Questions for those with both a road and tri bike

i have a roadie and tri-bike..

i train and race with my tri team on my tri bike..

i do great group rides every few weeks just to get the feel of a peloton on my roadie..

you just gotta know when to ride and when to race..

1) In the past it's been 80/20 road, but last year reversed to 20/80 due to a new tri bike, plus the type of riding I was doing was mostly solo, shorter (<40 mile) stuff as opposed to longer group rides 2-3 times per week. Over the years, mileage averages 100-200+ MPW during the season (2500 to 5000 per year).

2) I have clip-ons on my back-uo road bike. Never had my tri bike down on race day, if it was down at other times I'd just ride my road bike (the one without clip-ons, nore than likely). Seat on both road bikes is in a road position.

3) Riding more helps my biking ability during the tri. That should be your goal. I don't think switching off has any benefit or detriment.

1. Probably 80-85% on tri bike...road bike on the trainer in case of bad weather or focused interval ride. Never ride with a group, personally. Average miles per week depends on the distance of "A" races...100-200+.

2. I have C-O's on my roadie and was fitted for tri training, racing. The bars stay on the bike and the bike is almost always on my trainer.

3. I don't think that switching on/off has any measurable effect, but i'm an invalid when it comes to bike knowledge so you probably want to listen to others on this one. My opinion...don't overthink things and JFT and you will be good to go.

I do all of my indoor riding on my tri-bike, but very little outdoor riding on the tri bike except for races, and a couple times to make sure the setup is dialed for the race.

Otherwise, I crank out all my miles on my roadie. I do not have aerobars on the road bike, and try to keep it as light as possible.

1) I spend about half the time on each bike. I ride the tri-bike for hard, fast rides and the roadie for everything else.

2) The road bike has clip-ons that stay there, as I ride mostly solo. The bike is set up very muck like the tri-bike.

3) I've only had the tri-bike for half a season, but I'd have to think that variety in anything makes you stronger.

1) How much of your time/distance each week (during the summer) do you spend on one bike vs the other? How often are you riding with a group? What's your average mileage each week total?

>>During the winter I do most of my outdoor riding on my road bike and indoor riding on my tri bike. As spring comes around I'll start riding the tri-bike most of the time (indoors and out), but will continue to do one ride a week on my road, cross, fixie or mountain bike.

I ride with a group 1-3 times a week. Again, as spring comes around those rides will be on a tri bike. Now they're done on a road bike. I don't have a problem riding a tri bike in a group, nor do the people I train with.

Avg weekly mileage is ~100 miles now and will be 200-250 "in season".

2) Do you have clip on aerobars for your road bike as well just in case the tri bike is out of commission for a race or training day? If you do... is the road bike set up closer to how your tri bike fit is or do you have it set more like a typical road bike? ie. is the seat more forward than if you didn't do tris? Do you leave the clip on aerobars on the bike?

>>Road bike is set up as a road bike.

3) Do you feel that switching off between the bikes (as opposed to only riding the tri bike) helps strengthen your biking (and indirectly your running) ability during a tri? or do you think it negatively effects your ability? or that it doesn't really have any real measurable effect?

>>I don't think there's any measurable effect per se. If it means riding more, then of course there's the benefit of additional training load.


scott

I think you just need to think about who you are with and what you are trying to get out of the ride.  I have the roadie on the trainer now and plan on keeping it there most of the time unless I am doing a large group ride.  If I am with a small group riding- no one really cares if I take the tri bike since we all know each other's riding style and trust each other.  If I am doing a large group ride I will always take my road bike.

1) How much of your time/distance each week (during the summer) do you spend on one bike vs the other? How often are you riding with a group? What's your average mileage each week total?

I ride my road bike... 100% of the time. I always ride in groups and when I don't... I'm still on my roadie. My tri bike has become my permanent trainer bike. If I do a race where I feel like it will be appropriate, I'll take it. I told myself I'll try to ride it more in 2010.


2) Do you have clip on aerobars for your road bike as well just in case the tri bike is out of commission for a race or training day? If you do... is the road bike set up closer to how your tri bike fit is or do you have it set more like a typical road bike? ie. is the seat more forward than if you didn't do tris? Do you leave the clip on aerobars on the bike?

I do not. I have carbon handlebars and I was told that it wouldn't be a good idea to put clip-on aerobars on them. Since I paid $450 for them, I'm not willing to risk it.



3) Do you feel that switching off between the bikes (as opposed to only riding the tri bike) helps strengthen your biking (and indirectly your running) ability during a tri? or do you think it negatively effects your ability? or that it doesn't really have any real measurable effect?

Eh, I do not think it matters.

1. I probably spend the most time on my road bike in the summer. That and my MTB. During the season, I usually only ride my tri bike in races. Off season and building up, I ride it maybe 3/4ths of the time.

I almost always ride alone. During the season, I put in about 3-4 hours a week. (60-80 miles, give or take) Maybe more, maybe less, depending on what I'm doing.

2. No. My road bike is just a road bike.

3. I think, on the whole, riding is riding.

1)  Usually about 80-90% of my road miles are on a road bike.  However, 100% of my trainer miles are on my tribike.  During the summer I hope to average 200-300km per week on the bike with about half of that time with a group.

2)  I have clipon aerobars for my road bike but only put them on for draft legal racing (and the couple of weeks going into a draft legal race).  My setups are very different (~73* road bike and about 80* on tribike and about 10cm of drop on my road bike and 20cm of drop on my tribike).

3)  I tend to ride harder with a group so in my case, yes it makes me a stronger rider.  Ultimately whatever is going to get you putting in hard miles on the bike will make you a stronger rider so if that is road, tri, cyclocross, MTB, fixie, track, whatever then just get out and ride.

Shane

Related questions -

I was thinking, with the geometry of the tri bike you are using different muscles, so you are best off training on the tri bike that you will be racing on?

Also, why do some say they go for the road bike for longer rides? Is the tri bike uncomfortable for longer rides?