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.
You'll support the site, and get ad-free DCR! Plus, you'll be more awesome. Click above for all the details. Oh, and you can sign-up for the newsletter here!
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.
-
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?
-
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 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.
Tag Archives: Wahoo
Wahoo Announces Big KICKR Price Changes
This will be a relatively quick post, as it’s really not all that complex. In conjunction with Zwift’s standalone Zwift Ride Frame announcement, Wahoo has also announced a reduction in pricing across the board. This includes all of their smart … Read More Here
Wahoo announces GoPro connectivity, Smart Lights integration, and Music Control
Wahoo has announced three new connectivity-related items for their BOLT V2 & ROAM V2 bike computers. As the title implies, you’ll now be able to control your GoPro, control your existing ANT+ smart lights (from any vendor), and control the … Read More Here
Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One: In-Depth Review
I know, the name is confusing. Look, I didn’t choose it, I just review it. A more explainable name would be the Wahoo KICKR CORE Cog, which is what this is: The Wahoo KICKR CORE, with the Zwift Cog … Read More Here
Wahoo Fitness CEO On Future Wahoo Products, Past Mistakes
Last week while visiting Wahoo Fitness, I sat down with the founder and current co-CEO of the company, Chip Hawkins, for a wide-ranging interview discussing everything from past Wahoo initiatives (and failures), to the status of current products, as … Read More Here
Wahoo Fitness to Shut Down RGT Virtual Cycling App
Wahoo Fitness has announced to members that in less than 30 days – on October 31, 2023, the company will shut down the virtual cycling app RGT in an effort to focus “exclusively [on their] structured training content”. Wahoo had … Read More Here
Wahoo and Zwift Reach Patent Dispute Agreement: Here’s What’s Happening Next
Exactly one year ago today, Zwift announced the Zwift Hub smart trainer – which priced at $499USD, immediately lit a fire across the rest of the smart trainer industry. The product was mostly a rebrand of the existing JetBlack VOLT … Read More Here
Elite & Wahoo Reduce List Prices on Trainers
Over the past 7 days, both Elite and Wahoo have reduced prices on a few models of their trainers that directly or indirectly compete with the direct drive based Zwift Hub smart trainer. That trainer was announced one year ago … Read More Here
Wahoo Fitness Founder Buys Company Back from Banks
Remember back in the old days when the Facebook relationship profile status prominently displayed “It’s Complicated”? That’s basically been Wahoo Fitness the last year or two. Like many things involving private equity, the initial investment sounded great, but over the … Read More Here
Wahoo’s Injunction Request Against Zwift Hub Denied By Judge
A judge has denied Wahoo’s request to prevent Zwift from continuing to sell the Zwift Hub smart trainer. That smart trainer is the center of a legal dispute between the two companies, which Wahoo says infringes on their existing patents, … Read More Here
Wahoo Announces Summit Freeride: First Ride Thoughts!
Here’s a quickie of a post, at least until I can properly test it. Wahoo has announced their own free-riding version of their climbing metrics, akin to Garmin’s free-ride ClimbPro and Hammerhead’s free-ride CLIMBER. This allows you to ride without … Read More Here
Tech Tidbits: Supersapiens DQ for Pro Cyclist, Wahoo/Zwift Court Update, and COROS 1-on-1 Coaching
Spring is nearing, and as a result, we’re starting to see sports tech things warming up. And, also, as is applicable today – racing spring events using sports tech things. Overall, I think this is gonna be one of the … Read More Here
Wahoo Adds Trailforks Routes Integration: Here’s how it works
As part of a firmware update for all Wahoo’s bike computers that’s just been released, they’ve added Trailforks routing integration. This allows you to link your Trailforks account, and have Trailforks routes automatically pushed to your Wahoo ELEMNT series device. … Read More Here
Wahoo KICKR Smart Trainer V6 (2022) In-Depth Review
New indoor trainer/bike season is heating up again this week, with Wahoo announcing not just one, but two new devices today – the Wahoo KICKR V6 as well as the new Wahoo KICKR Bike V2. Both of these trainers … Read More Here
Wahoo Adds New Gradient Coloring with Wahoo Summit Feature
Wahoo has introduced what I presume to be the first step in a larger set of changes around climbing information, to compete with Garmin’s ClimbPro and Hammerhead’s Climber features. This first change adds gradient coloring for pre-planned routes (and re-routes) … Read More Here
Wahoo POWRLINK ZERO Speedplay Power Meter In-Depth Review
It’s finally here. After an 8-month delay (though tame by power meter pedal delay standards), Wahoo’s Speedplay-based power meter is finally shipping and available. This marks not just Wahoo’s first bike-based power meter, but also the first (and only) Speedplay … Read More Here
Wahoo’s New ROLLR: Exactly what is it?
Wahoo has non-announced a new product over the past few days. Part roller, part Either way, whatever it is, Wahoo decided that secretive spy-shots of a product quietly being tested by a low-level pro rider in a small European village … Read More Here
Heads Up: 48-Hour Wahoo 10-20% off KICKR, CORE, BIKE, Speedplay & More Sale
Just a super quick Monday heads up that Competitive Cyclist is running a 2-day sale on a boatload of Wahoo gear, for 10-20% off almost everything. We’ve semi-occasionally seen these 20% off sales on Wahoo products the day after the … Read More Here
Heads Up: Wahoo ELEMNT Devices To Require Wahoo Accounts From July 1st
Starting July 1st, Wahoo bike computer and watch users will need a Wahoo account in order to continue using their devices with Wahoo’s app, which is used for configuration/customization of the device (including sync to platforms like Strava). The account … Read More Here
Wahoo Relaunches Speedplay, Announces Power Meter Plans (POWRLINK Zero)
It’s been roughly 18 months since Wahoo announced the acquisition of Speedplay. Since then the company reduced some 50 different SKUs down to 4 core models, moved factory locations, shut down factories, moved factory locations again, and started building a … Read More Here
Wahoo Starts Shipping KICKR 2020 Direct Connect Cable: Hands-on Details
Last summer when Wahoo announced the KICKR V5/2020, one of the new features was a new port on the side of the trainer that would allow you to plug it into your home (or office) network, as a means to … 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
Wahoo RIVAL Multisport GPS Watch In-Depth Review
It’s Wahoo’s first go of creating a multisport GPS watch, how does it handle, and stack up against the competition? I dive into all the details, literally – complete with a triathlon test. Read More Here
Hands-on: Wahoo adds Specialized ANGi Helmet Sensor Integration
Wahoo and Specialized have announced a new integration that lets Wahoo users automatically start and stop the Specialized ANGi helmet live tracking and crash detection features, directly from their Wahoo ELEMNT/BOLT/ROAM computers. This integration (as you’ll see), seems more of … 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
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