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Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? (Page 2)
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 2015-05-22 11:09 AM in reply to: meggfishy |
Pro  6582     Melbourne FL Gold member |  Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike?Originally posted by meggfishy I actually enjoy cycling very much, and I am quite attached to the P2 (the only bike I've ever owned!) -- I just really don't care for riding in aero, and I get irritated by having to reach out to the end of the aerobars to shift, especially when I'm climbing. I want to be clear that I have zero issues with fear or handling outside of riding in aero. I have no problem riding in a pack or in traffic, keeping myself fed and watered, moving around on the bike, etc. It does seem to be simply the mental issue with shifting my body weight forward and not having my hands on the brakes, especially on downhills. I guess my main question is, given bikes of a relatively comparable price point (say the R2 and the P2) and hilly routes: would a well-fitted road bike be notably slower than a well-fitted tri bike that is never ridden in the aero position? Also why do people say not to ride a road bike in an IM? I'm registered for an Ironman and feel confident in my ability to finish…are IM races only for those who ride in aero? Discuss with a LBS on doing what DSW & ratherbeswimming said about putting on some bullhorns and maybe some roadie aerobars to see if it's worth it cost wise. Getting a nice handlebar and some brifters on ebay/BT/ST should be easy. A friend recently upgraded his bullhorns to an aero type like these that's flat on top and loves them
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| 2015-05-22 12:40 PM in reply to: meggfishy |
Member 1748 Exton, PA | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Originally posted by meggfishy Also why do people say not to ride a road bike in an IM? I'm registered for an Ironman and feel confident in my ability to finish…are IM races only for those who ride in aero? You can ride anything you want in an IM race, there is nothing wrong with riding 112 miles on a road bike. Cyclist do this all the time. For a couple hundred $ you can probably get bulls on your P2 and try it out for a while. Since you have your hands on the brakes/shifters when your in the drops you may really like riding in the drops which is the next best thing to using aero bars. |
| 2015-05-22 1:00 PM in reply to: Donto |
Elite 3090 Spokane, WA | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Originally posted by Donto Originally posted by meggfishy I actually enjoy cycling very much, and I am quite attached to the P2 (the only bike I've ever owned!) -- I just really don't care for riding in aero, and I get irritated by having to reach out to the end of the aerobars to shift, especially when I'm climbing. I want to be clear that I have zero issues with fear or handling outside of riding in aero. I have no problem riding in a pack or in traffic, keeping myself fed and watered, moving around on the bike, etc. It does seem to be simply the mental issue with shifting my body weight forward and not having my hands on the brakes, especially on downhills. I guess my main question is, given bikes of a relatively comparable price point (say the R2 and the P2) and hilly routes: would a well-fitted road bike be notably slower than a well-fitted tri bike that is never ridden in the aero position? Also why do people say not to ride a road bike in an IM? I'm registered for an Ironman and feel confident in my ability to finish…are IM races only for those who ride in aero? Discuss with a LBS on doing what DSW & ratherbeswimming said about putting on some bullhorns and maybe some roadie aerobars to see if it's worth it cost wise. Getting a nice handlebar and some brifters on ebay/BT/ST should be easy. A friend recently upgraded his bullhorns to an aero type like these that's flat on top and loves them
Just to clarify, drop bars are different from bullhorns. Bullhorns are for hipsters: (bullhorn.jpg) Attachments ---------------- bullhorn.jpg (46KB - 6 downloads) |
| 2015-05-22 3:51 PM in reply to: meggfishy |
| 145 | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Originally posted by meggfishy Also why do people say not to ride a road bike in an IM? I'm registered for an Ironman and feel confident in my ability to finish…are IM races only for those who ride in aero? IIRC Chrissie Wellington won ironman races on a road bike, or at least a tri bike with a road setup like was posted above. There is absolutely no rule, people tend to oversimplify the aero benefit and for a ton of people it's negated by the extremely poor handling skills compounded by aero bars. I volunteered at a local event and was amazed at the people in really expensive bikes almost wiping out when it came time to do a simple U turn for the out-back. |
| 2015-05-22 5:05 PM in reply to: meggfishy |
