Need advice wether to buy a new TT bike or convert my road bike?!

[TuinSlang]

Hi fellow hubbers!

 

I would very much appreciate some advice on wether or not to buy a new TT bike or convert my current road bike.

 

I really want to do Ironman70.3 next year and obviously will need a suitable bike, I'm currently still a student so some extra cash is really scarce.

 

So I was wondering what would be best, to sell my Felt F4 to raise cash to buy a entry level TT bike or do I rather convert it???

 

Please help!!!

 

Thanx!

[Sloet]

Feltcrazy,

I'm in the same situation. I'm leaning towards buying a second hand TT bike extra, because I still want to do road races and most road races don't allow TT handlebars

 

The problem is the cash to buy an extra bike. If you convert your roadbike (change seatpost and attach cinelli bars) then you still dont have a proper TT bike

 

Lets hope there's some hubbers that can assist, I'll be following this thread closely

 

Good luck

Sloet

[vlieg]

first thing is how much are you willing to spend on a second hand bike ?? im looking at getting rid of my bike ..i think .

[Pot Hole]

Hi fellow hubbers!

 

I would very much appreciate some advice on wether or not to buy a new TT bike or convert my current road bike.

 

I really want to do Ironman70.3 next year and obviously will need a suitable bike, I'm currently still a student so some extra cash is really scarce.

 

So I was wondering what would be best, to sell my Felt F4 to raise cash to buy a entry level TT bike or do I rather convert it???

 

Please help!!!

 

Thanx!

 

do the math (you are a student, right?)

 

*getting tri bars and fooling around with your settings costs you, say, 1.5grand

*getting a new tt bike with equivalent components to your felt costs, say 10grand (put the word tri in it and they tri raise the price)

 

*70.3 has a woosie 80km ride.

*for instance sake, that takes 3hours

 

*the tri bike will save you, say, 2mins/hour.

 

you have just spent R8500/6min, or ~R1500/min

 

makes no frikken sense unless you are rich or fast. beware this triathlonitis, they make you spend money for the sake of spending money

[davem]

On a Tribike, you sit far higher and further forward. This holds you in the aero position and provides a more powerful position for triathlon conditions.

 

Bear in mind, there is no drafting allowed, so you have to do all the work yourself. Weight of the bike becomes less of an issue and aero makes the big difference. The aero is gained from your position, not the shape of the bike frame. A lot more than 6 min over 90km.

 

However, 70.3 in East London is a far hillier course than typical for a triathlon event. There is approx 600m of climbing over 90km. Not a lot when compared to a road race, but straight out of the swim and with the small issue of a half marathon afterwards, you want to save your legs as much as possible.

 

If this is your first and you are not particularly competitive, your road bike will be fine. The benefits when you go on to do full Ironman are far more significant.

 

If you do use the road bike with clip on bars, if may be wise to investigate a forward facing seatpost that helps replicate the typical triathlon seat post angle 76/78 deg vs 72/3 for a road bike.

 

Good luck.

[Sloet]

Hi FC

 

I don't know if you're still looking for a TT bike but I have one for sale

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/89590-specialized-transition-tt-bike-with-vuelta-carbon-pro-deep-sections/page__p__1220773#entry1220773

 

Cheers

Sloet