Man i need help on my first bike purchase

in the end, you need to be comfortable with whatever you ride, but if your intent is to be competitive, you'll defnitely want a road bike (and possibly a tri bike). 

You may want to reconsider your goal of being competitive (depending on what you mean by that) for your first race, which is more about learning and just finishing.

When I started tris a couple years ago, I also had not owned a bike for 20+ years.  I did find the road bike to be twitchy and unstable at first, but I eventually become used to it and more proficient at riding and wouldn't consider otherwise for my tris.

You could consider purchasing used (or even borrowing from a buddy), although you somewhat need to know what you are buying (i.e. caveat emptor).

At first I was confused about your comment about sitting and being over the handlebars, then I realized you are more used to a cruising or mtn bike style ride.  My daughter had a similar reaction when I offered to give her my old road bike when I upgraded this year to Madone.  She felt nervous about being able to shift and brake on it as well. 

Since your goal is to finish, you could anything you feel comfortable on, and finish.  Having said that, you should think about what other types of riding you might be planning to do.  If you expect to use the bike for any kind of touring or distance riding, consider getting a road bike.  To get more comfortable, you could even try getting a trainer for it, or taking spin classes at a gym, to get used to the position more, without worrying about falling over. 

On the other hand, if you think you will just be cruising around town, or going on unpaved bike paths (like a converted Rails to Trails), the Wahoo should be fine.

Of course, you could discover your inner cyclist, and end up with a roadie, a cruiser, a mtn bike....

If you haven't ridden a bike in several years and never owned a road bike or "street bike", then yes it probably will feel different. And alot of people have a hard time thinking that those "skinny" tires will hold up. I would say your feelings are not uncommon. Being in a position on a road bike does take a little getting used to, especially if you never rode a 10 speed bike or something similar as a kid.

If you think the road bike isn't the way you want to go right now then I would suggest a fitness bike like a Trek 7.2fx or a Fisher Wingra. They should have both those bikes at the shop if they're a Trek dealer. The benefit is that they are both upright bikes but they have road bike wheels with wider tires (700x35 vs. 700x23) with trigger shifters like a mountain bike. They should also be at a similar price point to the Wahoo.

**I should also mention that I do work at shop that is a Trek dealer but I probably wouldn't have chimed in if you hadn't mentioned bikes I know about.

i have another question since i've slept on it now and still considering what i want to do.

if i were to get a bike like that Gary Fisher, would getting road tires make a difference in performance for that particular bike?   

i just think in the long run, i'll get more use out of the Fisher.   then if i like the Tri and want to consider entering them, i can grab a road bike as well.

just looking for first hand experience on using such a bike with road tires for a Tri of Olympic distance. 

sorry, autigers....i was posting at the same time as you and didn't see your post until i had posted mine.

what you mentioned (Trek 7.2f) might be another good option.

looking at the sops website, looks like they have the 7.3FX.....is that just a newer model like the 7.2?

heres a link to it from the store

I had not owned a bike in probably 20 years either when I got my first road bike last year.  I had 10 speeds growing up so maybe that helped.  I could see where the skinny tires and more aggressive position could be intimidating though.  I would say the GF is a hybrid or MTB though so you have to decide if you want to feel comfortable at first or like the speed of a road bike.  The road bike will be considerably faster when you get started and if you won't have the money in a year or 2 to upgrade I would get the road bike.

My first bike cost $350 shipped brand new from Bikesdirect.com.  I have averaged close to 23mph in a flat sprint and it is a heavy bike.  I am pretty sure I beat people on bike that cost well over $1K with nice race wheels so it is really more about your engine than the bike to be honest. 

The 7.3 is the model above the 7.2 with the main differences being hard to recognize and for your purposes I'm not sure they justify the ~$100 price difference (I actually had to look it up to make sure I got it right.) The differences are: different grades of aluminum (not exactly sure about the difference but it probably involves weight), the 7.3 has an upgraded rear derailleur, a better seat post and the forks are different......7.2 has a steel fork and the 7.3 has an alloy fork. Also, the 7.2 comes stock with 700x35 tires whereas the 7.3 comes with 700x32 tires. I think both of these bikes will accept tires as narrow as 700x28. (standard road tires are usually 700x23)

In regards to the Wahoo, that's not a bad option but the price you quoted is probably about as much as the 7.2. You'd have to switch the tires and the narrowist you could probably put on the mountain bike is 26x1.5 which changes your rolling resistance but will still be slower than traditional road wheels and tires. Also, with a suspension fork you're going to lose some power on the road. With a rigid fork, all your power is put towards your pedals and moving the bike forward. With some suspension (even when it's locked out) you will probably lose some power as the bike adjusts to uneven terrain like it's designed to on a trail. <--- does that make sense? I didn't explain it very well.

I tell people that if you ever think you might go on a dirt path or might want to try a mountain bike path to choose a mountain bike and change the tires to slicks. (easy to switch back and forth) If you think you'll be doing the majority of your riding on paved roads or on bike paths that might only occasionally cross dirt, get a fitness bike. And if you're ready to jump in with both feet then get a road bike.

