I’m DC RAINMAKER…
I swim, bike and run. Then, I come here and write about my adventures. It’s as simple as that. Most of the time. If you’re new around these parts, here’s the long version of my story.
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You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.Want to compare the features of each product, down to the nitty-gritty? No problem, the product comparison data is constantly updated with new products and new features added to old products!
Wanna create comparison chart graphs just like I do for GPS, heart rate, power meters and more? No problem, here's the platform I use - you can too!
Think my written reviews are deep? You should check out my videos. I take things to a whole new level of interactive depth!
Smart Trainers Buyers Guide: Looking at a smart trainer this winter? I cover all the units to buy (and avoid) for indoor training. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
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Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
Get all your awesome DC Rainmaker gear here!
FAQ’s
I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
- Do you have a privacy policy posted?
- Why haven’t you yet released a review for XYZ product you mentioned months ago?
- Will you test our product before release?
- Are you willing to review or test beta products?
- Which trainer should I buy?
- Which GPS watch should I buy?
- I’m headed to Paris – what do you recommend for training or sightseeing?
- I’m headed to Washington DC – what do you recommend for training?
- I’m from out of the country and will be visiting the US, what’s the best triathlon shop in city XYZ?
- What kind of camera do you use?
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5 Easy Steps To The Site
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.
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!
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.
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!
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 2023 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.
Tag Archives: Eurobike
Tacx Neo Bike Smart: First Ride and Final Specs
Last year at Eurobike Tacx announced their intentions to make a smart bike, the blend of an indoor trainer and a bike. Similar to a ‘spin bike’ in looks, but under the hood totally different. It’d have full resistance control … Read More Here
Elite Drivo II Smart Trainer In-Depth Review
How well does Elite’s high-end trainer handle apps like Zwift and TrainerRoad? I dig in with all the detail to see if it can stand up to it. Read More Here
Zwift Available Now on Android in Beta
With just a few days remaining before Eurobike 2018, Zwift finally unleashed the Android version they touted last year in their booth at Eurobike 2017. This version brings compatibility to run the entire game (versus just the companion app) on … Read More Here
Hands-on: WatTeam’s New Gen3 PowerBeat Power Meter
Here’s all the details you need to know about the new WatTeam Gen3 power meter, which finally includes the ability to easily swap between bikes. Read More Here
Tech Tidbits Friday: PowerPod’s new $199 model, Fenix 5 (non-Plus) gets Galileo, Tacx lowers prices, Eurobike preview
Ok, rounding up some of the week’s news in sports tech, here’s a few little tidbits that are definitely worth mentioning. And some of them are hot off the press, primarily the totally unexpected Galileo one! PowerPod’s new $199 model … Read More Here
Quick Tour: The 2017 DCR Eurobike RV
As is customary the last few years, I rent an RV and drive down to Eurobike for the week long festivus. The main reasons I do this is that it’s both cheaper than most hotels, as well as being a … Read More Here
First Look: Tacx introduces Tacx Neo Smart Bike
(** Update: Check out my full Neo Smart Bike In-Depth Review for the most recent information and thoughts on the product**) While you may not know it, we’re just at the edge of an indoor bike revolution. Or, at least … Read More Here
Hands-on: Wahoo’s new KICKR CLIMB Incline Simulator
(Update: The Wahoo KICKR CLIMB has since been released, and you can find all the details from months of testing and use, here in the Wahoo KICKR CLIMB In-Depth Review) While this Eurobike is a bit quieter when it comes … Read More Here
PowerTap lowers P1 pedal price to $999, matches Garmin Vector 3
In a move that took a mere 3 hours, PowerTap has responded to Garmin’s new Vector 3 pedal debut by matching their price. The Vector 3 pedals were announced earlier today at a price of $999, which was $200 less … Read More Here
