tribike vs road bike debate for relative newbie

I might be among the minority, but I say go for the tri bike. If you do decided to keep going in tri's you will eventually want one. You will be a bit quicker on it even if you were to have a roadie with aerobars (did that and still faster on the tri bike).

I found for me that my tri bike is more comfortable on longer rides. I guess it just fits me right.

It depends on how serious you think you're going to get about the sport.  I just finished my first season, and I decided to upgrade my road bike instead of getting a tri bike.  I dont know what kind of budget you're looking at but many bike companies are coming out with aero road bikes to cater to people like us getting into tri's, but not too sure about the tri bike.  I got the felt AR5 with clip ons and you can only really tell it's a road bike because it has the drops.  When I decide to do move up to HIM/IM from sprints/oly (in a year or two), I'll upgrade to the tri bike...and still have a good road bike to fall back on.

So, In short, I'd recommend a road bike with clip ons.  And look into an aero road bike if you've got the dough.

You are buying the bike for the purpose of doing races so I would ask yourself what is your reason for NOT getting the tri bike over the road bike?  For example if you think you will participate in a lot of group rides you will probably want a road bike (you could use your old one mind you).

If it were me, I'd get the tri bike (says the guy that first bought a road bike when in your situation).

Good luck with whatever you go with. 

Tribike. 

I know roadies say 'it's more flexible' because you can ride it in tight pacelines (road bike), but if you're happy on being a good MOPer, its doubtful that you'll be riding in those super tight and fast competitive roadie pacelines. 

Having ridden in many pacelines from average to very fast, on both road and TT bike, I can say that unless you're a FOPer on the bike, the group rides you'll be on will likely be casual enough that it's not a problem to ride a TT bike. 

If you have you eye on a few fast group rides with competitive road cyclists, then you should get the road bike, as they won't be as happy about the aerobike in the pack. These guys typically ride 22+mph in a flat paceline - I haven't been in one thats' been that serious that has gone under 20mph.

By definition, using  any aerobars (road bike or tri bike) is less safe than having your hands on the brakes.  That doesn't mean aerobars are unsafe - there's a spectrum.  I'm experienced, I know when I can safely use the aerobars and when I shouldn't, and I can get to the brakes quickly.  As a beginner, you'd have to learn that skill and that will take you somewhere between a couple hundred and a couple thousand miles of riding.

The best possible answer to "tri bike or road bike" is always "both".  If you can't do both for whatever reason, then the answer everyone is going to give you is "it depends on what you want to do with it" followed by their personal reasons for why they chose a road bike or a tri bike.

In general, a lot of people active in triathlon first buy a road bike, then later either swap it for a tri bike (and eat the $$$ loss), or later buy a tri bike and thus have both.  Me, I started road cycling with a low-end $1000 road bike in 2001, used it up to my first few triathlons.  In 2003 I traded up to a $3000 road bike that I still own, and used that up to my first Ironman in 2006.  In 2007 I bought a Cervelo P3C that I still own, and I've used that since for more than a dozen HIMs and IMs.

The sole advantage of a tri bike is that it's designed to enable you to ride comfortably in the aero position for long periods of time. A road bike, even with aerobars, is in general not going to be as comfortable because it's a compromise - you're riding aero on a bike geometry designed for more upright riding.  Aero is always an advantage over non aero, and the longer the race the more advantage being comfortable in aero, so you see many tri bikes at HIM and IM races where you're on the bike 2.5 - 6 hours (or more).

If the primary purpose of your bike will be triathlon training and racing, and you want to have one bike that does that well, then I suggest you strongly consider a tri bike.  You can always keep your existing bike and thus have both.

If you want to do group rides and be social with your riding get a road bike.

If you strictly want it for triathlons and training solo, get a tri bike.

If you can justify getting both, DO IT

When I signed up for my first tri, I had no bike so I went out looking and I figured... I'm going tris so I need a tri bike, right? Then I found out that for some tri courses a road bike will actually perform better.

After a lot of research, I decided to get a road bike because it's more versatile. I never ended up putting aero bars on it but I was eventually given a second bike, also a road bike, but designed more for racing and I put aero bars on that and have done two IMs and a number of HIMs and Century rides on it.

What I found is that different bikes work well for different uses but it's not as simple as tri bike for tris. The hillier the course is, the better a road bike will perform over a tri bike, for example.

I disagree with this statement.  Granted, there will be no aero advantage if you climb out of the bars, but I believe it is a wash as far as speed goes going up, and there is a big aero advantage going down.  

X2.  A lot depends on your goals and type of riding you do.  A road bike will likely give you more riding options as well (group rides, road races, dirt roads, etc).  There is no magic distance that says you should now use a tri bike if you do this distance.  People use road bikes from sprints thru IM. 

