First Tri Bike (P2)..advice needed

For the trainer, the CycleOps Fluid 2 is one of the two perennial top choices, so that's a good bet. I have a Kurt Kinetic Road Machine, which is similar, and like it a lot. Almost all of my riding is on the trainer. For most purposes the two are just as good as each other. If you have designs on detailed power calibration for the trainer, then the KK might have the edge, based on some reports that I've read.

I'm no expert on riding a tri bike, but I bought a P2 as my first tri bike last summer, so I can at least give my n=1 experience. I found it quite an adjustment at first. I really felt a loss of control in aero position, I was afraid of the distance from my hands to the brakes, and I found the saddle awkward (I got an Adamo saddle, in place of the stock saddle, which I found quite uncomfortable). But it only took a few rides to become a lot more comfortable with the new position. By the time I did an HIM race a couple of months after buying the bike I felt fine on the bike, and rode at a speed that I never could have ridden on my roadie. One key thing that I had to learn was how to sit on the saddle - not as far back as I would on my roadie. Hills and shifting were never much of a problem after the first couple of rides, though I never did anything really steep. Downhills were pretty scary at first, and I think I still have a lot to learn about how to go down non-dead-straight downhills on the tri bike. You can go quite fast downhill on a tri bike, so the speed in combination with the non-proximity of the brakes can take some getting used to.

The Fluid 2 is an excellent choice.

The Kurt Kinetic is another favorite. I do believe it is the one recommeded by TrainnerRoad and works really well with Golden Cheetah to do what they call Virtual Power. At the same price I would get the KK but both are great.

keep an eye peeled on your local CraigsList for CycleOps fluid 2 trainers, I grabbed one last week in as-new condition for $120 bucks !

eBay works too but you gotta pay for shipping and they all seem to be $275 +

I dunno. The speed gains on downhills is one of the main benefits of a tri bike. One of the things that motivated me to get a tri bike was seeing how after passing people on the uphills the same folks would come zooming past me on the downhills. I'm fairly timid on the downhills, but reached 46 mph downhill in my last race with the tri bike. 30 mph vs. 45 mph is a 40s gain in just one mile. 

RE: Trainers

My 2009 P2 has very small clearance between the skewer and derailleur. The standard QR cup on most trainers rubs on the derailleur top - the only one I found that comes with a small enough cup is the KK Road Machine. You can get small cups for the Fluid2 but its an extra purchase I believe.

Seems like others are hitting on some good points but will chime in with my experience.  About 6 months ago I got a P2 also and a professional fitting (after the horrible fitting i got at the shop).  It helped a good deal but there was still significant adjustment.   I have only ridden about 1,000 miles on it since i have been run training but getting back in to it now and I am loving the bike more and more every day.

My points of emphasis:

1. Stretch.  Sounds like you have more previous road bike experience than I, but from my year of riding a road bike before I found that this did pretty tough things to my back and neck (and I'm 23 and don't get pain like that easily).  Consciously finding 5 or 10 minutes a day to do neck and back exercises helped me a good deal. 

2.  Ride it outside.  I started out on a trainer on this bike and found it incredibly difficult to get in to the position on it.  I eased into it on the road and can now ride on the trainer, but I found the trainer to be a lot of pressure at first.

3. Play with saddles. This is what I haven't quite gotten down yet.  I still have the stock Arione 2 on there and though it's getting better it is far from perfect. I have tried an Adamo and Cobb and neither were any more comfortable so I'm still on it...maybe I am resigned to it.  

Above those, riding often is king.  I bought my TT bike in the middle of marathon training so never quite got in the groove, but being able to listen to your body will help.  Good luck and congrats on the new bike!

Thank you all for the replies and the advice, it is very much appreciated.

I should get the fitting done next week and hopefully some riding in soon.

Thanks again

Steve

Congrats and good luck! I picked up my P2 on Friday and going through everything you wrote about. Been on an R3 so this will take some getting used to.

It's going to be impossible to find it in transition, my LBS told me they sold 6 P2's through this deal. Maybe some streamers on the handlebars?