I’m DC RAINMAKER…
I swim, bike and run. Then, I come here and write about my adventures. It’s as simple as that. Most of the time. If you’re new around these parts, here’s the long version of my story.
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You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.Want to compare the features of each product, down to the nitty-gritty? No problem, the product comparison data is constantly updated with new products and new features added to old products!
Wanna create comparison chart graphs just like I do for GPS, heart rate, power meters and more? No problem, here's the platform I use - you can too!
Think my written reviews are deep? You should check out my videos. I take things to a whole new level of interactive depth!
Smart Trainers Buyers Guide: Looking at a smart trainer this winter? I cover all the units to buy (and avoid) for indoor training. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
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Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
Get all your awesome DC Rainmaker gear here!
FAQ’s
I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
- Do you have a privacy policy posted?
- Why haven’t you yet released a review for XYZ product you mentioned months ago?
- Will you test our product before release?
- Are you willing to review or test beta products?
- Which trainer should I buy?
- Which GPS watch should I buy?
- I’m headed to Paris – what do you recommend for training or sightseeing?
- I’m headed to Washington DC – what do you recommend for training?
- I’m from out of the country and will be visiting the US, what’s the best triathlon shop in city XYZ?
- What kind of camera do you use?
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5 Easy Steps To The Site
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.
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!
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.
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!
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 2023 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: Zwift
Zwift Lays off 100+, co-CEO Resigns, Zwift Hub Series Discontinued
Despite Zwift just announcing the new jointly-launched Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One trainer, this hasn’t been a strong week for Zwift as a company. In fact, it’s arguably been the worst week the company has had in its history, with … Read More Here
Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One: In-Depth Review
I know, the name is confusing. Look, I didn’t choose it, I just review it. A more explainable name would be the Wahoo KICKR CORE Cog, which is what this is: The Wahoo KICKR CORE, with the Zwift Cog … Read More Here
Here’s Why Peak Zwift Is Always a Tuesday
It might seem ‘odd’ to declare a Peak Zwift concurrent user high watermark only two weeks into the year, but that’s actually the way it generally works. With the exception of COVID lockdown-induced Zwift moments, the company has virtually always … Read More Here
Tech Tidbits: New Zwift Features, New Strava CEO, Apple Watch Siri Health Integration
Here’s a quick round of notable new sports tech things in the last 24 hours or so. New Strava CEO Appointed: After a 10-month search, Strava has announced the name of their new/upcoming CEO – Michael Martin. He will replace … Read More Here
Zwift Kills Zwift Hub Classic, Wahoo Further Drops KICKR CORE Prices: Two Companies Increase Partnership
At this point, it’s probably really only a matter of time before we see the Wahoo KICKR CORE with an orange paint job and called Zwift Hub 2. But, before we get there, let’s first explain what Wahoo (and Zwift) … Read More Here
Technogym MyRun Treadmill In-Depth Review
The Technogym MyRun treadmill has been around for over 5 years now, yet despite its age, it continues to be a popular option people are considering for usage with Zwift and other indoor running platforms. As such, the MyRun has … Read More Here
Zwift Coastal Expansion Begins Rollout: First Ride Thoughts
(Above: You can simply tap to view my quick ride-through of the new roads, via Canopies and Coastlines, the turn-off from existing pavement to new pavement is at 2m40s) Zwift has just started rolling out their Watopia coastal expansion, … Read More Here
Zwift Hub One In-Depth Review (with Zwift Cog & Click!)
Zwift has just announced two new products today, and arguably changed the way trainers might be sold in the future. The first is the new Zwift Hub One smart trainer, which takes the existing Zwift Hub smart trainer from last … Read More Here
Wahoo and Zwift Reach Patent Dispute Agreement: Here’s What’s Happening Next
Exactly one year ago today, Zwift announced the Zwift Hub smart trainer – which priced at $499USD, immediately lit a fire across the rest of the smart trainer industry. The product was mostly a rebrand of the existing JetBlack VOLT … Read More Here
Elite & Wahoo Reduce List Prices on Trainers
Over the past 7 days, both Elite and Wahoo have reduced prices on a few models of their trainers that directly or indirectly compete with the direct drive based Zwift Hub smart trainer. That trainer was announced one year ago … Read More Here
Zwift Play Controller Review: Surprisingly Useful!
