Road Bike Required for Triathlon

Rydeadeye
Rydeadeye Posts: 25
edited January 2012 in Road beginners
Hi, I have just entered a 70.3 Iron Man, the Tri Hard event in the Lakes 24/06/12 and I now need a road bike!
I'm aware it's going to be a tough challenge this one but I'm more than up for it but I need some advice on what bike to get for my budget.

What would anyone recommend? My budget is only about £400 but I want to pick up something decent as I will be clocking up plenty of milege in training and in the race itself.

Looking at what's around I seem to be very limited by my budget. I'm not expecting to get a world class top of the range bike for that money but I want to know what options this would give. I want to be able to get something decent that isn't going to fall apart after the first 20 miles.

Cheers

Comments

  • Rouge Penguin
    Rouge Penguin Posts: 347
    Borrow one or get a 2nd hand one off here or ebay.

    The benefit of 2nd hand is that youre likely to pick up a decent bike cheaper right now, as people will have just got new bikes inthe sales. £400 will be pretty basic, ive not looked but will £500 get you an allez these days?
  • nochekmate
    nochekmate Posts: 3,460
    This might just be the job for you deoending on size - it's rather better than 'pretty basic' for Triathlon IMO

    It's in excellent condition.

    viewtopic.php?f=40049&t=12829770&p=17382843#p17382843
  • Rouge Penguin
    Rouge Penguin Posts: 347
    Errr, quickly checks own bank account.....

    Think we have a winner right there.
  • nochekmate
    nochekmate Posts: 3,460
    ...and if it's really a 'road bike' that you are looking for ie. without the TT bars, I might be able to do a deal on some shimano shifters
  • Rydeadeye
    Rydeadeye Posts: 25
    That's absolutely immense! Cheers for the advice guys. Would that bike be the right fit for myself? I'm 5" 11. What's the actual size of the bike, 56", 57" or 58"?
  • Rydeadeye
    Rydeadeye Posts: 25
    However I'm not sure if just a solid decent road bike would be better? I have done several marathons on foot etc and fitness is pretty good but I'm fairly new to cycling as a whole. The Triathlon I'm doing is in the lakes and the cycling part is 56 miles through the Kirkstone pass. http://www.trihard.co.uk/ADIL/ADILhome.htm . I'll be doing a lot of training straight from work, basically cycling in to work on the bike then clocking up 40/50 miles after it. Would a tri bike be best suited for this?
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    No.
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    Rydeadeye wrote:
    That's absolutely immense! Cheers for the advice guys. Would that bike be the right fit for myself? I'm 5" 11. What's the actual size of the bike, 56", 57" or 58"?

    You would need a 56cm top tube Road bike at a guess with 110-120 stem, or if a TT/Tri, a 53-54 top tube.
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • Rydeadeye
    Rydeadeye Posts: 25
    Thought as much, cheers for the advise. Looks like everyone from the pic on the web site is using a normal road bike. Any recommendations? I just tried a few 56" bikes in Evans cycles on my lunch and that is definitely the size to go for.
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    cm not "! Don't get confused and buy a 56" frame, you'll never get your leg over it... ;)

    I personally would go for a road bike.
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • nochekmate
    nochekmate Posts: 3,460
    Although I am the seller and have a vested interest in the Giant, I have to say that given the cycle event that you are doing (hilly) and with the training that you are looking to do beforehand then I have to agree with NapD, when he states that you might be better looking at a road bike rather than a dedicated TT/Tri set-up. Your cycle course is less likely to be concerned with aerodynamics than climbing capability.

    Depends whether you wanted to do additional Tri's on flatter courses in time - size wise this is a Medium frame and would work for a 5ft 11 rider since again as NapD has pointed out, you would normally look for a slightly shorter top tube set-up on your TT bike compared to a road bike.
  • Rydeadeye
    Rydeadeye Posts: 25
    I agree I think a road bike would definitely be more suitable for this and I think I would get more usage out of a road bike overall than a tri bike. I'm still stuck though in terms of what to go for within my budget.

    nochekmate have you got any other Giant bikes around the £400 mark?
  • nochekmate
    nochekmate Posts: 3,460
    Rydeadeye wrote:
    I agree I think a road bike would definitely be more suitable for this and I think I would get more usage out of a road bike overall than a tri bike. I'm still stuck though in terms of what to go for within my budget.

    nochekmate have you got any other Giant bikes around the £400 mark?

    I am afraid that I haven't - I ride a 58cm road bike and have nothing else in that budget anyway. I've sent you a PM re: bikes

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