I’m DC RAINMAKER…
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5 Easy Steps To The Site
1In 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.
2Read My Sports Gadget Recommendations.
Here's my most recent gadget recommendations guide (Winter 2018-2019 edition) and trainers here (2018 edition) - covering almost every category of sports gadgets out there. Looking for the equipment I use day to day? I also just put together my complete 'Gear I Use' equipment list, from swim to bike to run and everything in between (plus a few extra things). And to compliment that, here's The Girl's (my wife's) list. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!
3Have 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.
4My Photography Gear: The Cameras and Equipment 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! It's a nice break from the day to day sports-tech talk, and I hope you get something out of it!
5The 2018 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 2018 swim, bike, run, and general gear list. But wait, are you a female and feel like these things might not apply to you? If that's the case (but certainly not saying my choices aren't good for women), and you just want to see a different gear junkies "picks", check out The Girl's 2018 Gear Guide too.
Trainers
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
CycleOps H2 (Hammer 2) Trainer In-Depth Review
This past summer at Eurobike, CycleOps somewhat quietly announced their new Hammer 2 trainer, more officially known as the H2. This trainer would take the existing Hammer 1 that the company released a few years back, apply a new coat … Read More Here
Tacx NEO 2 Smart Trainer In-Depth Review
While the Tacx NEO 2 was the last product of the year that Tacx announced – a mere 45 days ago – it’s actually shipping already, unlike its bigger brother the long-awaited Neo Smart Bike. Part of that reason, as … Read More Here
The Smart Trainer Annual Recommendations Guide–2018 Edition
It’s that time of year again: Indoor trainer season. Though in reality, that’s actually not terribly true these days. With indoor training apps and the entire experience becoming more and more immersive, more and more people are using them all … Read More Here
Hands-on: Tacx NEO 2 Smart Trainer
Squeaking in just under the wire for the 2018 Trainer Guide is the just announced Tacx NEO 2 Smart Trainer, the successor to the top of the line and now three-year-old Tacx NEO Trainer. This new model brings a handful … Read More Here
Tacx Flux S Trainer In-Depth Review
It’s been a bit over a month since Tacx first announced the Flux S, which despite looking similar at a distance to the also newly announced Flux 2, is indeed different. Aside from price (the Flux S is $749USD and … Read More Here
First Look: The $749 Tacx Flux S Smart Trainer (Direct Drive)
Last week at Interbike, Tacx announced the Flux S, making it the second Flux trainer announced in almost as many months. The first Flux trainer was announced this past summer at Eurobike, the Flux 2. The Flux 2 was designed … Read More Here
First Look: Kinetic R1 Direct Drive Trainer
And just like that, Kinetic has joined the direct drive trainer flotilla. But unlike everyone else, their trainer actually rolls. Or tilts I suppose. I guess it could roll if you fall off it. Kinetic has taken their popular Rock … Read More Here
Wahoo KICKR CORE Trainer In-Depth Review
This past July at Eurobike, Wahoo announced their two latest trainers – the near-annual update of their mainstay, the Wahoo KICKR (2018 Edition), as well as a new lower priced trainer – the KICKR CORE. Wahoo has always had an … Read More Here
Magene Gravat2 Smart Trainer In-Depth Review
There’s a pretty good chance you’ve never heard of Magene, nor Gravat (or the Gravat2). But that’s OK, now you have. There’s also a pretty good chance you’re not going to buy this product. Not because it’s got any issues, … Read More Here
Wahoo KICKR 2018 Trainer In-Depth Review
It's Wahoo's first totally silent trainer - but is it worth the cost over the KICKR CORE which costs $300 less? And is the new flywheel that meaningful?
Wahoo Headwind Fan In-Depth Review
I’ve written many in-depth reviews over the years. Trainers, GPS watches, action cams, drones…and yes, even a blender once (I still have the blender, it’s awesome). But, never a fan. But there’s a first time for everything, and today is … Read More Here
First Look: Tacx Announces New Flux 2 Smart Trainer
[Update - June 2019: At this point I do not recommend this trainer. While the feel is good and mostly it's fine, it is inaccurate in ERG mode (structured workout mode). It is fine in simulation mode, which is what … Read More Here
Hands-on: Wahoo Fitness KICKR CORE Direct Drive Smart Trainer
Here's your first dive into all the details on the new Wahoo Fitness KICKR CORE, from accuracy testing to sound/volume testing, plus feature comparison to the existing KICKR 2018.
Elite Fuoripista 14,000EUR Indoor Smart Bike: First Ride and Specs
I anticipate the cheapest sports technology gadget I’ll release a review or early look on here at Eurobike 2018 will cost about $60. But perhaps I’ll end up finding something that fits into my realm for cheaper. What I don’t … Read More Here
Tacx Neo Bike Smart: First Ride and Final Specs
Last year at Eurobike Tacx announced their intentions to make a smart bike, the blend of an indoor trainer and a bike. Similar to a ‘spin bike’ in looks, but under the hood totally different. It’d have full resistance control … Read More Here
Elite Drivo II Smart Trainer In-Depth Review
How well does Elite's high-end trainer handle apps like Zwift and TrainerRoad? I dig in with all the detail to see if it can stand up to it.
Hands-on: Kinetic inRide V3 and Smart Trainers now support dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart
This new low-cost $50 option gets you power on your Kinetic trainer quickly and easily. Plus, it adds in ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart support. I test the accuracy.
What’s Baseline on a Smart Trainer in 2018?
Last week Shane Miller posted his review of the TechnoGym MyCycling Smart Trainer. For those not familiar (which is almost all of you), TechnoGym makes a direct drive trainer, sorta like the Wahoo KICKR, except missing all the stuff that … Read More Here
JetBlack WhisperDrive Smart Trainer: An Interim Review
One of the challenges with writing reviews that the whole world will see, especially on products that are in relatively limited supply, is what happens when things aren’t finished baking yet. Not in the sense of a transient bug that … Read More Here
Wattbike Atom In-Depth Review
It’s been just shy of three months since Wattbike announced their new Atom unit, which was designed to compete with higher end smart trainers like the Tacx Neo and Wahoo KICKR. Up till now, Wattbike’s indoor bikes have been rather … Read More Here
Annual Winter 2017-2018 Bike Trainer Recommendations
And just like that, it’s already fall. The summer season is past us (well, unless you’re in Australia), and it’s time to pick out that trainer for the weekend. Sure, the weather in much of the US and Europe right … Read More Here
First Look: Minoura’s New Kagura Smart Trainer
While at Interbike I got the chance to check out and ride Minoura’s new smart trainer, the Kagura. The Japanese firm was on-hand at the Las Vegas show, including their founder and CEO (Koji Minoura) to show off the $599USD … Read More Here
Elite Direto Trainer In-Depth Review
Earlier this summer Elite announced the Direto, a direct drive trainer that’s fully integrated into the likes of Zwift and TrainerRoad. Priced at $899 it was initially targeted at the mid-range price market, but over the course of the last … Read More Here
Hands-on: Wattbike introduces new Atom stationary bike (with ANT+/BLE and more!)
Today Wattbike has introduced their first consumer-focused smart stationary bike. And unlike some of the other ideas floating around – this one is actually real, here today, and with production underway. So much real that a unit has been sitting … Read More Here
