Heads up!!! Here’s your massive Cyber Monday sports tech deals list! This includes the Garmin Forerunner 965 for just $499, Garmin Epix for $429, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for just $619, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $299, (or Hero 13 bundle for $339!) and plenty more! Go check out the full list of 100+ deals here!
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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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 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.
4
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!
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 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.
My last workout was a couple of weeks ago…
Did a ride into Seattle and back, just under 50 miles.
link to bit.ly
Highlight: beautiful weather (sunny and warm).
Lowlight: My legs were rebelling as I climbed up the last hill, a 1/2 mile 12% grade 3 miles from my house. (Almost walked but made it up)
Family ride with my wife and kids. 11km near the beach, no squirrels, but almost been hit by fast running litle dogs, twice… :-))
1:45 trainer ride. Only one more long ride till Longhorn 70.3 next weekend. My first HALF…
Great website.
My last cycle was indoors easy spinning for an hour frost on the ground outside and dark. I did see some rodents in some commercial while spinning thou.
My last cycle was WET… no Squirrels, but nearly ran over a little dog (he wouldn`t move out of the way)… Muddy through some dike construction and glad I was on a mountain bike….
My last cycling workout was part of a brick. First 90 minutes on the bike out into the mountains, and then a 45 minute flat run along a river. No squirrels, but I did see a couple of snakes!
100 miler, getting ready for my first full (beach to battleship), 2 flats! need to exorcise my bike!
Count me in.
My last cycling was indoor, sufferfest video and lot of gut…
It was cool!
…in the living room…with a fan….but not Colonel Mustard or a squirrel!
Easy riding after return from Afghanistan; 12 and a half miles at an easy pace. No squirrels out on this ride.
My last training ride was in July as a part of a brick workout; I’ve been trying to finish my PhD thesis so I haven’t had an opportunity to ride.
My last training ride was not about miles but rather any opportunity to get away gather my thoughts and to solves life’s problems. just another amazing benefit of riding. (having some new gadgets to track my progress would be delightful!)
give it away to me!!!!!!!!
my last bike workout was unfortunately in a spin class. getting colder here in NY so have to stay inside.
no animals hurt there
My last cycling workout? Easy, vacation over Labor Day on Hilton Head Island. No squirrels, just a cracked frame. Separation at head tube and down tube. 3rd frame going back to TN. I will say though, I have hit a squirrel on a ride. Should have a bike in mid-November. Sigh…Running until then.
Last cycling workout was an olympic tri. It’s been a couple weeks now, so I need to get back to it!
Last workout was a 45 minute, high cadence trainer ride. Hard to hit a squirrel inside the house
I was planning on doing the Kirkland Duathlon in September. One week earlier I hurt my back bad.
Managed to get back on the bike on 9/28 and have been out of town a lot since. I hope to get back on tomorrow. It was 20 miles to Redhook Brewery and back (you know the place). Didn’t kill any varmints, but finished off a Big Ballard!
3 hours aero. Flat and relaxed
Michaelvitale@mac.com
Took a little jaunt up Mt Hamilton Rd and turned up Quimby to the top and back down. Killer Silicon Valley weather this week. No squirrels but a bunch of turkeys!
running too much to spend quality time on the bike recently but might actually get out tomorrow. or i’ll just run again instead!
90 min bike. In a very booring root (avoiding the magpies, as its swooping season). Legs were pretty trashed after my long run yesterday. Nice to get out and enjoy the spring weather
One hour mountain bike trail ride. No squirrels, just lots of annoying deer flies.
Great giveaway…
My last cycling workout, well I didn’t go anywhere. I spent an hour on Trainer Road when I got home from work this evening.
Tomorrow I will be diving with hammerhead sharks among other creatures…
My last ride was 2 weeks ago on the trainer with TrainerRoad for 50 minutes. Been focusing on running for an upcoming 13.1.
Just an enjoyable 25 mile ride in the country. Lots of squirrels in the way but dodged them all.
Sadly (sorta) my last bike workout was Timberman – in August……
-Davidson
I do not cycle (yet) but do plan on getting a road bike in the spring!
Went on a ride taken from a book around the local trails for 40 miles.
By 15 mile in it was obvious that the writer had got the map from google maps or someone braver as it took me through some very dangerous roads and some slightly rough neighborhoods… Oh well, I can’t wait for the next one
1 + 10 on my windtrainer in the basement. Watched “bored to death” on ipad and sweated and sweated.
