Heads up – Massive Black Friday Deals List is Live!!! The Garmin Fenix 8 is $250 off (even the Fenix 8 Pro is $100 off!), the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on sale, the Garmin inReach Mini 2 is $249, the GoPro Hero 13 Black, DJI NEO, and a ton of other brands/deals, including Wahoo, Oura, Whoop, Polar, Samsung, Google, and more than 100 sports tech deals here!
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:
Here’s a handful of the topics discussed in this past week’s podcast:
– Ben’s selling the Airstream
– My Dad and LinkedIn
– Will we see new metrics like blood saturation level on Garmin devices?
– Quantifying left/right leg balance on trainers
– Swappage of cassettes on trainers or not?
– Where the heck is my Garmin Edge 820 review?
– And the Edge 820 touch screen
– A new and cheap Bluetooth Smart footpod
– Where the heck is Recon?
– What about a new Polar V800?
Listen to the full podcast here on the Podcast player, or just download the audio file from the same spot.
February Sports Tech Sale Continue:
In case ya missed it a week or so ago (details here), here’s the list of active sports tech deals going on over the next week or so.
Product
Sale Price
Amazon
Other site
Sale Notes
Adobe Creative Cloud Pro (12 Months) - $389 off (50% off!)
As a side note, you can cancel and take advantage of this. Which, is precisely what I did when I realized my existing plan was gonna be stupid expensive. In any case, I use the Adobe Creative Cloud Pro suite for a lot of what I do.
We did see lower just back in July, at $199. So I'd probably hold out a bit more here. Assuming that happens, you can't beat this watch at this price point (heck,not even at $226 either).
Perhaps this deal will get better, but right now at $20 off...nah. Given the price of the Garmin Epix Pro has flirted into the $429 range a bit over the past few days (and is a vastly better watch), this needs to drop down closer to $299 to be worth picking up during Black Friday pricing.
⚡ This is an awesome deal. I use my iPad primarily for TrainerRoad as well as Zwift when not with a larger display. I also occasionally use it for other apps, namely Indievelo, Kinomap, Rouvy, and Peloton. But I pretty much test every smart trainer app on it. For all these cycling apps, the graphics capabilities is really pretty irrelevant, so having the absolute top-end/latest model won't make any difference. I prefer the budget options.
Apple 2025 14" MacBook Air Laptop with M4 - $250 off
See my other note about the MacBook Pro. While I'd love the MacBook Air instead, the singular reason I use the MacBook Pro is the added USB-C port (2 vs 3 on MacBook Pro). Otherwise, this spec-wise woudl do the trick.
Apple 2025 14" MacBook Pro Laptop with M5 - $250 off
This is the updated/newer model of the MacBook M1 Pro that I use for all my video editing. In my case, I still use a 2021 14" MBP, with relatively modest specs (32GB RAM). And I've been super happy with it, even while editing complex drone/action cam videos with 4 concurrently 4K streams in a multicam configuration, it has zero issues rendering or anything else.
These are the just-released AirPod Pro 3, with optical heart rate sensors in them. These are my daily-driver headphones these days, and even more notably, the heart rate accuracy is incredibly good in these.
This is the first major sale for the Apple Watch SE 3, which came out just 2 months ago. It's essentially Apple's 'budget' offering, yet it still has all the same software features as a higher-end Apple Watch Series 11, as long as the hardware permits.
This is the first time we've seen the Apple Watch Ultra 3 on sale, and given it's $100 off, that tends to be the typical sale price for the holidays/Black Friday for the current/just-released version.
This is the singular piece of apparel that's lasted the longest in my collection - some 15-16 years of buying the same socks. Heck, some of them are probably half that old. EIther way, this be the ones I use. Love them (well, except for hiking and trail running, then I use other stuff that goes higher). I'm wearring them as I wrote this post too.
This is a great price for this watch. Note though that technically speaking, this is a price reduction (took effect Nov 14th following the launch of the Pace 4). Most companies would first call it a sale, then make that sale price the new price as a price reduction. But COROS often beats to a different drum. Kudos on being upfront about the reduction though!
This is a great price for this watch. Note though that technically speaking, this is a price reduction (took effect Nov 14th following the launch of the Pace 4). Most companies would first call it a sale, then make that sale price the new price as a price reduction. But COROS often beats to a different drum. Kudos on being upfront about the reduction though!
