Give it a TRI

[shaper]

hi, if anyone knows of someone with an old wetsuit lying around that I might pick up for a good deal, please let me know.  Don't know the sizes, probably an xl or something.  I am 1.78 short and on a good day sitting on 96kg.  Will also later give xterra a try as recommended.

 

cheers.

 

Maybe put a wanted ad in the classifieds and see what comes up?

Edited May 31, 2016 by shaper

[shaper]

On another note, Sharper, how much difference is there between swimming in the sea compared to a dam or pool with regards to the currents etc?

 

As in does 1 km in the sea = 2 - 3 km in a pool or dam,

 

Never done a considerable distance in the ocean hence my question.

There are obviously tides. currents, winds and waves to contend with in a sea swim, the distance is the distance, the event organisers locate the buoys accordingly, but they have been know to drift. They can be a factor and the current affected my swim in East London.

 

I generally end up swimming about 2.1kms for a 1.9km swim.. so sighting and straighter swimming is what I have to work on and maybe having a better idea of currents, but who knows what they will be on the day.

 

Other factors in your favour though, a pool and dam are fresh water, the sea is salt water and you are in a wetsuit, so more buoyancy which makes for easier and faster swimming.

 

For me, whether it is a dam or sea swim it is still an open water swim and is something you should practice as is far different from a pool swim.   

 

At the 5150 at Germiston lake last year, the wind was strong and there were significant waves and I found that swim harder than both the East London and Durban sea swim 

[IceCreamMan]

On another note, Sharper, how much difference is there between swimming in the sea compared to a dam or pool with regards to the currents etc?

 

As in does 1 km in the sea = 2 - 3 km in a pool or dam,

 

Never done a considerable distance in the ocean hence my question.

I far prefer swimming in the sea. I would say I am around 10% faster in the ocean even without a wetsuit due to the buoyancy aspect. 1 km in the sea is easier than 1 km in a dam so don't be concerned.

 

The worst open water swim I have ever had was in germiston lake at last years 5150. the water was so choppy it was seriously unpleasant and far worse than any sea swim. The ocean might get a lil rough but its predictable rough (if that makes sense)

[fanievb]

On another note, Sharper, how much difference is there between swimming in the sea compared to a dam or pool with regards to the currents etc?

 

As in does 1 km in the sea = 2 - 3 km in a pool or dam,

 

Never done a considerable distance in the ocean hence my question.

 

from personal experience, nothing can prepare you for a cold and upside down sea except getting into a cold and upside down sea.

 

I am lucky enough to stay at the ocean so we go whenever we get the chance.

 

my suggestion is to get in as much openwater swims as possible especially in choppy water. 

[Bianchi Baby]

Totally agree you have to swim in open water to prepare yourself for open water.

 

I have swum well over 60 open water events in my life and that 5150 in Germiston last year was BY FAR my worst swim EVER! I had to dig deep to finish that one ????

[TheBritishTwit]

Thanks didn't even think about the salt factor in the sea. Will give it a shot when I'm next at the cost. Another strange question with regards to sharks and the nets that keep them at bay, I'm guessing its best to swim at those beaches?

[Vetplant]

Regarding an Aero position on a road bike:

 

I got a road bike in the start of the year. I had a proper Retul bikefit and I must say I am very comfortable in the drops and on the hoods. Probably worth the R1.5k spent on comfort alone. I rode the Emperors race almost exclusively in the Drops and were comfortable all the way.

 

Meanwhile I got myself some Clip-on Aero Bars, a Fast Forward seatpost and an additional Saddle. This way I can set up the bike for aero and mark the position and only swap out the seat assembly and remove the clip-ons when I want to do normal road riding as opposed to Aero riding.

 

I went out for a ride with the aero setup for the first time this past weekend. I had only done a setup on the IDT beforehand based on feel and somewhat on what I saw from a side-on reflection of where I sit on the bike.

 

What I noticed immediately once I was on the road, was that the bike is incredibly twitchy in the Aero Position. So much so that I don't feel confident riding alongside cars on the road, I only got into Aero when I knew there were no cars around.

 

There was a noticeable speed difference in the Aero position, at least 5km/h, so I am sure the Aero position is worth the effort.

