I’m DC RAINMAKER…
Here’s how to save!
Wanna save some cash and support the site? Use Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with either the coupon code DCRAINMAKER for first time users saving 15% on applicable products.
And both Backcountry & Competitive Cyclist offer free 2-day shipping!
In the UK/EU/Australia/New Zealand? Then hit up Wiggle at the link below!
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.
-
Check out my weekly podcast - with GPLAMA, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
-
5 Easy Steps To The Site
1
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.
2
Read My Sports Gadget Recommendations.
Here’s my most recent gadget recommendations guide and trainers here – 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!
3
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.
4
My 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!
5
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 2019 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
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. Read More Here
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. Read More Here
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. Read More Here
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
Updated note: Looking for the newer Direto X review? Hit that up here. 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 … 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
Hands-on: Wahoo’s new KICKR CLIMB Incline Simulator
(Update: The Wahoo KICKR CLIMB has since been released, and you can find all the details from months of testing and use, here in the Wahoo KICKR CLIMB In-Depth Review) While this Eurobike is a bit quieter when it comes … Read More Here
Wahoo’s New 2017 KICKR SNAP Trainer: Hands-on
This week Wahoo quietly launched an updated version of the KICKR SNAP trainer. That’s Wahoo’s lower-end trainer that sits at $599USD. Of course, Wahoo only makes two trainers – the full KICKR (direct-drive), and the KICKR SNAP (wheel-on). The full … Read More Here
Elite’s new Direto trainer–Hands on!
Today Elite announced their newest trainer for the 2017-2018 winter trainer season – the Direto. This direct drive controllable trainer is notable partly for its price ($899), but also partly because it’s sporting easily the highest accuracy rating of any … Read More Here
CycleOps Hammer Trainer In-Depth Review
Update: The CycleOps Hammer has since been replaced by the Saris H3, though frankly, the only meaningful difference is noise. Here's the link to my full H3 in-depth review. It’s Hammer Time. The Hammer is CycleOps’ answer to the highly … Read More Here
Tacx Flux Trainer In-Depth Review
It’s been just over three months since Tacx announced what was shaping up to be the hottest trainer of the 2016-2017 winter season. You’ll remember that the main appeal of the Tacx Flux was that not only was it a … Read More Here
The Winter 2016-2017 Trainer App In-Depth Guide
It’s been two years since I’ve last done a Trainer App guide. And in that time we’ve continued to see the trainer app world expand with ever better options. There are both new companies, and existing companies that have exploded … Read More Here
Annual Winter 2016-2017 Bike Trainer Recommendations
How the heck is it fall already? Seriously. It felt like just yesterday I was enjoying warm summer days, yet now I’m sitting here looking out the window onto a rainy, cold, windy, and generally miserable day. I saw snow last … Read More Here
Elite Drivo Trainer In-Depth Review
Update note: This is an older version of the Elite Drivo. The newer Elite Drivo II in-depth review is here. Earlier this summer Elite launched four new trainers/rollers, and in doing so greatly simplified their trainer lineup. Previous to that … Read More Here
Hands-on: The new Tacx Flux Smart Trainer
This week at Eurobike, Tacx has announced their latest smart trainer, the Tacx Flux. This new trainer sits at the upper edge of the mid-range electronic trainer pricing range at $899USD/€799, but pulls in features historically only seen at higher … Read More Here
Everything you ever wanted to know about ANT+ FE-C and bike trainers
As we near trainer season, I’ve seen an uptick in interest in understanding what exactly ANT+ FE-C is, and why it matters when it comes to choosing a trainer (or an app, or a bike computer). So I figured I’d … Read More Here
Hands-on with Elite’s new Drivo, Kura, and Rampa trainers
Today Italian trainer company Elite joined in on the 2016 Trainer announcements bandwagon with the unveiling of four new indoor training products, including one set of rollers. These announcements marks not just new trainers, but most notably a cleaner and simpler … Read More Here
Hands-on with new CycleOps Hammer Smart Trainer
Today CycleOps has announced their latest trainer product, the Hammer. Taking a cue from others in the industry on having a catchy name, the Hammer is CycleOps’s first totally new trainer in a few years. And also their first direct … Read More Here
My Winter 2015-2016 Bike Trainer Recommendations
!!!Update: Looking for a trainer? Check out my new 2016-2017 Winter Trainer Guide here! It’s once again fall in the Northern Hemisphere – which for most of us means transitioning to a more steady diet of trainer rides indoors, keeping … Read More Here
