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.
Tag Archives: Trainers
The Podium Trainer Desk In-Depth Review
As trainer season is in full swing now, so are the various trainer-focused items showing up on my doorstep. And not just trainers of course, but separate trainer accessories. Today’s product hails from Edmonton, Alberta (Canada). I figure if anyone … 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
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
The Trainer Updates of Interbike 2016: STAC, Kinetic, Tacx, CycleOps, Elite, CompuTrainer
As expected, Interbike was pretty quiet as far as new trainers go. Only one company introduced a new trainer: BKool, with all remaining companies having already introduced new trainers at Eurobike a few weeks ago, or over the course of … Read More Here
Bkool Announces New Smart Go Trainer
While at Interbike, Spanish trainer company Bkool announced their latest trainer – the Bkool Smart Go. This lower-priced option helps to complement their existing option, the Bkool Smart Pro. These two trainers sit at $479 and $699USD respectively. In many … Read More Here
Elite Drivo Trainer In-Depth Review
Earlier this summer Elite launched four new trainers/rollers, and in doing so greatly simplified their trainer lineup. Previous to that they had enough trainers to allow each member of the Brady Bunch both a primary and backup trainer. Never mind … Read More Here
First Look: Zwift rolls out iOS version of platform
Zwift is somehow already two years old, how time flies! While they only started taking your money last winter, it seems like just yesterday we were seeing the first demos of the platform. Since inception they’ve added a structured workout … 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
Hands-on: The CycleOps Magnus Smart trainer
Let the new trainer games begin! Oh…crap…wait, they already began – earlier this summer with new CycleOps trainer, Elite trainers, and even Tacx trainer updates. But, with a brief summer intermission completed, we’re back into the swing of new trainer … 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
Tour de France 2016: The Trainers & Power Meters of the Pro Teams
Yesterday I spent the day at Stage 18 of the Tour de France. One of the advantages of this particular stage is it’s a time trial. This means that each rider races individually, with the first rider of the day starting … Read More Here
Hands-on: New Totally Silent STAC Zero Trainer
As many know, when it comes to crowd-funded projects I have a very high level of skepticism. Mostly because most of them overcommit and under-deliver. They may have great ideas, but executing on those ideas often gets muddled once you … 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
The Wahoo KICKR Desk In-Depth Review
It’s been over 5 years since Wahoo’s first product, the Wahoo Fisica ANT+ adapter for the iPhone. That was later renamed to the Wahoo Fitness Key. Then came the BlueHR, a Bluetooth Smart heart rate strap. But their ‘breakout’ product … Read More Here
How to get your trainer apps on the big screen
With the explosion of new trainer apps over the last few years, many of us are running apps on numerous platforms – from iOS to Android to Windows. Not to mention numerous form factors such as tablets, phones, and desktops. … 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
Hands-on with new Wahoo Fitness KICKR SNAP
Heads up: This post is about an older KICKR SNAP edition, check out my latest post about the most current KICKR SNAP trainer here. Today Wahoo has launched their latest trainer, the Wahoo KICKR SNAP. The KICKR SNAP is essentially … Read More Here
My Winter 2014-2015 Bike Trainer Recommendations
It’s that time of year again – trainer season. When it generally gets cold and miserable to be outside, well, unless you live Down Under. I started doing the Trainer Recommendations post two years ago, and I know many of … Read More Here
Mio adds wireless Shimano Di2 integration, ANT+ trainer control, and more to Cyclo bike units
This past weekend I got a hands-on walk through of a host of new Mio features that are planned to be released as part of a firmware update for their existing units on the market. Different units get different features, … Read More Here
My 2013 Trainer Recommendations
It’s that time of year again – trainer season. At least for us poor saps up in the Northern Hemisphere (no, you don’t count if you live in the Caribbean). I started doing the Trainer Recommendations post last year, and … Read More Here
What it takes to build complex sport technology products from nothing
A number of months ago there was some initial hype around an individual (Keith Wakeham) that’s building a power meter and documenting the progress in weekly blog posts (though lately more frequent). The current prototypes of his power meter are … Read More Here