Jumping from Sprint to Olympic

Complete. . . .sure. . .compete . . . without at least a road bike . . . no, unless you're a ex-pro cyclist who can destroy a field on a mountain bike. If money really is a problem . . . your best option is probably to go out onto craigslist. That can be daunting b/c you might not know a lot about road bikes but you can always find a bike and post the details here if you want some feedback.

Agree with Ziggy. There are significant advantages to at least going to a road bike, that it would be hard to compete without one. That being said, an OLY bike is 24.8 miles. There are plenty of fast guys on road bikes, so I don't think a TRI bike is necessary for an OLY to be competitive. If you look around online (craigslist, eBay, mybikeshop.com, etc), you could probably find an aluminum road bike for < $500. Not sure if this is in your budget, but depending on what components are on it, you could get a pretty good deal.

However, make sure you go to a bike shop to get fitted first.

Good luck.

Depending on where you live, you might be able to rent a road bike for a race. This will give you a good opportunity to get a feel for one before you start shopping.

I agree w/ everyone else. You should be able to find a used 105 level road bike for near $600 give or take some. I would look for a tri bike though if thats what you are interested in.

By competing do you mean competing with yourself/challenging yourself, or wanting a podium? What is your current speed/pace?
Do you think you could afford at least pedals and shoes with clips? That will help a lot.

Seems like I've chimed in on a lot of these threads recently.
Mainly, because I'm at the tail end of a similar journey.....albeit our definition of "competitive" may be quite different. "Competitive", for me, means "faster (or simply stronger), than I was or would have been" if I didn't have a piece of gear or if I hadn't followed some training angle. I'll never win. I'll never sniff the top spots, unless there's only 3 other hobbyists dudes my age racing.

That being said...
I started on a hybrid. I LOVE participating and training in tris and knew I would continue and expand my capabilities.

My brother (a pure cyclist) talked me into a road bike....because:
-generally cheaper
-generally more flexible (learning curve, easier in group rides, easier to use for just riding)
-generally more 'comfortable'......although.....I'm not necessarily buying that
-not sure I'd ever go the distances where a tri bike would really benefit a 'completer'

So...I went out and went and bought higher-end mid-level road bike (granted, this level is relative to a 'completer)....when I could have had a clearance tri bike for about the same price.

Turns out, I don't do group rides. I pretty much only 'train' when I ride. Unless I'm riding with my kids, or up to the store...etc. In which case...I still have my hybrid. Turns out, I'm into some of those distance where the tri bike would be a benefit.

I think the advice folks are giving here are pretty good. I'd look at a couple options as money justification seems to be in play...that is....if none of those 'generally' statements apply...

1-keep riding the hybrid and enjoy what you're doing, and save up for a tri-bike...you're already halfway there or more if you're asking
2-get a cheaper roadbike...as someone said....you're sub-$500 off Craigslist for a fair roadie, keep saving for the tri bike
3-spend the dough on a better roadie.....but beware....you might end up like me.....coveting the idea of a tri-bike for a longer period as you've just spent a fair chunk on a road bike. Depending on financial justification, this can limit options when the time comes.

That being said, I just bought a used 2 year old tri-bike (QR Kilo) for less than I paid for my (last year's model) new 4 year old roadbike (Madone 3.1)
Sure, It was another $100-$200 for a fitting and like any used car, it's going to need some tuneup work and stuff, but still about the same price as my roadbike 3 years ago. I could have saved myself a tidy bundle by pursuing any of those 3 options.

To play off of this. I just upgraded my Cyclocross bike (Trek Crossrip Elite) with new road tires and pedals w/ clip shoes - it helped a lot. If you are able to make some adjustments for the time being, it will help. Then make the heftier investment down the line when you are able.

Wow, thanks for all the helpful comments. I would really like to try out some (or at least one) roadbike(s) before I buy one.

I've only done one triathlon but am super hooked and already planning my next. It was sprint distance-- my times were 10:50 for .5 mile swim, 42mins for 12.5 mile bike (this is why I want a road bike), and 25mins even on my 5K run (it was 101 degrees so hoping to shave time off when it cools down. Also, need to work on those sprint intervals).

Nice results. And I'm glad you love the sport I got my road bike from used road bikes shop for $200. It got new tires, new break pads, and all tune up. See if you have similar places in your area. I think that could be a good start. Then, like others said, start saving for a more fancy road bike.

Welcome!

Are you sure it was .5 mi? If so, that's smokin' fast swimming

I got mine off Craig's list for 80 bucks. I just hope it doesn't disassemble mid race and ruin all those pretty bikes.

I kept playing tag with a dude on a mountain bike when I did a 70.3 this year. It's was a very hilly course and I'm no slouch but I am 61 and this dude looked to be very fit 20s. It can be done on your hybrid if you want to get an Oly under your belt before investing in a road bike.

Edited by HaydenHunter 2016-08-04 9:43 AM