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: Week in Review–Dec 22nd, 2018
Sunday: 5 Random Things I Did in Finland (in the Arctic Circle)
Monday: Getting the Christmas Tree Home via Bike: 2018 Edition
Tuesday: Just Got A New Sports Gadget? 34 Tips To Get You Started
Wednesday: The Didn’t Get What You Wanted $500 Gadget Giveaway
Thursday: First Look at The SufferFest’s Revamped App and New Features
Friday: The 2018 Sports Tech Year In Review: 12 Months in 12 Minutes
Not too shabby of a week!
Random Sports Tech Deals:
Here’s a handful of deals that are live until basically CES. I wouldn’t read too much into any of these, beyond companies just figuring that maybe you’ll pick up something as a belated Boxing Day gift to yourself.
Wearable and watch deals:
| Product | Sale Price | Amazon | Other site | Sale Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Garmin Bounce LTE Kids Tracker - $30 off | $119 | Amazon | 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. | |
 | Garmin Enduro 3: $100 off $899 | $749 | Amazon | REI | 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. |
 | Garmin Epix Pro (42mm) - $300-$400 off! | $449 | Amazon | ⚡⚡ 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. | |
 | Garmin Epix Pro (47mm) - $300-$400 off! | $499 | Amazon | ⚡⚡⚡ 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. | |
| Garmin Epix Pro - 35% off $899/$999 | $99 | Amazon | ⚡This is a pretty solid deal, especially if you wanted the flashlight and ECG not found on the Epix Gen 2 (which came before the Epix Pro), but don't quite want to spend on the Fenix 8 AMOLED (Epix got renamed to Fenix 8 AMOLED) | |
 | Garmin Fenix 7 Pro (MIP) - 31% off $799+ | $449+ | Amazon | ⚡ 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. | |
 | Garmin Fenix 7S Pro Solar Sapphire (MIP) - 31% off | $449 | Amazon | ⚡ 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. | |
 | Garmin Fenix 8 Series - $250 Off! $999-$1,199 | $849 | Amazon | REI | ⚡ 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. Note that the Fenix 8 officially got a price hike to $1,099 in the last month or so, thus the $849 price instead of $749 price. |
 | Garmin Fenix E - $250 off! | $499 | Amazon | 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. | |
 | Garmin Forerunner 165 (Base) - $50 off $249/$299 | $199 | Amazon | REI | |
 | Garmin Forerunner 165 Music - $50 off! | $249 | Amazon | REI | |
 | Garmin Forerunner 255/255S Music - $150 off! $349/$399 | $249 | Amazon | ||
 | Garmin Forerunner 265 Series - $150 off! $449 | $299 | Amazon | ⚡ 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. | |
 | Garmin Forerunner 55 - $50 off $199 | $149 | Amazon | ||
 | Garmin Forerunner 965 - $150 off $599 | $449 | Amazon | 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). | |
 | Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED - $100 off! $399/$449/$499 | $399 | Amazon | REI | |
 | Garmin Instinct 3 SOLAR - $100 off | $299 | Amazon | REI | |
 | Garmin Lily 2 - 20% off $249 | $199 | Amazon | The leather version is also on sale as well. | |
 | Garmin Tactix 8 AMOLED - $250 off! | $1,049 | Amazon | REI | This gets all the same updates as the Fenix 8 Pro, from a software standpoint. |
 | Garmin Tactix 8 SOLAR - $250 off! | $1,149 | Amazon | REI | This gets all the same updates as the Fenix 8 Pro, from a software standpoint. |
 | Garmin Venu 3 - $100 off! $449 | $349 | Amazon | The Venu 4 came out in September, though with a massive price jump. | |
 | Garmin Venu X1 - $200 off! | $599 | Amazon | REI | ⚡ 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. |
 | Garmin Vivoactive 5 - $100 off! $299 | $199 | Amazon | ||
 | Garmin Vivoactive 6 - $50 off! $299 | $249 | Amazon | ⚡ 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). |
Cycling Gear & Trainers:
| Product | Sale Price | Amazon | Other site | Sale Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Garmin Edge 540 - $100 off | $249 | Amazon | REI | ⚡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). |
 | Garmin Edge 840 - $100 off | $349 | Amazon | REI | This is Garmin's main mid-range cycling GPS, it's what my wife uses and she's perfectly happy with it. |
 | Garmin Edge 840 Solar - $150 off | $399 | Amazon | REI | ⚡ This is the lowest price we've seen on the Edge 840. |
 | Garmin Varia RCT715 Camera Radar - $50 off | $349 | Amazon | REI | |
 | Garmin Varia RVR315 Radar - $50 off | $99 | Amazon | REI | 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. |
 | Garmin Varia Radar (RTL515) - $50 off | $149 | Amazon | REI | 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? |
 | Garmin Varia Vue Front Light/Camera - $50 | $499 | Amazon | REI | 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. |
Action Cameras & Drones:
There are no deals currently.
