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!
Sports Tech Deals of Note:
A new slate of sports tech deals began over the last few days. These are typical deals that Garmin does *every* single year, usually starting about a month out from Father’s Day. Suunto also often jumps in the fray (and others too). Note that most of the Garmin deals end on/around fathers day (June 21st).
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.
This is a good deal, especially since it's gotten virtually all of the Edge 1050 updates, and then a boatload more. That said, it wouldn't surprise me to see this drop further to $449, as it did this past summer.
⚡⚡This is the lowest price we've seen on the Garmin Edge 540 to date, which has gained virtually all of the new Garmin Edge 1050 features as well. This is kinda an insane deal for this unit.
⚡⚡This is the lowest price we've seen on the Garmin Edge 840 to date, which has gained virtually all of the new Garmin Edge 1050 features as well. This is one of my main units I use daily.
⚡ This is the lowest price to date for the Garmin Epix Pro series, likely due to the Fenix 8 coming out a few months back (Epix as a brand was merged into the Fenix 8 branding). Still, if you don't care about diving or voice bits, this is an incredible deal.
⚡⚡⚡ This is a crazy super strong deal. Note the Epix received all of the software updates of the Epix Pro. While we saw a slightly better deal at $399 for a day back in October, this is otherwise the lowest price we've seen it sustained at.
⚡ This is the lowest price to date for the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro series, likely due to the Fenix 8 coming out a few months back. Still, if you don't care about diving or voice bits, this is an incredible deal.
This is the first time we've head a meaningful sale on the Forerunner 165, released earlier this year, down to $249 for the Music edition, and $199 for the non-music edition.
This is Garmin's mid-tier running watch, and is a very polished option with good multi-band GPS, and of course, a boatload of running metrics. This model also includes offline music such as Spotify and Amazon Music.
This is one of Garmin's most popular running watches, and it's down to a very strong price. I often use this in my accuracy testing comparisons when validating other watches, due to it's very strong GPS performance. Note this is the base edition without solar. It'd be hard to find any better deal in sports watches today, from any company (given this has full mapping, tons of new features even this week, etc...). I say '$100ish', because it's usually been on forever sale at $499, so $399 is a strong price, though, it dipped to $319 for Amazon Prime Day.
This is the lowest price we've seen ever on the Forerunner 965, since it's launch. It's still Garmin's top-end Forerunner watch, and I expect it to stay that way for a while. It's one I often use in comparative testing as a reference device.
This is a solid deal. Garmin Instinct 2X - $100 off!It's best thought of as an Instinct 2.5, as it has almost enough features to really be more of an Instinct 3 (which doesn't exist at this point).
This is the largest discount we've seen to date on the Tactix 7 Pro unit. Note the other Tactix 7 Pro units/variants are also on sale for 20% off too (this link takes you to all of them).
The new Hero 13 just came out, which mostly just adds a bunch of new accessory options. If you don't plan to purchase those accessories, then this is a solid deal.
This is a great deal for this tiny little thing, which should really be named the Go 4, given how many new features it has (including 4K). It also has all the Insta360 sport integration features with Garmin & Apple, to overlay your Garmin/Apple data automatically on your footage.
This is something I use frequently when shooting out and about and I need to re-charge a crapton of drone batteries, action cameras, or just cameras and such. I also use it on trips to Eurobike and elsewhere to keep equipment charged. I've even bought a solar panel to hook up to it (surprisingly effective). Heck, I've even powered a KICKR trainer ride from it!
I mean, I guess. Really, I don't see why anyone would buy this trainer at any price above $299. With the JetBlack Victory at $399 being more accurate, quiter, including WiFi, including Zwift Cog support (or mechanical cassette), including dual-Bluetooth, including Race Mode, and...one could go on and on.
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 package includes the KICKR CORE with the Zwift V2 Cog, but notably now also includes the Zwift Play controllers. Basically, this saves you about $100 or so, and is the first time we've seen them bundle it.
⚡⚡ This is actually a very solid deal, and the first time we've seen this discounted. In fact, frankly, this is the first time in years it feels like Wahoo is actually doing a legit sale on something. Kudos.
This is lowest we've ever seen the KICKR SNAP priced. While the trend has moved towards wheel-off/direct drive trainers, this is still really solid deal if your budget it tight. That said, if you're in Europe, Decathlon has the D100 on sale for $199 also, and in my testing, I'd go with that almost every time.
DCRAINMAKER.COM Posts in the Past Week:
Here’s all the goodness that ended up on the main page this past week:
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 (and in this case, some of these are from the past few weeks to clear out the backlog):
2) US Olympic Boxer Cleared of Doping Violations via Sex: While easy to make jokes about (really really easy), it’s actually an interesting scenario. Good to see that USADA and the individual were seemingly on the same side of this.
4) Why HealthKit needs a health check at WWDC: I actually agree with a lot of what’s laid out here. HealthKit is by far one of the most important tech-focused innovations of the last few years when it comes to consumer health tracking. But, there’s too many gaps in it today, especially around sports as noted in the article, but also around accessibility of that data if tied only to an iPhone (not even an iPad, because iPads don’t have HealthKit). (via Stéphane)
7) When Zwift Won’t Do, Just Make Your Own Game: Obviously this isn’t going to compete with Zwift anytime soon. But it’s a fun tech-focused look at making a bike-driven workout simulator/game.
