Road bike to tri bike and back

This does make me wonder if your road bike was fit properly originally... you would notice the difference between the two set ups but if both fit you well I would think the comfort level wouldnt be to different.... look at the time the pro riders spend on their road bikes, they would have to be comfortable to do that!

I should note... I dont have a tri bike!

Im guessing you cant wait until you get your tri bike back though!!!! Isnt it cool to appreciate the toys you have?!

The roadie was fit for road use but not for the modifications I put on- I was feeling OK when riding it last year so never bothered getting it re-fit and figured I would save the money for an actual tri bike. But yeah, nice to enjoy your toys. I also think part of the issue is just the slight differences in the muscles being used.  They said I could have the tri bike back on Tue/Wed so we can be reunited again. :-)

Oooh thats not long to wait!!!! I hate it when my bike goes to the doctors

This question pops up once in a while on here and there are many different opinions. I would say prob 1 mph for me but others will chime in as well. Just one example, yesterdays ride (not a good one necessarily), but I averaged 18.5 over 38 miles on my roadie (but it was not a good ride...felt very tired and sore, etc), compared with over 20 for a 50 mile ride a few weeks before under similar conditions on the tri bike (with lower average heart rate, for what thats worth...no powermeter on either bike). Lately on the tri bike I have been averaging mostly 20+ for rides of 20-50 miles; my single ride on the roadie was 18.5. Last season on my road bike on longer rides I was averaging in the 19s; this year on the tri bike in the 20/21 range (but I am also riding more and training more in general). Not a scientific survey but still....

I think, now that I have been thinking about this a little more, almost a bigger gain is the increased comfort that I have on my tri bike. Not everyone will necessarily experience this, but I just like the way it feels. I am one of the few people I know who feels more comfortable in aero than on the hoods on a road bike, so a tri bike works well for me (now I just need to get some power in my legs and some actual speed! ha). Hope that helps. 

Thanks, yes that does help. I know there is no scientific way of proving that a tri bike will add Xmph to your average speed, as there are so many other variables. In your case, it definitely seems to have added some speed, if only 1-2mph over a long ride.

I just had a similiar epiphany (from tri to road). I started a thread w/the same thought. Although the replies suggested, logically so, that it might have been other factors such as not be used to the different position, etc. As to which is faster, I too ride a mid-level road & upgraded to a full carbon tri & more often than not, complete my same 50+ mile rides quicker on the tri than road--anywhere from 15 to 30 min, lower heart rate, etc. But, I too am more comfortable in the aero position & the power that comes with it. I swear, my road bike feels like a mountain bike now.

So, w/your upcoming upgrade, I hope your experience will be as pleasurable as mine!

Did you have both bikes fit by same guy?

My bike fit guy can set up any bike and they fit perfect. I may have slight twinges getting adapted to riding a different bike but nothing major.

My last bike I got was custom cross bike, it fit perfect from get go and honestly I'm not sure if I was riding with  my eyes closed I could tell it was any different than a different bike.

I do have my bike fit guy switch my road bike to tri position if I'm doing lots of riding outside on it on the winter so the geometry between bikes is similar.

Glad your tri bike is working well for you!

No, not fit by the same guy (one was the local bike shop, the other the local tri shop) but I knew the roadie was not fit for a more aero position. It was just surprising how noticeable the difference was. Anyway, made me love my tri bike more (except for that chain issue that you also responded to in a different thread Kathy- I'm not really worried about that so much for now since it is all part of learning). Thanks for your input.