What Triathlon bike?

CyclingObsession
CyclingObsession Posts: 314
edited March 2013 in Road buying advice
I have started swimming and want to get into triathlons so that means buying a Tri bike, I have a mid range road bike currently, I have been browsing for tri bikes and found that I want a felt brand, I have an eye on two bikes, this is the cheaper one http://eurocycles.com/ie/product/felt/b ... white-blue
it weighs 21lbs I am also looking at this one http://eurocycles.com/ie/product/felt/da4 which weighs 19lbs, my question is, is it worth spending the extra grand r two for 2-3lbs weight difference or is their more two it than that? My goals are to complete a half Iron man in above average time. My strengths in order are cycling running and swimming. Advice is badly needed. Cheers

Comments

  • pkripper
    pkripper Posts: 652
    CyclingObsession wrote:
    I have started swimming and want to get into triathlons so that means buying a Tri bike, I have a mid range road bike currently, I have been browsing for tri bikes and found that I want a felt brand, I have an eye on two bikes, this is the cheaper one http://eurocycles.com/ie/product/felt/b ... white-blue
    it weighs 21lbs I am also looking at this one http://eurocycles.com/ie/product/felt/da4 which weighs 19lbs, my question is, is it worth spending the extra grand r two for 2-3lbs weight difference or is their more two it than that? My goals are to complete a half Iron man in above average time. My strengths in order are cycling running and swimming. Advice is badly needed. Cheers

    Ok, you don't need a tri bike. It sounds like you haven't even done any form of.tri as yet, and they hurt. A lot. The tri bike will gain you a marginal time difference, the bulk of which is in position changes. Some people are more aero on a road bike than a tri bike as they can get into a better position for them.

    Personally, I'd suggest getting some aerobars for your current bike as a start, and if you do want to spend, some aero wheels too. And just get out there and train and race. If you enjoy it, great, buy a specific bike for next season.

    For what its worth, I have pretty much that set up and am usually in the top 5% of the bike split times. Sadly I'm also a piss poor runner!
  • CyclingObsession
    CyclingObsession Posts: 314
    Good point, I haven done any tris yet just duathlons, I have aero bars I put on my bike for solo rides and training, I just heard a lot of people saying you save energy with a specific tri bike for the running. I find it annoying on the road bike when u need to change up or down a gear having to get out of aero bars to change.
  • pkripper
    pkripper Posts: 652
    CyclingObsession wrote:
    Good point, I haven done any tris yet just duathlons, I have aero bars I put on my bike for solo rides and training, I just heard a lot of people saying you save energy with a specific tri bike for the running. I find it annoying on the road bike when u need to change up or down a gear having to get out of aero bars to change.


    They're probably talking about the more open hip angle you can get on a tri bike as the seattube angle is steeper, hence you're more directly over the chainset. It's supposed to help, but training some bricks relatively often and also backing off the power in the last couple of minutes of the bike leg and upping the cadence also helps with the run.

    It's horses for courses, if you've got the cash, go for it, but maybe get an Olympic or two under your belt ahead of buying. I know a fair few people who loved the sound of tri, but the physical reality of it was too much!
  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    Dont get too hung up on getting a Tri bike, deep section wheels and aero bars just because thats what is regarded as beneficial. Trust me it isn't. Over years of doing to Tri I've surmised that a lot of it is posing and marketing boll0cks. Calf gaurds anyone?

    My best placed tri was achieved on my regular drop bar road bike. Lots of climbing and negotiating fast roundabouts and bends was easier as I could stay on the drops but still access my brakes and gears. A tad harder on a full on Tri bike.

    The caveat to this is longer distance races IME. If you can get into an efficient and fairly 'comfortable' position over longer distances then you will use less energy, giving you something in the bank for a strong run split. For undulating, shorter courses where you be constantly shifting around, a regular road bike can be just as fast.

    Theres no shortcut as your training across three disciplines you just need to put the hours in and be consistent. My advice would be to spend the cash on a coach and hone your swim skills and have an achievable, managable and productive training program that will make you stronger on the bike and run. This will save you more time than a negligible aero advantage.
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    You want a Felt? Get this out of your head immediately. If you do get a TT/tri bike you'll find that certain geometries work better for some than others. Getting hung up on the brand means you may end up with a compromised fit.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • nochekmate
    nochekmate Posts: 3,460
    If you've got some calf guards Jordan, then I should have bought those recently from you :wink:

    I suffer from calf strains and do find the additional 'support' quite useful - injury free at the moment though and looking forward to riding my Felt B2Pro in the Outlaw.
  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    nochekmate wrote:
    If you've got some calf guards Jordan, then I should have bought those recently from you :wink:

    Not in this lifetime :wink: though I did find them beneficial once - a guy on a run split passed me wearing some, I made sure I got to the line before him!
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    You don't need any extra kit beyond tri bars. Pretty sure I finished IM UK on my Allez with tri bars and shallow rims in above average time, it really isn't about the bike & hate to say it but triathletes really are cash cows for pointless kit!
  • silverpigeon
    silverpigeon Posts: 327
    iPete wrote:
    You don't need any extra kit beyond tri bars. Pretty sure I finished IM UK on my Allez with tri bars and shallow rims in above average time, it really isn't about the bike & hate to say it but triathletes really are cash cows for pointless kit!

    This is true. The first time I broke an hour for the cycling leg, it was on a flat barred road bike with tri-bars. I've always used a road bike with the right geometry (long TT) and bars. Tri bikes look nice but I'd need to be competing at a very serious level before I considered any 'aero advantage' they might give
    Basso Astra
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  • mattmaximus
    mattmaximus Posts: 132
    Well FWIW i've had my felt b12 for a month now and i love it. The geometry is very different between the da and b series bikes so I'd be surprised if you suited both. I think the fit will be a bigger factor than the weight.
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    As others have said save your money and get your head down and stuck into some serious training.

    I started racing in 2010 and though I needed to raise cash to get a TT specific rig. I was wrong with some good planned training you will find even with a basic bike and some clip on bars you will be fast. You don't need to spend a lot on training with a coach if you can't afford it. Go join a local club and beg, borrow & steal ideas plus you get to train with other racers. If the club is any good it will should also have some coaching sessions or a coach of their own. You might also find that racers have kit for sale too so is a good way to find some deals.

    I managed my first season on my road bike and was never out of the top 1/3 on the bike or run & managed about mid pack on the swim.

    If after a year you have the bug and want to buy a new bike then go ahead and spend your money then.

    Good luck & if you let us know where you are based I'm sure that someone will let you know which clubs are good.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    silverpigeon wrote:
    iPete wrote:
    You don't need any extra kit beyond tri bars. Pretty sure I finished IM UK on my Allez with tri bars and shallow rims in above average time, it really isn't about the bike & hate to say it but triathletes really are cash cows for pointless kit!

    This is true. The first time I broke an hour for the cycling leg, it was on a flat barred road bike with tri-bars. I've always used a road bike with the right geometry (long TT) and bars. Tri bikes look nice but I'd need to be competing at a very serious level before I considered any 'aero advantage' they might give

    Long toptube is the opposite of what you should be looking for...
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    As the others have said - you really dont need a tri bike to do a tri.

    Most people I see at triathlons dont even use their tribars most of the time.

    I'd stick with what youve got and do a tri and see if you liked it. Sure a TT style bike will cut a few minutes off the ride - but in the scheme of things - thats nothing. Decent training for the swim will take 15 mins off your time there.

    A new bike to save a few minutes from a 5 hour plus race ?
  • tomisitt
    tomisitt Posts: 257
    Please refer to Rule #42, and pull yourself together

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