GrooveTime!group - CLOSED!!! (Page 70)

stevebradley - 2010-02-23 10:01 AM



MANDY (and Tracey) -

Aw, rats. The forum at the Timberman website says that both T-man events are close to filling-up.......and I'm not close to decision time. I've been dreading this day, watching about twice a week for a status update from Keith. Now I have one, and I'm not a happy boy....

stevebradley - 2010-02-23 9:55 AM



KASIA (and Tracey) -

In a few minutes I will type out what was in a recent issue of "Triathlete" magazine, but I don't want to start off by putting you on the defensive about your current train of thought about bikes. So, I'll start with my own story as a way of suppporting your way of thinking.

When I decided to do triathlon in '00, I needed a bike - didn't own one, even. My resources weren't limited, but I knew I wanted something halfway decent. I was aware of the range of lower-end bikes, and I just ddin't feel that I could get myself fully motivated with a machine that might frustrate my efforts more than I would like. (Sound familiar? ) So, I got a fairly basic road bike, and then had it retro-fitted with tri-enhancing features, such as clip-on aero bars and a "forward" seat post. I loved this bike, but then the following yar I decdied I would take the full plunge and bought a tri-specific bike. It was still aluminum, but had bar-end shifters and triathlon geometry. The in '08 I bought a carbon-frame bike, and that's where I'm at now.

ANYHOW, for me it was important to have a bike that could be converted to triathlon fairly easily, and it sounds like you want to go that way, too. I have absolutely NO regrets about my decision and would support yours, but just so you know......

In The Feb '10 "Triathlete", in an article titled "15 Gotta-Haves: Essential Beginner Tri Gear", #1 is "Bike", and here's what author Jay Prushin says:
"If you're just getting into the sport and doing your local sprint race, it can be your beach cruiser or mountain bike. If you're diving in with an olympic-distance race, we think dad's old ten-speed will do the trick. If the tri-bug bites you, then start thinking about buying a more appropriate bike, maybe with clip-on aerobars. But for now, any bike will do. Take it to your local shop to be sure everything is tight and safe..........Don't worry about feeling fast just yet - that'll come later."

I think the key for you in that is the part about the tri-bug; has it indeed bitten you? I was sure it bit me, which made my decision easier. I also felt certain that I would want to stick with this for quite some time, that it wasn't just a passing fancy. (NOTE: One of my other group started this last year, did a sprint and had lots of trouble, and likely won't ever do a tri again. The bike she bought last year was a hybrid, and she REALLY hated how cumbersome it seemed compared with all the other bikes at the race. But then, her bigger problems were with the swim and the run, and as she isn't likely to do another tri, it's maybe good that she didn't spend bigger dollars on a better bike. But maybe if she had, that might've been some incentive to continue. Just some thoughts!)

I have the feeling you are fairly committed to triathlon, and if so then it makes sense to get a pretty good bike to begin with -- at least one that is relatively light and that puts your body in a favorable position for racing. Note the "favorable", as opposed to "ideal". Tri bikes have "ideal" geometry for triathlons because that will enhance the athlete's ability to run best after the bike leg, but remember too that road bike racers ride road bikes, not tri bikes, so a person can race really well on a road bike. And lots of triathletes actually prefer racing on a road bike, just because that is what fits their body best.

Oh, how I can ramble! .....

I went to www.bikesdirect.com, and there is a lot of stuff there. The deals look terrific, but most of the road bikes come from companies that I am not at all familiar with. That doesn't mean a thing, however, as I never try to keep up with "straight" cycling, so road bikes are a mostly unfamiliar species to me. But I will prowl through there some more and see what I can figure out.

In the meantime, you probably want aluminum. Carbon would be great, but that can push the budget some. Two rings in the front are best; you shouldn't need a "granny" ring. If you see the numbers 53 and 39, that would be perfect. That maeans 53 cogs on the big ring, 39 on the small ring. As for gearing and the back cogset, look for 11-23, 12-23, or 12-25 (in that order). Some cogsets will have 9 cogs, others will have 10, and wither will be fine for you. My first bike had 8 (or was it 9?), which was fine, and my two tri bikes have each had 10, which is ideal.

