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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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
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!
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/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 most recent ride was on a tandem bike with my 5-year-old daughter to the park. I don’t think I got my HR too high on this ride. No dead squirrels , but we saw raccoon roadkill.
Just 10k but at full speed through super-busy streets on fixie to deliver sth to client’s office before weekend begins. No animals just angry and/or tired drivers… That’s my answer to interval workout;)
Cheers Ray!
Konrad
Had to hold my breath on a country road going by a disemboweled porcupine that had been ripening for a few days!!!
My last cycling workout was in the FIRMman half-Iron tri on 9/11/11. Since then I’ve just been running to prep for a fall marathon (tomorrow!).
Did not injure any animal, but a small twig fell hit me while I was travelling at 30km/h, that gave me a small bruise on my arm..
Last training was on a spinning bike since I’ve started my 9th season as an instructor. Best part of it is that my wife is always there.
Hi, my last cycling workout wasn’t actually on a bike, after blowing my legs to smithereens climbing Cote de Stockeu and others in Belgium at the Amateur World Champs, and promtly getting sick thereafter, my first workout since was in Vancouver doing the Grouse Grind … 850m vertical in 2.9km … rocks/roots/logs stairmaster. Unfortunately it was too much too soon, and after getting up in about 32mins, I very promptly got sick again that afternoon. I saw no squirrels, but there were plenty of slow tourists on the slow deathmarch (so said their pained expressions as I passed).
Hope I win … I’m Ant-sy in fact :-)
144km solo ride with over 1000 meters of climbing in the chilly fall Montreal weather! Up and down the horrid roads of suburban Montreal for one of the last road rides of the season, then onto the CT.
Training ride for a sprint Tri this morning in gorgeous 60* sunny Southwest weather. No squirrels, but does a dead coyote count?
Thanks for the great blog!
Easy 45 mi start of the off season ride. The route has a little bit of everything.
Couldn’t get my bike ready for the computrainer class, so did a one hour zone 1 workout on a spin bike. Now I have all of the incentive I need to not do another spin ride again.
Last cycling workout was this morning, 39.4 miles around scenic Jordan Lake here in the Raleigh, NC area. Great ride, great weather, and I’m glad my (much faster) riding partners didn’t try to kill me for a change!
Last ride was on the trainer for one hour on Thursday. Did a test on Trainerroad.com that kicked my buttocks. Enjoyed every minute of it.
Hi
I went for a little 60 km with my friend to try his new carbon bike.
I hope I’m lucky, because I’m currently looking for a garmin device…
I went for a lazy 60km with my friend to try out his new carbon bike.
I hope a I’m lucky, because I’m currently looking for a garmin device…
Keep the good work
My last ride was this morning into work. It was aweful due to a 15-25 mph headwind. So, my usual 20 miles into work felt like 40. But what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger…right?
Nice fall ride in Southern Ontario. Beautiful colours, nice temps, relaxed ride. Oh, yeah, I did run over an already dead and flattened squirrel on Highway 48. I blame the guy I was drafting……he didn’t point it out. But it was already dead…….really……..I swear!!
Today, 96 miles through the Texas country, one near squirrel collision.
Thursday I did a 100km ride after I did a 1h run the day before, result: injured Achilles’heel. Now I’m feeling better, just in time for tomorrow’s last race of the year!
Just got me a bike this week. Eager to incorparate it into my rountine!
Easy 42 km recovery ride after Warsaw Marathon.
Last ride was to work 6km. My last squirrel I saw was in Houffalize with the MTB.
I don’t think that my original post made it from my Android phone. SO if this is #2, pls excuse and toss one.
My last ride was last weekend afte I ran Oktoberfest 5k. Pretty easy, regular course to/in/from a big city park. A little hilly, lots of squirrels, but none harmed. About 25 mi.
Thanks for the terrific reviews and other goodies, including this giveaway!
Last cycling workout was a nice Sunday 45km MTB ride in the Eindhoven Area, the Netherlands. Probably one the last ride of the year in a short. No squirrels hit, but a doe scared by a boxer did cross the trail.
Thank you for the reviews that come overseas!!!
Just a little ride around the block on the single speed.
My last run consisted of ONLY head wind as well as bumpy roads due to roadworks. Hope it will be better next time, but it is autumn.