This is last year's model. And sure, the Action 6 came out 48 hours ago, but honestly, the initial rection hasn't been kind there. I just started testing it, so more to come very shortly.
Look, don't buy this drone. This is the drone that never should have left the napkin at the lunch table at DJI's HQ. The unit breaks easily (as I, and many others found out), and doesn't really do anything super well. Literally, buy any other DJI drone except htis one...you're welcome.
⚡ This is a great little drone as your first drone, especially for sports usage, where it'll do an astonishing job following you (running, cycling, etc...). And, you can crash it a gazillion times without any problem.
NOTE: This is not sold by DJI directly via Amazon. DJI itself is NOT selling the OSMO 360 in the US, and WILL NOT support/repair it in the US. That said, it's a solid deal if you're ok with those risks.
This is Elite's previous-gen trainer, but it's still a reliable workhorse. This bundle is paired with the Zwift Cog/Click, though, you can also buy it without a cassette for the same price.
These is the new model just released this past summer with stronger anti-scratch resistance (I even dragged it down a textured concrete pool desk, lens-down, to show this).
⚡The Favero Assioma Pro MX dual-sided power meter pedals deal is a no brainer. I use them in my testing constantly along with the PRO RS pedals. Note for US folks: Favero does include all taxes and tarrifs in the price.
⚡The Favero Assioma Pro RS dual-sided power meter pedals having their first sale yet. This deal is a no brainer. I use them in my testing, and will likely pick up another set in this sale. Note for US folks: Favero does include all taxes and tarrifs in the price.
FeedBack Sports Pro Mechanic Bike Repair Stand - $50 Off
We use this stand for both any of the work we do on any of our bikes (well, except the cargo bike). Super quick and easy to take out when we need it. Note: Feedback Sports is a DC Rainmaker Partner
FeedBack Sports Pro Mechanic HD Bike Repair Stand - $55 Off
I've got this setup, andit's basically got almost everything I need for regular/daily bike maintenance across virtually all of my bikes. Plus, in theory I can keep things tidy in that carrying case....I mean, if I were to actually put all the tools back in it. Note: Feedback Sports is a DC Rainmaker Partner
⚡ This is (by far) the lowest price we've seen on this watch to date. This is their first full smartwatch focused on kids activity tracking and gamification.
⚡ This is the go-to sale price for the Fitbit Charge 6. It happens often, but it still doesn't take away from the fast that it's argueably the best bang for your buck fitness tracker out there.
If you're looking for a simple and inexpensive activity tracker, you won't go wrong with a Fitbit (or this Inspire 3). It's got literally all the same software features in the Fitbit app as a higher-end Google Pixel Watch or other Fitbit device, except...just tiny.
⚡ This is Garmin's newest kids-focused and LTE connected smart watch. Our three daughters have been using it for about two months now, after using the original Bounce 1 for years. This is a *massive* upgrade over the Bounce 1, both in features/hardware, but frankly also battery life. My review should be up next week, but if you've got any questions drop them in the comments below.
This is the activity tracker that both of our oldest daughters have used for years (age 8 & 9), as well as most of their friends now. They/we all like it. Check out my full in-depth review for all my thoughts. That said, the new Bounce 2 came out two months ago, and while my review isn't out yet, it's a far better product. But, quite a bit more too. The TLDR on that review will be that it's the best kids smartwatch/tracker to date (for both parents and kids), but obviously will cost you $100 more.
This is Garmin's premier line of diving watches, which is based on the Fenix 7 seies, rather than the Fenix 8 series. Still, it's by far one of the most capable dive+everything else watches on the market.
Garmin Descent MK3i (Dive watch with air integration) - $250 off!
This is Garmin's premier line of diving watches, which is based on the Fenix 7 seies, rather than the Fenix 8 series. Still, it's by far one of the most capable dive+everything else watches on the market. The 'i' version (MK3i) means that you can connect it to an air tank monitor transmitter pod.
⚡This is a very solid deal, and is still one of the best bike computers Garmin has ever made, especially when you look at the battery side of things (it lasts far longer than the Edge 1050).
⚡At $249, it's pretty much impossible to beat this deal in terms of bike computers. There's no competitive option that beats it on features/battery/etc at this price, or frankly anywhere near it. Sure, it doesn't have a touchscreen, but it's not as bad as it used to be (I did a stint on it this winter for a week or so, and was fine).
