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.
Sports Technology
Look’s New Road KEO Blade & SPD Power Meter Pedals: Hands-on!
Today Look has announced two interchangeable power meter pedals, their Look KEO Blade carbon road pedal power meter, and their X-Track SPD-based power meter pedal. These two pedals share the same internals, allowing you to buy one set, and … Read More Here
How-To: Using Zwift and TrainerRoad Concurrently
For many of you more tech-focused folks, this quick how-to guide will be old hat to you. However, as was made abundantly clear to me a few days ago when I posted a picture on my Instagram stories of me … Read More Here
Cycling Trainer App Guide In-Depth: 2020 Edition
Trying to figure out which indoor cycling app to use? This guide covers virtually all the players in this ever growing space. Read More Here
Just Got A New Sports Gadget? 37 Tips To Get You Started
So, you just got a new gadget under the tree (or, perhaps for some other holiday – or random sale – in the last while). Congrats! Now, you’ve gotta figure out how to channel your inner sports geekdom to get … Read More Here
Zwift Demonstrates Mountain Biking & Steering at Eurobike
As the flurry of announcements at Eurobike get under way, Zwift themselves has two items on the docket. The first is availability of the new Yorkshire course later today, a shorter looped replica of the real world UCI World Championship … Read More Here
Wattbike Announces US Availability for ATOM Smart Bike
Almost exactly two years after announcing the Wattbike Atom, the hard to get indoor smart bike is finally going to be available to purchase in the US. The company has made significant tweaks to the bike in the last two … Read More Here
Hands-on: Wahoo Adds Radar Support for ELEMNT/BOLT/ROAM, confirms TrainerRoad Connectivity
Today Wahoo has rolled out support for ANT+ radar units to their entire lineup of GPS bike computers, including the original Wahoo ELEMNT, the BOLT, and the new ROAM. For the 7 people still rockin’ the old school RFLKT, you’re … Read More Here
How to: Install Free Maps on your Garmin Edge
Got a Garmin Edge and want to install maps on it while you travel? Here’s the quick and easy steps to get free maps ready and installed. Read More Here
How To (Sorta) Make Your CompuTrainer Wireless: PerfPro’s CT Smart Wireless Bridge
While the company is no longer in business (and still, nobody seems to know who purchased the CompuTrainer assets specifically from RacerMate), there are undoubtedly many CompuTrainers left in service out there. And aside from a handful connected with the … Read More Here
Just Got A New Sports Gadget? 34 Tips To Get You Started
So, you just got a new gadget under the tree (or, perhaps for some other Festivus in the last while). Congrats! Now, you’ve gotta figure out how to channel your inner sports geekdom to get the most out of that … Read More Here
How to: Troubleshooting Power Meter and Trainer Accuracy Issues
No matter the product, eventually, for every product review I post, sooner or later someone has a power related accuracy issue with their unit. In today’s post, I’ll be focusing on power meter and trainer accuracy issues. But perhaps down … Read More Here
How I capture photos while openwater swimming
(Both The Girl and I are incredibly sad about the attack that occurred in Nice last night. Bastille Day – La fête nationale- is our favorite day of the year here in France, and is incredibly special on so many … Read More Here
How I configure my watches (and bike computers)
It’s been a number of years since I last wrote about how I setup my different GPS devices when it comes to screens for training and racing. Given it’s one of the most popular questions around these parts, I figured … Read More Here
Understanding continual (24/7) optical HR data and resting heart rate
(Updated April 9th, 2017) More and more devices over the last 1-2 years have begun to include the ability to record your heart rate (HR) data around the clock. No longer are you limited to just workout HR data, but … Read More Here
So you just got a GPS fitness device for Christmas? Start here: 2013 Edition
Congrats! So you’ve just unboxed a new GPS watch/device? Good deal, here’s how you can get started in understanding how best to take advantage of your newfound toy. Of course, unlike that dessert you’ll eat later on tonight (or, perhaps, … Read More Here
How to find & create awesome cycling routes in a smarter way
Despite having lived in Paris almost a year now, I’ve rarely cycled outside of my little set of known routes and locales. Partly because the weather has been so bad this winter that I spent a lot of it on … Read More Here
How to download Garmin workouts to your tablet (Android, iPad, Windows Surface)
A complete step by step tutorial to downloading from your Garmin to Android, iPad, iPhone, iPod, and Windows Surface. Read More Here
How to download free maps to your Garmin Edge GPS
The Garmin Edge series of cycling computers is roughly split into two categories: Those that have a mapping function, and those that don’t. Mapping in this case means that the units also have routable navigation – just like your car … Read More Here
So you just got a GPS fitness device for Christmas? Start here: 2012 Edition.