Last bike work (too long ago for my own liking) was 10 mi of hectic roads too and from a nice calm park loop…
Thanks for the giveaway Ray! Test Team indeed!
My last ride was on my new trainer! Just trying out a set of intervals. It hurt so good. In fact, I am now in need of a more powerful fan. DRENCHED!!!
last bike workout was an after work ride with new co-workers around Lake Minnetonka.
I do a 12 minute cool down ride on my indoor bike after my run; just did one earlier today. Didn’t hit any squirrels. The ones we have here seem to never get hit by cars or anything.
Did bump repeats today, 26m 3K assent, your site rocks
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My last training ride was the triathlon I did a few weekends ago!
road next to my husband as he finished his first marathon
40km, just easy work, getting back to tri bussiness from Marathon training!
Last workout was this evening, 17 Miles, 0 squirrels; racing the onset of darkness in these light challenged evenings.
My last cycling workout involved a Murray 10-speed, a blown tire, and a YouTube worthy dismount over a fence. No squirrels, but if there were, I’m sure they would have been laughing. And throwing nuts. I guess it’s time to move on from 1984 biking technology.
I did 85 miles at an average pace of 19.5mph on a flat as a pancake route here in Oklahoma. The weather was Low 70s all day with next to no wind. Dont get days like that in oklahoma very often. Did it on my new tarmac SL4. Could use a new edge 500 for it.
Riding in the rain on the way home from work is okay, but the fact that it was the first time this fall with lights on my bike was a bit depressing.
My last cycling workout was actually a ride with the family. Forty miles along lake Michigan, super slow pace.
Just 20k!! Thanks!
Rode the newly paved, not yet officially open, bike trail in town. It climbs nicely and is a screamer coming down – especially with nobody else on it!
Caught in the same rainstorm as Mr. Maker, I battle trough a 20 mile hill training session. Two hills separated by a 300 yard flat section. Hill one was multi-tiered & about 1/2 mile long while hill two is steeper and 7/10 of a mile long. Climb one go back the way you came and repeat until the computer says 20. It kept me relatively close to home in some terrible weather. Ray, Howard county maryland has good hills if you are looking for some.
Last ride from brother in law’s house in St. Leonards back to home in Alexandria. All good except PG Cty roads suck.
Just got back from a business trip to Shanghai China and rode to work from the hotel on a folding bicycle passing fellow cyclists toting interesting cargo like caged/boxed live chickens, a huge load of fruit, flattened cardboard piled way to high, and one with 6-8 gas cylinders, needless to say I passed him as fast as I could!
I normally ride a carbon PT equipped Colnago EP. But my last ride I switched to my 25 year old steel Gios Torino without my Powertap, Garmin or HRM. Simply rode a beautiful, hard and hilly 30 mile ride in SE Connecticut – and only a bit slower than my best time.
Dozens of crazy squirrels were everywhere, but somehow not a one completed their kamikaze mission!
13km / +415m / 0 squirrels
Mtn biking in a great blue sky day at 2deg C ( :-( blew the rebound in the rear shock)
Last ride was last Monday, only 15miles but it was the first one in a while. Fall colours are very nice up here in Canada.
Rode with my early morning group in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY. It is a fast group ride with a mix of racers and fast recreational riders. We do laps on the 3.4 mile loop in the park. Thursday morning was particularly fast with more racers than usual. Their season is over so they come out and torture the non-racers. We did a few laps that averaged over 22 miles an hour. It is a great interval/simulated race training ride. Needless to say it was a great wake up call! I finished my ride with 22 miles in 1 hour 5 minutes. A great way to start the day. I did see some squirrels, but none were harmed along the way.
Last ride was a 50K on Tuesday, and while I actually did have to dodge a squirrel I managed to avoid him ;)
Hill repeats, 6, on Thursday, easy trainer ride today, and quick, hilly group ride tomorrow for 65 miles and 4K climbing.
I wish my last workout was outside…trainer season has begun in ND…last workout was a 90 minute trainer ride watching the Amazing Race!
My last ride was to/from work (tri bike, of course), out of necessity as the family cruiser suspension was in pieces on my driveway. 40 mi round trip. No squirrells, but nearly a little bunny.
I got soaked on my 12 mile ride home from work the other day. I’m sure a new jersey and Garmin toy would’ve made it 10x more enjoyable. Here’s to next time. Fingers crossed.
Have many dquirrels around here in the San Gabriel Valley in Southern California. I’m a runner that cross trains riding my bike around the foothills.
