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The Week in Review is a collection of both all the goodness I’ve written during the past week around the internet, as well as a small pile of links I found interesting – generally endurance sports related. I’ve often wondered what to do with all of the coolness that people write, and while I share a lot of it on Twitter and Facebook, this is a better forum for sending it on to y’all. Most times these different streams don’t overlap, so be on the lookout at all these places for good stuff!
So with that, let’s get into the action!
DCRainmaker.com posts in the past week:
Here’s all the goodness that ended up on the main page of DCRainmaker.com this past week.
Saturday: Garmin releases Connect IQ for Edge 520 & Edge 1000
Monday: 5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
Tuesday: Spring 2016 Power Meter Pricing Wars Update
Wednesday: Garmin VIRB X & XE Action Cam In-Depth Review
Friday: How I configure my watches (and bike computers)
Big Sale on Wahoo KICKR/KICKR SNAP:
Just a quick heads up that REI currently has the Wahoo KICKR and KICKR SNAP on sale for 20% off using member code MEMREWARD16. Now as regular REI folk know, this is technically not just a Wahoo sale, but rather a ‘anything full price at REI’ sale. Except that REI excludes GPS watches, activity trackers, and the like. So basically, the key thing of interest to folks here is the Wahoo KICKR & SNAP trainers.
For the KICKR, here’s my in-depth review. And the REI link here (now $960).
And for the KICKR SNAP, my first look post, and the REI link here (now $560).
If you have it shipped to your local REI store, it’s free shipping. Note the last time this happened in November, stock didn’t last long (and the coupon doesn’t work for backorders). Stock levels seemed to magically take until after the sale to replenish.
And most importantly – if you use any of the REI links above, it helps support the site. Just like the Easter bunny – magic!
Stuff that I found interesting around the interwebs:
Here’s a not-so-small smattering of all the random things that I stumbled on while doing my civic duty to find the end of the Internet:
1) Ostrich chases cyclists: I know some 4.5 million of you have already seen this. And even if you’ve seen this already, you really need to watch it again. Likely the best cycling video we’ll see this year. (via Bike Hugger) Oh, and it’s even better as I’ve actually ridden this road, sans-Ostrich.
2) University study on wearables: If you take their online survey/study, they’ll also donate money to a designated local sports non-profit as a token of thanks. Plus, you’ll help out a fellow DCR reader that is putting together the study.
3) Man completes Ironman New Zealand with broken-off seat post: Seriously folks, just seriously. Gotta read this story. (via Robin C.) Also a few more tidbits here.
4) Most epic snow-walking art: In the event you don’t know what snow-walking is, or Game of Thrones, this is awesome. Game of Thrones knowledge not needed, I’ve never seen it either.
5) The Guardian on getting kitted up for cycling: Nifty – they linked to me for sports tech! Thanks!
6) Weird and wonderful tech from the Taipei Bike Show: I think the title pretty much sums this up.
7) Tire wind tunnel testing reports: Tom dives back in with more great data on aerodynamics of different tire (and wheel) combinations. Pretty crazy stuff, but super cool.
8) Jawbone widens lawsuit against Fitbit: A lot of stuff about this is super weird, mostly the quantity of documents – almost as if someone supposedly just copied every document on a file server over. Which is both crazy if someone did it (because it’s so obvious). Yet at the same time, we haven’t exactly seen either Jawbone or Fitbit really doing anything that pushes the boundaries. Both are kinda more of same-same in the basic activity tracker realm.
9) Ralph Lauren makes a connected tech shirt: I think we’ll continue to see these sorts of attempts. This actually looks a bit more advanced than most attempts we’ve seen thus far, which are basically just HR sensors or accelerometers snapped to the side of a shirt with some conductive e-textile material. Eventually someone is bound to get it right. I think it’d really take a blending of a mainstream tech company (Garmin, Polar, Fitbit, etc…), with a well known sports-tech apparel firm (Nike, Under Armour, etc…). Something cross-marketed to both company’s respective audiences, as the apparel firms have tried alone and nothing has really stuck.
10) Biathlon at Ikea: So much awesome here. (via Halvard on Slowtwitch)
Sports Technology Software/Firmware Updates This Week:
Each week I quickly highlight some of the new firmware, app, software and website service updates that I see go out. If you’re a sports technology company and release an update – shoot me a quick note (just one liners is perfect, or Tweet it at me is even better) and I’ll make mention of it here. If I don’t know about it, I won’t be able to post about it. Sound good?
Garmin Fenix3/Tactix Bravo/Quatix 3 Beta Firmware Update: Few new features, various improvements.
Garmin VIRB Edit suite: Mostly minor updates this time around.
Garmin Vivosmart HR Firmware update: Minor bug fix.
Garmin Vivosmart HR Beta firmware update: Lots of bug fixes (separate from production release above)
PowerTap aligns calibration values: If you’ve got any recent PowerTap product, this will help make all zero offset values normalized.
Stryd firmware update: This is pretty cool, it adds the ability to cache/save your run data to the device itself, and then sync afterwards.
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Thanks for reading all!
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One more for your week in review.
