Garmin MARQ Athlete In-Depth Review

It’s been nearly five months since Garmin first announced their high-end MARQ series watches, which top out at $2,500 for the Driver edition. Though the Athlete variant that this review is focused on will set you back ‘only’ $1,500. All-in, | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Jaybird Vista Earbuds Hands-On: An AirPods/PowerBeats Pro Competitor for Sports?

My relationship with music while working out is somewhat moody, and usually depends on how complex everything is to setup and maintain. Sure, pairing is usually easy – but up until really the last year or two, getting streaming services | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

DCR Summer 2019 Open House & Ride Recap Photos

A hop, skip, and two weekends ago was the first ever summer DCR Open house. Technically the 6th open house if counting all the previous Paris and Amsterdam events, but this one was quite different in that it was held | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

The 2019 Swim/Bike/Run Gear I Use List

It’s nice and quiet during the summer lull between product release cycles (which usually start again around the first week of September), so it’s as good a time as any to do my annual ‘gear I use list’. The last | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Cycling Dynamics for Assioma Power Meter Pedals Released, New Pedal Bodies Too

Yes, the long and oft talked about day is finally here – Favero has pushed out a firmware update enabling Cycling Dynamics on their popular Assioma power meter pedals. It’s been a multi-year journey that first started in Garmin’s camp, | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Women’s WorldTour Pro Teams: The Trainers, Power Meters, and Other Tidbits

Yesterday I detailed the trainers and power meters of the Men’s WorldTour teams (plus a few odds and ends), as seen at the Tour de France. While I generally do that yearly, I also try and profile the women if | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Tour de France 2019: The Trainers & Power Meters

Today marks the second time trial of the Tour de France, this one an individual time trial, versus the team time trial of the opening weekend.  While that’s a substantial difference from an athletic standpoint, the underlying technology used by | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Amazon Prime Day 2019: Sports Tech Deal Tracker

Ok folks,you know the drill – today’s the best day of the year short of Black Friday for deals, sports tech and beyond. What started just a few short years ago as an Amazon-only thing has oddly enough spread beyond | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Hands-On: Elite’s New $799 Suito Smart Trainer (with cassette)

It’s very likely that the just announced Elite Suito will be the trainer to beat for 2019 in terms of value for the money. In many ways, this is repeating Elite’s successes of 2017 with the original Elite Direto which | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Strava cuts off Relive: Here’s what actually happened

Here I thought yesterday was going to be a peaceful random July Thursday morning. Nothing but Italian chirping birds at the Giro Rosa, and catching the Tour de France later in the afternoon on TV. Turns out, Strava had different | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Hands-on: FORM Swim Goggles with Smart Display

Today, FORM Athletica announced their first product, the smart-display enabled FORM Swim Goggles. It’s of course at this juncture that you’re asking yourself: Who TF is FORM Athletica? And what the Helsinki is a smart-display enabled swim goggle?Thankfully for me | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

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 | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

The Rivet: First Look At This Potential Zwift Competitor

To be fair, using the term ‘Zwift Competitor’ might be a bit…early. Like looking at a pile of ingredients on a table and calling it a cake. But damn, it looks pretty. And everyone likes eating cake batter anyway. Also, | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Hands-on with Tekrapod: Openwater Swim Safety Device

For whatever reason, I find openwater swim safety devices to be interesting. So, if you’re not an openwater swimmer, then returning tomorrow is your best bet. Or, go check out this past post from 9 years ago when I accidentally | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

5 Random Things I Did This Weekend

After getting back from Greece (obligatory beach Instagram pic here) mid-week, we were back in Amsterdam for the weekend here. Thankfully it wasn’t as hot as the past week, though Saturday did take the cake for the heatwave. Here’s what | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Week in Review–June 30th, 2019

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 | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Testing In The Wind Tunnel with Stryd’s New Running Power Meter

It’s been now 4 years since Stryd first landed on the market as a running power meter. Back then, it was initially a chest strap, though the company shifted to a single footpod design about three years ago. Now, with | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Polar’s $199 Ignite GPS Hands-On: Everything you ever wanted to know

I always like it when Polar gets riled up. It happens every few years (the Finns don’t excite easily), where they turn around and drop a crazy full featured product on the market, driving a significant shift in pricing. I | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

The Because It’s Friday $500 Sports Gadget Giveaway Results/Winner!

Last week I held the “Because it’s Friday $500 Gadget Giveaway”.  It was an opportunity 6,044 of you to express your love of Friday, or sports tech gadgetry in general. Or, just a chance to win some good ol’ fashioned | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

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 Field | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

How to: Garmin’s Semi-Secret Triathlon Display Mode (aka ‘Extended Display mode’)

Like any true triathlete, I violate all the rules of common sense. The most important one being to never try something new on race day. But given I’ve got a long history of violating said rule, I figured a few | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

First Look: Absolute Cycling One GPS Bike Computer

Let’s get this right out of the gate: The photos I took here are of hand-built prototypes. As such, they look a bit sketch – like, Elmer's glue and Home Depot sketch. Also, these units about 30% larger than the | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

5 Random Things I Did This Weekend

Finally, it’s getting warmish here. Not like Florida warm, but like acceptable levels of warmth warm. So, here’s what we were up to! 1) Openwater Swim Afternoon I kicked off the weekend with an openwater swim Friday afternoon. It finally | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

The Because It’s Friday $500 Sports Gadget Giveaway!

