Tri Bike vs Road bike

[b_andrews4]

Hi all

 

I have just started trying to take triathlons a bit more seriously but only have a fairly standard Scott road bike. Is it worthwhile getting rid of it and finding a reasonably priced tri bike or can I upgrade the various parts on my road bike to suit this type of event?

 

I will focus mainly on sprint events as I dont really have time to put in the hours for longer ones!

 

Thanks very much!

[gadget]

It is always a difficult decision, but yours seems more simple. Given the fact that you will focus on Sprint Distance events, you will not be allowed a tribike as the races will be draft legal. The longer events 70.3, midlands Ultra and the like are non-drafting races and you can use your TT bike.

 

My suggestion will be if you have money to blow on triathlon recognize your weakness and spend it there. This can be stroke correction lessons for swimming, a new set of wheels and short (legal in drafting races) tri bars for your bike. Otherwise look at upgrading your whole bike. Go carbon with better specs, but IMO you'll get more bang for buck with better wheels.

 

The TT bike looks realy cool, but they are not fit for purpose in your case.

Edited January 31, 2012 by gadget

[JGR]

you cant use TT bikes in sprint events so i think you have you answer already

[b_andrews4]

Thanks so much for the advice! Wheels it is!

[Eugene]

The only benfit of a tri bike is aerodynamics. The faster you ride, the greater the benefit. Unless you are a seasoned pro who can average 40-45km per hour, you are not going to get much of a benefit from a tribike anyway.

 

As mentioned above, there are very few "non draft" legal races, so your use of a tri bike is so limited.

[Minion]

Unless you are a seasoned pro who can average 40-45km per hour, you are not going to get much of a benefit from a tribike anyway.

I would dispute that. For someone doing 180km in 5:00, it might end up saving 10min (3.2%), say. Someone doing it in 7hrs might only save 3.1%, but this then translates to a 12min absolute time saving.

 

There are aero benefits for everyone. Slower riders get a higher absolute benefit (more minutes saved), but a lower relative benefit (their % speed up is lower). It then becomes a personal choice of whether or not the benefits are worth the cost. For someone doing a 5hr split, 10min may well cost a podium place. For someone taking 7hrs the stakes are lower, but you may well kick yourself if you miss your goal time by 1min when you could have saved 10min with better equipment.

 

Edit: for a 40km split, someone doing it in 0:57:28 might save 0:01:55, while someone doing it in 1:14:14, might save 2:29.

Edited February 1, 2012 by Edman

[The Saint]

Something to consider - you will receive more benefit from purchasing a TT Helmet and riding your road bike with that on your lid than you will by purchasing a TT bike and riding with a road helmet on your lid.

 

If I remember correctly the TT Bike will only show you an advantage at a speed of over 28km/ph anything less than that you are better off on your road bike. If you are not in the TT position and are sitting up you are better off on your road bike.

 

Your first purchase should be a TT helmet before you get the TT bike.

 

But all this would only apply once you start with the non draft legal tri where you are able to ride a TT bike.

[ricochet_rabbit]

buy yourself a Forward facing seat post such as the one in the link below. Add some 'clip on' aero bars, lower your handlebars and possibly shorten your stem and you will be quite close to being in a TT position.

 

http://www.modernbike.com/itemgroup.asp?IGPK=2126176272