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 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: Trainers
Tour de France Behind The Scenes & Sports Tech!
The Tour de France is in full swing, and with it, a few days ago, the time trial stage. That’s always an interesting opportunity to check out which sports tech riders are using, such as bike computers, trainers, as well … Read More Here
Elite’s New Aria Smart Trainer Fan: First Look
Today at Eurobike, Elite was showing off their new Elite Aria smart trainer fan. Or, maybe it’s trainer smart fan. Or, fan for smart trainers. I don’t know the proper phrasing, but, it’s a fan that integrates with your smart … Read More Here
Elite Justo Smart Trainer In-Depth Review
Elite is kicking off the Tour de France with a new high-end trainer, the Elite Justo (Justo is Italian in Venetian dialect for right/correct, referring to the accuracy). This trainer not only looks different from the outside, matching the more … Read More Here
Gymrail Momentum X1 Smart Trainer Movement System In-Depth Review
In many ways, smart trainers themselves have largely flat-lined in terms of new features. Sure, we’ll continue to see new models with relatively minor tweaks, but much of the focus for the indoor smart trainer world has been on accessories … Read More Here
Wahoo KICKR ROLLR Smart Trainer In-Depth Review
Wahoo has now formally announced their KICKR ROLLR smart trainer…err…smart roller. I’m not super sure how you classify it (Wahoo themselves officially calls it a “smart trainer” in their media release), but whatever it is – it’s here and … Read More Here
Wahoo Further Clarifies Canyon/Trek/Giant KICKR Incompatibilities with New Adapter
If there’s anything the internet is good at, it’s sleuthing through imagery to find inconsistent details. Last month when Wahoo and Canyon casually dropped a support update out saying that the Canyon Ultimate CF frames (specifically the rim brake variants) … Read More Here
Tacx Boost Trainer In-Depth Review
Today Tacx has announced the Tacx Boost trainer. Err…re-announced the Tacx Boost trainer. It was previously, for the last 9 years, the Tacx Booster trainer. But as part of a consolidation of the budget non-smart trainer offerings, the company has … Read More Here
The Smart Trainer Recommendations Guide: Winter 2020-2021
For nearly a decade my trainer recommendations guide has been a staple of this time of year, consolidating all the latest trainers into the do and don’t buy list to consider before spending some hard-earned cash to then suffer inside. … Read More Here
Elite Tuo Smart Trainer In-Depth Review
Almost exactly one year to the day after announcing the Elite Tuo trainer, Elite finally started shipping the thing last month. To their credit, the reason they held back was that the accuracy of the unit wasn’t where they wanted … Read More Here
Indoor Cycling Trainer Desk: For when you just can’t justify the Wahoo KICKR Desk Price
Want the Wahoo KICKR Desk (which work with any brand trainer), but can’t exactly justify spending $250 on an indoor trainer desk? No problem, there’s an alternative – the RAD Cycling Desk, also branded as the Lifeline Cycling Trainer Desk, … Read More Here
Garmin Shows Off Smart Trainer Integration on Fenix 6 & Forerunner 945
Sometimes, I just stumble on things. Which, was exactly the case a number of weeks ago when I went to start a Zwift race, using the Fenix 6 as a background recording device for some trainer/power meter testing. As I … Read More Here
Elite Direto XR/XR-T Smart Trainer In-Depth Review
The new Direto XR has increased specs including 24% simulated gradient, a cassette, and improved ERG mode. But is it just as accurate? I dig in with full in-depth testing! Read More Here
Tacx Flux 2 Smart Trainer (2020 Edition) In-Depth Review
Very few reviews last two years in length, but the Tacx Flux 2 is in a saga level unto itself. For this review I dive deep into the belly of the Flux 2 to see if it’s finally fixed. Read More Here
Tacx Flow Budget Smart Trainer In-Depth Review
The Tacx Flow Smart is not new. Though, it might be to a lot of people. It’s the least expensive true smart trainer on the market – at least by any of the major players (or even medium players that … Read More Here
Zwift Rolls Out Third World Choice
Here’s a quickie of an update for you on this Saturday morning, which is especially notable if you plan to ride this morning (or evening in Australia) that you’ll want to budget extra time to get Zwift updated. Though, the … Read More Here
TrainerRoad Launches Live Group Workouts with Video
TrainerRoad has launched a new group workout function today that enables you to do a workout with friends synchronized together, complete with audio and video of each of you suffering. It’s like TrainerRoad cobbled up with a little bit of … Read More Here
Zwift Lays Off Employees in Move to Focus on Developing New Hardware
This past Friday, Zwift laid-off a number of employees in a move the company described as being made to allow them to “develop new hardware”. The positions being eliminated, according to various industry sources that were informed by Zwift on … Read More Here
Complete List of Trainer Apps Special Events/Promos Right Now, Plus Trainers 20% off
With a renewed focus on indoor training across the globe, many trainer apps are fast-forwarding features they had planned for later, offering promos, or doing various unique events to help folks pass the time. As required by internet law, Friday … Read More Here
Tacx Handlebar Tablet Holder Accessory In-Depth Review
You know when you start a review 3-4 years ago, and then realize you never quite finished it? Oh, that’s just me? Well, here ya go – all it took was a worldwide pandemic for me to finish it. As … Read More Here
Saris MP1 Nfinity Motion Platform In-Depth Review
It’s been a year and a half since we got our first glimpses of the now named Saris MP1 platform. Back then, Saris was called CycleOps, and the platform didn’t even have a name. It was just dubbed “The Thing” … Read More Here
Oreka O2 Cycling Treadmill In-Depth Review
Like most ambitious new products, it’s been a few years since we first started seeing tidbits of the Oreka O2 cycling treadmill trainer. Which, is a good point: I’m not even sure what to call this thing. Officially the company … Read More Here
Kinetic R1 Smart Trainer In-Depth Review
It’s been 16 months since the Kinetic R1 was first announced at Interbike 2018. That was back when Interbike still existed. Since then, Interbike has dissolved, Kinetic started shipping the R1, then stopped for half a year, then resumed again … Read More Here
4iiii Fliiiight Smart Trainer In-Depth Review
The Fliiiight is a different kind of trainer on so many levels. First off – it doesn’t use any sort of traditional trainer resistance technology to provide resistance. Instead, it recreates gradients and wattage levels by moving magnets, which depending … Read More Here
Elite Suito/Suito-T Smart Trainer In-Depth Review
It’s been about five months since the Elite Suito was first announced back in July. The Suito made a name for itself by essentially copying the same Elite formula as a few years ago: Offer a good medium-range product that … Read More Here
Wahoo KICKR Bike In-Depth Review
The KICKR Bike is the most advanced indoor smart bike out there. But is it worth $3,500? After a ton of miles on it, I detail everything you ever wanted to know. Read More Here