YouTube Videos I Made This Week:
Here’s what hit the tubes over on the You of Tube, definitely don’t forget to subscribe there to get notified of videos the second they hit!
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) Peter Sagan – Why So Serious? A bit of a look at the person behind Peter Sagan. Somewhat of an unexpected clip coming from GoPro, but definitely worth a quick watch.
2) TrainerRoad starts to leverage historical data to tweak structured workouts: Some interesting tidbits in here, including looking at failure rates of certain workouts and tweaking those workouts to make them more sustainable. They go through a massive pile of workouts and explain what and why they tweaked with all of them.
3) How scammers manipulate Amazon: The second of two semi-similar pieces I’ve seen in the last few weeks talking to this subject. The other being a well written NYT piece on such practices. Interesting stuff. Note that I wouldn’t necessarily lump this into a ‘China’ problem. It’s happening from all sorts of countries.
4) Awesome wonky endurance sports records: From the fastest marathon dressed as a hot dog to the most miles run on a treadmill – and plenty more.
5) Peloton (the indoor bike/treadmill company) backs down from legal action against GP Lama: Thankfully Peloton saw the error of their ways. Though, I can’t help but wonder what Peloton Magazine thinks about all this. They predate Peloton by a number of years, after all. Still, the general stupidity of a company to legally go after a core/key reviewer in their specific space for simply using a common cycling word/term is astounding. I get that it’s all just contracted lawyers likely acting on their own, but certainly people being paid that much per hour would be smart enough to think through the ramifications of such a move without at least double-checking with their ‘client’. Not to mention attacking one who is followed by much of the cycling tech industry.
6) How to ask Alexa about upcoming Zwift group ride: Yes folks, for real.
7) Yoga Pants to Detect Poses: I saw this a few weeks back and it got lost in the shuffle. I’m not sure what to think to be honest, but, I figured maybe you’d know what to think.
8) Sports Tech Job Openings: Looks like Quarq has an opening for a software engineer on a cycling focused web platform. FYI in case you want to move to Spearfish.
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 and a few other firmware updates.
(Unsurprisingly, I couldn’t find any software firmware updates of products released this past week. Mostly because most companies would be super hesitant to release a firmware update going into Christmas as people are unboxing new things. That’s just a recipe for disaster – and returns.)
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With that – thanks for reading!
If I were Peleton I might be more worried about the inverse, having their mark be cancelled as generic. In any event it is clearly a weak mark
Garmin finally fixed the “Keep me logged in” issue in Garmin Connect. Took them cca 1 year…
The weight categorization is now correct, even if this is used for nothing, it was weird that the 84kg human was categorized as 90+ kg…
If the issue fixing will continue within this pace, my grandchildren could enjoy the GC how I always wanted…
@The5kRunner
You mentioned earlier that the FR 645 is not been recognized as a flash drive. That device has a setting for that, pls try to check:
Settings –> System –> USB mode
Still waiting for my Smart (yoga) Mat :-)
I’ve stopped personally following ‘GP Lama’ on social media, too much of ‘i’m the victim’ followed by endless swearing.
Also, by following you, what’s the point of watching someone who is delivering the same content. The digital news was an interesting concept, but if you follow sports tech, you are already over what’s aired, and it’s too ‘GCN’ like!
FWIW
It’s easy to blame the victim. It’s the thing to do these days.
But in these two situations (Peloton & YouTube), both companies have admitted they were wrong. And both companies are multi-billion dollar entities. While it’s also easy to simply dismiss it as ‘not my problem’, the reality is that for small creators, you can’t fight these things yourself. As both instances showed – community support were instrumental in pushing back.
I actually don’t find any similarities to GCN. GCN doesn’t cover the same content, and it seems like almost all of GCN’s content is sponsored these days. As for duplication with me, I think having different people have different views is a good thing. Our views differ on many things, and I think it’s good that consumers have multiple sources to hear from.
Duplication?! Ray gets things working first and then starts the camera or post. I assume it sometimes takes him months to do so. Shane has a go on camera and sends it out to the world whether it works or not. While I assume Ray does swear and throw tools at the floor, that particular brand of comedy is saved for the Girl.
I find the content quite different between the two and very glad to have the two different approaches.
As for the swearing. Those people ruined his xmas in a big way. Personally I’m surprised how restrained he was. You also have to understand these guys have a global audience. The US (for instance) don’t have such a swearing culture as places like the UK or Australia but that doesn’t make swearing a bad thing, it just means that some people take offence where none was intended – that’s just language. I’m not keen on church talk but I wouldn’t unfollow someone if they ended a podcast with a “bless you for watching”.
Pfffff and I have a flat tire. Peleton is a general word used in many European languages indicating a group of… (E.g. firing squad / vuur peleton, and many more the most know is indeed the link with cycling). But also Specialized trying a cafe to change their name because it is called cafe Roubaix. They really don’t know Roubaix is a town. Then also ask all cafe Paris in the world to change their name. Idiots.