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2008-04-09 3:01 PM

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Subject: First Tri on 4/26 need advice on gear
Hello all-
I'm finally ready for my first tri...the swimming has been the major hold up! I've decided to do a sprint with a pool swim, and work towards the open water this summer. I've been a cyclist and runner for quite some time, but only have my goggles and jammers (no chamois) for swim equipment. Can I get by with layering and/or changing at the transition? The weather outside could be cold or warm... Also, are aero bars required? I want to make sure I'm into this tri stuff before I start buying the "essential" gear. Thanks in advance for any advice given! -j


2008-04-09 3:18 PM
in reply to: #1326707

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Expert
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Subject: RE: First Tri on 4/26 need advice on gear
Especially if the race has a short bike, you can get by fine with what you have. You won't be able to change at the transition -- wear your jammers for the swim, then slip on a bike jersey, etc. Don't forget that it's difficult to put on a shirt when you're wet.

When you're ready to get some tri-specific clothing, start with a pair of tri-shorts and a tri-top -- you can wear both of them right through the entire race.

Aerobars are nice to have, but hardly necessary for your first race.

Good luck and enjoy. You'll learn a lot about gear and such just by checking out the other competitors.
2008-04-09 3:35 PM
in reply to: #1326707

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Subject: RE: First Tri on 4/26 need advice on gear
Agree in general with the previous poster, but you certainly can layer if you choose. In my first tri, I added a pair of relatively loose fitting cycling shorts over my jammers after I removed my wetsuit and completed the bike and run with those on. You won't have the wetsuit to worry about. In my experience, comments on this board about how hard it is to add things after the swim are somewhat overstated--esp. in the case of pulling cycling shorts on over jammers, it isn't that big a deal and really won't cost much time. (Don't know if you are perhaps doing a reverse order race, but I could as easily have removed my bike shorts from over my jammers had it been a reverse tri.)

Try riding at your race distance without a chamois and see how it goes. If you are comfortable enough, then just wear the jammers for the whole race.
2008-04-09 3:38 PM
in reply to: #1326769

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Subject: RE: First Tri on 4/26 need advice on gear
Perfect! Exactly what I was looking for. THANK YOU!
2008-04-09 3:41 PM
in reply to: #1326707

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Master
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Subject: RE: First Tri on 4/26 need advice on gear
Hi J,

I did my first sprint tri last year and here is my 2 cents worth of advice. For clothing on the swim, I wore a tight fitting top and a pair of tri shorts. A friend recommended the tri shorts to me and I found they worked well. I am recommending them to my husband for his first tri this season. They are nice that they still give some cushioning on the bike, but don't act as a diaper in the pool. Be sure to practice in the pool with them a couple of times. It feels a little different. Once I got out of the pool for T1 it was a cold 50 degree October morning so I put on a windbreaker that worked great. Taking the time to layer at the transition is worth it, and it doesn't take that long. I also wore a pair of ear covers that wrap around the back of the head. I know they are not the coolest looking thing, but with wet hair and a cool breeze, it really helped keep me warm. Don't know if that is an issue for you, but be aware of the potential for water dripping into your eyes if you have enough hair for that to be an issue. I didn't take the time to put on socks and by the end of the bike my toes were cold. Just something to think about. Maybe toe booties or socks if it is cold. I didn't have aero bars and it went fine. I was actually surprised by how many people were riding mountain bikes with road tires. The courses are short enough in sprints that I don't think it merits the money.

Two pieces of gear you might want to think about are a race belt and a time chip band. Both are pretty cheap ($10 or so). The race belt is nice because it gives you the flexibility with whatever you want to do for layering on top. You can jump off the bike and put your number belt on over the top layer and go. As for the chip wrap, it is a neoprene Velcro wrap for your ankle to hold your time chip. (I believe if you have a Road ID band it can be used to hold the time chip) If you don't have one of these the race organizers use cable ties or those plastic hospital ID bracelets to hold your chip on and that can rub or pinch if your ankles swell at all.

Best of luck to you
2008-04-09 3:42 PM
in reply to: #1326814

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Subject: RE: First Tri on 4/26 need advice on gear
Thanks to you as well tcovert...you are correct, it is reverse order, so I'm planning on using the jammers as my base layer, biking shorts as the second, and stripping back down to jammers before the swim. THANKS AGAIN! -j


2008-04-09 3:46 PM
in reply to: #1326833

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Subject: RE: First Tri on 4/26 need advice on gear
Thanks, tahrens! Everyone is SOOOOO helpful/nice on BT.
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