⚡⚡This is the lowest price we've seen on the Garmin Edge 540 Solar to date, which has gained virtually all of the new Garmin Edge 1050 features as well. And notably, lower than the Edge 540 without solar (which is kinda silly, but hey, win for us!).
This is the lowest price we've seen on this to date. The Enduro 3 is simply the Fenix 8 with a MIP/Solar display (but without the scuba or voice calling features). It gets all the Fenix 8 features and updates otherwise.
⚡⚡⚡ This is a fantastic deal. By far the lowest price we've seen this! The Epix Pro has a flashlight which the regular Epix lacks, plus the newer Garmin Elevate Gen5 optical HR sensor with ECG support.
⚡⚡⚡ This is a fantastic deal. By far the lowest price we've seen this! The Epix Pro has a flashlight which the regular Epix lacks, plus the newer Garmin Elevate Gen5 optical HR sensor with ECG support. Note: Availability on this deal fluctuates, just keep checking back, I'm sure it'll pop back again (it always does).
⚡⚡ If you wanted the battery life of a Fenix MIP series without the cost of a Fenix 8, this is basically your best deal. Plus, unlike the base Fenix 7 series, the Pro series includes the flashlight and Gen5 HR sensor with ECG.
⚡ If you wanted the battery life of a Fenix MIP series without the cost of a Fenix 8, this is basically your best deal. Plus, unlike the base Fenix 7 series, the Pro series includes the flashlight and Gen5 HR sensor with ECG.
⚡⚡ This is very unexpected, and is an Amazon-specific deal, not a Garmin-supported one. Thus, I expect it won't last more than minutes/hours. Grab it while you can! [Update: This keeps fluttering back and forth, just keep checking!]
⚡ The Fenix 8 keeps getting all the new software features of the Fenix 8 Pro that was launched two months ago. Setting aside that Fenix 8 Pro which gained LTE & Satellite Messaging, this is otherwise the most capable sports watch on the market.
⚡ The Fenix 8 keeps getting all the new software features of the Fenix 8 Pro that was launched two months ago. Setting aside that Fenix 8 Pro which gained LTE & Satellite Messaging, this is otherwise the most capable sports watch on the market.
As a general rule, the Fenix E is the watch that literally nobody is buying, and makes no sense at higher prices. The hardware is simply the Epix Gen 2 with Fenix stamped on it. That watch is going for $400, though I expect we'll see it down to $300 over Black Friday. However, one *KEY* difference with the Fenix E, is that it includes all of the software features of the newer Fenix 8, whereas the Epix Gen 2 doesn't get all the new software features. Otherwise, save your $200.
⚡ This is (by far) the lowest price on the Forerunner 265, which was recently replaced by the Forerunner 570 (but at nearly twice this price). What's fascinating about this sale price, is it's well beyond the usual sale prices for Garmin for this product. This pricing is 100% an Kansas-themed 'Hello!' to COROS and their just released COROS Pace 4 at $249.
The Foreurnner 55 is a great option if you simply don't want to spend a ton, but still want a super-capable runners watch (and general activity/sleep tracking watch). I've heard a lot of you get it for teenagers that run, as a great/inexpensive way to track their runs, and still be a good everyday watch.
⚡ This is the lowest price to date on the Forerunner 965, which is logical given the Forerunner 970 came out this past spring (which essentialy adds a flashlight and some other running metrics/features).
⚡ This is a very unexpected sale, just launched, on this very new watch, which is Garmin's top of the line Forerunner watch with virtually all the same software features as the Fenix 8 (but in a plastic case and without the diving features).
The Garmin Inded BPM is Garmin's medically certified blood pressure monitor. It integrates directly into your Garmin Connect account. I use it on occasion as a comparison for wearables, and it works just fine (obviously it's already medically certified by the FDA, so I say 'works' here in the sense of usability/functionality/etc...).
The Instinct 3 series came out earlier this year, with both an AMOLED and Solar variants. The big upgrade over the previous editions is the inclusion of the flashlight in all sizes, and a massive ugprade of sports features.
The Instinct 3 series came out earlier this year, and the Solar edition in particular has 'unlimited' battery life in certain scenarios. The big upgrade over the previous editions is the inclusion of the flashlight in all sizes, and a massive ugprade of sports features.
This is Garmin's radar without the light, so it's a bit smaller as a result. Same radar tech though, and compatible with Garmin/COROS/Hammerhead/Wahoo bike computers.