My last workout was a bit boring, it’s been raining non-stop for the last three days here in Costa Rica, so I’ve been hitting the stationary bikes at the gym. Did a couple of 10 minute intervals at 270W and that’s it.
No squirrels, but a great time doing a new loop around town.
My last cycling workout was a night ride at an undisclosed location in SW Asia. It was an hour long with 6 3 min power intervals. I wish I would have seen a squirrel…instead I saw dirt, dust and dirt blowing through the air. Spectacular scenery, but that’s ok because I had my Garminn 705 to keep me occupied.
Just finished an insane ride up the Malibu mountains.
I’ve kind of fallen off the cycling ladder, but I’m ready to get back on. My last ride was ~ 6 months ago. There’s no great reason for no riding…just busy and running and yoga have consumed all of my exercise focus.
Ok this prob doesn’t count since I don’t ride. But i’ll tell you about my run instead. Tues I ran 7 miles at the track. That would be 28 laps. I need a garmin so bad! Ready to be able hit the streets!!
I went mountain biking for the first time today! At Papago Park in Tempe, AZ. Didn’t hit any squirrels, but a had a few close calls with some hares. haha
my last training ride was very very wet… so much for spring in NZ…
roll on summer…
Mountain biking for a change of pace in pacific spirit park!
Since we are starting to see snow here in Norway, my last workout was indoors spinning.
So sorry, no Squirrels :)
But it was an interval session and I wasn’t sure I were going to survive it, so something good came of it atleast.
Torgeir
Don’t have many squirrels around here, but do see the occasional cobra, python or monitor (roadkill). My last ride was around the whole country. Ok, so I live in Singapore, but it was still 120km in 30C+ temperatures, and still true!
Other than that, a daily 85km commute, can’t live too close to work, where’s the workout in that?
Last ride was from Clifton Springs to Geelong via 13th Beach to watch the start of the 3rd stage of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour. link to heraldsuntour.com.au Then back home to watch the finish in Drysdale. Great fun, great weather and quiet roads.
My last workout was an easy one, around 80km of easy spin with a group of around 25 people. It was on the Spanish Day, last wednesday :)
Most of my rides have been short, to the gym and back, so about 5 miles each way. Does not take me to long and gives me time with my wife out on the bike. Almost hit a baby turtle, but thats about it.
Mirko20112011
I’m in bed with illness, so now i just read about your workouts!
My workouts must wait other 2 weeks
Bye
camps bay to chapmans peak and peak. nothing more scenic…
My latest bikeride was to the store to buy formula to the baby. No squirrels but a lot of crows.
6km ride with the kids, one week into learning to ride. No squirrels, but one set of skinned knees! Ouch!
My last cycle workout was actually the first of the season for me since a Osteo-condral lesion of my ankle took me out a tri training entirely 11months ago.
It was just a short 20k ride with a friend although we went prob frustratingly slow for him it was just such a great feeling to be back on the bike, oh and no squirrels were harmed during this outing.
Got chased by a dog on the ride today. Heart rate went past the max + another few hundred I think.
I blew the dust off my mountain bike and went for a spin. Tried to cross a tiny bike bridge over a creek. I soon found myself in the creek. I could only laugh it off.
Last weekend, after an Oktoberfest 5k. About 25 miles, to /through /from a hilly city park. Just easy. No squirrels were mistreated.
My last workout was last night. I was going home after picking up my race pack, for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The wind was pretty strong. So when I was going up an incline, I looked like I was riding a stationary bike.
You sure get enough data to make a survey on current bike usage. My last ride is a bit ago due to preparing for a pure marathon (Frankfurt Oct 30). My trusty SportTracks tells me it was four weeks ago, 71 km with the first 30 km into annoying head wind. Oh, and I truly admire your dedication to all gimmicks for the athlet.
alexander.nitschke@onlinehome.de
My last ride was a week ago. I did a 20 mile ride that took a an hour and 4 minutes. No squirrels hit. It was my first ride post gallbladder surgery.
My last ride was in pouring rain with temps hovering around 50F. It made me remember why those nicely vented cycling shoes aren’t always the best thing! I couldn’t feel my toes by the time I was done.
DK
My last workout was a spinningsession, as I am an instructor at SATS in Norway. Great workout, nearly maxed my heartrate and pushed the class beyond their comfortzone.
Didin’t hit any squirrels, but there was a lady participating the the class who looked kinda like a squirrel. Don’t know if that counts though…
Hey Ray,
Awesome giveaway. Thanks for all that you do for us! My last ride was inside. I’ve been on the CT recovering from some back issues. I am anxiously awaiting the CT software update! No squirrels, thankfully, but you should see the size of the spiders in my basement. Only up to 20 miles, but looking forward to getting back into form!
