Any strong runners out there who are bad cyclists?

Count me as one of those people. When marginallly trained I can easily sustain 8-8:30miles for a run. Sprint PR is 8min/mi. Not bad for a female. My stats are very similar to the poster above me ^^. 13 marathons at various speeds, but slowwww on the bike.

However, I doubt I could keep 17mph on the bike in a tri. I'm obsurdly slow on the bike given my run times.

A coach told me when I was first making the transistion to tri's from running that some runners have a very hard time with the bike. Swimmers and cyclists see gains in the other events, runners have the least success. For me its mental as well, I can't get into the zone, I don't find the peace and enjoyment in cycling like I do running.

I fall into the category.  I rarely get passed on the run but I'm usually getting smoked on the bike.  For me, it is training volume.  I just love to run and it fits into my busy schedule much easier than cycling. 

But wait 'till next year.........

Cool. Nice stories. I was curious, since as a marathoner (3:15ish PR), I was surprised to find that with minimal bike training (like, 1-2x/wk only) but LOTS of running (70+mpw), I would routinely blow by all my mtn bike buddies on the trails, and these guys only did biking, up to 5x/wk. Of course, I'm certain I trained much harder on the run since I was training for a PR, where as they are not mtn bike racers, so it's not quite a fair comparison, but for sure, on the swim, there is zero crossover for me, and I get smoked by grandmothers in the pool on a regular basis. That NEVER happens on my mtn bike, and in fact, usually lap people on the trails I ride despite my bad pedaling form previously (up-down like a runner instead of circular.) 

 Unfortunately, tri folks are a much more competitive group - I'd have no chance against the top 20% of my AG on the bike. 

In most cases I think that is a big "No" except when they are first starting out in the sport.  It takes a very short time for a strong athlete in ANY sport to get on the bike training and get relatively fast.

If someone has the aerobic and anaerobic ability to excel at running, then they have all the potential to do it on the bike.  Whether they are putting in the training to do that is a different story.

I train almost 1/3 less time on the bike than I do run.  In fact, I've gone stretches off the bike with no more than one or two rides each month and gotten on the bike and put up huge splits.  It certainly isn't because I'm riding a lot!

Dead on.  I've been a strong runner for many years.  Just got into tri's two years ago.  During my first race (a sprint)  I averaged just 16 mph!!  A year later I average over 20 mph for a HIM.

When I started, biking was by far my weakest event.  Today, I'd consider my bike stronger than my swim.

Me!..I can place in my age group (which is old btw) in most 5k's and came into tris with running being my primary sport. The only advice given to me was get on the bike more. Alot of running does not make a good biker. Alot of biking doesn't hurt a good runner. I also feel that women runners in particular have a harder time getting up to "speed" in the biking segment, than males who have the same problem.

Fixed

While I don’t think I am a weak cyclist, it is my weakest link for sure. For some reason running comes natural to me and with little running and good cardiovascular fitness I can run at a nice pace. Biking on the other hand is been tougher for me to get to the same level for one main reason: I haven't ride lots  

On 2007 which I considerably increased my cycling from previous years was my best year racing. I was able to hold a decent power but I was also able to run faster of the bike cuz of that. This past year the focus was going to be all about the bike but I had bad luck with illness and injuries. So I am hoping to the same for 2009; I will work on the winter to increase my functional threshold power and as the weather improves, I will work on my endurance so I can hold a higher power over time.

X3.  Very comfortable on the bike, feel like an old man with a walker on the run. I'm workin' on it, though

I'm not as fast as you've mentioned, but I'm routinely right at 50% or below of my AG (35-39 women) on the bike and top 1-3 people on the run.  NatNegativeSplit is the same way only faster than me on the run.  We started as runners, though, so I've always attributed it to that.  You could also attribute it to other people's lack of run fitness.

Edited to add, the high run placements I mentioned above are in small local races.  And, I just read through all of the other comments and I do agree with what other posters have said.  My bike fitness (or lack thereof) is definitely a function of me not having as much of a bike base as I do on run/swim. 

My strengths lie in the Swim/Run.  I kill on the swim, I die on the bike, I take my placings back on the run!  I run a 1:25 HM, and the last 5k I ran last year was just under 18.

I've been putting in a TON more bike hours in, then last season, and I'm beginning to see some real improvement.  This is IN SPITE of having skinny legs and an overall swimmers body!  To compare body types (in many cases) is a moot point.  I'd say if I did a race RIGHT NOW I would average between 20-21 mph., considering my training speeds!

It's definitely been tough getting my a$$ kicked on the bike at every tri, but I think this year will be my breakthrough year on the bike!  

Which probably put you in the top 10% for bike splits in the race ......... don't see why you say it isn't crossing over.