[kubbfan]

What type of bike should I get for my first triathlon? I want to be able to train and race with the same bike. I want an affordable bike that will last. I not looking to win; but, I don't want my equipment to hamper my performance.

I have run 4 marathons and hope to start doing triathlons. I am somewhat competitive but this will not define who I am. Thanks for your help.

 

[Creakyknees]

A regular road bike that's in your budget range. There are plenty of them on the market. Find a local tri club, find out what bike shop sponsors them, hang out there for a while.

I would not recommend a full "triathlon" or "time trial" bike for your first road bike. You will get a lot of pressure to get one. And they can be very fast; but the learning curve is somewhat steep and they can be impractical for constant riding.

Just my .02

.

 

[kubbfan]

Thanks for the reply. Good to know a regular road bike will work.

 

[scottmilk9]

Definately a regular road bike with aero bars. This way you can ride for tri/tt and still have a regular road bike. If the bike your buying is gonna be only for tri's, then look for a decent bike within your budget. Felt makes a real good bike that isn't too expensive. There are others too.

 

[kubbfan]

Thanks for the reply. I'll checkout this company.

 

[Tri Slow Poke]

Regular road bike, but hold off on the aero bars. Get comfy riding a road bike like.....well, like a road bike at first. Afterwards, you can either add aero bars or by a specific tri bike.

 

[kubbfan]

Thanks. Sounds good, I'll learn how to ride before I try the aero bars.

 

[pretender]

What is your budget?

The Cervelo Soloist line is designed to convert easily from road to TT/Tri duty by flipping the seatpost, which emulates the steep seattube angle of a dedicated TT bike. Great road bike, great tri bike. A buddy of mine found one on the 'Bay with Ultegra parts IIRC for a pretty good price.

That said, any race-oriented road bike can be set up for TT/tri, but not quite as niftily as the Soloist.

In terms of what makes a good TT bike, first is the rider position/geometry, second is the wheels, distant third is an aero-profiled frame, so don't get hung up on that aspect.

 

[dr pabst]

I've seen people do their first triathlon on a Walmart hybrid.

Triathlons, unlike cycling (sorry, but it's true) is very welcoming to newbies. No 'snob factor' , and no Cat's- just elites and age groupers.

Just a thought before you spend a bunch of cash on a sport you've never tried...

 

[pretender]

I've seen people do their first triathlon on a Walmart hybrid.

Triathlons, unlike cycling (sorry, but it's true) is very welcoming to newbies. No 'snob factor' , and no Cat's- just elites and age groupers.

Just a thought before you spend a bunch of cash on a sport you've never tried...

All true. That first tri on a knobby-tired clunker is a rite of passage.

 

[Tri Slow Poke]

LOL! It's true that you can do you triathlons on a hybrid or mountain bike, but you don't HAVE to! +3 on the snob factor that you sometimes get with roadies.

The Cervelo Soloist may be a good option for you. What's your budget?

 

[Kestreljr]

+3 on the snob factor that you sometimes get with roadies.

I have unequivocally found at races that tri folks are much more welcoming, and embracing to new comers then roadies.

To be fair this could be because in tris you aren't in direct competition like you are in road races, you also don't have to worry about some newbie crashing into you at the first corner, and their are no teams in the race. (well there are teams, but they don't work together in the race.)

 

[thatsmybush]

Regular road bike, but hold off on the aero bars. Get comfy riding a road bike like.....well, like a road bike at first. Afterwards, you can either add aero bars or by a specific tri bike.

Agree Agree...

A road bike sans aerobars...the geometry of a tri-bike is what makes it advantageous to have aero bars...the only thing a road bike with aero bars will net is a painful lower back and sore shoulders.

 

[dankilling]

Good to know I wont be 'snobbed off' when I ride my 'cross bike in my first tri this year

 

[anthony.delorenzo]

Ghetto Greyhound

A friend was doing his first tri this year. We took my old Miyata touring frame, a can of paint, a bunch of parts from my garage, spent about $200 on new parts and voila, behold the Ghetto Greyhound:



Take any decent bike and have at 'er. Don't worry what people think about it, especially when you pass them.

 

[SlowMo]

I was in your shoes one day too...

I did my first try on a regular road bike as well. I still do today; but I did "upgrade" in my opinion to the Cervelo' Team Soloist as well. It was an excellent choice in my opinion. the set up to manipulate it into a TT (or Tri bike) is ideal for what I wanted; but I still ride it mostly in the regular RB set up without the aero bars.

When I do longer organized rides like the MS150 (double century option) or regular century rides, I inevitably put it back in the tri-bike mode (with aero bars) and am always glad I did around mile 70 plus. I'm not a Cervelo dealer; but could be at this point. I really like the bike for the money. The frames relatively inexpensive, and I upgraded the wheelset and cranks when I bought the bike, putting all Ultegra for the rest of the components.

If you're going to be competetive, (which sounds like you will be), you'll be addicted; so you might as well get something similar for the long term benefit you'll have. Again, all depends on budget. (Of course I wanted a new road bike and a tri bike; this one just fit my budget better; and I'm still riding it today).

Good luck on the tri. Don't put too much pressure on yourself for the first one (just my opinion), then you'll be siked after you succeed.