Master 4452 | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Originally posted by meggfishy I actually enjoy cycling very much, and I am quite attached to the P2 (the only bike I've ever owned!) -- I just really don't care for riding in aero, and I get irritated by having to reach out to the end of the aerobars to shift, especially when I'm climbing. I want to be clear that I have zero issues with fear or handling outside of riding in aero. I have no problem riding in a pack or in traffic, keeping myself fed and watered, moving around on the bike, etc. It does seem to be simply the mental issue with shifting my body weight forward and not having my hands on the brakes, especially on downhills. I guess my main question is, given bikes of a relatively comparable price point (say the R2 and the P2) and hilly routes: would a well-fitted road bike be notably slower than a well-fitted tri bike that is never ridden in the aero position? Also why do people say not to ride a road bike in an IM? I'm registered for an Ironman and feel confident in my ability to finish…are IM races only for those who ride in aero? I did IM on a road bike with clip ons. Ride whatever you feel comfortable on, regardless of whether it is "faster" or "slower". Comfortable will always be faster in the long run! |
| 2015-05-23 2:55 AM in reply to: 0 |
Extreme Veteran 1332 | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Originally posted by meggfishy I guess my main question is, given bikes of a relatively comparable price point (say the R2 and the P2) and hilly routes: would a well-fitted road bike be notably slower than a well-fitted tri bike that is never ridden in the aero position? Also why do people say not to ride a road bike in an IM? I'm registered for an Ironman and feel confident in my ability to finish…are IM races only for those who ride in aero? A well fitted road bike will probably give you a faster time than being upright on a triathlon bike. You lose the aerodynamic advantage when you're sitting on the horns, then you're less efficient at shifting, turning etc. which the extra speed usually makes up for. I have no idea who would say not to do an IM on a road bike. Your performance might be better on a well fitted triathlon bike, if you're using it and are comfortable in the aero position, but lots of people do IM on road bikes. I do a lot of my training on the local ( former ) IM course on road bike as well. ( now it's a challenge race ) Edited by dfquigley 2015-05-23 2:56 AM |
| 2015-05-23 2:55 AM in reply to: brreems |
Member 325 Groningen, Netherlands | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Originally posted by brreems Another thing to consider is the run as well. Switching to a road bike will affect your run. You will have "fresher" legs with a tri bike. I've never heard about this. Can you elaborate beyond anecdotal evidence? Keep in mind the OP wants to switch her bike because she cant maintain aero so she wont be in that position or have that hip angle throughout the race. |
| 2015-05-23 9:33 AM in reply to: #5117312 |
Member 1083 | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? I think you have plenty of time to feel comfortable on the road bike for the races is you change now. Immt is a highly technical course so you will have plenty of company of other cyclists on road bikes. Overall I think we tend to overthink these things. Road bike, tri bike whatever is best for you is the tight choice, in my opinion. |
| 2015-05-23 12:38 PM in reply to: chris948 |
Extreme Veteran 717 Chicago, USA | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Originally posted by chris948 IIRC Chrissie Wellington won ironman races on a road bike, or at least a tri bike with a road setup like was posted above. That is correct, for some races she used a Cervelo P2C with drop bars and clip-ons. |
| 2015-05-23 3:31 PM in reply to: 0 |
| 216 | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? I think you need to decided what it is about the areo position you don't like. If it's just the fact that you have no brake levers there, that can be fixed with a dual brake set up. If you don't like the feel of the bike in the aero position, ditch the tri-bars for standard road-bike drop bars. Edited by gary p 2015-05-23 3:33 PM |
| 2015-05-23 6:10 PM in reply to: gary p |
Master 3888 Overland Park, KS | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? I don't necessarily agree whole heartedly that you will be significantly slower on a road bike with clip on aerobars. I raced 5 years on a road bike with aerobars but my fit was for the TT position, not for the traditional road position. I can empathize with you in terms of not having hands on break levers going fast on the downhills. On certain hilly courses it was definitely a plus having the road handlebars. Like others have said, a lot of time spent on HIM and IM courses are in the aero position so you will give up SOME times. I like the idea of a TT frame with the road handlebars. You should do what's good for YOU and makes you feel more comfortable and secure on the bike. You're more likely to ride more aggressively feeling like you have more control of the bike which could actually equate to a wash on the differences in time between the two. |
| 2015-05-26 8:32 AM in reply to: #5117312 |