Congrats! So you’ve just unboxed a new GPS watch/device? Good deal, here’s how you can get started in understanding how best to take advantage of your newfound toy. Of course, unlike that dessert you’ll eat later on tonight (or, perhaps, … Read More Here
Annual Public Service Announcement: How to fix heart rate strap dropouts/spikes
I just wanted to put out a quick post as a reminder for folks that may be running into heart rate strap spiking or dropout issues with colder/dryer weather. A dropout is when the strap monitoring your heart rate records/displays … Read More Here
What are your favorite Mac sports tracking and log apps?
You’ve been asking for it for a long, long, long time. And while I do make reference to Mac options within most product reviews, I haven’t written up a full post on all the options out there for day to … Read More Here
How to fix heart rate strap chaffing issues
A day or two ago, someone posted to Slowtwitch with an issue where they were getting chaffing issues with the Garmin soft strap, to the point of the skin being red and raw. This was primarily in the area of … Read More Here
The Top 7 iPhone Swim, Bike, and Run apps I use regularly and why
While I certainly get offers to test out physical hardware and gadgets quite often – the number of requests to test out apps far outnumbers that by a fair margin. The challenge though with apps is that many apps are … Read More Here
Why the New York Times GPS running article missed the boat
Yesterday the New York Times published in print and online a rather bizarre article on GPS running watches, one that essentially concluded that they were an “unreliable running partner”. Now my goal isn’t meant to defend GPS watches, but rather … Read More Here
A look at Garmin Auto Lap by position for track and circuit loop use
Many of you probably use the most common version of auto lap today for your runs and rides, with it automatically marking laps based on a predefined distance such as every mile or kilometer. But if you’re doing a course/route … Read More Here
The Garmin ANT+ Footpod Calibration Tool
A bit ago I stumbled upon a really cool tool that allows you to determine your Garmin ANT+ footpod calibration factor based on existing run data that you might have already run with your footpod. For example, if you’re like … Read More Here
2011 Sport Device GPS Accuracy In Depth: Part II
(Note: If you’re just joining me in Part II, be sure to read Part I, which covers the first half of the tests. Also of note: A few weeks after the test was published Garmin released a new firmware update … Read More Here
2011 Sport Device GPS Accuracy In Depth: Part I
(Also note: A few weeks after the test was published Garmin released a new firmware update that fixes the FR610 issues, and I redid some of the tests here). Last fall to the request of many I put together a … Read More Here
An inside look at downloading FR310XT workouts to the web without a computer
You may remember quite a while back I showed off the Wahoo Fitness iPhone dongle. This handy dandy little white pod the size of a quarter plugs into the bottom of your iPhone/iPod and allows connections to ANT+ devices such … Read More Here
Tip of the day: Avoid Doing The GPS Dance
Given it’s Friday and if you’re like me by this time of the week you’re probably just looking for a quick read. So I’m offering you a quick tip that I use to ensure I spend less time waiting around, … Read More Here
So you just gotta Garmin Fitness watch? Start here.
A whole lot of ya just got new Garmin Forerunner’s and Edge devices over the last few days, so I figured what better way to get you all kick-started into the world of GPS running devices than a consolidated post … Read More Here
How calorie measurement works on Garmin fitness devices
There are few topics that cause more confusion, intrigue and general ‘Huh?’ in the sports world than calorie burn. While many runners or cyclists often estimate calorie burn (and thus cookie allocation metrics) using borderline sketchy back of the napkin … Read More Here
Sport Device GPS Accuracy In Depth: Part II
(Note: If you’re just joining me in Part II, be sure to read Part I, which covers the first half of the tests) As we left off in Part I, the tests thus far had been largely easy. By that … Read More Here
Sport Device GPS Accuracy In Depth: Part I
Newcomers to GPS sport devices like the Garmin Forerunner or Timex Global Trainer often wonder exactly how accurate the devices are. And seasoned users occasionally notice small oddities when comparing their run totals between training partners on the same run. … Read More Here
How to fix cold/dry weather erratic heart rate readings
It’s that time of year again. No, not that time of year. Nor that time of year. But rather, the time of year when your heart rate readings start to resemble a seismic monitor more than a representation of your … Read More Here