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Tri Bike v Road Bike...again
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 2009-05-12 6:09 AM |
Veteran 263  |  Subject: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again1) Has anyone here ever bought a road bike (for main purpose of racing triathlons) and regretted it, wishing they had bought a tri bike instead? 2) Has anyone here ever bought a tri bike and wished they had bought a road bike instead? |
| 2009-05-12 6:39 AM in reply to: #2145022 |
 Davenport, IA | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again While I don't really regret having bought my road bike, had I known just how "into" triathlon I would end up being I would have just saved the money and bought my tri bike the first time around. |
| 2009-05-12 6:50 AM in reply to: #2145022 |
| Veteran 263 | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again BTW, the reason I am asking is that I have fully investigated all the arguments for both bikes, and have concluded that there is no definite right or wrong answer. I will have to opt for one of the two, and then see how it goes. That's why I'm interested in people's thoughts after having made the purchase. |
| 2009-05-12 7:30 AM in reply to: #2145079 |
Extreme Veteran 597 Fairfax | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again lengthcroft - 2009-05-12 6:50 AM BTW, the reason I am asking is that I have fully investigated all the arguments for both bikes, and have concluded that there is no definite right or wrong answer. I will have to opt for one of the two, and then see how it goes. That's why I'm interested in people's thoughts after having made the purchase. Bingo. It depends what your primary usage will be. Two years ago when I bought my road bike, I knew I'd be doing a lot of group rides and tri bikes aren't feasible for that. I don't regret buying the road bike one bit. Now I'm just saving for a tri bike. |
| 2009-05-12 7:30 AM in reply to: #2145064 |
Veteran 561 Arden Hills, MN | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again Sprint_DA - 2009-05-12 6:39 AM While I don't really regret having bought my road bike, had I known just how "into" triathlon I would end up being I would have just saved the money and bought my tri bike the first time around. This was my situation also. I bought a road bike initially because I didn't know if I'd really like this tri thing or not. If not, then I figured I'd be more likely to continue riding a road bike. In hindsite it was a mistake (for me) on 2 fronts: 1) I love this tri thing and 2) I enjoy riding my tri bike more then my road bike so even if I wasn't doing tris I'd still ride my tri bike. In fact I just sold my road bike because it was sitting in the garage collecting dust... |
| 2009-05-12 7:35 AM in reply to: #2145022 |
Champion 9407  Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again If I had to have only one bike it would be a road bike (or cyclocross). Although a tribike is great for most triathlons and TTs, the versatility of a road bike is hard to beat. Shane |
| 2009-05-12 7:48 AM in reply to: #2145022 |
Extreme Veteran 418 Pittsburgh | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again I bought my road bike, knowing that I want to use it for tris, because I like to ride my bike for non-tri purposes and I knew that I wanted to do group rides and other such stuff that a tri bike doesn't do very well. My perspective is that unless you have enough disposable income to buy and maintain multiple high-end bikes, and the space to store them all, if you care at all about riding outside of tris or your training, the most versatile bike will serve you the best. I figure that when I'm out of grad school and make some real money, I can maybe have a road bike AND a tri bike.... |
| 2009-05-12 8:37 AM in reply to: #2145022 |
Champion 19812 MA | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again Hardest thing to predict is what will appeal to you as far as sport and training. I have multiple bikes and like my tri bike best as it is most comfortable to ride. If I had to have only one it would my Kuota. I do belong to a bike race team. I tried crits and crashed badly and my husband isn't really up for me to try more of that. My road bike I use when doing group rides with them but have done it with my tri bike and they were cool with it as I rode on my bull horns. I bought a cyclocross bike last summer not sure if I'd like racing cross but absolutely loved it. My cross bike is great for different type of riding and my outdoor crappy weather and winter bike even though it was expensive..it has 105 parts and my other bikes have ultegra plus it is steel vs. carbon. I'd suggest to make a wish list of what you may want to try to do and see which bike fits into that. Many group rides have lots of triathletes that ride tri bikes but depends which group you ride with...some are strictly roadie type rides and everyone has road bikes. Key to deciding