This is Garmin's standalone radar+taillight option, and $149 is pretty much the standard sale-price. Even despite all the new radars out there, this remains the most accurate option on the market. Now, only if Garmin would just re-release it with USB-C. C'Mon Garmin...maybe next year?
This is the first time this product has been on sale, since launching last spring. I'd argue it could have used a $100 off sale...but hey...they don't consult me.
⚡ The Garmin Venu 4 just came out two months ago, and one of the big ticket features is the LED flashlight built-in. However, it's also got a ton of other new features, as Garmin merged the codebase with the Forerunner/Fenix series, resulting in a boatload of added things like Training Readiness, Acute Load, and more.
⚡ This is the lowest price we've seen on the newest product in the entire Garmin Holiday 2025 sale lineup. This is basically a blend of a Forerunner 970, Venu 4, and Fenix 8...but super thin. It's argueably one of the best deals here at $599, though, Garmin is still clearly trying to figure out the right pricing to drive purchases.
⚡ This is the first time we've seen the Vivoactive 6 on sale, which is essentially a Venu 4, but without the voice/calling/ECG features (and a few other tidbits). It's probably one of the best deals in Garmin's lineup (sale or otherwise).
⚡ This is the lowest price we've ever seen for this. This is my defacto satellite communicator when out of coverage area, and I've used it on a number of major treks over the past two years when well outside of cellular service, both in a 24x7 tracking mode for friends and family, but also there in case of emergency. Would strongly recommend for anyone doing anything in the wilderness.
This came out last fall, and is the second time this has been discounted, but now to the lowest price to date. The key difference with the new Plus model is that it adds the ability to send photos and voice messenges via satellite. I've used it a bit, and it's pretty cool because it makes it a lot faster to just say something rather than type it out, but the $499 price seemed excessive. $399 makes it slightly more palatable.
This is GoPro's budget option, which includes a full color touchscreen on the back as well. The main benefit is it's super small, but note it's not quite in the same quality ballpark as their higher-end cameras. If you want size and GoPro ecosystem on a budget, this is an option. But with the DJI Action 4 just $20 more than $199, that offers notably better quality.
We have more Nest cam's than I can count. No really, we have half a dozen at the DCR Cave alone, plus more at home. We love them. Nest Cam's really only go on sale about 1-2x per year.
The newer Pixel Watch 4 came out back in October. I see the Pixel Watch 4 as a pretty substantial hardware upgrade over the Pixel Watch 3, notably due to satellite SOS, as well as a user-replaceable battery.
This has become one of my favorite drones, given it's tiny size (fits in my running shorts pockets) and ease of use. Plus, you can crash the crap out of it (hundreds of times for me and my wife) without any issues. This combo includes an extra battery and fast charger.
⚡ This is a solid deal on a solid drone, and one of the two main ones I use when taking videos of myself hiking or running. This includes the two extra batteries as well as the fast charger (so 3 batteries total).
This is one of the other more popular display-laden rowing machines. I haven't tried this, but my sports-tech reviewing buddy DesFit has (linked at side) and liked it.
⚡ This just came out this past August, and is a great little unit. The pod isn't quite as tiny as the Go 3S, but the features and quality are a huge step up (especially the removable MicroSD card).
This is one of the best 360 action cams on the market, alongside the GoPro Max 2 (both have their pros and cons, check out my full comparison guide linked).
This is one of the most popular indoor trainer fan companies out there, which rivals the Wahoo Headwind fan but cost a fraction of the price. Of course, it lacks ANT+/Bluetooth integration, but realistically if you really want that you can add a smart outlet for $10 to toggle it on/off from your phone if need be. It's one of the ones in my rotation.
⚡ Let's be honest: This place runs on Nespresso (or, well, the knock-off pods we buy). But, the machine is Nespresso. Without it, reviews most definitely would not get done (and certainly not on time). This is a pretty sweet deal if you ask me!
Ooni Karu 12 Multi-Fuel Outdoor Pizza Oven - $120 off
I use the Fyra 12 (with wood pellets), and love it. The Karu 12 is essentialyl the newer version of that, and there's both a gas-only version, and a multi-fuel option (gas or wood). Love it!
I use Philips Hue stuff all over the DCR Cave/Studio for lighting, both obviously colorful stuff in the background of shots, but also just for automation of the lights. Same goes at home. Love it (mainly when it's on sale like now). Starter packs are a good place to begin, and then I love the light strips (such as pictured).