Components can get confusing, but Shimano is good, as is Campy (short for Camognello, or soemthing like that). If Shimano, 105 is basic, Ultegra is good, Dura-Ace is best.....but my bike shop insists that Dura-Ace is not worth the added ~$500; so, I'm on Ultegra, although on my first bike it was 105 and that worked peachy.

Anything big and glaring that I've missed?

midlifeinsanity - 2010-02-23 7:13 PM

It was an awesome performance!!  And during the medal ceremony, the athletes & practically the entire arena sang the Canadian anthem.  Beautiful!  Exactly how the Olympics is supposed to be.  -- M

stevebradley - 2010-02-24 9:43 AM TRACEY-still-yet-again-once-more --  The downside to an 11-25 cogset is that of the remaining seven cogs, you have slightly limited options, which means that your gearing options for regular old rides is reduced. An 11-23 might have cogs of 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 21, and 23, but topping out at 25 means that something will be missing in the middle range: 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25....maybe? With a missing 14-toother? That isn't a big deal, as a missing 14, say, can be compensated for by another shifting pattern (I know this must sound confusing, but for now just ride with it ). !!

stevebradley - 2010-02-24 8:11 AM



TRACEY -

I think that just about any road bike can be fitted with tri gear. Clip-on aerobars will just attach to the handlebars on either side of the stem (think: "knob" in middle of handlebars), and that's that. On a road bike you'll have integrated brake/shift levers out at the front of the drops (where your hands go), so the aerobars will not impair your shifting or braking. More advanced aerobars, such as mine, will have "bar-end shifters", meaning the shifting is done only there; there are no hifters near the drops. That's a hugh benefit for shifting while one is in the aero position, where I am about 96% of the time. But many people new to serious cycling don't like that at all, as it effectively removes thier hands from the near-vicinity of the brakes. (In scary situations, however, riders "come off" their aerobars and keep their hands right next to the brakes.)

ANYHOW, for you the brake/shift levers would be integrated, and the clip-on aerobars would be there just to allow you to get aero in optimal conditions, such as flats on which you don't have to shift or brake very much. They are a great investment in both speed and comfort, and a good model - the Century, from Profile Design - used to cost about $55.

A "forward" seat post is also something that can be switched in very easily to any road bike, and what it does is shift your position on the bike. However (but this is a small however), you usually need to change some other aspects of your fitting to accommodate the new geometry of the bike. A forward seat post make the geometry "steeper", which helps in several areas, but mostly in running more easily after the bike. More on that later, though.

A third doohickey might be a bottle-holder that will attach to the seat post and stick out behind the saddle. This will hold two bottles, which is good for longer races or rides, but far less valuable for shorter stuff. And related to this is an "aero bottle", which will snug down between the arms of your aerobars. These have a long, thick straw, and with them drinking becomes a matter of simply leaning your head down and/or forward a bit, and sipping. No hands required, and virtually no body movement! The old stand-bys of these are still made by Profile Design, although many newer and more fancy models have come along.

The final item, which has been talked about here before, involves pedals and compatible shoes --- but they too can be fitted on to any road bike, so that is not a concern as you shop around.

I guess the bottom line here is that ALL of the above are able to be retro-fitted to any road bike. Or so I think. Remember, things mechanical and technological are generally anathema to me, but in this case I'm pretty sure I haven't said anything that is way off-course. However, it is worth it to go shopping with a list of possible add-ons, and just asked the merchant if this and this and this and this can be added on later, or even as part of the whole initial purchase. With my first bike, I had the aerobars attached as part of the buying process.

Check some of these toys out at www.tri-zone.com, or look for the website for Profile Design.

thall0672 - 2010-02-24 3:37 PM STEVE: All this information is so helpful. Thank you! I'm on the fence about whether to get a road bike or a tri bike. My common-sense side is telling me to get a road bike, given what my racing goals are. But my compulsive-shopper side is telling me to get a cool tri bike! No really, I keep thinking that given that I'm not a strong runner, I'll need all the help I can get from my race bike in terms of making my run as easy as possible once I get there. But as many have said, lots of people excel in triathlons using a road bike. This is the road bike I'm thinking about: http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1073180_-1... Given that the tri bike I showed you is only $200 more than this road bike, it's a tough decision. I'm having trouble figuring out from the specs on the Performance Bike web site what the cogsets are on the bikes... is it right in front of me and I'm just missing it?? Thanks again! Tracey