Hope this helps and that I didn't confuse you anymore. Let me know if you have any more questions. (even if it doesn't involve Trek bikes )

thanks autigers.  

 
i just walked in from the bike shop again.   they just sold the last 7.3 floor model this morning, but they told me they had another to put together and it'll be out to look at and ride probably by tomorrow or Thursday.   they had another model in the 7. line, but it was $800.   i did like the general look of it (i didn't ride it).

the salesman was very knowledgable and told me basically the same thing you did.....he could make a mountain bike a better road than vise versa.   he said he could throw some off road tires on the 7.3 and it would be sufficient for dirt trails, but nothing like mountain trails.   that is really more what i would be looking at anyhow.

does that sound reasonably correct?  if so, i'm gonna go back when that bike is assembled and give it a go.   from what i am learning and from what i see, this is more of a bike for me.   retail they have on the 7.3 is $540.....that sound about right? 

You're welcome. That price sounds about right for that bike. If they think you're serious then they'll put it together right away. Which color? Silver, blue or red? Hope it works out for you! 

not sure what color they got.

so can i use this on some dirt off roads with some different tires? 

hmm, really not sure what avenue to take now.   i think i'm definitely out on the mountain bike.  now gotta decide on the hybrid or an all out road bike. 

my concern with strictly a road bike is that i can't use it for anything other than that.   my wife is wanting to start to ride and maybe even do some trail type rides....and i don't want to buy 2 bikes.   my 5 year old son is about done learning to ride his bike as well.

i know autigers recommends the Trek 7.3FX.   would that work alot better than a mountain bike doing a Olympic Tri?  

Dude, you haven't been bitten yet. Save this post and come back to it in a year or so. You will be amazed you even thought this way. Everybody wants another bike, no matter how many they have!

So will you be riding on her shoulders or will she be riding on yours?

Two years ago I bought a Trek 7.5FX thinking I would never be "that guy" decked out in spandex and pulling a paceline or barreling down a hill.  That bike was just enough to get me hooked into riding and last fall I upgraded to a Specialized Tarmac.  Love the Tarmac but now I want a  tri-bike too but I think I will have to wait until after the divorce .  That's just my story but I could've saved a crap-load of money if I'd gotten the road bike from the start.

Having said that... the Trek FX series bikes are a great segway.  If you felt comfy on it that's the first step.  It can definitely go fast and it is a more upright ride.  I've done 3 centurys on mine without incident.

Sorry for the mixed advice.  

well the more i look and read, the more advice is pointing to a road bike.   i thought the hybrid was a good choice and fit for me, but now i don't know.

to be specific here, how will a hybrid....like the Trek 7.3 perform in an olympic tri?    i realize it's not like a road or tri bike, but will it do "well"?

"well" meaning not killing me over the course of 25 miles? 

After rereading all the posts, and if this is how you think you're feeling then I'd suggest to beg, borrow or steal (but not really ) a road bike that's about your size and test it out for a couple of days. I think that will help make your decision.

If you decide to get a road bike then in a couple months you could search craigslist for a used mountain bike to ride around the n'hood with your son.

It's geared somewhere between a mountain bike and a road bike so YES it will do "well" over the course of 25 miles.  The 3 centuries I did on mine also included a 50 mile ride the following day and I had no problems with comfort.

What's your height and where are you?   I'm 6'5" and in MD.  My FX is a 25".  If that's your size and you live somewhat near here I would be willing to let you try my FX out for a while. 

My personal feeling is that the road bike allows you to get more advanced quickly if you end up liking tri's or road biking in general.   If you can find a place (or person) to let you do a couple extended test rides I think you will find your answers.

i appreciate the offer shaggy, but i live in Florida.

and unfortunately, i don't know anyone to borrow either a road or hybrid.

i trust autigers and shaggys opinion, but i spent way too much time last night researching and the majority of what i read says to get a road bike.....nothing i didnt already know.

now, before all the reading i did last night....i was sold on the hybrid.   but again, i also read where i want a road bike and not a hybrid.

so shaggy has experience in doing rides with the hybrid and reports i can do a Olympic Tri fine with the hybrid.   if thats the case, thats really what i would like to do.  my wife would be alot more willing to let me splurge for a road bike AFTER i complete this first one.    again, i like the hybrid because it can be used for light trail riding too (for family type stuff).

autigers, do you have folks compete in Olympic Tri's with the hybrid and report it worked well for them?  right now, thats what i am focusing on. 

ok, new update!!

still not feeling sure about what to do, i took an hour trip to a bike shop this afternoon.   i called ahead and spoke with a salesman that is a tri-athlete.

i road several bikes, and here is what i have it narrowed down to (with this gentleman's help) 

Specialized Sequoia Elite for $1200 or the Sequoia for $850.  

 http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=34076

both of these road really well and i like them both.   right now i'm leaning towards the Elite. 

anyone with any experience or opinions on these bikes?