Triathlon Bike

Synergy_or_Syzygy

@Isaiah_53_5 has all the info you could need

Beat me to it. I know there's a couple other posters on here that could chime in too. There's been a couple of threads like this already as well:

https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/off-topic/cyclist-what-bike-do-yo…

https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/off-topic/training-for-endurance-…

Synergy_or_Syzygy

@Isaiah_53_5 has all the info you could need

thanks

Isaiah_53_5 💎🙌💎🙌💎

PrivatePyle

Does anyone have any experience buying a triathlon bike? 

I currently have an entry level road bike and ride recreationally, but have ridden in longer events up to 100M. In the last few months I have gotten more into running and surprisingly, just completed my first ultramarathon - 50M (without ever having completed a full marathon race). In any case, I want to do a half ironman this fall and am looking to purchase a new bike but feel a bit like I am flying blind. I plan to go to a bike shop to get an experts opinion and fitted, but was hoping to see if there were any "watch-outs" when entering the process. In short, I know I'll likely be spending a few thousand dollars but given that I'll likely only do a half iron man each year or two (in addition to one or two shorter tris), I don't want to overspend.

Any thoughts appreciated, thanks guys!

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50M is a good distance. I would say it is probably as hard or harder than an Ironman 140.6. So your endurance is there and you just have to work on technique. Swim technique is important, so get a lesson if you don't know how to swim effectively. Bike technique is important and it all starts with the fit, so it is good you're getting that done, even though it is probably few hundred dollars. I adjusted my fit manually myself and it worked out for me. Get a Garmin device and look at how much your speed and power are related in different aero positions.

What will also help in training for a 70.3 are bricks. A training session in one sport and then back to back in another. Run/Bike bricks will help your race ability greatly. And they are hard sometimes, but you get used to it. 

Slowtwitch will have all the triathlon related answers you need. https://forum.slowtwitch.com/

Makes sense, I swam in highschool for conditioning in other sports so feel confident in the technique but definitely need to work on the endurance there. For the first one, only going to do a half so think that based on being able to complete the 50M ultra, I should be able to complete the half by sheer willpower. Luckily the one I want to do is in the fall so I have plenty of time to train. 

Any thoughts on secondhand? I would prefer buying something new and completely fitted for me, but it's hard to turn my eye away from the aspect of buying a 2018 for a third of the price if it's close in fit/needs minor adjustments.

TheGrandWazoo

If you're going to buy new, look at the Canyon Speedmax CF series. Canyon's bang for your buck factor is absolutely off the charts even with their recent price increases. I pulled the trigger on a CF 8 (Ultegra mech, DT Swiss, powermeter) and I couldn't be happier. I could've made the jump to di2 or even the CF SLX, but I couldn't bring myself to spend thousands more to save a few watts. Maybe I'll make the leap when my physical performance starts to plateau and incremental equipment gains outshine physical gains, but until then the CF 8 is an insanely quick option relative to what I spent. I'd recommend it to anybody.

The primary downside with Canyon is the lack of in-person support. You're totally on your own for maintenance. But if you're okay with that, Canyon is going to give you the best value per dollar in the industry. Just compare Canyon models with similarly specced bikes from Specialized, Felt, Cervelo, and Trek. You'll see what I mean. With that being said, many refuse to buy Canyon due to their DTC model and I can't really blame them. You need to determine how much you value the LBS relationship.

If you buy used, always ask the seller if you can have the bike inspected by a good shop prior to sale. You can find some insane deals if you're willing to go used (I recently saw a Felt IA FRD with Enve and Red AXS for $6,000) but you don't want to get stuck with a faulty bike you can't return. It seems like overkill, but you only need to have things go bad once for you to learn your lesson.

Also, make sure to consider the "all-in" cost when setting your budget. You'll need/want a bike computer, a powermeter, a good multisport watch, a smart trainer, and all of the other goods. If you go with a setup like a Fenix 7 watch, Stages powermeter, used direct-drive smart trainer, and Wahoo computer you're looking at an additional $1500-2000+.

Lastly, if you're going to be spending $1,500-$5,500 on a bike you NEED to spend an extra $200-400 on a good bike fit. Seriously. Especially if you're doing halfs and fulls. You should ideally do a pre-fit prior to purchase so your fitter can tell you what frames/geometry work with your body.

Great recommendations, thank you! Definitely planning on getting fit and consulting an expert. Will look into Canyon but likely will be swayed in terms of ability to service myself. Will PM if I have any other details you could help on. 

Adj. EBITDADDY

Congrats on the 50 miler, not an easy challenge by any means.

I have been doing triathlon, cycling, and endurance sports for the last 10 years. Before getting a triathlon/TT bike, I would recommend getting a proper road bike to learn the fundamentals of cycling. Having good handling skills, how to pace yourself, staying relaxed, riding with a group and staying aero while pushing hard are valuable skills to have for the rest of your triathlon journey. For those first races/years, you could slap some aero clip bars to your bike and gain most of the aerodynamic benefits of a real triathlon bike. Just be sure to buy a road bike with a traditional rounded handlebar. 

For your first tri I would look into some sprint and Olympic distance races, they can be super fun and a great way to gain experience racing. After you can execute a solid Olympic distance race, I would start looking into the longer stuff.

Lastly, you should get a coach and ideally one with in-person training sessions. Being able to observe those who are more experienced and chase faster people will help you progress at a much faster rate. 

Thank you! I have ridden recreationally but you're probably right that it's smart to get proper training. With that said, I think I am most interested in being out there and doing the races as opposed to being ultra competitive in terms of finish placement. As long as I am middle of the pack I'd be happy and enjoying the day!

I have thought about doing shorter races but they don't quite pique my interest as much. The grind of a long race is really more my jam but I may have to try one out and see.