Haven’t been out on the bike in awhile but I know if I won this it would be some motivation to get back out there!
Winters 200K with the San Francisco Randonneurs. An absolutely perfect day.
My last cycling workout was a 20 mile time trial. I’m working on getting stronger on the bike and time trials are a great way to test myself!
My last training workout was a quick fast spin on the wheels to bring the kids to my parents, one on the backseat, one on the bike trailer. It took me 20 mins to get there and 12 to get met back, afterwards, the wife and me enjoyed a good dinerparty with friend.
Gerard
Well… my last bike workout… I have no clue how far (hence my need for the Garmin :) ), but I rode about an hour cross-training. I didn’t hit any squirrels, but I swerved around 2 or 3 garter snakes. Missed them all fortunately.
Just today i did a 65k ride in Slovenia
link to connect.garmin.com
Some hills, lots of sun and wind;)
Short ride in nice weather
This morning I attempted to do a long ride with a few teammates from the Georgetown Tri team on the W&OD trail. My hamstring is still insanely tight from my crash last weekend at Waterman’s Sprint Tri. (I hit a pothole going 24, and cracked my aerohelmet.) So I turned around and ended up doing 21 miles in 1:25. Ugh.
I almost hit a squirrel on my way back…
My last road workout was during a race. No squirrels were harmed during that ride, however my legs were thanks to my partially engaged brake that I could hear, but magically could not locate. Note to self, get off the bike to check instead of trying to look while riding. Your legs will thank you later.
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Last cycling workout was a 20 mile ride. Just out to have fun before winter hits and its time to get out the trainer. Thanks for the great giveaway!
Today, I did 22 miles, but my watch said I only did 16! Need to sort that out! No squirrels, but did various other road kill cycling around Malmesbury in the U.K.
Work commute, and no animals lost their lives.
My last training ride was today! Fall in Miami means blustery weather, so it was tough riding out……but fun riding back with a tailwind!
No squirrels, just colourful autumn outlook … an easy 35 km bike path
My cycling workout today was a huge group ride where we ride 45miles all out with sprints. Average speed is around 27mph. Just plain nuts.
Biked in San Francisco while on vacation — headed out past the Golden Gate bridge, through Sausalito, made a left on Highway 1 / Shoreline Highway and went up and down the seacliffs, then made a right on Panoramic road and made it halfway up Mt. Tam. Headed down back into Sausalito and back to the Golden Gate Bridge. There were likely at least 2,000 squirrels that I passed during this workout.
Greetings from the Netherlands. Today I cycles 1,5 hour in flatland. But it was nice weather and as always I enjoyed. Started cycling on the age of 13 and still going (strong?) at my 50.
Suc6 with your reviews
Hi Ray!
My last cycling workout was a nice long ride in the TOUR DE ST GEORGE. Run little ride. Didn’t hit any squirrels this time. Did get a bit close to a few snakes…
First workout on TrainerRoad. Wow, I thought I was in better shape!
Hi there- thought I’d put finger pad to iPhone and drop you a line about my last ride: from Eastend of London, past the new Olympic park, up the river Lea, all the way upto the idyllic pastures of Waltham Cross, and my employers new factory. So flat you would not believe, occasional wild fowl and wilder fishermen. The tedium of the flat was only enlivened by the fine gravel path, and me imagining that I was on the bianca strada of last years giro, but without the rain or Cadel Evans breathing down my neck.
No swans were injured in the making of this post.
My last training ride was in the basement on the trainer due to lack of time to ride outside…hopefully I don’t have squirrels in my basement.
Did an hour and a half ride on the trainer in my garage while watching episode 1 & 2 of the new Dexter season yesterday.
Windy day so we decided to do hill repeats.
Last ride was today with a 88km ride in the “Dutch Mountains” of Utrecht region together with 2 friends and my Girl. 140 hbps so a very easy ride.
All the details can be found here: link to runningfreeonline.com
Cyclocross race just outside Chicago. 45 mins of lung-burning fun!
Almost hit a turkey last weekend on my ride. Seem to be lots of them this year. Hoping to get out for 2 hours tomorrow.
Ps. Thanks for the write up of TrainerRoad. Tested it out today. Very Cool.
