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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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.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: Amsterdam
Running Track Measurements: A Brief Rabbit Hole
Last week I posted about the update to Garmin’s wearables that now includes a database of running tracks for their running track mode, in addition to the pre-existing ‘learned’ track mode where it learns the running track you have without … Read More Here
Getting the Christmas Tree Home via Bike: 2023 Edition
After crossing through the decade barrier last year, we’ve moved onto the 11th year of getting the Christmas Tree by bike. With Christmas itself nearly over, it was high time for me to finish this post. Obviously, this happened a … Read More Here
Ice Skating, GPS Watches, and Other Tidbits
Over the past week or two, the temperatures have gotten a bit chillier here in the Netherlands. While many people assume that the Dutch ice skate to work via canal on the regular, the reality is that’s pretty rare. Not … Read More Here
A Decade of Getting the Christmas Tree Home via Bike: 2022 Edition
This year marks a decade of getting the Christmas Tree home by Bike posts. Undoubtedly, many in parts of Europe (or elsewhere), have been doing this for much longer. In our case, we started in Paris with Velib bike share … Read More Here
A Snowy Cargo Bike & Sports Tech VLOG
Back a week or two ago it got all snowy here in the Netherlands. It’s sorta a rare thing, and even more so, is the fact that it actually stayed on the ground for a meaningful amount of time. It … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
It’s been a while since a ‘5 Random Things’ post. Not because I haven’t been doing things, but because they’re a bit less random. With everything pretty locked down, our weekend routine is pretty ‘repeatable’ – especially in the winter. … 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
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
It’s been a crazy busy last week, and this weekend was no exception. So let’s dive right into it! 1) Cycling The Tulip Fields Friday afternoon The Girl and I grabbed our bikes and headed 1-2 hours south. To tulip … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
First up, since I don’t have a ‘Week in Review’ post this week, if you didn’t catch the latest podcast episode that went up late Friday, here’s the skinny: We dive into left-only power meters, Apple Watch ECG expansion, early … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
While it may seem a bit quieter on the site in recent weeks – that’s mostly because I’ve been slammed trying to get things all set up in the new space, as well as compiling the huge buyer’s guides (Power … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
After a number of crazy busy weeks for travel between Florida in June and Eurobike related stuff the last few weeks – it’s time to bring back the 5 Random Things series. Usually, when things get busy during the week, … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
Back fresh from a week in the states at Sea Otter, I was ready to get back to enjoying all Amsterdam has to offer, and no better time to do that than this past weekend. 1) King’s Day in Amsterdam … Read More Here
Bikes Abound: I’ve Moved to Amsterdam!
This past weekend when we touched down back in Europe after three months away in Australia, we arrived home to a slightly different land. Rather than say Bonjour to immigration officers, we were instead saying Goedemorgen. That’s because we now … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend in Amsterdam (and a big announcement!)
One of the greatest parts about living in Europe is just how easy it is to travel from country to country. In less time than it would take to drive or take a train from Washington DC to NYC, we … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
Phew – a crazy weekend – one unlike any other that we’ve ever had here. Let’s get right into it. 1) Returned from Amsterdam The Girl and I were up in Amsterdam from Wednesday till Friday evening. I had meetings … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend…in Amsterdam
Here’s what I’ve been up to the last few days… 1) Started the weekend on an early train to Amsterdam In a clear violation of my rules for being up in the 5AM hour multiple times a week, I once … Read More Here
The Amsterdam Runaround
As a general rule for Runarounds, they tend to run…well…around something. Usually that’s a city. In most cases I start at the hotel and then make a big loop back to my starting point. In some occasions (such as in … Read More Here
A circular tour of Africa
Most folks can find South Africa on a map. After all, if you can find Africa, you can find probably find the southern portion. Simple enough, right? Welcome to Ghana But what about finding Accra? Well, ya probably need a … Read More Here