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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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UK based here! Canada! Germany! France! Spain! Italy!
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The DC RAINMAKER PODCAST
Did you know I also have a podcast?
Check out my weekly podcast - with TRS Triathlon, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
FAQ’s
I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
- 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?
- What are your least favorite countries/places?
Follow me on Twitter
16 hours ago@N_Squillari Nope, not at all. Kinetic is as locked down as it gets there unfortunately.21 hours ago@Anton_spb77 @johnnyboy4711 Yeah, honestly, that data looks horrible. Way under-estimating power, and doing so somewhat inconsistently.1 day ago@BigBlokeOnABike Yeah, that's the tricky part. Might be best to turn off for a bit here and there.1 day ago@Lynn_912591216 I tend to only review lights that offer some sort of connectivity (to phone/device/etc...). I don't see a link to yours?1 day ago@MazeikaR The RD pod doesn't give pace (just cadence), so I'd focus on footpod if you find running pace (and thus distance), isn't accurate.1 day ago@DirtyOldSneaker It's a sticky GoPro/VIRB mount. I was trying out the VIRB360 up there first. It's more stable, but… https://t.co/hZCd0igtkB-
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 gadget recommendations guide (Winter 2016-2017 edition) - covering almost every category of sports gadgets out there. Looking for the equipment I use day to day? I also just put together my complete 2015 '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) 2015 list. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!
Understand technology and sport in the How-To Guides.
I enjoy explaining new things to folks – especially showing people how to get the most from their gadgets. Here’s an ongoing list of “How to” guides.
Read my Top 25 most useful posts.
It turns out I’ve written a fair bit of stuff over the past few years – and after it disappears from my front page, a lot of it never really sees the light of day again without Google’ing skillz. Or a photographic memory…which I don’t have. I’ve taken a look back and found stuff that...continues to find a trickle of readers via web searches or forum links.
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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CycleOps (Saris)
CycleOps Hammer Trainer In-Depth Review
It’s Hammer Time. The Hammer is CycleOps’ answer to the highly competitive high-end direct drive trainer realm. Or said differently, it’s their answer to the KICKR. It feels like an eternity ago that the Hammer was announced. In reality though, … Read More Here
Hands-on with new CycleOps Hammer Smart Trainer
Today CycleOps has announced their latest trainer product, the Hammer. Taking a cue from others in the industry on having a catchy name, the Hammer is CycleOps’s first totally new trainer in a few years. And also their first direct … Read More Here
PowerTap P1 Power Meter Pedals In-Depth Review
Back this spring PowerTap for the first time announced a power meter that wasn’t in the rear wheel hub. Well, they actually announced two new power meters. The first was the PowerTap P1, which is a pedal based power meter, … Read More Here
CycleOps Virtual Training In-Depth Review
While the CycleOps PowerBeam Pro has been around a while, their entertainment and training software – Virtual Training – just came out late last year. I’ve been using beta versions on and off since last spring, and with the final … Read More Here
PowerTap PowerCal In-Depth Review
A bit over a year ago CycleOps announced their latest devices – and with it their first power meter that wasn’t in a rear wheel hub . CycleOps has a long history of power meter head units (and power meters), … Read More Here
CycleOps Joule GPS In-Depth Review
A bit over a year ago CycleOps announced their latest devices – and with it, their first GPS integrated cycling computer: The Joule GPS. CycleOps has a long history of power meter head units (and power meters), an area they’ve … Read More Here
CycleOps PowerBeam Pro Trainer In-Depth Review
While the CycleOps PowerBeam Pro may be two years old, it’s one of the very few trainers on the market that allows specific wattage resistance control. Meaning, you can set it for a given wattage – i.e. 200w, and it’ll … Read More Here
CycleOps Joule and PowerTap Wheelset In-Depth Review
Last year when Saris/CycleOps came out with their ANT+ enabled Joule, many wondered how it would stack up against the competition. Would a non-GPS enabled device still be able to compete in an increasingly GPS dominated world? And how would … Read More Here





