Olympic triathlon race. Hot. Hilly and tiring. Did find out later that someone fell into to river nearby. Should have slowed down on those turns!
Hopewell furnace ride today! Great weather and perfect ride! leaves and nuts everywhere!!!! Best ride of the year! See ya in Philly on the the 20th!
Cruising back across town from work my last ride resulted in the dreaded ‘double flat’ which due to an apparent lack of bike shops and spare tubes in the greater Richmond area resulted in an excellent cross-training run home.
New Tri enthusiast here. Just finished my second 5k and training with my 9 year old daughter for her first 5k this December; then will start training for my first Sprint Tri next year.
27 miles at the crack of dawn. Two squirrel near-misses, numerous walker interference and the perfect riding temperature!
30 mile evening cycle turns into 20 mile cycle and 10 mile walk thanks to two punctures but only one spare tube. Not even one squirrel for company!
Rode 25 miles on the Great Allegany Passage. Great trail, great ride! No squirrels! tpmoreno@hotmail.com
No squirrels to hit as my last ride was on a trainer.
Just a nice easy late afternoon ride out of the Boston suburbs. Not sure which is worse, lots of cars or lots of squirrels.
My last ride was on the trainer, this past Tuesday. I know not super exciting but I put my girlfriends trainer a couple of inches ahead of mine so that I had to try to catch her the whole time. Didn’t happen but it makes you want it!!
An easy Saturday day ride of twenty-eight miles in 2 hours through city park trails including a break in a state park with a steep hill for fun. Squirrels were abundant as were dogs. Neither were harmed.
I rode an easy Saturday course of 28 miles in 2 hours on a local rails-to-trail and through a state park. I even added a subdivision hill to get the HR elevated. Many squirrels and dogs were observed; neither were harmed.
My last ride was animal casualty free and had me going through my 15 mile tri course at an average of 20 mph in 46 minutes. Not super fast but I’m getting there and your reviews are helping me to find the perfect tech toys to make me better.
10 miles trying to break in my new CompuTrainer. I didn’t have to worry about any animals just my two boys trying to “help” daddy.
My last cycling ride was in the summer of 1996. I hit an unpainted speed bump and face-planted on the road. When I came to, I was sitting in the office of a park ranger with a bandage on my bloody mouth. Mild concussion, and a trip to the emergency room for stitches. Ouch!
That was the final straw. There had been too many close calls and near-misses by careless/inattentive/hostile drivers.
Now when I watch the professional bike tours and see all the carnage, I know how much they love cycling, and fully realize the occupational hazard that goes with the sport. Good luck to all of you bike riders out there!
If I win this giveaway, I’ll pass it on to a nutty friend who is still riding.
Did my first workout on my new used Computrainer. Wow, what an experience. Had my course projected on the wall in front of me equivalent to a 60″ screen. Worked so hard tat my chain came off the front derailleur!
Tom
Don’t remind me – I broke my foot during my last mtb workout!
Last ride was recovery from last marathon. Nothing special. Sunny and no wind. Just a fun ride!
Have all a good day!
This is great because I have a torn patellar tendon (done so gracefully while training for my HIM this summer), so my cycling workouts have been limited to accompanying my husband on his training runs and riding casually around the city just to keep my legs moving! No fast rides ’til after my surgery. Boo. So, no squirrels yet, but frogs definitely. Those things are attracted to my bike, I tell ya. OH and Portland pedestrians. Worse than squirrels, I swear! But they do more damage to the bike. So I don’t recommend hitting them. :-) Keep up the great work!
My last cycling workout was a long ride through (and beyond) the suburbs of The Hague. Flat all the way. Didn’t see any squirrels, but did see a few frogs – does that count?
I only hit something sharp that cut my rear tire, so I had to run home with the bike (didn’t have CO2 with me)…
Unseasonably summer weather in UK took me out to the Chilterns – 5 x hill repeats of Pishill (circa 10k)- all in preparation of Las Vegas ITU Champs.
Last workout on the bike all the way from the moving truck to the garage. Over twenty feet.
hi!
my last cycling workout ended with a broken spoke because somehow the derailleur became loose. not a good ending of the day.
more luck to you and all the readers.
cu
Herbert
20min FTP test on a trainer, total 1h. Testing the TrainerRoad software for the first time.
oh, didn’t have a cycling workout for a long time. since I finished my sprint triathlon training.
but I’m ready to go cycling again.
