Road or Tri Bike

Forum guidelines BT super discount
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Road or Tri Bike Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2009-03-18 11:40 PM

User image

Member
32
25
San Tan Valley, AZ
Subject: Road or Tri Bike

Looks likes I am going to get into this tri thing so I went looking at bikes. At first I was thinking about getting a tri bike until the sales guy mentioned a few things. A majority of group rides don't allow tri bikes, is this true? Tri bikes can be very dangerous because of sharp/precision turning. He had suggested a road bike to start that I can put aero bars on. Should I get very serious to then look at a tri bike.

 What are your thoughts, pros & cons and personal experience? Road or Tri?

Thanks in advance...gotta keep the MTB on the mountain.

2009-03-19 12:10 AM
in reply to: #2027047

User image

Expert
1330
100010010010025
Arizona
Subject: RE: Road or Tri Bike
In short: sort of.

Group rides with triathletes == aerobars are fine.

The question is:

Do you want to get into road biking or triathlons?

In general a road bike is better for general biking. If you only ever plan on doing triathlons, then get a tri bike.

I only have (cover your eyes, Robot, I don't want you to start crying) one bike, and it's a tribike because I knew I was going to do triathlons and didn't want to get into general biking.

If you see yourself going the other way, then definitely a road bike with clipons is a great way to go.

That being said I can imagine myself with four bikes (in order):

1) tri bike
2) mountain bike
3) cross bike
4) road bike

-Jot
2009-03-19 12:23 AM
in reply to: #2027047

User image

Expert
748
50010010025
Big Bear City, California
Subject: RE: Road or Tri Bike
Hmmmmm.

In general I would say road bike, mainly because they are awesome for group rides and do not preclude you from competing in other great cycling events (Tour de Phoenix/Tucson, any US Cycling Federation races).

However there a couple cases where I would recommend a tri bike first:
1. If you plan on being very competitive in triathlons you will need every aero advantage available.
2. If you plan on only doing triathlons and progressing towards very long distance triathlons (HIM and longer).

BTW the correct answer is both.
2009-03-19 2:50 AM
in reply to: #2027047

User image

Extreme Veteran
328
10010010025
Alpharetta, Ga.
Subject: RE: Road or Tri Bike

Personally I suggest the road bike for a couple reasons.

1. Easy to put aero bars on until you decide what you want to do. Most road groups will allow you to ride with them on, but you can't use them in the group.

2. Riding with a group teaches you some valuable skills like handling traffic(other riders), easier to shift while riding...etc.

And of course they are (from my experience) generally a little cheaper.

But like Robot says...Both is best. He should know, he has his own bike shop practically.

2009-03-19 9:58 AM
in reply to: #2027047

User image

Elite
4048
2000200025
Gilbert, Az.
Subject: RE: Road or Tri Bike
azitpros - 2009-03-18 9:40 PM

Looks likes I am going to get into this tri thing so I went looking at bikes. At first I was thinking about getting a tri bike until the sales guy mentioned a few things. A majority of group rides don't allow tri bikes, is this true? Tri bikes can be very dangerous because of sharp/precision turning. He had suggested a road bike to start that I can put aero bars on. Should I get very serious to then look at a tri bike.

What are your thoughts, pros & cons and personal experience? Road or Tri?

Thanks in advance...gotta keep the MTB on the mountain.

If you can only have one or the other, I'd opt for the road bike as well. If you get something like a Cervelo Soloist (You can get them used for decent cheap), then you can set it up for tri as well pretty easily.

It's more versatile, you can make most road frames into passable tri setups, hard to go from a true TT/tri frame to a road setup.

John
New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Road or Tri Bike Rss Feed