Buying some bike speed on a $200 budget

I like my position on the bike and don't want to fiddle too much with the seat post etc. Just looking to get a little more aero without changing too much.

I didn't know much either but if you do a few searches, good stuff will pop up. It seems that shorties are a pretty good solution for roadies who don't want to totally change their cockpit.

Bring the wheel into the LBS and have them true it.  No need for new wheels.  I'd spend that money on a disc cover first.

Otherwise that looks pretty good.  You may not be allowed to tape up your helmet, though, as that is technically against the rules.

I don't think you really need shorty aerobars.  You can ride on regular size aerobars even in a roadie slack position.  You can probably get a good deal on these in the classifieds.

Good choice on the tires.  Your Gatorskins are watt suckers and you will really feel the difference.

Andy - this is a very well though out plan. I wish more triatheletes were as analytical about their gear  purchases.

All the investments you are suggesting will give you the best bang for the buck.  I particularly like the duct-tape on the helmet. I used this trick whenever riding in cooler weather on my road bike. Its not quite the same as an aero helmet but it makes a noticeable difference.

I would pass on the new wheels. That $300 will get you less benefit than any of the cheaper changes you already suggested. My advice is save the $300, wait till you have $750+, and buy a decent used Tri bike.

Some other cheap / free speed ideas:

- if you don't already have one, get a sung tri top and tri shorts for the bike.

- a patch of duct tape over the front of your bike shoes. I may save a watt.

- Work on your riding position. A free wind-tunnel test I like to do is to go to the top of a long hill, and mark a start spot. Then I just start rolling downhill. At a marked spot (I use sidewalk chalk) I check the speed on my computer.  I noticed that I have a tendency to splay my knees apart, so now I keep them tighter against the frame.

- Bottle cage between the aerobars

- latex tubes

- A rear wheel disc cover (a much better investment than new wheels)

I agree completely with aero bars.  But with a limited budget, unless you need new tires why replace them? Everything I have read would not indicate much for improvement on new tires. 

From the research I have done it seems like disc wheel cover and aero helmets are the best purchase for true gains.  I would recommend one of these instead of the tires and tubes (unless you need new tires of course).

Good luck.

Thanks for the input and I'll keep looking at the clip-on options. Is taping really against the rules? Never knew that. Is it because the tape could fly off, overheating....what would the rational be? Just curious.

Yea the tape is against the rules because your modifying the helmet. you can get an aero helmet for cheap now most stores are having specials to get rid of their old stock since new helmets are coming in. I'm not to sure if you want to train with latex tubes. I feel like they would be better suited for racing only since there more expensive and have a greater chance for flatting (someone chime in if I'm wrong). You can get a set of aerobars on the classified for cheap I got mine in January for like $25. Now that I've upgraded to a tri bike so i'll be taking off the aerobars off the road bike. I'm thinking about putting them up for sale (Pm me if your interested). 

I think I would continue to train on butyl/gatorskins and swap out the race tires/latex a few rides before the race. Funny on the tape. I suppose they don't want people modifying safety equipment? ie taping up a broken helmet? Because racers are modifying just about everything else, it seems.

Tires and tubes can make a huge difference!  Especially coming from the Gatorskins that the OP is using now.  I've heard estimates for going from the Gatorskins to the Vittorias with latex tubes are around 30 watts - massive!.