⚡The Pixel Watch 4 LTE includes satellite SOS connectivity, even if you don't activate a cellular plan on it. I'd strongly recommend getting the LTE version for $50 more, to future-proof you a bit there (or, to save your bacon in the woods).
This is a great dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart (with two Bluetooth Smart connections) chest strap that you'll often find me using as a reference strap in heart rate sensor testing. We only tend to see deals on it around Black Friday, always topping out around 20%.
If you're looking for a good solid high-quality strap, that does both ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart, for a reasonable price...look no further than the Polar H9
These are the main gels I use when I don't need the bigger 90g ones. So for example doing something a bit shorter where I don't want to carry the bigger 90g packs (mainly running). Note: Precision Fuel & Hydration is a DC Rainmaker partner
Precision Fuel & Hydration PF90 Energy Gels 10pkg - 15% OFF
I primarily use these 90g packs on all my adventures, roughly doing 90g/hour for cycling/trail running/hiking/etc... Note: Precision Fuel & Hydration is a DC Rainmaker partner
We have a few SONOS speakers around the house and DCR Cave (the Ikea variants at DCR Cave), but by far our favorite is the Roam, which we take outdoors into the garden during the summer, beach vacations, AirBNB's, etc... It has a battery in it, and also connects to both WiFi and Bluetooth. Love, love, love. I think the main reason I love it, is that we heavily use it in summer, so...kinda reminds me of summer.
⚡This is one of the two the high speed drives types I use to store the footage I'm actively video editing. I typically buy the 2TB and 4TB ones, and then eventually offload the footage onto a NAS array when I'm done.
Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Camera w/ 28-70mm Zoom - $400 offThis is the main camera I use for still photography and video b-roll. I semi-recently wrote about all the photography gear I use, linked at side here.
Suunto Aqua Swimming Open-Ear Bluetooth Headphones - 22% off!
This is a very solid deal. It's got virtually all the software features of Suunto's higher-end watches (minus the app store), and just came out this past May.
While the new Suunto Vertical 2 just came out a month ago, if you wanted to stock-up on MIP-based display watches before they disappear, here's your chance. This is also the lowest price we've ever seen on the Vertical 1, which is otherwise still a very soild watch.
I have bigger Synology NAS units at the DCR Studio/Office, but I also have a smaller unit (this one) that I use to keep various piles of data here too. I like the Synology stuff, as it's generally quite dependable.
This is the go-to sales price for the NEO 2T, though has become more frequent over the past year. It's still an incredible trainer, and is the top-end non-moving trainer from Garmin/Tacx.
⚡ This is the lowest price we've seen to date on the Tacx NEO 3M, and finally takes it down to a semi-logical price (compared to it's competitors). This is a good buy, and obviously, given it's only a year old, I definitely don't expectany sort of new version of this anytime soon (the last NEO series unit was about 5 years between versions).
This is another very popular fan that people use for indoor training/cycling, especially due to inclusion of the remote and remote holder to clasp on your handlebars.
This simulates the up and down motion on Wahoo KICKR trainers moving your bike up and down. Also, there's virtually no product except SNAP, that Wahoo likes to put on sale more. Wouldn't be a sale around here unless this thing was discounted.
⚡ This is a very solid deal for this bike, and the lowest price to date. I actually like the KICKR BIKE SHIFT more than the higher-end KICKR BIKE V2/Pro, mainly because it's both quiter, and seems to be more resillient to issues (less complex design).
⚡ ⚡ This is a very very good deal, for the KICKR CORE 2 that just came out two months ago. My full review was just published last week after an absolute boatlod of riding, and even buying an extra unit to validate things. This model is the one with the Zwift Cog/Click, whereas the 11sp cassette model is also the same price.
⚡ ⚡ This is a very very good deal, for the KICKR CORE 2 that just came out two months ago. My full review was just published last week after an absolute boatlod of riding, and even buying an extra unit to validate things. This model is the one with the Zwift Cog/Click, whereas the 11sp cassette model is also the same price.
⚡This is actually the lowest price we've ever seen on the KICKR V6. Wahoo says we won't see a new top-end KICKR this fall, with them instead focusing on the new KICKR Bike Pro, KICKR CORE 2, and all their new bike computers/radar/etc...
And of course, using any of the links above helps support the site. Enjoy!
YouTube Videos I Published:
Here’s some YouTube goodness that I published this past week:
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) NBA bans teams from using wearable data in contract negotiations: Seems like a bit of an odd ruling to me, and one that likely won’t stand the test of time. Plenty of other sports use sports tech data in hiring, such as cycling with power meter data, or even the speed a pitcher throws a ball in baseball. Not sure why this would be categorized any differently.
