General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Podium finishers and their bikes Rss Feed  
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2013-06-19 3:16 PM
in reply to: undertow


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Subject: RE: Podium finishers and their bikes
I haven't seen this posted so I'll post it

A TT bike (Time Trial or Triathlon bike) will be a SOLID full 2 mph faster than a road bike with a proper fit and TT position. Period. 2 full mph+. Unless as stated the entire course is all uphill at grade of greater than about 5%.

For example. Lately I've been riding exclusively on my road bike. 250 watts gets me in the 22+ mph range in the flats. Contrast that to the Tri bike and I can move nearly or at 25 mph with the same power level with full aero gear.

Now you can go out and spend your hard earned money on a TT bike with a sky high aero bar (which makes you sit up straighter) and you probably won't be 2 mph faster. Position is everything when it comes to speed. Your body is by far and away the biggest drag on the bike.

A couple years ago I bought my first TT bike. I had a 10 mile route I'd ridden many many times all out on the road bike (in the drops!). The very first time out on the TT bike (zero practice) I was 3 mph faster. It's a crazy difference.



2013-06-19 3:21 PM
in reply to: 0

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Expert
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South Windsor CT
Subject: RE: Podium finishers and their bikes
Look at ITU or the Olympics,. all are on road bikes.

Edited by CarlG 2013-06-19 3:22 PM
2013-06-19 3:33 PM
in reply to: CarlG

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Champion
9407
500020002000100100100100
Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia
Subject: RE: Podium finishers and their bikes
Originally posted by CarlG

Look at ITU or the Olympics,. all are on road bikes.


Yes but that is because:

1) The rules require it, and
2) Draft legal riding means on should be on a road bike, not a tribike.

Shane
2013-06-19 3:40 PM
in reply to: cmscat50


20

Subject: RE: Podium finishers and their bikes
Originally posted by cmscat50

For example. Lately I've been riding exclusively on my road bike. 250 watts gets me in the 22+ mph range in the flats. Contrast that to the Tri bike and I can move nearly or at 25 mph with the same power level with full aero gear.



Would you have picked up the 3mph gain without an aero helmet or aero wheels?
2013-06-19 3:46 PM
in reply to: cmscat50

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Champion
10668
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Tacoma, Washington
Subject: RE: Podium finishers and their bikes

Originally posted by cmscat50 I haven't seen this posted so I'll post it A TT bike (Time Trial or Triathlon bike) will be a SOLID full 2 mph faster than a road bike with a proper fit and TT position. Period. 2 full mph+. Unless as stated the entire course is all uphill at grade of greater than about 5%. For example. Lately I've been riding exclusively on my road bike. 250 watts gets me in the 22+ mph range in the flats. Contrast that to the Tri bike and I can move nearly or at 25 mph with the same power level with full aero gear. Now you can go out and spend your hard earned money on a TT bike with a sky high aero bar (which makes you sit up straighter) and you probably won't be 2 mph faster. Position is everything when it comes to speed. Your body is by far and away the biggest drag on the bike. A couple years ago I bought my first TT bike. I had a 10 mile route I'd ridden many many times all out on the road bike (in the drops!). The very first time out on the TT bike (zero practice) I was 3 mph faster. It's a crazy difference.

I can agree with the 2 mph. As an experiment, there was a group of us that did a weekly summer TT series, and for the last race, agreed to use our road bikes (road race set up instead of full-on TT set up). Pretty spot on 2 mph difference for each of us.

2013-06-19 4:58 PM
in reply to: dmiller5

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Master
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Overland Park, KS
Subject: RE: Podium finishers and their bikes
I have a road bike and have over a half dozen AG podiums. I qualified for AG Elite for the Hy-Vee 5150 race in Des Moines (4th in AG at local 5150) and also qualified for AG Nationals. I don't have the budget for a TT bike that fits me so the roadie with clip on aerobars will have to do. I recently smoked a bunch of guys on TT bikes in a 3 mile time trial on my roadie (2nd in AG) averaging 27.6 mph so yeah, I think you can be competitive. Keep working on the engine and I can't say enough about FIT FIT FIT. I got a Retul fit so my roadie with aerobars and FF seatpost is probably pretty close to the full TT setup. I still need work on climbing but that's me, not the bike.


2013-06-19 9:07 PM
in reply to: briderdt

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Member
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Miami
Subject: RE: Podium finishers and their bikes
x3

I also got 2 extra mph on my TT bike vs. my road bike. In my case, I got a TT bike because I live in Miami, FL, which is one of the flattest places you can live in and, so far, I have mostly raced local races, therefore a tri bike made sense for me.
2013-06-19 11:54 PM
in reply to: dmiller5

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Master
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Subject: RE: Podium finishers and their bikes
Originally posted by dmiller5

Originally posted by Leegoocrap

Originally posted by dmiller5

Originally posted by undertow

I'm riding a 2002 Raleigh r600 road bike (aluminum frame, stock components and wheels). Do you think upgrading the road bike to a new all carbon frame will get me much of a speed boost?


It will likely give you zero speed boost.


actually disagree... although the bike being carbon doesn't really have anything to do with it.
going from a road bike to a tri bike (with a good fit) should be a pretty significant boost in speed.


I believe the OP was asking if going from his current road bike to a new road bike would give him a speed boost, to which I would reply no.


Depends on the road bike. There is a huge difference between a round tube carbon bike and an S5, for example. Having said that most road bikes aren't going to help much, as they aren't that slippery.
2013-06-20 11:40 AM
in reply to: undertow


79
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Subject: RE: Podium finishers and their bikes
Yes...mostly....because I didn't have race wheels when I first bought the bike, but was wearing an aero helmet.
2013-06-20 11:58 AM
in reply to: undertow

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