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
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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!
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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 2024 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.
Author Archives: Ray Maker
Hands-On: Elite’s New $799 Suito Smart Trainer (with cassette)
From the first ride to the initial power accuracy, plus sound levels and more – I dig into what may be the best value trainer of 2019. Read More Here
Strava cuts off Relive: Here’s what actually happened
Here I thought yesterday was going to be a peaceful random July Thursday morning. Nothing but Italian chirping birds at the Giro Rosa, and catching the Tour de France later in the afternoon on TV. Turns out, Strava had different … Read More Here
Hands-on: FORM Swim Goggles with Smart Display
Today, FORM Athletica announced their first product, the smart-display enabled FORM Swim Goggles. It’s of course at this juncture that you’re asking yourself: Who TF is FORM Athletica? And what the Helsinki is a smart-display enabled swim goggle? Thankfully for … Read More Here
Wahoo Fitness Acquires The Sufferfest Training Platform, Sketches Future Plans
Continuing the 2019 trend of indoor training and related acquisitions, Wahoo has just announced the acquisition of The Sufferfest. For those not familiar with the platform, the company first started out years ago making indoor training videos. But back 3-4 … Read More Here
The Rivet: First Look At This Potential Zwift Competitor
To be fair, using the term ‘Zwift Competitor’ might be a bit…early. Like looking at a pile of ingredients on a table and calling it a cake. But damn, it looks pretty. And everyone likes eating cake batter anyway. Also, … Read More Here
Hands-on with Tekrapod: Openwater Swim Safety Device
For whatever reason, I find openwater swim safety devices to be interesting. So, if you’re not an openwater swimmer, then returning tomorrow is your best bet. Or, go check out this past post from 9 years ago when I accidentally … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
After getting back from Greece (obligatory beach Instagram pic here) mid-week, we were back in Amsterdam for the weekend here. Thankfully it wasn’t as hot as the past week, though Saturday did take the cake for the heatwave. Here’s what … Read More Here
Week in Review–June 30th, 2019
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 … Read More Here
Testing In The Wind Tunnel with Stryd’s New Running Power Meter
It’s been now 4 years since Stryd first landed on the market as a running power meter. Back then, it was initially a running shorts pod before becoming a chest strap, and the company eventually shifted to a single footpod … Read More Here
Polar’s Ignite GPS Hands-On: Everything you ever wanted to know
The Polar Ignite appears to be a significant turning point in Polar’s strategy, taking higher end functionality and offering it much lower. How well does it work thoug? I dig in. Read More Here
The Because It’s Friday $500 Sports Gadget Giveaway Results/Winner!
Last week I held the “Because it’s Friday $500 Gadget Giveaway”. It was an opportunity for 6,044 of you to express your love of Friday, or sports tech gadgetry in general. Or, just a chance to win some good ol’ … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
It’s on the verge of getting super warm and steamy in our neck of the woods. So, we’re skipping town. But before we did that – here’s the bulk of what I was up to this past weekend! 1) Friday … Read More Here
How to: Garmin’s Semi-Secret Triathlon Display Mode (aka ‘Extended Display mode’)
Like any true triathlete, I violate all the rules of common sense. The most important one being to never try something new on race day. But given I have a long history of violating said rule, I figured a few … Read More Here
First Look: Absolute Cycling One GPS Bike Computer
Let’s get this right out of the gate: The photos I took here are of hand-built prototypes. As such, they look a bit sketch – like, Elmer’s glue and Home Depot sketch. Also, these units are about 30% larger than … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
Finally, it’s getting warmish here. Not like Florida warm, but like acceptable levels of warmth warm. So, here’s what we were up to! 1) Openwater Swim Afternoon I kicked off the weekend with an openwater swim Friday afternoon. It finally … Read More Here
The Because It’s Friday $500 Sports Gadget Giveaway!
Today is Friday – you made it to the end of the week – and almost to the end of spring. But more importantly, today is also National Strawberry Shortcake Day (Don’t trust me? Look it up.) Unfortunately, I don’t … Read More Here
Stages Starts Shipping New Dash M50/L50/L10 GPS Bike Computers: First Ride Details
(*** In case you missed it, an in-depth review was posted of the three Dash L50, M50, and L10. See the link for more info.) What’s a 9 month timespan between friends? A baby you say? Perhaps. But in this case, … Read More Here
The DCR Cave Summer Open House & BBQ: July 13th, 2019
Yup folks, that’s right, you’ve asked – and I’ve listened. We’re going to expand the annual winter open house to a summer event! This time you’ll be able to enjoy not just Amsterdam in the summer, but also an afternoon … Read More Here
Garmin’s Biggest Competitor Is Their Own Software Instability
To the casual observer, one might assume Garmin’s biggest competitors are Apple, Fitbit, and in certain cycling circles – Wahoo. But in reality, I’d disagree. Garmin’s biggest competitor is themselves. Or more specifically, their lack of focus on solving bugs … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Past Week in Paris
For today’s ‘5 Random Things’ edition, I’m mixing it up a bit. Mostly because My weekend was heavily skewed inside with the kiddos given the amazingly thorough rain and windstorms we had. So instead, I’ll rewind a few days more … Read More Here
Dîner en Blanc 2019: Dinner with 10,000 People in Paris
For the past half a decade, we’ve attended Dîner en Blanc in Paris. And almost every year I’ve posted about it. Perhaps more for me than for you. This year will be no different. And despite us no longer living … Read More Here
The HLMRMEER Triathlon Race Report
You know what’s fun? Signing up for local triathlons a few days beforehand with pretty much no plan or appropriate sport-specific training. It almost always guarantees a good time. Sure, I had run and ridden, and even swum…once…in the weeks … Read More Here
Apple Outlines Next Version of Apple WatchOS: What you need to know
Yesterday at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), the company detailed the incoming mass of features across all of Apple’s platforms, from computer (MacOS) to phone/tablet (iOS/iPadOS), and yes, Apple Watch. In the case of Apple Watch, that operating system … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
It was a hot one this weekend! ‘Perfect’ to do a triathlon, and spent most of the time outdoors. Here’s a quick look at what I was up to. 1) Swim Time Friday afternoon (which was sorta a weekend bridge … Read More Here
Zwift Re-Updates Terms of Service After Recent Changes & Concerns
About a month ago Zwift quietly updated their Terms of Service. Then, a day or two later they (properly) sent out an e-mail to customers saying things had changed, and to check them out. For some reason, at the time, … Read More Here