is what type of riding will you do most..ride with friends? triathlons? road racing? Are you limited to buying only one bike? Me I tend to buy a bike every year so it isn't like I'll never get another bike if I made the wrong choice. If you can't decide, get a tri bike as you are obviously going to race triathlons. Biggest mistake I see new folks doing is buying a cheap bike to save money, falling in love with the sport and a year or two later buying a higher quality tri bike so instead of spending $2-3K on nice tri bike to start they buy a $600-1100 road bike add clip on aerobars then buy a $2-3K tri bike later so end up with $4500 in bikes instead of buying the tri bike to start. I did that and I have seen that happen over and over here on BT. |
| 2009-05-12 9:42 AM in reply to: #2145022 |
Extreme Veteran 397 | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again i bought a trek madone shortly before i decided to do triathlon. i do love my madone but wish i would of bought a tri bike. i have aero bars on it and love the feel so i ordered bullhorn bars, barend shifters and levers. after a few years i will buy a tri bike and turn my madone into a road bike again. |
| 2009-05-12 3:24 PM in reply to: #2145022 |
Elite 3315 Miami | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again smartest decision i had made....thanks to my father who had no clue about races. i did 3 sprints on a mountain bike for the 3rd race my folks showed up to cheer me on. they were amazed by the athletecism displayed. i mentioned that i was thinking of buying a bike. i went to the store with my dad, and showed him a quintana roo chico for $1599 and cervelo p1....as i am being fitted he starts talking to the owner and the owner brings in the p2c, p3 and seduza to try. i walked out with a $2200 p2c and i don't regret it one bit. in fact my cyclist friends comment on the smart decision. i would have bought either a very entry level tri bike or road bike that day only to wish about selling it 6-12 months down the road. i also think its a thin line to know how much to spend. i could have easily bought the p3 but thought the price was a little steep and the bike was beyond my abilities. i was able to buy a set of nice wheels with the remainder. |
| 2009-05-12 3:37 PM in reply to: #2145022 |
| Veteran 263 | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again All the answers seem to confirm my suspicions. Many people have regretted buying a road bike, but I haven't heard from anyone that's regretted buying a tri bike. |
| 2009-05-12 3:45 PM in reply to: #2145022 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again I still love my road bike the best. My road bike is a toy. It is what I use whenever I just want to go out for a ride or to train. My tri bike is a weapon. It only comes out when it is time for battle. |
| 2009-05-12 3:48 PM in reply to: #2145022 |
Expert 608 St. Louis | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again If you bike race competively aswell as tri competively then the road bike is right for you. You can still win your ag and get top 10s in local tris in a road bike. In my last tri I got 25th with a roadbike and some clip-ons(for free from a friend). BTW it does help to run under 6:00min pace for 5ks. |
 2009-05-12 3:51 PM in reply to: #2146709 |
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| 2009-05-12 3:53 PM in reply to: #2145022 |
| Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again I never owned a road bike. Ever. When I was a kid I just road bmx bikes. Then in Novemeber of '07 when I decided to start doing triathlons I bought a tri bike. Best thing I ever did. I don't know anything but the aero position and as a result the aero position is very comfortable for me. Sitting up on the hoods feels very weird to me. And if I did find myself in a group of roadies (only happened maybe twice) I ride the hoods. Last year I did one 40-miler with roadies and about 2/3rds of the way through I said to my friend, "Watch this" ...I got down into the aero position and passed the entire group like they were standing still. I just had to Also, just for reference and from my experience, in an Olympic distance race or 70.3 -- I honestly don't remember ever being passed by someone on a road bike, and I check out pretty much every bike that passes me. And was passed by plenty of bikes on my firt HIM. What does that mean exactly, I don't know. |
| 2009-05-12 3:54 PM in reply to: #2146709 |
