What is the point of fancy wheels and tri bikes

1. There are a lot of Roadies who do not do Tri's and may not race at all.  They just ride group rides. And I think they out number Triathletes
2. Some people rent wheels for races.  $50 or so for a day vs spending 1k on them.
3. Some people want to "train heavy, race lite" and more aero.  So they only use the race wheels for races and maybe a ride or 2 just before the race.

Are you riding in the hills? Tri bikes and their riders like the flats.

If you are only going to use them for races you should look into renting. I can rent Zipp's around here for $75/weekend, or $150/week.

I ride my tri bike all the time. It's aluminum, with a carbon fork.

I don't have fancy race wheels, but if I did, I'd probably only ride them for my races and a small percentage of training. The $$$ I'd drop on some fancy carbon wheels would encourage me to not take them out on the road every day. I don't really need that extra aero/weight advantage in traning, and I'd be worried about somethign happening to them. Plus, I'd still have my aluminum wheels anyway. Anyone selling 650 race wheels?

I only put my "fancy" wheels on for a race for 2 reasons:

First, they are expensive. If I were to wreck and ruin the wheels I would be out a whole lot more money than if I were using my "regular" wheels.

Second, I have HED3 Tri Spokes, which are a pain to pump. I have to use a "crack pipe" extension and have a 2nd person on-hand to help me. Not ideal for every day riding.

A four pound hammer is a great tool.  Mass has a precision unto itself.  I love m 30 lb hammer.

It's all about what you have to spend on the sport.  If you've got the money and you're competitive, you can do these things.  For me, I train on my 1984 Schwinn LeTour road bike that I found on Craigslist.  For races, I take off the kickstand and the lights

If you're not expecting a podium finish, triathlon is as expensive or inexpensive as you want it to be.

I hope you leave the honky horn on, though! Can't race without a lucky honky horn. Bonus if it's in the shape of something really slow, like a turtle or a fat fish.

I've seen people with bikes with downtube shifters on TOP of the podium, and we're talking competitive tris in competitive AGs. Okay, technically, I didn't see them ON the podium because I came in way later than that. Then again, I made top three in a competitive tri in the most competitive women's AG on an old steel bike with cruiser bars and three gears.

Is it rare? Sure. But a good engine sure trumps a lot of $$$ bike with less finely tuned engine.

What's the point of fancy bikes, wheels, and helmets? Some (costly) speed. But if you have more time than money, you can get right up there, too. If you want to be sitting on top top top consistently, though, yeah ... you'll need the equipment the other pointy-of-pointy end folks have.

I hope you leave the honky horn on, though! Can't race without a lucky honky horn. Bonus if it's in the shape of something really slow, like a turtle or a fat fish.

I've seen people with bikes with downtube shifters on TOP of the podium, and we're talking competitive tris in competitive AGs. Okay, technically, I didn't see them ON the podium because I came in way later than that. Then again, I made top three in a competitive tri in the most competitive women's AG on an old steel bike with cruiser bars and three gears.

Is it rare? Sure. But a good engine sure trumps a lot of $$$ bike with less finely tuned engine.

What's the point of fancy bikes, wheels, and helmets? Some (costly) speed. But if you have more time than money, you can get right up there, too. If you want to be sitting on top top top consistently, though, yeah ... you'll need the equipment the other pointy-of-pointy end folks have.

...and that's how it all begins.

Started with a 1980 vintage roadie, few years later and there is carbon all over the place, in the shoes, in the wheels, in the bike. It is just a sport that grows on you, not because you can afford it, its a change in lifestyle. 

To get back to the OP, fancy wheels with tubbies I use for racing only. Tubbies are to expensive to train on. I really dont feel like wrecking that expensive wheelset in a random pothole. I also like the sound they make while riding so when I race, I sound faster.

When I only had one bike, it was a tri bike. (Although I had two sets of wheels--one stock training wheels and one set of zipps)

Now I have more than one bike. and the only time I ride my tri bike outside is during a race. Outside, I ride my road bike or MTBs.

I am not sure what the wheels are, but I know when I am about to be past by an expensive set of rims because they make a whub-whub sound.  But, there is nothing like the sound the biker makes when once of these wheel sets hits a pothole - let the swearing rip... 

(I am a strong swimmer, so all the "bikers" catch up eventually and fly past...)

Areas I ride I see equal number of tri bikes to road bikes (plus a healthy dose of other types).  I ride a tricked out tri bike (okay it was $1000 used including shipping) and I have two sets of wheels, one for trainer and the other for everything else.  Mainly as I buy cheap tires for training and nice tires for racing.

Its pretty much the same as the person driving their $70,000 car to work and parks next to my 2005 Pick-up.  If you have the cash and want a nicer ride (or multiple rides) why not spend it?