Thanks,
Rob
Didn’t anything except few potholes on my mountain bike and swerved to avoid humans!
Today I did 50 miles + some race pace efforts at the end, all in heavy rain…
Here’s an excerpt from my last “race report” in Ironman Wisconsin: The 112 mile bike course begins with a 16 mile fairly flat route, segues into a two-loop 40 mile hilly course (80 miles total), then returns to Madison along the same 16 mile route with which it started. I attempted to keep a slower pace than normal from the outset, but I was so pumped up after the swim I probably went out a bit too fast. As I approached the first loop I was beginning to settle down into a doable pace when I saw athlete #566 ahead of me: my friend Kristin! She had a great swim, and we exchanged good lucks before I sped up again. The hills are fun and not overly challenging, with some long downhills, which I always enjoy. On some of the hill climbs race fans lined both sides of the road, allowing a 6 foot wide path in the middle, which you biked up as folks cheered, waved signs, blew horns, rang cowbells, even gave high-fives! I had only seen this in the Tour de France, and it was a trip to experience it live. I had so much fun on the climbs, and looked forward to each of them.
So it’s no surprise that around mile 48 as we descended down a long hill I gained speed, reaching 45 mph, feeling elated. Unfortunately I didn’t account for the sharp turn in the road at the bottom, until it was too late. I probably hit the turn doing about 30-35 mph, leaning into the turn as much as possible while fearing that the loose gravel might send my bike skidding. Moving to a more upright position my bike started to wobble a bit (which is not uncommon during high speeds if you are not in the right seated position), but I felt pretty confident I’d make the turn–until the bike inched closer and closer to the edge of the road. Before I knew it my bike went off the road and towards a drainage ditch filled with high grasses, and ahead of me was a tall wooden post sticking straight up from the ground, likely marking something (a hole? hydrant?). What happened next is a blur, but nearby were some spectators who later told me that my bike stopped, and I proceeded to execute a full 360 front flip/somersault over the front of my handlebars, roll onto the ground, and stand back on my feet. Dazed but feeling okay, I checked my body for bleeding and found nothing. My left thigh was a bit red (and it turned out to be bruised) but otherwise I was fine. My bike: not too bad! All the parts were intact, and the tires were not flat. I checked the wheels to see if they were okay, and I was disheartened to discover my front wheel was bent/warped, to the point that the wheel could not spin as the brake pads stopped it. I spoke to the witnesses who offered to call an ambulance (more foreshadowing!), but I said I was okay. For a few minutes I stood there, not knowing what to do, but thinking that I’d wait for a support vehicle to come by. But darnit, I wanted to finish this race! So I released my front brakes (essentially disabling them) so the front wheel could spin freely, and got back on the bike–and ended up riding the remaining 60+ miles with a wobbly front tire. (My seat also came completely loose, to the point where it rotated about 90 degrees in each direction but bike support at one of the aid stations was able to tighten it, and in return I gave him one of my Princeton Sports water bottles, a souvenir from Baltimore.)
My last cycling workout was 45′, with 4×2′ hill repeats.
-Elaine
Today’s training.. something to loosen up the legs before the race tomorrow..
I will do an olympic distance for the first time..
Keep posting Ray..!!
A rare spot of dry weather saw the bike come off the turbo trainer and head outdoors for the first time in a while this weekend (fair weather cyclist that I am).
The rear wheel almost overtaking you whilst trying to navigate a tight corner at the bottom of a hill on a surface of soggy leaves certainly reminds that you’re not on the trainer!
My last ride was the Tuesday night group ride. Love your blog!
No squirrels, though i did run into the dreaded bonk creature. the last ten miles of the ride were pure torture.
Rode 180km (112 miles, obviously!) yesterday as part of my training for my first Ironman at Ironman Western Australia in December. Due to the heat in Dubai still in October, this meant getting out of bed at 2am to start riding by 3am. Ouch!
My last cycling workout was on an indoor trainer for 60 minutes – a bigger mental challenge than physical. No squirrels, but I believe I saw a centipede.
My last bike ride was a 30k ride on my crappy old bike.. (un?)fortunately I didn’t hit any squirrels..
My last cycling workout was around Pewaukee Lake in WI – hilly and satisfying. I probably saw ~30 squirrels, but they were all alive and darting around.