Tri bike change to road bike

Leave it as is.  Whether you "deserve" it or not based on your perceived abilities isn't relevant.  If you can afford the bike, you deserve it.  If this is the only reason, I say leave it alone.

Why would you be better served with road bars if you love it?

But, people have put road bars on a tri bike before.  Can't imagine it would be comfortable, but to each his or her own

Aside from the why's, yes, it would be expensive to switch to drop bars. You'd probably be looking at about $200-$300 in parts (bars, shifter & brake levers, cables, tape) if you shop around and find some deals. Then, assuming you're not doing the swap yourself, you'll need to pay your LBS to make the swap.

If you want a road bike, you're probably best off selling the Narni and then buying a road bike.

I wouldn't try to switch the Tri bike over.  I would sell it if you are really considering it. 

Funny because I feel the opposite.  I bought a road bike a couple of months ago and long for a Tri bike.  I love my road bike, I just want a Tri bike IN ADDITION....just wondering if I should have bought the Tri bike first...

partial hijack- what is the average 1 year depreciation % on a new road bike with good components after 1yr or 2500-3000 miles on it?

Don't worry about anybody else!  Just focus on your goals. 

Keep the bike and enjoy it; I'm sure you'll be the one passing people soon enough.....

The typical tri / tt bike has a 74 - 78 degree seat tube angle (sta) and a 72 degree head tube angle (hta). The typical road bike has a 73 sta and hta. Although you can convert a tri to a road bike, the angles are all wrong and it will be at best an expensive compromise.

I just don't like riding in the aero position...tried it for a year...can't do it.  I feel better, I enjoy the ride more when I am upright on a road bike. I am faster on my road bike than I was with the tri bike. Tri bikes are definately sexier, but I go with what works for me.

Edited by chris hughes 2009-05-06 3:19 PM

I'm kinda in the same situation, I bought a Tri bike, but when I took it to be fitted, they said the angles are more of a road bike... since I don't have a road bike, I was wondering if I should put the Drops Handlebars on THIS bike, then get a "real" Tri bike when I'm ready for a new Tri bike.  I'm LOVING my bike, but I would like the versatility of the drops... ie group rides, doing a century ride, etc... I'm concerned about taking my Tri bike on group rides after reading all the stuff about it on here.  I don't see myself spending money on a road bike.

I say trade in your tri bike for a road bike... let someone else enjoy your tri bike the way it is.

lol, sometimes I have the same feelings about my road bike... that even though I really wanted it, and had the money to buy it, that I'm somehow not a good enough cyclist to "deserve" my nice road bike and should just have kept tooling around on my 35-lb. hybrid monstrosity beast.

But you know what?  All that sort of "people will think I'm a poser" thought pattern is ridiculous.  It's just projecting your own fears and insecurities about your biking skills (with an added touch of buyer's remorse) onto other people.  Probably the people passing you aren't thinking "Wow, look at that slow cyclist on a fancy bike."  I know if I'm actually working hard at anything, especially any kind of race and physical activity, my mind is focused on either finishing, or how badly I would like a beer/shower/pee break  And all the worry about not being good enough will just mess with your energy/performance, so the problem will become a vicious cycle.  Just work on breaking that thought pattern - instead of "Oh, my god, what a horrible time, all these people will see me and think I'm a poser," just make yourself stop thinking those thoughts and think about something else, like concentrating on your cadence or something.  It's hard to do at first, but it will get easier.

Go out and proudly ride your tri bike!  (Plus, riding it more will make you faster )  And if anyone gives you any grief about not being faster than you are, give it right back to them.  You might suggest that in return for their useful lesson about improving your performance in the bike split, you could give them a lesson in remedial manners.

Who cares what other people think?  Are you out there to impress them or try to meet your goals.  I just got a new FUJI D6 professional tri bike that retails for $8200 and i might average 19-20mph on my first ironman attempt.  One of my friends said you shouldn't ride that bike unless you are averaging 25mph.  I will get beat by people on much cheaper bikes, but i could afford it so why not?  One of my other friends referred to me as "slow, but sexy" lol!  Don't know what your will get from this, but seriously who cares?

I also know a few guys that are quite a bit faster that i know will look at me and think i don't deserve the bike.  But they are much faster because they work dead end jobs and have a ton of time to train.  I worked my butt off at college so i could make good money and buy these things....so don't think about anything but you and your goals.

Edited by ballyard7 2009-05-06 3:51 PM

Do you know what the seat tube and head tube angles are on your bike? What brand and model?

Don't worry - you're not a poser. Your bike is very reasonable for an aspiring triathlete.

Switch to a roadie for the right reasons, like group rides, training, etc., but if it's more about worrying about being a poser than anything else, don't change it over  - that's all in your head.

My FIRST bike was a Cervelo P2C as a complete bike noob. I didn't even know how to clip into the pedals, and on my first mellow group ride, I got dropped at every light because it took me 30-40 seconds to clip in. I also tipped over twice at stoplights in front of everyone. If that isn't poser, I don't know what is. 

keep the tri bike as is and do your own thing! we use the gear we want to use...regardless of how fast or slow we are.

i've seen people on tri bikes get passed by the field. who cares? the vast majority of us are only competing against our own personal bests, personal records, personal efforts.

i've also seen a guy on a fixie pretty much pass the entire field in a sprint tri. he didn't want a tri bike...and he didn't care that everyone else had a tri bike. he was just out competing against his time for last year.

just do your own thing and don't worry about what anyone else may thing. in most cases, people are too focused on their own gear and their own performance to give a rats arse about the gear their competition is using.

I never worry about being a poser.  The only people who would care about that are the pure road bikers, and who cares about them anyway!  I have a $3k carbon fiber bike because I wanted it and I could afford to get it.  I still suck on hills, I never go on group training rides, and I will be thrilled if I ever again can average 20mph.  But I enjoy riding my bike, even if it is more bike than I really absolutley need. 

Here's my analogy for you: I own two flatwater kayaks - a 65-70 pound plastic boat and a 35 pound handmade wooden kayak I built.  I can easily do all the kayaking on my local lake with the old plastic boat.  But even though my wooden boat would be at home crossing big water, I still love to paddle my local lake in it.  It is beautiful to look at, a pleasure to ride, and pretty much a guaranteed converstation starter.  I've never been called a poser because I use it on small water.  By the same token, if riding the tri bike gives you pleasure, you should not worry about being a poser.  IMHO, a poser is someone owns top notch gear but doesn't use it.

If you like riding the bike then ride it.  If you really just want a road bike then either spend the $$$ to convert or sell it and buy a road.  Don't base your decision on to keep it or not on what you think others think of you or your bike.

OK,

If you just have to get rid of that thing, I have a Trek 1500SLR that I will trade you straight across!  (just kidding)

Keep the bike, keep riding and you will get faster.

Mark