9) Behind the Scenes at Garmin Canada: This actually comes from the now renamed ANT+ YouTube Channel that I’ve had in my YouTube feed for years. Back a year or two ago Garmin renamed ANT+/Dynastream to ‘Garmin Canada’. They also built a new fancy building that houses both the ANT+ side of the house (which is theoretically separate from a function standpoint serving other ANT+ members), and then the Garmin division that works out of the same building on Garmin-specific projects. This video is about that Garmin-specific half. While the scripted video touches on it, the employees up there tend to focus on sensor aspects of products such as the optical HR sensor, Varia radar, Vector pedals, RD pods, HR straps, etc… Which makes sense, the long-term knowledge from what started as mostly former ANT+ employees converting to ‘normal Garmin’ employees sways heavily that way.
Sports Tech Device 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.
Great work on the videos recently – the windy drones tests, the short videos for new Strava features and the amazing Wahoo TICKR video – I don’t remember the last time I laughed so much watching a tech review video! :)
Btw do you have any news on when the podcast is coming back :/ ?
Wahoo ELEMNT fixes have been coming thick and fast recently. Live tracking totally broken, iPhone pairing broken, and on my device at least, ANT+ drop outs that last minutes. I hope they get this figured out. This is the worst my ELEMNT has been in 4 years of ownership.
I’ve been looking to upgrade my Forerunner 235 for a while and the Fenix 5+ has just gone on sale here in the UK for £349.99 (roughly $440). I’m just wondering if it’s worth it at that price, or if there’s likely to be a further sale on the horizon in the coming month(s), seeing as I don’t need an upgrade urgently? Or, should I just be looking at the Fenix 6 at this point? Thanks
The Fenix 5+ series pricing in the UK would be driven retailer-driven sales at this point. By and large, Garmin doesn’t dictate sale pricing in the UK (only the US), so retailers dance to their own beat in the UK (due to MAP pricing type stuff that exists in the US but doesn’t exist in Europe).
Still, that seems like a pretty good deal if you ask me.
Of course, with the Fenix 5+ series you shouldn’t expect any feature updates at this point. Whereas the Fenix 6 is still getting them. But, if you’re happy with what you see on the F5+, go forth!
Mine Bolt stopped ca. 3-4 weeks ago automatic syncing activities over home wifi (no problem to update firmware so it’s not a fault of the network), so I have to sync via mobile app :(
Anyone has the same behavior?
I had the same behaviour with my Bolt a few weeks back after one of the latest updates. But after 2/3 days it started syncing again. Have you tried a factory reset?
I’ve had similar janky behavior with my Bolt. There have been a lot of firmware updates in the past few weeks and ever since they started, syncing has gone to crap. And tonight, just as I was at the trailhead and ready to ride, my Bluetooth connection failed and I had to completely re-pair the Bolt to the phone. C’mon Wahoo, did you hire the Strava devs? I would love to roll back my firmware a couple of weeks just to have a properly working head unit again.
I just got emails from Western Bike Works and TriSports.com with an offer to pre-order the Garmin Edge 130- and 1030 plus. Any official information on those?
When I click on the link, the website says that the offer is not available yet.
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Great work on the videos recently – the windy drones tests, the short videos for new Strava features and the amazing Wahoo TICKR video – I don’t remember the last time I laughed so much watching a tech review video! :)
Btw do you have any news on when the podcast is coming back :/ ?
Wahoo ELEMNT fixes have been coming thick and fast recently. Live tracking totally broken, iPhone pairing broken, and on my device at least, ANT+ drop outs that last minutes. I hope they get this figured out. This is the worst my ELEMNT has been in 4 years of ownership.
I’ve been looking to upgrade my Forerunner 235 for a while and the Fenix 5+ has just gone on sale here in the UK for £349.99 (roughly $440). I’m just wondering if it’s worth it at that price, or if there’s likely to be a further sale on the horizon in the coming month(s), seeing as I don’t need an upgrade urgently? Or, should I just be looking at the Fenix 6 at this point? Thanks
The Fenix 5+ series pricing in the UK would be driven retailer-driven sales at this point. By and large, Garmin doesn’t dictate sale pricing in the UK (only the US), so retailers dance to their own beat in the UK (due to MAP pricing type stuff that exists in the US but doesn’t exist in Europe).
Still, that seems like a pretty good deal if you ask me.
Of course, with the Fenix 5+ series you shouldn’t expect any feature updates at this point. Whereas the Fenix 6 is still getting them. But, if you’re happy with what you see on the F5+, go forth!
FWIW I’m using a Fenix 5 (not even a 5+) and I haven’t seen any compelling reason to update to a 6. If the price is right…
Mine Bolt stopped ca. 3-4 weeks ago automatic syncing activities over home wifi (no problem to update firmware so it’s not a fault of the network), so I have to sync via mobile app :(
Anyone has the same behavior?
I had the same behaviour with my Bolt a few weeks back after one of the latest updates. But after 2/3 days it started syncing again. Have you tried a factory reset?
I’ve had similar janky behavior with my Bolt. There have been a lot of firmware updates in the past few weeks and ever since they started, syncing has gone to crap. And tonight, just as I was at the trailhead and ready to ride, my Bluetooth connection failed and I had to completely re-pair the Bolt to the phone. C’mon Wahoo, did you hire the Strava devs? I would love to roll back my firmware a couple of weeks just to have a properly working head unit again.
– nick
Have also experienced this with my Bolt in the last few weeks.
My Edge 1000 seems to have updated to 15.40, not sure what this contains as the firmware page lists 15.20 as the release that dropped June 5th
It contains magic beans.
link to forums.garmin.com
I just got emails from Western Bike Works and TriSports.com with an offer to pre-order the Garmin Edge 130- and 1030 plus. Any official information on those?
When I click on the link, the website says that the offer is not available yet.
Same from biketiresdirect.com this morning. They even had live preorder links up for a while. I suspect someone jumped the gun.
All the same company.
Can we expect Fenix 7 announcement any time soon?