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
Garmin releases Strava Live Segments for Running, Muscle Oxygen on devices, Photo Watch Faces
Phew, all sorts of Garmin news over the last few days on numerous fronts, and this post seems the easiest way to bundle up three totally different things into one tidy little package. Let’s get on with the show! Strava … Read More Here
A DCR August Wahoo KICKR Giveaway Winner!
This past weekend I held a giveaway for a new Wahoo KICKR trainer! Consider it a bit of a reminder to get back outside and enjoy those summer miles (or kilometers) while you still can! A whopping 7,426 of you … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
Here’s what we were up to on this beautiful and hot holiday weekend here in the nation’s capital. 1) Afternoon strolls around town After wrapping up a few work items Saturday morning at the Studio (for both The Girl and … Read More Here
Week in Review–August 14th, 2016
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
A DCR August Wahoo KICKR Giveaway!
Now that everyone has recovered from the Giveaway Extravaganza, it’s time to get this DCR Giveaway Show back on the road again. And there’s no better time to do so than mid-way through the 2016 Summer Olympics. Think of this as … Read More Here
TrainingPeaks adds Strava Segment Integration
Yes, you read that title right: TrainingPeaks, arguably a competitor platform to Strava, is now supporting Strava’s most import feature: Segments. Though, not entirely in the way you might expect. Yesterday evening TrainingPeaks rolled out the ability for you to … Read More Here
GoPro’s New Cycling Handlebar & Seat Rail Mounts: In-Depth Review
Last month GoPro announced a handful of new mounts, three of which were focused on cycling. This would actually be the first time that GoPro has directly released a bike-specific mount (let alone three of them). In the past, they had … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
After spending last weekend down in the South of France, we were back home this weekend, and here’s what we were up to! 1) Unboxing new gizmos While there were many gizmos and gadgets that arrived over the past week … Read More Here
Week in Review–August 7th, 2016
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
Friday DCR Facebook Live Q&A: Aug 5th!
It’s time. Time for the first ever DCR Facebook Live event! Tomorrow (or today, depending on your locale) I’ll be doing a question and answer (Q&A) on Facebook Live. So bring all those saved up questions about sports tech goodness … Read More Here
Tech Tidbits: Basis closes up shop, Strava announces live tracking platform
Here’s my thoughts on two noteworthy news pieces that just hit the interwebs. Basis firms recall, shuts down services You may remember earlier this summer when device maker Basis announced that users should cease using their Basis Peak devices due … Read More Here
Wahoo Fitness rolls out Strava Live Segments to ELEMNT GPS
Today Wahoo became the third company to introduce Strava Live Segment support on devices. Live Segments means that you can get Strava KOM or PR information during your ride on favorite segments, directly on your Wahoo ELEMNT. Garmin was the … Read More Here
Hands-on: Polar’s new Android Wear based M600 GPS Sport Watch (with music!)
Today Polar announced their latest wearable, and in the process also signaled a shift in direction to a far more open platform than they’ve ever had in their 39 year history. The Polar M600 takes the best of their M400 … Read More Here
Hands-on: Team Zwatt launches subscription based power meter
Today a little known Danish company called Sensitivus launched a trio of power meters on Kickstarter. While power meters on crowd funded sites are hardly unique, Sensitivus has taken a new twist on things by offering what is the first … Read More Here
Everything you ever wanted to know about ANT+ FE-C and bike trainers
As we near trainer season, I’ve seen an uptick in interest in understanding what exactly ANT+ FE-C is, and why it matters when it comes to choosing a trainer (or an app, or a bike computer). So I figured I’d … Read More Here
Withings Body & Body Cardio WiFi Weight Scales In-Depth Review
Back in June Withings announced two new WiFi scales, though only one of them really got any attention – the new Body Cardio scale. I wrote up a bit of a preview post back then, but needed more time to … Read More Here
La Course, Le Tour, and the Paris Finale–2016 Edition
While almost every day is a great day living in Paris, there are a few days that really take the cake: Bastille Day (Fête nationale), and the finish of the Tour de France. Over the last three years however, ASO/UCI … Read More Here
A Day at the Tour de France: Time Trial in The Mountains
While I typically get in a number of Tour de France stages each year, this year was a bit different with the arrival of our little peanut. The Girl went into labor a few hours before Le Tour began Stage … Read More Here
Tour de France 2016: The Trainers & Power Meters of the Pro Teams
Yesterday I spent the day at Stage 18 of the Tour de France. One of the advantages of this particular stage is it’s a time trial. This means that each rider races individually, with the first rider of the day starting … Read More Here
Zwift & Tacx launch ability to shake your trainer riding cobblestones. For real.
So here’s the thing – every time I go to Eurobike, Interbike, CES, or some other trade show I’m always asked the same thing by virtually everyone in every booth I visit: “What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen thus far?” … Read More Here
First Look at the New DCR Babymaker Product Tester
Our first product tester in residence has now arrived! Heck, she even arrived via Velib bike with a polka-dot wrap. Despite joining us just two weeks ago she already been out testing various devices. From heart rate sensors to weight … Read More Here
Week in Review–July 17th, 2016
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
European Readers: Clever Training Europe is here!
Update – 2020: Clever Training has decided to pull out of the European market and focus on US operations. However, you can still support the site here with a new partnership I’ve formed with Wiggle. Thanks for the support, both … Read More Here
How I capture photos while openwater swimming
(Both The Girl and I are incredibly sad about the attack that occurred in Nice last night. Bastille Day – La fête nationale- is our favorite day of the year here in France, and is incredibly special on so many … Read More Here
Hands-on with Garmin’s new Edge 820 with mapping
Today Garmin announced their latest cycling computer – the Edge 820. Well, actually, they announced two cycling computers: The Edge 820 and the Edge Explore 820. The Explore is simply the dumbed down version of the 820. While the Edge … Read More Here