Bike help please

J55TTC

Breif history:

Ive done countless sprints, 3/4's half marathons etc from 2010 to 2013.

2013 I completed wimbleball 70.3 despite the poor conditions and severe cramps on the bike. Went on to do much better at Luxembourg 70.3

2014 - work constraints meant it was just a few leisurely events.

2015 - Staffordshire 70.3 on minimal training, using shorter events as primary training. Times were 38 min swim, 3:15 bike 2:10 run. Was happy considering the disjointed training

All of the above on a stock felt AR2.

2016 - 2017 - sold the Felt to fund Golf - no training at all. Just back from watching my wife do Barcelona 140.6 and I'm massively inspired again - she's signed up to Copenhagen 140.6 already for 2018

I couldn't help but notice 99% of the bikes for Barcelona being tri bikes and I'm seriously contemplating Copenhagen 2018 myself.

I have funds for 1 bike around the £3k mark. Interested in peoples thoughts on which route I should go, TT or road?

Thanks!

OnTheRopes

If your focus is on Tri then get a TT/Tri bike, but that is of course a very single purpose bike and you really need a road bike to train on most of the time, building base and muscular endurance etc.
I would probably suggest buy a road bike now, and assuming you will be training through winter you won't want to wreck your best TT bike would you? Then buy a TT bike when you are certain you want to do tri/have more funds.

cougie

TT bike might save 20 mins or so on an IM. You don't want to ride that all year though.

Split the cash and get a road bike you can use year round and a TT bike for racing.

J55TTC

Thanks for the replies, it makes logical sense just not financial sense. Perhaps get a second hand cheapish road bike for the winter training and save funds for the TT bike in spring.

It seems to be the right time to buy a TT bike at the moment with the end of season deals though

cougie

I really don't think you need spend a lot on a TT bike.
You need it to fit well and be aero. Weight and groupset aren't really important. Copenhagen isn't a hilly course ?

Get a bike fit for the TT rig - even the shape of the bars can make a huge difference. You need to be comfortable. I pass plenty of flash pinarellos with the rider not able to use the TT bars. They should have saved themselves the cash.

J55TTC

Copenhagen isn’t hilly no, although apparently there is a bit of a climb at some at some point.

I’m not bothered about the weight of the bike, like you say I just need to find something comfortable

cyclenutnz

Find someone with a fit bike who knows how to use it, then get them to calculate whether you can fit on a Boardman
https://www.boardmanbikes.com/nz_en/bik ... on-tt/att/
The 9.0 is a well specced bike and would be much faster than a road bike for Copenhagen. Would leave room in the budget for other bits and pieces and finding a solid road bike.
As a hint - where you put your bottle can make more of a difference than an extra couple of thousand pounds spent on a TT bike - so pay attention to your hydration set up if you want speed per $ (or pound) and get good tyres for race day.

J55TTC

cyclenutnz wrote:

Find someone with a fit bike who knows how to use it, then get them to calculate whether you can fit on a Boardman
https://www.boardmanbikes.com/nz_en/bik ... on-tt/att/
The 9.0 is a well specced bike and would be much faster than a road bike for Copenhagen. Would leave room in the budget for other bits and pieces and finding a solid road bike.
As a hint - where you put your bottle can make more of a difference than an extra couple of thousand pounds spent on a TT bike - so pay attention to your hydration set up if you want speed per $ (or pound) and get good tyres for race day.

That's a good shout - thanks.

road bike Bargain?
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/EBPXPEC13 ... -road-bike

svetty

The issue is being accustomed to the bike so you are not compromising your power output in the TT position. The more time you spend riding it the better you will be at achieving this.

You might find that an aero road frame with clip-ons is a compromise for year round training and competing but for the full benefit during competition a full on TT bike is best.

fenix

You really need a bike to get the miles in through the winter. A nice carbon bike isn't what I'd choose. Full mudguards and wide tyres to smooth out the potholes. Then you have a nice base once Spring arrives.

cyclenutnz

I'd be looking at a 105 level bike if you just want a solid road bike. SOmething like this
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXMAR10 ... -road-bike

Aero bikes bring all sorts of foibles that are worth dealing with if you want to race (or really care about being aero all the time).

Or, as Fenix said, go for a traditional training bike if you plan on spending winter outside.