 

Now the questions:

 

-Will a forward/aero position on a normal road bike always feel relatively twitchy?

 

-The elbow-cups were place relatively close to each other, will it help the twitchyness(if that is a word?) if I move them to a position furthest away from the centreline? So instead of having the forearms parallel they will be making a pizza slice.

 

-The seat is slammed as far forward as the setup allows, will this contribute to the twitchyness?

 

-Can someone suggest a bike fitter in the Pretoria/Gauteng area which might be able to help me with my setup that is a bit cheaper that R1.5k?

[Fisan]

Regarding swimming. Does anyone else struggle with sinus problems in chlorine pools? My nose gets so stuffed up that I feel like I've got a cold for the rest of the day - only feeling fine again the next day.

 

A gave a nose-plug a tri (har har) yesterday and that seemed to solve the problem by 95%

[shaper]

Regarding an Aero position on a road bike:

 

I got a road bike in the start of the year. I had a proper Retul bikefit and I must say I am very comfortable in the drops and on the hoods. Probably worth the R1.5k spent on comfort alone. I rode the Emperors race almost exclusively in the Drops and were comfortable all the way.

 

Meanwhile I got myself some Clip-on Aero Bars, a Fast Forward seatpost and an additional Saddle. This way I can set up the bike for aero and mark the position and only swap out the seat assembly and remove the clip-ons when I want to do normal road riding as opposed to Aero riding.

 

I went out for a ride with the aero setup for the first time this past weekend. I had only done a setup on the IDT beforehand based on feel and somewhat on what I saw from a side-on reflection of where I sit on the bike.

 

What I noticed immediately once I was on the road, was that the bike is incredibly twitchy in the Aero Position. So much so that I don't feel confident riding alongside cars on the road, I only got into Aero when I knew there were no cars around.

 

There was a noticeable speed difference in the Aero position, at least 5km/h, so I am sure the Aero position is worth the effort.

 

Now the questions:

 

-Will a forward/aero position on a normal road bike always feel relatively twitchy?

 

-The elbow-cups were place relatively close to each other, will it help the twitchyness(if that is a word?) if I move them to a position furthest away from the centreline? So instead of having the forearms parallel they will be making a pizza slice.

 

-The seat is slammed as far forward as the setup allows, will this contribute to the twitchyness?

 

-Can someone suggest a bike fitter in the Pretoria/Gauteng area which might be able to help me with my setup that is a bit cheaper that R1.5k?

yes to the twitchiness, takes some getting use to, even more so on a tri bike which has an aero fork

 

As for placement of clip ons, try a few different and see what works... if you are considering a bike set up for a TT position then the pads and bars will be set correctly for stack and reach.

 

I had my tri bike set up at SBR Sports http://sbrsport.co.za/, think was cheaper than R1.5k and fairly happy with.

 

My road bike was set up by cyclefit http://www.cyclefit.co.za/, think they will also do a set up for TT/Tri

 

Edit: I see cyclefit are doing a winter special with 25% off http://cyclefit1.createsend.com/t/ViewEmailArchive/d/CDFC49B712117C8F/C67FD2F38AC4859C/

Edited May 31, 2016 by shaper

[Rocket-Boy]

There are obviously tides. currents, winds and waves to contend with in a sea swim, the distance is the distance, the event organisers locate the buoys accordingly, but they have been know to drift. They can be a factor and the current affected my swim in East London.

 

I generally end up swimming about 2.1kms for a 1.9km swim.. so sighting and straighter swimming is what I have to work on and maybe having a better idea of currents, but who knows what they will be on the day.

 

 

EL will always have currents, and normally when coming back in.

The shorter pier of the harbour is always a magnet for an outgoing current.

[IceCreamMan]

Regarding swimming. Does anyone else struggle with sinus problems in chlorine pools? My nose gets so stuffed up that I feel like I've got a cold for the rest of the day - only feeling fine again the next day.

 

A gave a nose-plug a tri (har har) yesterday and that seemed to solve the problem by 95%

 

I suffer from this severely. Lots of snot clearing goes on after a swim. Just the way it is. Our gym recently changed the pool to a salt water pool and I still suffer. Never at the ocean though.