| 225 | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? I think you would be ok to go to a road bike at this point. You have to get used to the fit and whatnot, but the change from tri to road bike is easier than road road to tri. Id probably just put drops on my tri bike because im cheap. Alternatly jtek sells breaks for your extensions. Dont know a lot about them other than they are more of a slow you down than a stoo the bike option. http://jtekengineering.com/?page_id=101 |
| 2015-05-26 9:25 AM in reply to: bigevilgrape |
Member 1748 Exton, PA | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Originally posted by bigevilgrape I think you would be ok to go to a road bike at this point. You have to get used to the fit and whatnot, but the change from tri to road bike is easier than road road to tri. Id probably just put drops on my tri bike because im cheap. Alternatly jtek sells breaks for your extensions. Dont know a lot about them other than they are more of a slow you down than a stoo the bike option. http://jtekengineering.com/?page_id=101 There is no way I would put brakes on my aerobars!!! You have reduced leverage on you steering while in aero and touching that front brake while on aero bars is a recipe for disaster. I am comfortable descending at 40-45 mph in aero, but not would not want brakes mounted on my aerobars. It only take a fraction of a second of squeezing to hard to hit pavement face first. |
| 2015-05-26 12:28 PM in reply to: mike761 |
Champion 10018 , Minnesota Bronze member | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? I have had all the options (roadie with clip-ons, tribike, road bike set up properly) and have raced with them all. I know I am a tiny bit faster on the tribike, but I never really liked it like I like the road bike. So, go for it! Also, if you're feeling confident and want to get a little aero on a road bike, there are many options available to you such as using the drops, changing your body position, etc. Even with your hands in the hoods, by the brakes, you can ride more or less smart. Also, fit can change everything. Look at the fit of a pro cyclist versus the average cyclist. Very different position. Also, the bike itself can be more or less aero, lightweight, etc. As far as timing goes... At first I think you will find it easy to adjust to the road bike. My worry is your butt. You will probably end up sitting back more and for a long race, that might be killer. So, I do think you should get started on picking out and fitting a roadie. You may need to do your next big race on the P2, unless you can get a chance to do a sufficiently long test ride and feel like it will be okay. Happy shopping! |
| 2015-05-26 12:52 PM in reply to: bigevilgrape |
Master 1681 Rural Ontario | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Sell your P2. If you are not using it as a TT bike and riding in aero, its actually making you slower. I too own a P2 and have been 'racing' Traithlons for over a decade. While I'm a decent aero rider and I love my P2 there are times I don't use it. There are some local sprints that are quite hilly, full of challenging turns and somewhat crowded - I find that my road bike is faster on that course because I simply don't spend enough time in aero position to get the benefit and I actually climb & turn a lot slower on my long TT bike than my little, agile road bike. Ask around the local Tri clubs as there may be someone who is transitioning from road cycling into tris and looking to trade her road bike for a tri bike. |
| 2015-06-04 12:30 PM in reply to: meggfishy |
Master 2500 Crab Cake City | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Originally posted by meggfishy I actually enjoy cycling very much, and I am quite attached to the P2 (the only bike I've ever owned!) -- I just really don't care for riding in aero, and I get irritated by having to reach out to the end of the aerobars to shift, especially when I'm climbing. I want to be clear that I have zero issues with fear or handling outside of riding in aero. I have no problem riding in a pack or in traffic, keeping myself fed and watered, moving around on the bike, etc. It does seem to be simply the mental issue with shifting my body weight forward and not having my hands on the brakes, especially on downhills. I guess my main question is, given bikes of a relatively comparable price point (say the R2 and the P2) and hilly routes: would a well-fitted road bike be notably slower than a well-fitted tri bike that is never ridden in the aero position? Also why do people say not to ride a road bike in an IM? I'm registered for an Ironman and feel confident in my ability to finish…are IM races only for those who ride in aero? Meg, I would suggest doing what makes you feel comfortable. My question to you, that I don't think anyone addressed yet, is why change anything? If you have been using that bike for a few years, did all distances on it and train on it, why get rid of it? I say this because obviously you are comfortable on that bike and even though its a Tri bike, you can ride it quite well without being in aero. If it has worked for you this long, I do not see the need to change a thing. I