2) Verizon announces their own Android Wear watch: Kinda comes out of nowhere…yet not surprising at the same time. The carriers are constantly trying new wearables, and have an entire division of folks dedicated to trying to stock just the right ones. I’d look at this as a random experiment the company is doing, more than any strategic direction.
3) Suunto opens up Summit 2017 application site: This is the summit I mentioned a week or two ago, designed for ‘passionate’ Suunto users/fans. Note that this would be a bit different than a media event.
4) Baby Climbing Mockumentary: A short and funny video about competitive infant climbing. Any new (or probably even old) parents will enjoy and likely relate.
5) AirDog opens up funding round: With SeedInvest you can actually put down your money for a stake in the company. So it’s like Kickstarter…except you actually have ownership vs just a project reward. Interesting to see the numbers of units shipped. I hope that’s early Q3 2016, but would have expected it to be higher by now.
7) Paris offers runners a way to water plants: Or…something like that. These public urinals will in turn water the flowers. One probably needs to understand that in Paris it’s completely normal to see folks peeing on the side of buildings/windows. We *see* it happen at least once a week at the DCR/Bertie’s Cake Studio locale. And that’s only the times we witness it.
8) Jawbone to pivot to medical space: In a move that should surprise no one, Jawbone will likely soon end their consumer focus of activity trackers and instead focus on the medical side of the house
9) TrainingPeaks updates on API, and backtracks a bit on WKO closures: TrainingPeaks has made a bunch of API changes, and then they had previously announced that older WKO+ users would no longer be able to install the software they bought on new computers (i.e. moving to a new computer). Since that announcement, they’ve come to their senses and will now allow users to install for another year.
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 are 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? Oh – and if you want to get a head start on things, this page is a great resource for watching Garmin firmware updates.
Stryd Power Meter Update: Some improvements to the cadence algorithm, as well as other tweaks. This is good, because I haven’t seen the indoor accuracy previously being all that great. As an aside, TrainingPeaks now offers running power zones with an update this week.
Tacx Neo Firmware Update: This one isn’t really detailed anywhere yet. But, it includes what they call ‘Smart’ Cadence, which will calculate the gear ratio and store the values. They’ll in turn use that data to cross-check speed and then allow more accurate cadence calculations. Next, there’s been changes within Erg mode, which should both increase the speed of power adjustment but aimed to minimize overshooting the power goal during large shifts, they did this by decreasing the virtual mass (in ERG mode specifically) to minimize the overshoot. Lastly, for downhill simulation, they increased the limit from 30KPH to 40KPH, including adding this when unpowered. Also, they made tweaks here that ensure that if you accelerate during downhills, that it’s accelerating from 40KPH and not from 0KPH (in terms of power).
Coming up tomorrow. Sorry, pool closures for holidays was a bit unexpected. Couldn’t get the final shots I wanted on Thurs/Friday. :( First up tomorrow morning.
Yeah, the little one isn’t in regular school yet – so I didn’t expect the school closures (which is odd because last time they were open longer for the school holiday days…sigh.).
Nope, I haven’t quite written anything yet. I just did the unboxing video and will go from there into some sort of review likely.
As for the final two minutes…it’s what happens when you get distracted editing and didn’t put in the marker for that section to come back to it to finish. Doh!
Ray, wahoo also updated the firmware on the Kickr (Gen1) to 1.5.63 (from 1.4.47). I’ve been unable to locate patch notes but I’ve noted that it does provide progressive resistance now when powered but not connected to any external device… dumb trainer mode.
I just did the update but could not find any patch notes.
It also offers an advanced spin down in the wahoo utility. (Android version)
If you choose that option the app warns you that after that adv. spin down the strength gauge will be disabled permanently. Seems like they switch it to the New Kickr mode.
I didn’t do it because of the warning that it is not reversible. I wanted to do some research first but couldn’t find any information on that feature nor patch notes.
Any infos on that patch would be very welcome.
Just found out that you can turn on the strain ( not strength – sorry for that) gauge again via an option in the hidden menu of the app. There is also a short patch note in the hidden area ->
improved power measurement
improved responsiveness
Studio mode has been added
But it does not tell you if you should do the advanced spin down.
I do not have a power meter to compare the two modes.