For shorter distance events (like sprint and Oly), having a tri bike vs. road bike might save you a few minutes at best.  So if time goals or making the podium are not really goals for you, there may not be a real advantage.

For reference, I used my road bike for my first year doing sprints and oly's.  I added a tri bike this year since making the podium was one of my goals, but I do most of my summer training on my road bike still.

Yes, but that's my point.  The ability to generate power in the aero position is what I mean by being comfortable. 

I'm not talking living room couch comfortable.  I'm talking being able to hold say 175 or 200 or 225 watts for hours while in aero. All things being equal (and they never are, but that's not relevant) then a tri bike will be make holding that given power output while in aero more comfortable than a road bike with clip-ons.

I always liked this graphic.  It illustrates why a tri bike is more comfortable in aero than a road bike by highlighting the geometry differences. You can try to keep an open hip angle on a road bike with aerobars by moving the seat forward (on the rails, fast forward seatpost, etc), but really it's a compromise.  A road frame just isn't built to ride aero.

And it's not really about being FOP.  Everyone, slow or fast, can benefit from aero position riding. Even slow riders often ride into headwinds, and aero can make a large difference there.

(bike_geometry_overlay-2.jpg)

I got back into tri's on an old road bike. Like you, I decided to upgrade and bought a new road bike. $1250.00.  I enjoyed my new road bike but decided I'd be more comfortable on a carbon road bike. $2800.00.  Then I started doing long course training and raced an HIM and decided I enjoyed it so much I'd need a tri bike. $3800.00.  Of course, I started looking for some race wheels and found a good set used. $1400.00.  Things were getting stupid but my son came of age and wanted to start doing some tri's so he got my "old" bikes to use.  Then he got really fast really quick and decided he needed a tri bike. $2750.00.  Of course he needed some wheels for Christmas. $1000.00. 

There was a day, not long ago, when I drove a Ford F350 Turbo Diesel truck and had no bikes. 

Now I drive a 1991 Dodge Dakota.

I need help.

Get a decent road bike with aerobars.  If you train hard you will be nearly as fast as the guys with equal fitness on the TT bikes.  If you get a pro fit with aerobars that will go a long way.  Fit is very important as the LBS guys should have indicated.

If you don't aspire to do group rides and really only want to ride just to do triathlon training, that's a good justification to get a TT bike.  But a few months, or a year from now your thoughts could change.  If you train hard, get fast on the roadie and end up near that podium, then maybe the TT bike is that final edge you will need to get there.

But also, TT bike look COOL! so you have to consider the coolness factor too.

If you end up going beyond the OLY level you will need some serious miles during training.  Often times those miles might end up being on group rides with "roadies" where a TT bike might not blend well with that crowd, just saying.

I have the least expensive aerobars without bar end shifters, works fine for me.  I've done 50 mile+ training rides that way, plenty safe.

Very first road bike $1250

Triathlon related bike investments since then $11,750

Having a son who participates in a healthy lifestyle ......Priceless

I don't know about that~ If there are curves, the road bike is going to be faster unless you have nerves of steel and good handling skills. Even if the downhill is flat, if you can get into the balled up position on a road bike where your butt is on the top tube, elbows tucked in, eyes peering just over the top tube and back straight... I'd say it's almost the same as a TT bike (or maybe even faster).

For OP, if you've been racing tri's and you've liked them, I would get the TT bike. I didn't know how much fun they were and once I tried one, I was kicking myself. Luckily, I'm about to purchase one soon... Fulfillment of the n + 1 rule!

No doubt.  My son just turned 14 and we are having a blast.  We'll travel the midwest this year racing together.  As you say, there is no amount of money I could throw out the window as we drive down the road that would equal the value of the time we are sharing together.  What a hoot!

As to the OP, just so I don't feel like I'm stealing your thread.  Tri bikes are fun to ride. You already have a road bike.  You're going to want a tri bike if you keep going forward.  You just will.  Pay now, or pay now and then pay later some more.

You're saying I have nerves of steel by riding my aerobars downhill, and you are sitting on the top tube of your road bike while peering over the bars.  Really?  A well fit TT bike should handle no differently and will be faster.  The only consideration is comfort.  If you are riding out of the bars a lot, a road bike will be more comfortable.

I have a new road bike. Last year I started with triathlon. I am extremely happy that I own that bike, it's a Cervelo R3 and for group and long rides it's an amazing piece of machinery. This year I plan on moving to longer courses, my goal being a HIM. I also want to do some time trials. I want a tri bike. It's the right piece of equipment for those goals.

If you're testing the waters with triathlon, a road bike is just fine. Put aerobars on it and do sprints and Oly's. If you find you don't enjoy it, no harm, you still have a road bike. But like almost everyone else here, if you enjoy the challenge of triathlon you're going to want a tri bike. In a year or less.