| Champion 9407 Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again lengthcroft - 2009-05-12 5:37 PM All the answers seem to confirm my suspicions. Many people have regretted buying a road bike, but I haven't heard from anyone that's regretted buying a tri bike. Simply going based on volume of responses is likely not the way to make this decision. The vast majority of people will purchase a road bike first so you are bound to find people who would have preferred to have purchased a tribike first. OTOH, there is a very limited number who have purchased a tribike first and you are unlikely to find people on this site who purchased a triathlon bike and regretted it (most likely because they no longer do triathlon and would there not likely still frequent this site). In my case, a road bike first and then a tribike was definitely the right decision for me. You will have to make the decision that is best for you but if you are looking at group rides, I would strongly suggest you consider a road bike. Unless I am training for a TTT (or Clearwater  ), I see no reason to use a tribike in a drafting situation.Shane |
| 2009-05-12 3:57 PM in reply to: #2145022 |
| Expert 658 | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again This is my last year of college and after I finish I'm going to buy a new road bike and sell my current one off. Tri bikes are pretty cool but I'd personally feel like a bit of a tosser on it because I'd feel embarrissed when people pass me. Clip on aero bars are all good for me, plus I can still go on bunch rides, which is relatively harder if you only have a tri bike, plus people in bunch rides just think your a show off/inconsiderate if you turn up with a tri bike. |
| 2009-05-12 4:33 PM in reply to: #2146750 |
| Expert 760 Memphis, TN | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again Bopper - 2009-05-12 3:51 PM lengthcroft - 2009-05-12 4:37 PM All the answers seem to confirm my suspicions. Many people have regretted buying a road bike, but I haven't heard from anyone that's regretted buying a tri bike. I would suggest you look at a Cervelo S1... this is a road bike that can be easily converted to a tri bike. (no I don't work for Cervelo)... from all the research I've done, it seems to be the ONLY bike out there that has this capability. You get the benefit of Aero tubing when riding it as a road bike, and with a forward seat position and clip on Aero bars, you have a pretty decent tri bike. I too am looking at a new bike (in the far future) and am thinking that this option would give me the best of both worlds. If I'm going to spend that kind of money, why be limited in how I can use it. Riding in a pack is SO much easier on a road bike (you are advised NEVER to ride in the aero position in the peloton), that having a dedicated Tri bike would limit your options. However, this is my opinion only. You have to decide what you will use the most. Spend the money on that. x2 on the S1. I picked mine up in December and love it! I was fitted in both the road position and the forward/tri position. While I would like to have a road and a tri bike, financially, it just didn't make since for me. But with this bike, I get both! |
| 2009-05-12 4:45 PM in reply to: #2145022 |
| Elite 3315 Miami | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again article on the Cervelo S1.... http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/reviews/CerveloS1-2009.shtml Edited by trix 2009-05-12 4:45 PM |
| 2009-05-12 10:42 PM in reply to: #2145022 |
| Veteran 274 | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again I bought a road bike and the following year added aero bars. I ride on my aero bars 99% of the time but I can still switch up my position if I start to get sore. I am sure someday I will get a tri bike. Then I can leave one of them on the trainer to help get in a quick workout. |
| 2009-05-13 10:46 AM in reply to: #2146730 |
| Veteran 166 Douglas County | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again Daremo - 2009-05-12 3:45 PM I still love my road bike the best. My road bike is a toy. It is what I use whenever I just want to go out for a ride or to train. My tri bike is a weapon. It only comes out when it is time for battle. This is awesome!!! I totally feel the same way. Love love love my roadie.....but the tri bike is serious business. I enjoy riding the road bike more, but the tri bike gives me a little somethin' extra. I like having them both. But I did go with just the road bike for two years and it has served me well. |
| 2009-05-13 11:25 AM in reply to: #2145022 |
| Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again lengthcroft - 2009-05-12 6:09 AM 1) Has anyone here ever bought a road bike (for main purpose of racing triathlons) and regretted it, wishing they had bought a tri bike instead? 2) Has anyone here ever bought a tri bike and wished they had bought a road bike instead? I started on a road bike. Didn't regret buying it. Bought a tri bike, but I took my road bike to my HIM and IM. Just felt more comfortable on the roadie going up/down hills. My tri bike is on my bike trainer 95% of the year. I only take it out for a short, flat race course. My road bike gets the most use as I ride in groups 95% of the time. Could not live without a road bike, but that's just me. |
| 2009-05-13 2:20 PM in reply to: #2145346 |
