Triathlon and the Revolution Streetfinder

tessquinton

Hi,

I am only just getting into cycling but have challenged myself to a triathlon in September. Only a mini one including a 15km cycle. The cycle route is 3 x 5km circuit up and down a gradual hill. I have recently been given a Revolution Streetfinder bike (second hand). Do you think this would be an ok bike to do a mini triathlon on? I know its not ideal but I don't want to fork out lots of money at this stage in my cycling ability!

Any handy triathlon tips?

Tess

HamishD

If you're just planning on getting round, then I suppose it will have to do! One of these?

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... der-10468/

I know next to nothing about the other two stages of the tri-athlon (other than my legs still ache after Monday's 10k run) so suggest you contact a tri-athlon specific forum . . . first link here looks ok . . .

http://www.google.co.uk/search?source=i ... 0&aql=&oq=

dhope

Brick Sessions

Get used to running straight after cycling. Being able to cycle 20k or run 5k is easy (relatively), but running 5k straight after getting off a bike when your legs are used to pedalling is a different matter.

asprilla

The bike is fine, you will see every kind of bike going at triathlons.

Tips wise, most of all enjoy the day and remember that you are racing yourself, not everyone else.

It's a good idea to check the transition area on the day to make sure you know where you will be entering and exiting when you chane over.

Swim. It's usually the bit that most people ignore but it is hard work and there will be a lot of people around you if it is open water.

Think about how you you will lay your kit out in transition so you know where it will be and practice your transition if you can; it's easier to save time there than to run, swim or cycle quicker.

redjeepǃ

As Asprila said.

You'll find that as it's a mini Tri that for a lot (probably the majority) of people there, it'll be their first so don't worry too much.

Get some practice on the swim as it's easy for panic to set in at the very start due to the unfamilarness of the whole thing and the 'OMG - I'll never get around feeling'. With a bit of training you'll have no bother.

Think you way through transition, meaning to visualise and practice how you lay your gear out and how to change from the swim to the bike to the run. Make sure you reference your bike position to a few landmarks (within transition) so that you can find it when you come from the swim as it's very easy to loose it. It can be like looking for a car in Heathrow Airport carpark trying to find your bike. Don't forget that it'll look different as bikes are taken away. Walk through from the swim entry to your bike and then back again from the bike entry.

Overall just enjoy it as a new experience.