Hands-on: Garmin Vector 3 Power Meter
b December 2017 – Heads up – you can now find my full in-depth review of Garmin Vector 3 here! Today Garmin announced their third generation of power meters, Vector 3. This new unit brings sweeping changes both easily seen … Read More Here
Hands-on with the Lezyne Super GPS Bike Computer
Over the last few years Lezyne has transitioned itself from a company that just made bike lights, into a GPS bike computer company. Albeit, one that probably doesn’t get enough attention. I’ve touched on them from time to time, but … Read More Here
Eurobike 2016 Power Meter Roundup
Okey doke. Before we dive into Interbike next week, I figured I’d round up some loose ends with Eurobike’s minor power meter updates and announcements. Or rather, by popular demand as it were – you decided on Twitter last night … Read More Here
Hands-on: Garmin’s new Forerunner 35 with optical HR
A day or 13 ago, Garmin announced their new Forerunner 35 (FR35) GPS. But with Eurobike in full swing, I put it on the back burner a bit until the dust settled. Now that things have cleared out a bit, … Read More Here
A Look at Luck’s Cycling Shoe Power Meter
It’s been a few years since Luck first showed off prototypes of their cycling shoe with a built in power meter. In previous years it was rarely prominently displayed. It was sorta available to see on special request. The Spanish … Read More Here
A look at the new Power2Max NG power meters
Each year at Eurobike we see Power2Max make evolutionary changes to their power meter lineup. In doing so, they’ve continued to climb the market penetration ladder – despite not being a household name. One only needs to look at the … Read More Here
A look at Kinetic’s new Smart Control Trainers
It’s been nearly a month since Kinetic quietly added their new lineup of smart resistance controlled trainers to their website, a fact not gone unnoticed by DCR readers. But it wasn’t until this past week at Eurobike that we’d actually … Read More Here
PowerPod rolls out ANT+/Bluetooth Smart version, improved road surface algorithms
While at Eurobike, the folks behind the PowerPod have made two notable announcements. Readers will remember the PowerPod was announced last Eurobike and started shipping a few months later. It’s become pretty darn popular since then, as a way to … Read More Here
First Look: Stages introduces Dash bike GPS, training platform suite
This past week at Eurobike, Stages expanded their product lineup beyond power meters and indoor bikes – now arriving on the bike computer and training site/platform scene. They introduced two new products: The Stages Dash (bike computer) and Stages Link … Read More Here
First Ride: Quarq’s New DZero Power Meter Series
(Update – May 18th, 2017 – See my full and new in-depth review published here!!!) Quarq is turning 10 years old this year, and at Eurobike they rolled out a complete refresh of their power meter lineup. This refresh covers … Read More Here
Wahoo Fitness ‘KICKR2’ Trainer In-Depth Review
How does Wahoo’s second-generation KICKR compare against the original, and against its rivals? Read More Here
Garmin’s New VIRB Ultra 30: Eurobike Edition Mini-Review
Update: My In-Depth Review is up! Check it out by clicking here. Today, Garmin released their newest action, the VIRB Ultra 30. This 4K action cam is capable of rivaling the GoPro Hero4 series, as well as the rumored specs … Read More Here
First Look: Zwift rolls out iOS version of platform
Zwift is somehow already two years old, how time flies! While they only started taking your money last winter, it seems like just yesterday we were seeing the first demos of the platform. Since inception they’ve added a structured workout … Read More Here
Hands-on: The new Tacx Flux Smart Trainer
This week at Eurobike, Tacx has announced their latest smart trainer, the Tacx Flux. This new trainer sits at the upper edge of the mid-range electronic trainer pricing range at $899USD/€799, but pulls in features historically only seen at higher … Read More Here
A Weekend in Chamonix and the Alps
This past weekend was a solid road trip adventure as I worked my way from Paris to Eurobike in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Except instead of just taking the highway there directly and being done with it, I decided to take a meandering detour … Read More Here
DCR Facebook Live Chat Series at Eurobike Tomorrow Details!
It’s been just about a month since the inaugural DCR Live event I did, where I live streamed a Q&A session via Facebook Live. Some 7,000 of you tuned in over the course of the event, and about 12,000 of … Read More Here