My last workout were on my mtb, it was in Rold forrest in Denmark. The weather was perfect 10 degreas celsius, sunny and no wind. The ride were about 28 kilometers. We did not hit any squirrels…
No squirrel collisions, but I have been dodging a fair number of previously squashed carcasses lately.
Today’s ride was 60km parallel to the main runway at Thailand’s Suwanabhumi airport, with airport personnel chasing away birds with large firecrackers every now and then. Rode for exactly 2 hours and hit my first 3x km/h average speed goal since starting on triathlons almost a year ago to the week.
With the daily rains adding to Thailand’s flooding woes there were plenty of creepy crawlies out on the road, and just trying to keep the tires clean from insect guts was a mean feat by itself!
End-season-fatigue meant that I got dropped at the end of “warm-up” period when the “hammerheads” decided to pick it up. The 20mph headwind didn’t help either.
So I enjoyed the next 15 or so miles busting my own way through the omnidirectional breeze. Honestly, it was a nice solitary time. But I felt really good about getting it all done during lunch hour.
PJPALAZZO
No squirrels as my last workout was a spin class at the local gym. Not bad have given the legs a rest for a week.
Last ride was Ironman Louisville. Knee started screaming around mile 75, the run was good though. :)
windy saturday, 50 km ride along the chateauguay river. No squirrels but lots of geese overhead. Pure joy
My last ride was from the Nundah Cri, Brisbane to Clontarf – across the Houghton Highway and back to the Nundah Cri. A pretty flat and gentle 60km ride.
My last ride was also my first. My plan was to use cycling as cross-training for my running, but I think I actually enjoy cycling more. I didn’t hit a squirrel, but I almost hit a nutria (gigantic rodent in South Louisiana).
Nice work with your reviews DC Rainmaker!
I’m really eager to read your upcoming review on the Tacks trainer, but would love to hear comments about roller trainers as well. So I hope you get some good rollers for a tryout some day and I hope to be the lucky one to get myself that Garmin-Brim Brothers combo ;)
This morning I did a relaxed ride – only 1.5 hours – with 5 very hard intervals. And it was a perfect sunny day here in Holland. Temp about 14 degrees Celcius, I don’t know the temp in Fahrenheit :)
1st Olympic Triathlon of the season. Tried leaving my shoes on the bike for the 1st time, mounting was an issue but at least the dismount went well. Still beat my PB for the bike, very pleased.
Just got back from my sunday cycling trip. 85Km mountainbike ride in sunny (but a bit cold) Holland. No squirrel hitting this time :), just al lot of pine cones crushing.
Training for my first Ironman next summer, did a easy 50k ride yesterday, not so weather lucky up here in Canada, have to get use to ride between the rain!
A very hard one as a first training on the bike…. ever…
last cycling workout was in Holland at Hoge Veluwe Park, 10 miles and great weather :-)
I only recently “discovered” your blog and I have spent several hours the last days browsing through it. It is now also listed in my RSS feeder and I can only say “thank you”!
Now resting from my Saturday ride (90 km @ avg. of 32 km/h) and my Synday recovery (75 minutes of spinning), I just came across your “offer”!
Thanks again!
I rode with the Lt. Gov. of Georgia yesterday at a century ride raising money for FCA. We rode the metric century with a few extra miles of lost and detour in their. overall, 74 miles, 3:43 ride time. Great day for riding in the North GA foothills.
My last bike workout was to pump up my bike tires, and then come back only to find them flat again in the morning. I think the bike is telling me to stay a runner!
Levi’s Gran Fondo (61 mi. GPS; 65 official race). Beautiful ride in Northern California through wineries and along the coast. Didn’t hit any squirrels, but did see plenty of farm animals and turkeys.
My last cycling workout on my Cervelo P3 was 8 weeks ago to the day. I did not hit a squirrel, but believe it or not, I did hit a cat and went over the bars at 22mph (according to my 310XT). Ended up with 6 fractured bones (wrist, clavicle, acronium, and 3 vertebrae). Looking forward to spinning on my CompuTrainer later today for the first time…
Thx,
San Clemente Fischer