Back into Tri after 5 Years!

Circa 2004... I quit triathlon. Wife, Job, house, and a masters degree made me re-evaluate how much time there was in a day. I have competed in lifesaving since 1995, so I have stayed in great shape. Just dropped the tri training.

I called up my "once my local bike shop that is 2 hours away now" last week and told them I wanted to get back into tri's and I asked them what they had available that would fit me. They said welcome back and we have some great deals for you...see you Saturday? And off I went!

I sat on 10 bikes. They were all far-far advanced and tech'd out from my 2002 Trek HILO/Dura-Ace/Rolf Comp Wheels. I couldn't believe that I was getting back in the saddle. The bikes really look different and I asked what SPRAM was and everyone in the shop laughed at me! I asked, "where is the ultegra and dura-ace?"

Long story short, the FUJI D6 blew away every bike I sat on (I weigh 185. 6'.)
I properly fitted for 5 hours and test rode 10 bikes. Pulled out the speed gun, did some tt's, did some sprints and the D6 was outstanding and I GOT A GREAT DEAL ON IT.


Monday I had to give it an OFFICIAL test. I did a common TT in Bethany Beach Delaware. Flat-Straight Out & Back 10 miles with the Indian River Inlet Bridge at the turn Around. At 24 years old in 04', I averaged 25.1 on my best day. 5 years later I averaged 27.5 on my first day back on a bike in 5 years. The question to you, "IS IT THE BIKE?"

I was laughing and giggling all the way home on my 5 mile cool down as I thought it would take me 2 years to get back to the fitness I once had (on tri terms). I didn't think that I would ever get better then my young ripped 21 year old self. But I was way faster. Is it the bike? Maybe I am fresh and I have a little bit of the kid back in me that I had before I did my first tri at 16 years old? What ever it is, I will take it. But can a bike make you that much faster?

If the science of the bike is making me go faster, what else could I upgrade on the STOCK FUJI
D6? The wheels? Crank to a 55/11? Bars? Spram Red? Tires? I am not a tri geek at all. I will not even use a bike-computer. Just a basic wrist watch. But if I can bike faster and spend a couple bucks, I will. What about the Reynolds wheels on the FUJI D6 Pro...are they faster? A disc?

Thanks,
Steve O






Edited by 100%endurance 2009-09-25 12:57 PM