Zwift has just released their Zwift Play controller, which lets you do everything from steering in-game, to quickly accessing settings while riding, all while also hurling burritos at other racers. It’s Zwift’s second piece of cycling hardware they’ve announced in … Read More Here
Peloton’s Seatpost Recall, Zwift’s Curious Steering Rebirth, and GoPro Price Drop
Things have been heating up this week in the sports tech space – albeit, not all of the heating has been of the new product variety. Still, here’s a few things I found worthy to dive into deeper. Peloton Seat … Read More Here
Wahoo’s Injunction Request Against Zwift Hub Denied By Judge
A judge has denied Wahoo’s request to prevent Zwift from continuing to sell the Zwift Hub smart trainer. That smart trainer is the center of a legal dispute between the two companies, which Wahoo says infringes on their existing patents, … Read More Here
Zwift Outlines Summer Features, Plus Zwift Hub Firmware Update
Yesterday Zwift announced their summer feature plans, which include a number of actually pretty useful features. And in this case, ‘summer’ really means anything vaguely warm, including May. Also, this is not Australian summer, but Austrian summer. Atop that, as … Read More Here
Tech Tidbits: Supersapiens DQ for Pro Cyclist, Wahoo/Zwift Court Update, and COROS 1-on-1 Coaching
Spring is nearing, and as a result, we’re starting to see sports tech things warming up. And, also, as is applicable today – racing spring events using sports tech things. Overall, I think this is gonna be one of the … Read More Here
Zwift Announces New Layoffs Reducing 15% of Workforce
Zwift has internally announced a restructuring that is resulting in a reduction of the workforce by 15%, or approximately 80 people in total. The change is largely coming out of a “fresh look” at things with Zwift’s recently added Co-CEO, … Read More Here
Zwift Enables Video Highlight Uploads to Strava
If you’ve already been Zwifting this morning or last night, you might have noticed a new feature: Video highlight uploads to Strava. This new feature will automatically capture certain key moments (such as unlocking a new level/etc…), while also … Read More Here
Zwift CEO Signals Upcoming Price Increase, Subscriber Goals, and More
Zwift has a long and vibrant history of hinting at upcoming changes via financial media organizations such as Bloomberg. And the latest interview with Bloomberg news is no different. I mean, I suppose it was slightly different in that it … Read More Here
Zwift’s New Scotland World: First Rides!
Ahead of February’s UCI Esports World Championships, Zwift is launching a new world/map: Scotland. This follows in the footsteps of other historical UCI-driven maps, such as the always-loved Richmond (2015), Innsbruck (2018), Yorkshire (2019), and the little-remembered Bologna TT event … Read More Here
Astounding Data Stream Hack Gets UCI World Championship Qualifier Banned
I’ve never been good at writing titles. They’re all too factual, and usually too boring. The titles I considered writing here were: 1) UCI Esports World Championship Qualifier Banned after Spicy Real-Time Manipulation of Data Stream 2) Zwift Race Cheating … Read More Here
Wahoo Fitness Dismisses Smart Trainer Lawsuit Against JetBlack, Sets Timetable Against Zwift
As you may be aware, earlier this fall Wahoo Fitness decided to sue Zwift over Zwift’s introduction of their $499 Zwift Hub smart trainer into the market. Wahoo argues that the Zwift Hub infringes on a number of patents utilized … Read More Here
Zwift Adds New Roads, Brings Back Other Features, Apple TV 4K 2022 Update Timelines
Consider this post a Zwift potpourri of updates. Depending on your time zone on this planet, last night Zwift rolled out a new update that adds a bunch of new pavement (and dirt..and sand) to the platform, while also bringing … Read More Here
Zwift Hub Smart Trainer In-Depth Review: The Best Bang For Your Buck?
Today Zwift starts selling their first smart trainer, the Zwift Hub. Announced about a month ago, this ‘new’ smart trainer is essentially a repackaged JetBlack VOLT V2 trainer, but at a substantially lower price point than virtually every other direct … Read More Here
Zwift Cancels Smart Bike Hardware Plans, Announces Significant Layoffs
Just two weeks ago Wahoo announced a round of layoffs to mitigate the dropping (or rather, normalizing) of indoor cycling hardware sales, and prior to that Peloton did the same. Now Zwift is following suit with a round of layoffs … Read More Here
Zwift Rolls Out Wahoo Direct Connect Ethernet Adapter Support
Today is apparently the day of ‘Finally!’ in the sports tech world. First, there was Suunto with ‘finally’ adding structured workout support. Then there was Wahoo with ‘finally’ adding some sort of climbing feature, and now we’ve got Zwift with … Read More Here