 

Maybe all the piss in the pool that causes it,

[TheBritishTwit]

Regarding swimming. Does anyone else struggle with sinus problems in chlorine pools? My nose gets so stuffed up that I feel like I've got a cold for the rest of the day - only feeling fine again the next day.

 

A gave a nose-plug a tri (har har) yesterday and that seemed to solve the problem by 95%

 

I don't get the above, I have noticed on my longer swims that whatever should stay in my nose doesn't which makes things awkward when you try smile at the good looking kids trainers in the pool... And this is after blowing my nose multiple times before the swim...

 

Will have to try the nose plug situation to fix this leak

[IceCreamMan]

Regarding an Aero position on a road bike:

 

I got a road bike in the start of the year. I had a proper Retul bikefit and I must say I am very comfortable in the drops and on the hoods. Probably worth the R1.5k spent on comfort alone. I rode the Emperors race almost exclusively in the Drops and were comfortable all the way.

 

Meanwhile I got myself some Clip-on Aero Bars, a Fast Forward seatpost and an additional Saddle. This way I can set up the bike for aero and mark the position and only swap out the seat assembly and remove the clip-ons when I want to do normal road riding as opposed to Aero riding.

 

I went out for a ride with the aero setup for the first time this past weekend. I had only done a setup on the IDT beforehand based on feel and somewhat on what I saw from a side-on reflection of where I sit on the bike.

 

What I noticed immediately once I was on the road, was that the bike is incredibly twitchy in the Aero Position. So much so that I don't feel confident riding alongside cars on the road, I only got into Aero when I knew there were no cars around.

 

There was a noticeable speed difference in the Aero position, at least 5km/h, so I am sure the Aero position is worth the effort.

 

Now the questions:

 

-Will a forward/aero position on a normal road bike always feel relatively twitchy?

 

-The elbow-cups were place relatively close to each other, will it help the twitchyness(if that is a word?) if I move them to a position furthest away from the centreline? So instead of having the forearms parallel they will be making a pizza slice.

 

-The seat is slammed as far forward as the setup allows, will this contribute to the twitchyness?

 

-Can someone suggest a bike fitter in the Pretoria/Gauteng area which might be able to help me with my setup that is a bit cheaper that R1.5k?

 

The twitchiness is a factor of engineering. Your control points are narrower thus it will physically be twitchier. Making a pizza slice will reduce the twitchiness.

 

5km per hour is huge gain so worth pursuing.

Edited May 31, 2016 by IceCreamMan

[TheBritishTwit]

yes to the twitchiness, takes some getting use to, even more so on a tri bike which has an aero fork

 

As for placement of clip ons, try a few different and see what works... if you are considering a bike set up for a TT position then the pads and bars will be set correctly for stack and reach.

 

I had my tri bike set up at SBR Sports http://sbrsport.co.za/, think was cheaper than R1.5k and fairly happy with.

 

My road bike was set up by cyclefit http://www.cyclefit.co.za/, think they will also do a set up for TT/Tri

 

Edit: I see cyclefit are doing a winter special with 25% off http://cyclefit1.createsend.com/t/ViewEmailArchive/d/CDFC49B712117C8F/C67FD2F38AC4859C/

Is it worth getting a tri bike over just using a road bike with tri bars and the correct setup?

[travisza]

Any tips to get below 2:00 / 100m swimming pace? 

 

Also, how long did it take you / how did you get into a relaxed swimming rhythm - swimming faster, yet more comfortably? 

Get a coach. Seriously, swimming is so much about technique, and my guess is that if you are swimming slower than 1:40ish then technique is likely the limiting factor.

 

A little better technique can go along way vs just fighting the water with more effort.

Edited May 31, 2016 by travisza

[travisza]

Is it worth getting a tri bike over just using a road bike with tri bars and the correct setup?

It depends. 

 

Clip ons and correct setup - R3k.

New tri bike - alot more than R3k.

 

Do you have spare cash lying around? There is no doubt that a properly fitted tri bike is faster than a properly fitted road bike, but tri bike isnt multi purpose. 

 

If you can only have one, I would go with road bike (because I also enjoy doing some road events). If you can have both then problem is easily solved.