It would be great if somebody could test both options and post the differences.
Ray. I have a suggestion/request of kind: Just like you did here, with the Neo sw, if would be really nice, if you could give a line or two, about Garmins updates. And yes, I know there is A LOT of products and a LOT of updates. Not asking you to rewrite their change log, but “just” a brief mention, when there is a noteworthy fix/feature for their top of line products. Like Edge 1000/820/520, Fenix 3/5 and Forerunner wysf (what you see fit)
Like Edge 1000 11.10. It added IQ 2.2 support. But what does that really bring to the party?
Like Edge 1000 11.20. “Improvements to Workout Data Screen”. Could be a big thing. Could be “not worth the upgrade”
The Garmin sw seem to just be left with the link. It goes a long way, in most cases, but it’s hard to find more info than what Garmin posted. Other that starting poking around with the unit. This request to save us all from having to do that, to figure out what the changes are.
Did we gain any clarity from Polar/Go-Pro if the V800 update would include the GP4 Session models? Would be nice for them to still service this great little camera.
Training Peaks has offered running power zones for a few months now. I’ve had mine set for a while. The link you listed simply says that they now offer to calculate them using the methods in Jim Vance’s Run With Power book.
Using the Stryd Connect IQ data field power shows up just fine in Training Peaks now and it’s so much better than it was last year when you either had to use the Connect IQ App or send the data through their website.
Re: the unlockable firmware features, this is pretty common in many industries and frankly makes a ton of sense for the manufacturer. Hardware is really expensive to make, especially in low volumes. Having a one product – one feature feature set is indeed a simplified model . But the ability to offer meaningful feature differences to address customer needs / price points via software and not have separate hardware can benefit everyone: customers, dealers, and manufacturers. While customers may view it as annoying or a money grab (they built it already, why don’t they give it for free?) it can allow them to only pay for the features desired. Dealers benefit from a reduced number of items they need to order, stock, and display. Manufacturers benefit from lower development costs as noted in the article, and this in turn helps keep prices down for the end consumer.
An example is the high-volume printer market. In the old days you had to change the internal gears to get different speeds. Different speeds = different models with production, stocking, etc. Now an “engine” (industry term for the part that puts marks on paper) is often designed to one standard, and can print at different speeds via a software license. The customer decides how fast they want to print and pay for that speed. It’s really handy when they have a peak print volume at certain times of the year and can buy a temporary speed license to meet the demand. (Maybe go from 150 pages a minute to 300 ppm). The customer benefits because they meet their demand with the same product, but are not paying for a service that’s not needed the rest of the time. The manufacturer benefits because the only design a single physical product. And the dealer benefits from having to stock only one box, and apply a license when it goes out the door.
I think these software-license models are going to move from more business-to-business products and start showing up more in the consumer market, but it will take time for the markets to adjust.
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What happened to the AW Series 2 review coming Thursday or Friday?
Was kind of wondering about that too. I thought it would have been posted by now.
Me, three! Where the heck is the Apple Watch Series 2 review? :-D
Coming up tomorrow. Sorry, pool closures for holidays was a bit unexpected. Couldn’t get the final shots I wanted on Thurs/Friday. :( First up tomorrow morning.
Awesome; thanks!
In my experience, it’s not the closures that are unexpected, it’s the unexpected holidays. “Oh, yet another ‘pont’ again.” :-D
Yeah, the little one isn’t in regular school yet – so I didn’t expect the school closures (which is odd because last time they were open longer for the school holiday days…sigh.).
Did I miss the NB RunIQ blog-article? I like your Hands-on video, especially the last 2 minutes :-D
Nope, I haven’t quite written anything yet. I just did the unboxing video and will go from there into some sort of review likely.
As for the final two minutes…it’s what happens when you get distracted editing and didn’t put in the marker for that section to come back to it to finish. Doh!
Ha… I figured you were “over it” by the time you got around editing and said screw it… I’m leaving it in… Good stuff.
While that was probably true, it wasn’t international to leave there.
The actual unedited unboxing was over an hour. Lots of stuff I ended up cutting around pairing/etc because it was just so clumsy.
Ray, wahoo also updated the firmware on the Kickr (Gen1) to 1.5.63 (from 1.4.47). I’ve been unable to locate patch notes but I’ve noted that it does provide progressive resistance now when powered but not connected to any external device… dumb trainer mode.
