Triathlon and Bike

[Blackhat]

Thought I'd throw this out here as a "what the heck, maybe there are some MU Scoop triathlon-ers".

I'm thinking about transitioning from marathon to triathlon and am trying to gather info on the kind of bike I should purchase- road or triathlon bike.

Is it worth getting a triathlon bike if you aren't a professional?  Or will a road bike suffice if you do maybe one triathlon a year? 

Also any certain brand bikes you prefer/ good places to find a used road or triathlon bike? 

[GGGG]

Also any certain brand bikes you prefer/ good places to find a used road or triathlon bike? 

My brother bought a used triatholon bike at a shop in Madison since he used to do Triathalons.  I just talked to him last night and he is looking to sell it.  If you want to talk more, send me a message.

If not, there are good used bike places in pretty much every city.  The staff at these places are pretty good about helping you with your needs and not just moving you into high priced stuff.

[mugrad2006]

It really depends on what you plan on using the bike for.  A triathlon bike has a specific geometry that is designed to help you go as fast as possible, by yourself, in a straight line.

The drawback to this is that they don't handle quite as well as a road bike (most larger group rides won't even allow you to ride a tri specific bike because of this issue) and aren't as comfortable or suited for every day riding.

If you're only going to own one bike, I'd say go with a road bike for its versatility.  You can always put aero bars on it later.  I've been doing triathlons for three years now and have done all my racing on a road bike with pretty favorable results.  Remember, the bikes only as good as the engine that's powering it.

If, on the other hand, you've got the resources to own two bikes, then by all means buy a tri bike.  Any of the major manufacturers make good designs (specialized, quintana roo, trek, felt, bmc, just to name a few) and it's best to ride them to see what 'feels' best.  A good fit is really important as well (even moreso on a tri bike than a road bike to get the efficiency gains), so I'd recommend buying from a reputable bike shop.  Some bike shops (Cory the Bike Fixer in Milwaukee, Dreambikes in Madison) sell used bikes as well as new.

Best of luck with your new endeavor, you'll love it.

[spartan3186]

Thought I'd throw this out here as a "what the heck, maybe there are some MU Scoop triathlon-ers".

I'm thinking about transitioning from marathon to triathlon and am trying to gather info on the kind of bike I should purchase- road or triathlon bike.

Is it worth getting a triathlon bike if you aren't a professional?  Or will a road bike suffice if you do maybe one triathlon a year? 

Also any certain brand bikes you prefer/ good places to find a used road or triathlon bike? 

I've been running triathlons for the last couple years and I went with the tri-bike. If you have a road bike already, I would recommend sticking with that at least until you complete your first race. Tri-bikes are fairly expensive so its better to use what you have until you know if its for you. Personally, I ran my first tri on a mountain bike before upgrading to a tri-bike.

I have a Trek and I love it, although if I had the money I would have bought a Cervelo, they are really the top of the line when it comes to road/tri bikes.

I'm not sure about used bikes, but I would highly recommend checking out Emery's Bike Shop. They have a good selection of road and tri-bikes and they do a professional fit for each bike sold. The guy that runs the place know what he's talking about too. He won a Silver medal in the 1984 olympics.

[Lennys Tap]

Thought I'd throw this out here as a "what the heck, maybe there are some MU Scoop triathlon-ers".

I'm thinking about transitioning from marathon to triathlon and am trying to gather info on the kind of bike I should purchase- road or triathlon bike.

Is it worth getting a triathlon bike if you aren't a professional?  Or will a road bike suffice if you do maybe one triathlon a year?  

Also any certain brand bikes you prefer/ good places to find a used road or triathlon bike?  

I can't help you with any bike ideas but wanted to congratulate you on moving up to the triathlon. I took up running late in life (Boston next week will be my 4th and probably last marathon) and I have great respect for triathletes. Since "I'm not a strong swimmer" (remember Martin Short as a synchronized swimmer on SNL?) I'm likely limited to running - as long as my knees hold up. Good luck with your transition.

[Blackhat]

Thanks for the replies and well wishes.  To all of you as well.


I'm starting to get runner's knee and figured I better start cross training.   Plus triathlon sounds like fun except I hear the swimming start makes you feel like you're in a tub with piranhas. 

[reinko]

Lenny, I will be cheering you on, will you be rocking some MU gear?

[mugrad2006]

Plus triathlon sounds like fun except I hear the swimming start makes you feel like you're in a tub with piranhas. 

That's probably not too far from the truth.  The first time you do the swim is always unsettling.  I'd also recommend getting some open water swimming in ahead of your first event.  Laps in the pool are a great way to work on form and endurance, but it's amazing how different swimming in a lake is, dealing with the temperature and the waves, even without the group of people. 

My other word of advice is, if you're in the Milwaukee / SE Wisconsin area, stay away from any events run by Lake Geneva Extreme Sports. They do the Bradford Beach Tri, and used to run an event in Kenosha.  Poorly organized, badly designed routes, and minimal support.  I've been at events in Pewaukee and Elkhart Lake that are very well done.  Here's a website that has a good list of Wisconsin Triathlons for 2010 [url]http://www.trifind.com/wi.html/url]

[Lennys Tap]

Lenny, I will be cheering you on, will you be rocking some MU gear?

I have a navy t shirt and maybe I can find some gold shorts. I'll be the old guy near the back of the pack.

[reinko]

I have a navy t shirt and maybe I can find some gold shorts. I'll be the old guy near the back of the pack.

I'll be the drunk 30-something around mile marker 23.  Go out and dominate!