Today is Friday – you made it to the end of the week – and almost to the end of spring. But more importantly, today is also National Strawberry Shortcake Day (Don’t trust me? Look it up.) Unfortunately, I don’t | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Stages Starts Shipping New Dash M50/L50/L10 GPS Bike Computers: First Ride Details

What’s a 9 month between friends? A baby you say? Perhaps. But in this case, it’s roughly the delay that Stages incurred for their flotilla of new bike GPS units, initially announced last July back at Eurobike with a planed | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

The DCR Cave Summer Open House & BBQ: July 13th, 2019

Yup folks, that’s right, you’ve asked – and I’ve listened. We’re going to expand the annual winter open house to a summer event! This time you’ll be able to enjoy not just Amsterdam in the summer, but also an afternoon | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Garmin’s Biggest Competitor Is Their Own Software Instability

To the casual observer, one might assume Garmin’s biggest competitors are Apple, Fitbit, and in certain cycling circles – Wahoo. But in reality, I’d disagree. Garmin’s biggest competitor is themselves. Or more specifically, their lack of focus on solving bugs | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

5 Random Things I Did This Past Week in Paris

For today’s ‘5 Random Things’ edition, I’m mixing it up a bit. Mostly because My weekend was heavily skewed inside with the kiddos given the amazingly thorough rain and windstorms we had. So instead, I’ll rewind a few days more | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Dîner en Blanc 2019: Dinner with 10,000 People in Paris

For the past half a decade, we’ve attended Dîner en Blanc in Paris. And almost every year I’ve posted about it. Perhaps more for me than for you. This year will be no different. And despite us no longer living | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

The HLMRMEER Triathlon Race Report

You know what’s fun? Signing up for local triathlons a few days beforehand with pretty much no plan or appropriate sport-specific training. It almost always guarantees a good time. Sure, I had run and rode, and even swam…once…in the weeks | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Apple Outlines Next Version of Apple WatchOS: What you need to know

Yesterday at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), the company detailed the incoming mass of features across all of Apple’s platforms, from computer (MacOS) to phone/tablet (iOS/iPadOS), and yes, Apple Watch. In the case of Apple Watch, that operating system | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

5 Random Things I Did This Weekend

It was a hot one this weekend! ‘Perfect’ to do a triathlon, and spent most of the time outdoors. Here’s a quick look at what I was up to. 1) Swim Time Friday afternoon (which was sorta a weekend bridge | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Zwift Re-Updates Terms of Service After Recent Changes & Concerns

About a month ago Zwift quietly updated their Terms of Service. Then, a day or two later they (properly) sent out an e-mail to customers saying things had changed, and to check them out. For some reason, at the time, | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Wahoo Halts ROAM Bike GPS Shipments

We’re going to toss this post into the quick heads up post category – but Wahoo has semi-quietly announced to retailers and consumers that they’ve delayed further shipments of the just announced Wahoo ELEMENT ROAM GPS until early July. While | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Final Surge Becomes First Platform To Enable Polar .FIT File Integration

I like highlighting things that improve interoperability for end users, and help advance the industry forward. Said differently: I like highlighting cases where companies shift towards industry standard file formats that make our lives easier. Or at the very least, | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Garmin Live Event Sharing: Everything you ever wanted to know about it

Over the last month as part of Garmin’s new devices extravaganza, there was barely a mention of ‘live event sharing’ for certain devices. It was almost listed as fine print, right next to ‘if do something stupid using our device, | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

5 Random Things I Did This Weekend

(Preemptive note/reminder: The 20% off trainers/power meters/etc sale ends later today. While mostly targeted at the US, it’s certainly not limited there. In any case, hit up the link for all the details. Also, note that I’ve added a bunch | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Week in Review–May 26th, 2019

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 | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Quick App Reviews: Footpath Route Planner (iOS)

Today we’ll continue the once in a long time series of quick app reviews. As you know, I generally dislike doing app reviews, mainly because apps change so quickly that any criticisms I make are immediately addressed in the next | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Suunto 5: Everything You Need to Know & First Runs

Today Suunto took one more step towards filling in their Wheel of Fortune naming scheme mystery series, by announcing the Suunto 5. The unit’s numerals are slotted a step above the Suunto 3, but gapped with the Suunto 9 a | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

5 Random Things I Did This Weekend

It’s not really getting any warmer in our neck of the woods – though, it is at least getting slightly sunnier. So I’ll take what we can get. Here’s what I was up to the last few days. Sorry for | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Week in Review–May 19th, 2019

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 | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Huge Spring Sale Begins: 20% off All Trainers & Most Power Meters, $150 off Fenix 5 Plus and 30% off Suunto

Like clockwork, it’s that time of year again! The now semi-annual 20% off sale.  That’s because it happens now and in the fall.  But I don’t think anyone’s complaining about the chance to buy a brand new just trainer or | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

DJI OSMO Action: In-Depth Review of DJI’s First Action Camera

The day has finally arrived that everyone predicted would eventually come: DJI has announced an action camera. For realz this time, not a small hand-held gimbal that’s sorta like an action camera but not, not another drone that can be | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

COROS VERTIX Adventure GPS Watch: Hands-on with their new premium watch

Today COROS announced their new VERTIX multisport GPS device, which adds in SpO2 measurement for high-altitude adventures, while also bringing with it a more premium feel that apparently demands an equally premium price – from $599 to $699 depending on | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

5 Random Things I Did This Weekend

Ahh yes, finally getting some re-warmth into the springtime weather her in Amsterdam. Not a massive amount of warmth, but I’ll take any bit I can get. Here’s what I was up to this weekend, with family in town as | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Week in Review–May 13th, 2019

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 | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago

Zwift’s New Giro d’Italia Course Released: First Ride

Earlier this week Zwift announced that their new course would be a short time trial route mirroring the 2019 Giro d'Italia Stage 1, which starts today with the pros riding the real thing in Bologna. But it wasn’t until now | Continue reading


@dcrainmaker.com | 5 years ago