Hybrid to Raod or Tri Bike?

If you want one that bad buy it!! Shopping early to me is a good thing.

My concern would be that you haven't been on a bike that is in a race position or aero position. You might buy it and find it way uncomfortable. If you can take some test ride that would be ideal. That way you can ride a road and tri back to back and you can feel the difference. Even road bikes have a different riding angle putting you into a lower riding position. I personally wanted a road bike because I plan on doing some road racing to not just tri's. It is a tough decision and one that should be thought out. There is not right or wrong just as long as your happy with the bike you are riding. That means comfortable so that you ride it, not hey check out my bike it cost a lot

Good Luck!!

If you are willing to drop the coin for a good tri bike I'd go for it, I'd go ahead and get a good fit while you are at it.

I took my $100 bike to my first TRI and ate a lot of dust, but I wanted to make sure I was really going to like this before I spent money on a bike. 

Before the sun set after our first Tri my wife and I both had new, but low end, road bikes.  I spent about $500 for mine on last years model of an unknown brand.  I've put new tires on it for about another 100, and several tubes (that was why I got the tires actually).

I still eat a lot of dust...but now it is more dust from each racer who passes me as it takes them a lot longer to get around me than it did that first day.

My first tri the bike leg was 12 miles.  I averaged about 11 miles an hour.  My second tri was 15 miles I averaged about 15 miles an hour, and there was a severe head wind through half of that, tail wind on the way back, but I was exausted by then... but I did 15 miles in the less time than it took me to do 12 a month before.  Last weekend was an 11 mile ride, and I did it at close to 18mph.

18mph was still BOP.  But I would be BOP even if I had the fastest bike ever made and perfectly fit to me.  I got a bike that I felt I could get my money out of, and upgrade later.

I will get a tri bike someday.  But I'm going to get a better engine first and slowly improve my, and my wifes road bike along the way.  Maybe I'm cheap, but I enjoy the ride (pun intended).

I agree with what others have mentioned in that the fit of the bike is more important than the type of bike.  Whether it is a tri or a road bike, make sure they do a proper bike fitting for you.

I don't know what kind of commuter bike you currently ride but, if this is your first bike with 1-1.5" tires, you may want to side with going for a road bike.  A road bike puts you in a position where your center of gravity farther to the rear of the bike which adds to the stability and makes it feel like you have better control.  A tri bike is going to move your CG forward and, when you are laying in the aerobars, you may feel somewhat uncontrolled.  Until you are comfortable riding in the aero position, the bike is likely to feel 'twitchy' to you because of the additional weight distributed to the front wheel.

If you purchase a road bike to start, you can opt to add clip-on aerobars later.  While it won't give you the same aerodynamic profile as a tri bike, it will give you an opportunity to become comfortable in the saddle and then progress into an aero position.  If you buy a tri bike right out of the gate, it may feel too aggressive and uncomfortable especially on longer rides.

Do you have a few specific bikes you are considering?  It may help us give better answers to compare the specific components (SRAM, Ultegra, 105, etc) and construction (Al, Carbon, Ti, etc) that you are trying to decide between.

I will absolutely be getting fit to whatever I wind up getting.  No question about it.

As far as what bikes I had in mind, well, they range quite a bit.  I started out telling the wife I would be good to go on a Cannondale Synapse 7 from REI but as I read I started seeing the importance of a good fit and remember my last bike purchase there only included a rough guesstimate by the salesperson.  So that's pretty much out. 

Next in line is the Cervelo P1.  Price is right and available locally, or so I thought.  The LBSes that I have been to only have them in smaller sizes, like way too small. The salesperson at this store showed me the P2.  The combination of the aesthetics and being carbon got the blood flowing and brain going, which is not always a good thing. 

I looked at a couple of Treks yesterday and as nice as they are, they just don't do anything for me.  Well, except for the $3000 one, but thats a little more than I want to spend.  Not much more, but I wanted to be out the door for $2750 at the most. 

There was a last-year's-model Quintana Roo that I liked, mainly because it was neon green.  But it was sold and that's probably a good thing since I need to put appearance further down the list of priorities. 

Other bikes I've looked at include a Felt B16, Qunitana Roo Seduza and a few of the Trek road bikes. Component groups on all bikes I've looked at, aside from the Cannondale, have been 105 or better.  Honestly, I couldn't tell you the difference between Tiagra and Red at this point other than I know Tiagra is garbage compared to Red or DuraAce.

