbike Exhibition Day 3 Overview
While the show floor may have closed here at Interbike, my coverage hasn’t quite ended. I still have numerous posts to write, edit and publish – which will keep on trickling out over the next few days. Still in the … Read More Here
A look at CompuTrainer’s new RacerMate One software suite
Back in July RacerMate announced a complete overhaul of their existing CompuTrainer software, which came in multiple pieces. The new software suite – dubbed RacerMate One – would integrate all of the existing software components together under one roof, while … Read More Here
A brief teaser of the Joule with CycleOps, plus their power meter seminar session
I had a bit of time to spend with the guys from CylceOps and the Joule. This would be the first time I’ve had a chance to get hands on with it, and I must say – I’m pretty impressed. … Read More Here
Interbike Exhibition Day 2 Overview
I’ll be honest – I have no idea how my day got so busy yesterday. But I got to meet-up with tons of people and got tons of great content for ya’ll. Just a matter of having 45 minutes per … Read More Here
Analysis and Discussion with Garmin and MetriGear about new Vector Power Meter
Note: Please see in depth post on Vector “Everything you ever wanted to know about the Garmin Vector pedal based power meter” posted here (it’s a whole lot more detailed and in depth, and includes comprehensive Q&A with the Garmin … Read More Here
An entertaining introduction to Cyclocross racing at CrossVegas
I should preface this by saying that before last night I knew just about nothing about Cyclocross…well, except that it involves bikes, obstacles and occasional running. So I suppose in many ways it’s kinda like triathlon – though without the … Read More Here
A look at Quarq’s new Power Meter Configuration/Diag App, and Dual-SRM mode
Power Meter manufacturer Quarq made a number of announcements on Wednesday related to power meters, so let’s get into the quick recap: 1) Introduction of a mountain bike power meter unit 2) Announced upcoming compatibility of Cinqo’s with SRM Power … Read More Here
Polar/Look Power Meter Session
While I’ve previously outlined the new Polar/Look power meter, I wanted to touch on it again now that I’ve had a chance to poke at it first hand. Also, in order to make this post really awesome for those of … Read More Here
Interbike Exhibition Day 1 Overview
Today was the first day of the big show…and boy was it busy! So busy in fact I never even had a chance to sit down and write really anything…well, except notes from interviews. And there were a lot of … Read More Here
Demo Day 2 at Interbike
The second and final day of the Outdoor Demo Day’s here at Interbike promised to be pretty packed – as most folks end up coming in for a day of outdoor action, followed by a few days of indoor action … Read More Here
A trifecta introduction to E-Bikes
Before I arrived at Interbike, I kept on hearing about these E-Bikes. To me, it just sounded like a bike that really wanted to partake in the whole e-revolution. You know, e-mail, e-file, e-everything! Next thing you know, they would … Read More Here
Braving the mountain ledge bike bus…Interbike style
When Interbike moves to Anaheim next year in August, I’m fairly certain the attendees won’t find anything like the below. That’s unfortunate, as I think it’s scenes like this that really make Interbike a truly unique event – something different … Read More Here
Demo Day 1 at Interbike
While I’ve got all sorts of product and feature specific items lined up all week long, today’s first day at the Outdoor Demo was more about getting a lay of the land. Lots of land. The drive is about 30-45 … Read More Here
A brief tour of my hometown…Mukilteo, WA
While the initial driver of my weekend at home was my 10 year high school reunion, and then the Kirkland Sprint Triathlon – I was also looking forward to showing off a bit of my hometown to The Girl in … Read More Here
Kirkland Triathlon 2010 Race Report
With the past week as busy as it was travel-wise, I really had no idea what exactly to expect when it came time actually throw-down at Saturday’s race. Luckily, the distance was a sprint – otherwise I suspect the week’s … Read More Here
Week in Review–September 18th, 2010
I’ve long since wondered what to do with all the random tidbits of things I collect each week – or the little thoughts that don’t quite make for a full post. But I finally came up with a solution: The … Read More Here
A short trip to the Big Easy…with a side of BBQ in Memphis
We’re gonna keep this quick…because quite frankly – I’m exhausted. I headed down to New Orleans rather early on Tuesday. It’s nice in that they had a nonstop morning flight from DC, making it easy to avoid having to stay … Read More Here
Sport Tracks 3.0 Upgrade Review
Over the past few months I’ve gotten a ton of questions around Sport Tracks 3.0 and what I think of it. In the past I’ve recommended Sport Tracks in the past pretty heavily because of it’s free status and because … Read More Here
Getting set for Interbike!
Next week I’ll be hanging out in warm and sunny Las Vegas for Interbike. I arrive Sunday and will be there all week long, eventually finishing up with racing in the Las Vegas Triathlon on Sunday. Luckily, my badge for … Read More Here
