How we test
One age grouper. Real training blocks, real race days. Every review answers one question: is this worth it for someone with a day job and a race on the calendar?
Who's testing
Mike Winer
Age-group triathlete in Toronto, product leader, and theoretical physics graduate. So expect opinions on software, and the occasional power-and-drag model.
Raced the Barrelman triathlon in 2026. Rides about 3,500 km outdoors and 3,000 km indoors a year, and runs in wide shoes, so fit notes are part of every shoe review.
- Based
- Toronto
- Races
- Triathlon and the marathon
- Bike
- BMC Teammachine SLR Seven
- Watch
- Apple Watch Ultra 3
Living reviews
Gear changes over a season. So do the reviews here. Every review moves through three stages, and the stage is always on the label.
- 01No score
First look
On arrival: weighed, measured and set up on my own bike, shoes or wrist. Published right away, clearly labelled, with no score.
- 02Scored
Full review
After a full training block or a race. Scored on the Midpack scorecard below, with the raw data linked.
- 03Updated
Long-term
Updated as the kilometres pile up. Scores can change, and every change is logged at the top of the review.
The Midpack scorecard
Five scores out of 10, each with one line on why. The overall is a straight average: no hidden weighting, no stars.
Performance
Does it do the main job well? Accuracy for a watch, speed for wheels, comfort for shoes. Whatever the thing is actually for.
Ease of use
Setup, menus, apps and the daily fiddling. If you need a manual to change a setting, it loses points here.
Reliability
Battery, bugs, dropouts and durability across the whole test period, not just the first ride.
Value
What you get per dollar against the alternatives, including spending the money on something else entirely.
Mid-pack fit
Does it actually help someone who isn't a pro or a beginner, on the hours we really have?
Plus a thumb
I'd buy it with my own money.I wouldn't, or I'd buy something else.The thumb is a gut call, so it can disagree with the number.The test bench
The gear every review is measured with, listed so you can calibrate against your own.
- Assioma Uno pedalsPower reference
- Wahoo KICKR CoreIndoor, cross-checked
- Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt V2Head unit
- Apple Watch Ultra 3Swim, run, multisport
- intervals.icuLoad and analysis
- [Scale and calipers]Every weight and width
How this site makes money
Affiliate links
If you buy through a link, we may earn a commission. It never changes a score, and every review says which links are affiliate links.
Bought or loaned
[Your policy, e.g. every review states whether the gear was bought or loaned, and what happens to loaners afterwards.]
Sponsorships
[Your policy on sponsored content and brand deals.]
Want something tested?
Or spotted a mistake? Corrections are logged on the review they apply to.