In the meantime, I am going to continue on with the Cannondale Quick 3 I'm on and see how the side job treats me between now and purchase time.  It could make the budget anywhere from $1000 to $4000 with no real way to tell just yet. 

Thanks for the insight so far.  Any help is good help at this point. 

garrunning - 2011-06-07 9:23 PM.....not hey check out my bike it cost a lot

If I don't do all that well, at least I can look good while I'm sucking wind and getting beat by little old ladies on beach cruisers.  lol

Sorry??? Not red?  Always buy the red one!

If you think you are primarily going to do tris, get the tri bike.  I have only a tri bike, and I'm able to do long rides on it.  It is fitted for me and would say i'm very comfortable.   I might be more comfortable on a road bike, but I don't know what I don't know.

As said before, make sure the bike fits you.  I can tell you what I like or would get, but I would make sure you get what fits you.  Certain brands have slightly differnt geometries, fit, or feel.  If you have the option, I would look at a few and then do some research before you buy one.  An LBS will give you a good deal on a year or two old bike.  But remember, they want to make the sale and get the bike out of their inventory (Bold general statement) and it might not be the best fitting bike for you.  If they are talking about swaping out many parts to make the fit, hold back to see if another bike frame might be better for you with only minor adjustments vs.  swapping many parts.  Also, you want some room to adjust to a more agressive riding style as you become more comfortable riding the tri bike, in that position, and "grow" into that position.  Invest in a good fitting bike, you'll appreciate the investment more.

You got the typical answer bike shop guys give...they are roadies and don't really like tri bikes.

Do you live in an area that has a tri shop? If so go there and they can help you.

Like others have said key is to get a bike that fits you. Some shops try and sell you what they have which may not really fit you. Best way to buy a bike is get fit and from there know what bike brands, model and sizes fit you best out of the box.

I've had a P2C and let me tell you, riding that thing was "like Butta!"  The feel compared the P1 (which when I tried it was called the P2SL) was incredible.  Just soooo smooth.

QR makes a really good bike and my wife has 2 of them.  She has an older Tequilo (thin walled aluminum) and the new black CD.01.  She says that the CD.01 is much stiffer than the Tequilo but that may simply be a carbon vs aluminum comparison.

You may want to check out Competitive Cyclist's Fit Calculator.  It gives you frame configuration details so you can compare frame dimensions to the optimal dimensions for your particular body structure.  There is both a road and a tri bike fit calculator so you can get an understanding of what brand of bike is made to best fit your body.

After looking a bit more over the past couple of days, I think I am going to go with a tri bike, but only after a couple of races.  The extra padding I'm carrying in the midsection needs to go before I get into an aero position.  I figure in that time I can lose the weight I need to and save up the money needed to get whatever I wind up with.

Thank you everyone for the input. 

Can't wait to see what you get!!

I know I'm a little late to this party, but to throw in my two cents...

I asked my online coach about what to do regarding a bike for my first triathlon (NYC this year).  I was tempted to go for the tri bike, but my coach suggested that I stick with what I am familiar with for now (my Gary Fisher hybrid), at least for my first race.  I'm a little nervous about looking silly on a hybrid in a triathlon, but I don't care.  I'm all about simply completing my first triathlon and let whatever happens after that happen.  I'll probably rent wheels for it, but that's it.  Best of luck!!!

I have a hybrid, roadie, and tri bike.  I did my first tri season on the hybrid. Next year I did a HIM and some have rules it has to be a roadie or a tri bike.  not sure if they enforce them or not.

If you want to see if you like the sport and not sure how much riding you will ever do after.  Get a hybrid.  If you want to do a lot of group rides then get a roadie.  If all you want to do is a triathlon and you have no friends ( ok more about the group ride part) then get the tri bike.

Most Spirits and even in Olys you will see pretty much ever type of bike except the old timey ones with the big wheels. 

As long as the bike fits you. You will not look silly out there.  Some like to use crap bikes out of showman ship.  If you just want to go out there for fun then why not.

baxt3r - 2011-06-08 9:02 AM

garrunning - 2011-06-07 9:23 PM.....not hey check out my bike it cost a lot

 

If I don't do all that well, at least I can look good while I'm sucking wind and getting beat by little old ladies on beach cruisers.  lol

It seems that I may have caught the SEXY TRI bike fever also. I was thinking on upgrading my Scott S30 to a Carbon road bike. Now I am thinking on keeping it and going with a Cervelo P2. See what you started