would keep the bike and ride the way you have been riding. As for the IM in Mont Tremblant: I am also not that confident in my bike skills while in aero but felt perfectly fine at IMMT. I dropped into aero when I was on flats or slight rollers and I got out of them going down the hills and up some of the steeper ones. Worked just fine for me as I can only stay aero for flat courses as I do not like having no control either. I think people make the suggestion about not having a road bike for IM as you give up free speed and the body position on the tri bike sets you up for a better run due to using different muscles. I know I immediately felt a difference in my brick runs after using a tri bike vs. road bike. I would keep your P2 and ride your HIM and IMMT like you have been riding for the past few years as you are already used to it and can do it well. Hope this helps! |
| 2015-06-05 3:24 PM in reply to: dmbfan4life20 |
Regular 477 Washington, DC | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Just realized I never updated this! So...I bought a road bike. I test rode a ton of different models and ended up fitting best on a Cervelo R2. My fitter was kind enough to squeeze me in right away, so I've been on the bike a lot across the past week and a half, including an 80-mile ride last weekend. It makes a world of difference for me in climbing and especially descending to have my shifters under my hands instead of having to take my hands off and reach forward mid-descent. The road bike is also more comfortable to ride, and I'm roughly the same speed as on the tri bike. I'm hanging on to the P2 for now, with the hope that if the road bike makes riding less of a chore, I'll be a more relaxed rider on the whole and more able to get into aero without freaking out. But based on comfort -- I'm definitely doing Syracuse and IMMT on the road bike. It's a no brainer for me. |
| 2015-06-05 3:25 PM in reply to: meggfishy |
| Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Your update is not complete until there are pictures posted. |
| 2015-06-05 3:43 PM in reply to: meggfishy |
| 59 | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Originally posted by meggfishy Just realized I never updated this! So...I bought a road bike. I test rode a ton of different models and ended up fitting best on a Cervelo R2. My fitter was kind enough to squeeze me in right away, so I've been on the bike a lot across the past week and a half, including an 80-mile ride last weekend. It makes a world of difference for me in climbing and especially descending to have my shifters under my hands instead of having to take my hands off and reach forward mid-descent. The road bike is also more comfortable to ride, and I'm roughly the same speed as on the tri bike. I'm hanging on to the P2 for now, with the hope that if the road bike makes riding less of a chore, I'll be a more relaxed rider on the whole and more able to get into aero without freaking out. But based on comfort -- I'm definitely doing Syracuse and IMMT on the road bike. It's a no brainer for me. Glad you found your fit and stayed in the cervelo family! I have a similar combo (p3/r3) and love both  . |
| 2015-06-05 4:04 PM in reply to: 0 |
Regular 477 Washington, DC | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Here is a lovely picture of what it looks like when you live in a 500 sq ft apartment and have three bikes.  Edited by meggfishy 2015-06-05 4:09 PM |
| 2015-06-05 4:08 PM in reply to: 0 |
Regular 477 Washington, DC | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? |
| 2015-06-05 5:07 PM in reply to: meggfishy |
Master 8247 Eugene, Oregon Bronze member | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? I want a rack like that....Live in roughly the same size place and you should see my spare room--it looks like a bike shop. (Yep, I have a spare room, actually two. Rooms here are really small.) Enjoy the new ride! |
| 2015-06-07 12:48 AM in reply to: meggfishy |
Extreme Veteran 1332 | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Glad you got a great road bike!! Ride the hell out of it!! I might have to get a rack like that too btw! :D |
| 2015-06-08 12:06 PM in reply to: dfquigley |
| 59 | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? Originally posted by dfquigley Glad you got a great road bike!! Ride the hell out of it!! I might have to get a rack like that too btw! :D Great way to store, just make sure you put padding where it makes contact to the bike.  |
| 2015-07-23 8:04 AM in reply to: meggfishy |
Extreme Veteran 856 Detroit, Michigan | Subject: RE: Should I sell my P2 and buy a road bike? I was actually just thinking about this thread, so I'm glad you updated. I am in the same position as you were -- terrified to get into aero so I never ride in it. I tried moving the aerobars further apart to see if that makes a difference but I ended up just loosening them so I haven't had a chance to test it out yet. Did you try the drop bars option at all? I think that's the route I may go. I have a 70.3 a month from today so if I'm doing anything I need to act FAST. Thanks! |
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