| Veteran 306 Dallas | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again KathyG - 2009-05-12 8:37 AM Hardest thing to predict is what will appeal to you as far as sport and training. I have multiple bikes and like my tri bike best as it is most comfortable to ride. If I had to have only one it would my Kuota. I do belong to a bike race team. I tried crits and crashed badly and my husband isn't really up for me to try more of that. My road bike I use when doing group rides with them but have done it with my tri bike and they were cool with it as I rode on my bull horns. I bought a cyclocross bike last summer not sure if I'd like racing cross but absolutely loved it. My cross bike is great for different type of riding and my outdoor crappy weather and winter bike even though it was expensive..it has 105 parts and my other bikes have ultegra plus it is steel vs. carbon. I'd suggest to make a wish list of what you may want to try to do and see which bike fits into that. Many group rides have lots of triathletes that ride tri bikes but depends which group you ride with...some are strictly roadie type rides and everyone has road bikes. Key to deciding is what type of riding will you do most..ride with friends? triathlons? road racing? Are you limited to buying only one bike? Me I tend to buy a bike every year so it isn't like I'll never get another bike if I made the wrong choice. If you can't decide, get a tri bike as you are obviously going to race triathlons. Biggest mistake I see new folks doing is buying a cheap bike to save money, falling in love with the sport and a year or two later buying a higher quality tri bike so instead of spending $2-3K on nice tri bike to start they buy a $600-1100 road bike add clip on aerobars then buy a $2-3K tri bike later so end up with $4500 in bikes instead of buying the tri bike to start. I did that and I have seen that happen over and over here on BT. I couldn't have said it better myself. . . This is exactly my story down to the buying the inexpensive road bike first, and then the $2200 Kuota tri bike later. I love my tri bike, and would prefer to ride that over my Cannondale road bike, but as with anything, it boils down to personal preference. |
| 2009-05-13 2:35 PM in reply to: #2146730 |
| Sensei Sin City | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again Daremo - 2009-05-12 1:45 PM I still love my road bike the best. My road bike is a toy. It is what I use whenever I just want to go out for a ride or to train. My tri bike is a weapon. It only comes out when it is time for battle. So well said... Currently, I ONLY have a tri bike. I knew I wanted to race, so I got a racing bike. All my rides are solo so far, so it's worked out fine. However, I am currently in the market for a good mid level road bike. Some of the training rides I like a road bike is better suited for (LOTS of hills). I like to be on the hoods for a lot of climbing, but on the tri bike, it makes shifting tough. Plus I want to explore group rides. This on top of my two MTN bikes... Basically I have noticed the trend of bikers, that one is not enough. People seriously into biking usually have 3 or more... Edited by Aikidoman 2009-05-13 2:35 PM |
| 2009-05-13 2:39 PM in reply to: #2145022 |
| Champion 11989 Philly 'burbs | Subject: RE: Tri Bike v Road Bike...again I bought a road bike and added aero bars and a ff seat post after riding for a bit but before my first race. Now in my second season I will be adding bullhorns and bar end shifters/brake levers. I may eventually buy a tri bike but will keep my road bike "forever." If I want I can put it back the way it was when I bought it and have it for recreational rides and such. I don't do group rides so that is not a concern for me. Maybe in the future but who knows. Bottom line; I DO NOT regret buying my road bike. For me it was a great introduction to the world of clipless pedals and skinny tires without dropping a load of cash before I was mentally and physically prepared to ride a higher end and/or tri specific bike. I have never seen to point of top of the line equipment if I don't have top of the line performance. Maybe if I start creeping up towards the podium I'll reconsider ETA: KathyG - 2009-05-12 9:37 AM Biggest mistake I see new folks doing is buying a cheap bike to save money, falling in love with the sport and a year or two later buying a higher quality tri bike so instead of spending $2-3K on nice tri bike to start they buy a $600-1100 road bike add clip on aerobars then buy a $2-3K tri bike later so end up with $4500 in bikes instead of buying the tri bike to start. I did that and I have seen that happen over and over here on BT. I respectfully disagree. I do not see this as a mistake at all. If someone doesn't have a bike to begin with chances are they don't know much about buying bikes. $2-3K is too much to spend on something about which one knows very little. First hand experience and time in the saddle is invaluable when considering spending that much money on a bike. Edited by mrbbrad 2009-05-13 2:47 PM |
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