That killer Q everyone faces...road or tri bike

I wanted to COMPETE in tri's to when I started a little over a year ago, and I had no bike at all.  I bought a Cervelo Tri bike and I have absolutely zero regrets.  I LOVE my tri bike.

Also, from my experience solely, I've rarely ever been passed in a triathlon race by a Road Bike.  Aside from one very hilly race, I can honestly say that I can only remember being passed by no more than a dozen road bikes, if that. Well over 95% of bikes that have passed me in races are almost always tri bikes.  And I check out every bike that passes me. 

How I intepret that is (and this is just my guess), people who are serious about racing and competing in triathlon Race Tri Bikes.  

as others have mentioned, your intentions for the bike are the most important requirement.  if you plan on only doing a few races a year but a lot of riding otherwise, then a road bike would probably be a better option for you.  if you want to compete in races and be as fast as possible at all times, then a tri bike would be a better fit for you.  my only concern with the latter situation that I just mentioned and your budget is that you might feel the need to upgrade if you are the competitive type and you end up with an entry level bike.  If you can bump up your budget by another $500 or so, you should be able to get a very nice, all carbon tri bike with ultegra components and be set for a while.

Gazzelle,

I am in the same boat with you.  This past weekend I went riding with my sister and father.  My dad knows my goals and how passionate I become about new addicitons....since he is the same way.  He looked at me and said....you need a new bike for this.  I currently ride a $120 walmart special (Mongoose) mountain bike.  After the ride, I looked online at some bikes and realized quickly that I have absolutely no clue.  My sister, brother-in-law, father and mother all have nice road racing bikes.  I assume I will fall in line with them since they are who I ride with mostly and a couple other friends.  However, my main goal is for tri's.  Since I have yet to race my 1st tri, I am going to give myself 6 months of training on my ol' mtn bike and a couple tri's to decide if I should invest in the money on a road bike or a tri bike.  Money doesn't grow on trees and so before a decision is made, make sure it's the right choice. 

For now, instead of buying the latest and greatest, give yourself a little time to figure out if tri's are something you really want to do or if you'll just keep riding.  In the meantime, you can buy a cheap(er) bike to keep you moving.  Good Luck!

gazelle,

If I was in your shoes, I would buy a road bike and put some clip on aerobars on it.  You can use it in triathlons and get 80-90% of the aero benefit (if you pick the right road bike and your LBS sets up the aerobars correctly) AND it will be a great bike for group rides.  It will be easier to sell later if you decide to upgrade or go with a tri bike.  A tri bike is really specialized for trials and triathlons and isn't as easy to ride in groups or as comfortable when you are not on the aerobars.  The steeper seat tube angle causes your upper body to place more weight on your arms and they tire faster, at least that's the way it has been for me and I have both bikes.

YMMV and FWIW,

Greg

Last time you can make that statement:

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/nemesis06_SPECIALpre.htm

Comfort meant stability wise, not so much as plush comfort.

I've saved up about 1000 from birthday, Christmas, and my last paycheck from work last summer.  Plus, I'm turning 21 at the end of the summer (as in 3 days before I go back to school), so I'm hoping to spring the "I can't wait til my birthday b/c I won't get to ride it" plea.  I am anticipating getting that money early too and my uncle doesn't give cash for presents, so he still owes me.  To make a long story short, I should have that much come the beginning of the summer. 

Another possibility I found is the Specialized transition multisport for $999.  Anyone have any experience with that particular bike?  Right now, from reading the responses I've been getting on both sites, I think I'm leaning toward the 08 Tarmac Elite or the 08 Allez Elite with aerobars.  But keep the imput coming.  I'm likely to change my mind five times before I go to bed.

Get a road bike.

Better on hills and technical terrain, better for group rides, you can put aerobars on, and you can get them for cheaper than a tri bike.

are you only going to use it for triathlons? nope, you're not...

I have a felt F75 and absolutely love it...

I just went through the exact same debate...found a great deal on a Felt roadie online and went that direction...clip on areo bars...I haven't raced or even ridden it much yet (curse of living in MN), but I haven't had any regrets...

I was looking in one LBS and the owner told me he did two IM's, one on a roadie with areo, and one on a tri bike...his time difference was 5mins...that could be due to several factors not just the bikes...but either way it probably won't hurt to use a roadie.  As others have mentioned you can also use the roadie for ALL types of riding. 

I figured if I only do tri's for another few years (I'm a little older than you) than at least I have a great bike for family stuff or I'll have a tri bike that I'll never ride again.  Also, if after two seasons I want a tri bike...well then I'll have both....If you read several posts most people usually train on a road bike and race their tri bike. 

Also, think about where you're going to ride when you train...in the country where the odds of having to stop fast are minimal or in a more congested area where you may need instant access to the brakes...tri bikes are not great for that...just a thought.

Either way enjoy the new bike and don't look back....

This is one of those quintessential BT questions that you wuill never get a consensus on because everyone's personal situation is different, rationalizing a different opinion on what is "best" because of all the variables you need to take into account.

For me, I basically do all my riding on one bike - a tri bike, because:

I ride only to train for multisport races

I only ride solo

I ride mainly in low-traffic, rural areas

I ride, and race for that matter, on flat, non-technical terrain

I have never entered a road bike race and don't plan on doing so in the near future

For me, the question of road vs. tri bike was simple.

I will admit to owning a beater MTB that I enjoy getting out on for some intense cardio trail sessions in better weather, mainly for the thrill of being able to feel like a kid again.

I bought a Giant road bike last year to train and compete in a HIM and will be using it all season, including the FL IM.  I have even read of folks on these forums with both tri and road bikes that did their IMs on their road bikes, for the sake of comfort.  It is a personal decision, but for me I went with the road bike with aero set up and fast forward seat post because it was a more versatile option.  I am a middle of the pack athlete and while I want to be competitive, I am not sure for the races I enter if a tri bike would make a huge difference for me.

Good luck!

I have a bunch of bikes...

My favorite is my tri bike and I put more than 80% of my miles on that bike. I even do bike races and cyclocross races so if anyone would like a road bike and ride it you would think it would be me but  no....love my Kuota K Factor.

I ride mostly alone or with tri friends and guess what they mostly are all on tri bikes too. We don't draft but ride together.

Why get a road bike to do tris or ride with triathletes? 

Unless you have a strong desire to do bike racing, go with a tri bike.