APPS FOR SALE (it’s only one image), or better: STRAVA FOR SALE?
Thx and congratulations for your web
link to blog.zitasport.com
I used to race against Simon Beck the snow (and sand) artist. Putting his map and compass skills to a new use. Always was a character famous for racing in a boiler suite.
It’s amazing how a responsive website makes completing a survey (the wearables one) actually enjoyable. Too often I simply stop halfway because I get annoyed. This one gave the feeling that my time is actually valued by making it as smooth as possible. Good job, and best of luck to the researchers.
That IKEA video was truly hilarious.
Agree, and even more so, if you understand what they say (not all is subtitled)
What are people’s thoughts on getting the snap over the kickr? Should I save the extra $400??
Thanks for the heads up about the REI sale, Ray. Chalk up one Wahoo Kickr Snap for DCR!
That seat post story says Stephanie Bruggen is Belgian. He may well be but he lives and coaches triathlon in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. Woohoo. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie. Oi, Oi, Oi :-)
Living in Oz, does not make one Oz!! ;)
Oh, not saying that. It is just nice to know someone close to home mentioned on the blog :)
Minor language nitpick, should be “broken-off seat post”…
I used to think I was a good rider, but the idea of going on for that long standing on a bike, boggles the mind.
Wait – how have you never seen Game of Thrones?
Yeah, I can forgive you not seeing Game of Thrones if you are at least watching Vikings. I mean, you live in Paris, and a decent amount of Vikings is set in Paris. History channel FTW!
I don’t think we get history channel on TV here. :(
There was an update for the Wahoo Elemnt on the 18th : link to support.wahoofitness.com
Good catch. Was there an RSS feed by chance for this?
I don’t thing there is, at least not naturally (you could use Page 2 RSS).
At one point we saw a “next release” section, but it was removed a few days prior the official release. Next week we should have Di2 et eTap integration.
There’s a lot of action on the Google Group where Murray, Tyler and the Wahoo Guys are awesomely active. link to groups.google.com
Yup, just chatted with the Wahoo guys – they’re going to see about adding a feed option.
But in the meantime, I’ll just use a change watcher page to keep tabson it.
Do the Fenix 3 beta firmware releases work on the HR version?
Hi Ray,
Quick question about the Powertap updates – I have a CycleOps G3 hub laced to a generic CycleOps wheel. I’ve gone to d the update by Poweragent says it’s up to date and yet the firmware is 16.000. The hub transmits in Ant+ so I’m wondering if you know if this update should work for my hub?
Thanks for your help,
Cheers
Rob
Yup, you’d be able to update that one.
Ok thanks – will try again. I wonder if it’s because I’m using the Mac version of Poweragent.
Have you seen this?
link to indiegogo.com
Interesting. Though, the December 2016 delivery date would concern me a bit.
Hey,
I just found this comment. I am part of the Product team. The date was partly set so we can get 50 pieces out first and after a month of feedback , make changes and then manufacture the final lot. So, it literally goes through 2 manufacturing cycles. s a backer myself, I have found that the second lot of products always tends to be better and the deliveries are always late. So we also added a small buffer :).
Thanks Neil for sharing this here! As a cyclist, having Ray look at this means a lot to us!
Gandharv
P.S: Ray, we tried to get in touch with you to send you an early prototype for a review. We would still love to, though the campaign has started.
I’m glad you liked my ostrich video! Here’s with Strava overlay: link to suffervision.com
Does REI sell the 10spd variant of the KICKR, or am I stuck buying the 11 and finding another cassette?
Just 10-speed. I asked Wahoo about it a few months ago and they said basically they had temporarily stopped making 11-speed versions, but were planning on starting up production again. But hadn’t done so yet.
Ray,
Looking at the REI website…they list it as 11 spd. Is this not correct?
link to rei.com
Sorry, got my wires crossed, meant the other way around.
Any idea what is happening with Polar these days? Their Strava sync is glitchy at best, and their forum seems to be running without any participation from the company at all? Their goods are really nice, but no support or attention to problems really puts one off buying any..
Try to reach them by the support email or twitter, i always got response form those sources – mostly within 24 hours. I also have asked about the unreliable Strava synck and been told they will release a fix soon – if they havn’t already by the time i write.
Dunno how I missed this a few weeks back! Garmin purchased DeLorme… I can see a big value in both the map data (DeLorme is definitely one of the highest-quality map sources for North America, not sure about other areas), with a bonus of getting the satellite messaging business.
Ray, are you hearing anything about Garmin’s plans for this acquisition, or information that confirms or denies my theory above?
Thanks!
Hmm. A little digging indicates that Garmin is focused on the InReach business… I hope they choose to spin off the Gazetteer printing to another company. The quality of DeLorme’s map data really is unrivalled!
Yeah, I think the acquisition makes some sense in terms of getting into the satellite (upwards) connectivity business. Tons of applications there for the marine, automotive, and perhaps even fitness (hiking focused). Plus aviation too.
Hello Ray,
here is the “comment” check we discussed by e-mail.
Thank you again for the blog, it’s a pleasure to read you and congratz for the coming mini-Ray (or mini-Girl?)
Max