Just did some digging, here’s the firmware page for the KICKR: link to support.wahoofitness.com
I had created an alert on the ELEMNT one, but didn’t have one setup for the KICKR. Added…
Hi,
I just did the update but could not find any patch notes.
It also offers an advanced spin down in the wahoo utility. (Android version)
If you choose that option the app warns you that after that adv. spin down the strength gauge will be disabled permanently. Seems like they switch it to the New Kickr mode.
I didn’t do it because of the warning that it is not reversible. I wanted to do some research first but couldn’t find any information on that feature nor patch notes.
Any infos on that patch would be very welcome.
I just submitted a request on their web page to publish the patch notes.
Let’s hope for some info.
Just found out that you can turn on the strain ( not strength – sorry for that) gauge again via an option in the hidden menu of the app. There is also a short patch note in the hidden area ->
improved power measurement
improved responsiveness
Studio mode has been added
But it does not tell you if you should do the advanced spin down.
I do not have a power meter to compare the two modes.
It would be great if somebody could test both options and post the differences.
Just got this answer from Wahoo support.
Hello Robert-
Thanks for using the KICKR. The update notes will be posted shortly to this link: link to support.wahoofitness.com
This video outlines the features of the new update.
link to youtube.com
Thanks,
Dub
Ray. I have a suggestion/request of kind: Just like you did here, with the Neo sw, if would be really nice, if you could give a line or two, about Garmins updates. And yes, I know there is A LOT of products and a LOT of updates. Not asking you to rewrite their change log, but “just” a brief mention, when there is a noteworthy fix/feature for their top of line products. Like Edge 1000/820/520, Fenix 3/5 and Forerunner wysf (what you see fit)
Like Edge 1000 11.10. It added IQ 2.2 support. But what does that really bring to the party?
Like Edge 1000 11.20. “Improvements to Workout Data Screen”. Could be a big thing. Could be “not worth the upgrade”
The Garmin sw seem to just be left with the link. It goes a long way, in most cases, but it’s hard to find more info than what Garmin posted. Other that starting poking around with the unit. This request to save us all from having to do that, to figure out what the changes are.
Looking forward to that Apple Watch review!
Seems like the run Iq watch video needs a bit of editing! Quite fun though, shows us a bit of behind the scene…
Had not seen you already adresses the issue, sorry
Is the Garmin Forerunner 35 review on the docket for anytime soon? I have had mine almost since release but Im curious to see what you think about it
Hey Ray,
Did we gain any clarity from Polar/Go-Pro if the V800 update would include the GP4 Session models? Would be nice for them to still service this great little camera.
Kind Regards
Garry
Ha ha – the last two minutes are priceless. The #reboxing was funny too. Glad you kept all of that in there.
Training Peaks has offered running power zones for a few months now. I’ve had mine set for a while. The link you listed simply says that they now offer to calculate them using the methods in Jim Vance’s Run With Power book.
Using the Stryd Connect IQ data field power shows up just fine in Training Peaks now and it’s so much better than it was last year when you either had to use the Connect IQ App or send the data through their website.
Re: the unlockable firmware features, this is pretty common in many industries and frankly makes a ton of sense for the manufacturer. Hardware is really expensive to make, especially in low volumes. Having a one product – one feature feature set is indeed a simplified model . But the ability to offer meaningful feature differences to address customer needs / price points via software and not have separate hardware can benefit everyone: customers, dealers, and manufacturers. While customers may view it as annoying or a money grab (they built it already, why don’t they give it for free?) it can allow them to only pay for the features desired. Dealers benefit from a reduced number of items they need to order, stock, and display. Manufacturers benefit from lower development costs as noted in the article, and this in turn helps keep prices down for the end consumer.
An example is the high-volume printer market. In the old days you had to change the internal gears to get different speeds. Different speeds = different models with production, stocking, etc. Now an “engine” (industry term for the part that puts marks on paper) is often designed to one standard, and can print at different speeds via a software license. The customer decides how fast they want to print and pay for that speed. It’s really handy when they have a peak print volume at certain times of the year and can buy a temporary speed license to meet the demand. (Maybe go from 150 pages a minute to 300 ppm). The customer benefits because they meet their demand with the same product, but are not paying for a service that’s not needed the rest of the time. The manufacturer benefits because the only design a single physical product. And the dealer benefits from having to stock only one box, and apply a license when it goes out the door.
I think these software-license models are going to move from more business-to-business products and start showing up more in the consumer market, but it will take time for the markets to adjust.