General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Upgrading the bike! Rss Feed  
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2013-06-17 12:23 PM


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Subject: Upgrading the bike!
Ok so I have a cheap 300 quid bike with some decent pedals, some shorty tri bars and a cycle computer, during training I can hold 20.5mph on my 30mile runs without a prob and yesterday I took part in a duathlon and held 3rd place in the first run but lost it on the bike leg and was unable to make it up on the second run and finished 5th, I averaged 21.6 mph which is awesome for me but the guys who passed me were on full carbon etc

So now I'm thinking how can I improve? Is it unrealistic to try and achieve say 25mph avg with the equipment I have?

I'm thinking of upgrading to a proper tri bike at the end of the year ....

Thought please?


2013-06-17 12:35 PM
in reply to: Longhorn1981

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Upgrading the bike!
Train a lot. That's going to be the only way to get to 25mph average.

as far as upgrades go... a disc cover is a cheap and effective way to add some "free speed."
2013-06-17 12:44 PM
in reply to: Longhorn1981

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Subject: RE: Upgrading the bike!

Sounds like you are a pretty good cyclist if you're holding those speeds.  if your question is "can I buy more speed", the answer is YES. Although less weight is nice, for triathlon/duathlon, it pales in comparison to aerodynamics.  So- think about aero more than weight.  And, the really sexy aero things, like top notch TT frames and expensive aero wheels, while fun to own, give you some of the poorest "bang for the buck".  What really matters is fit and body position.  And, and aero helmet will also make a pretty significant cost effective difference.

In the end, after you spend a couple grand on a fitting and fancy carbon, and then train on it to get your body used to the new position and bike, it could buy you 1.5 to 2mph.

so... how much money to you have burning a hole in your pocket?    Have fun shopping.  Bikes are really fun toys and there is some great engineering out there these days.  Whatever you buy, you'll probably love.

2013-06-17 2:49 PM
in reply to: morey000


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Subject: RE: Upgrading the bike!
x2 to morey000's answer. You don't say anything about your background......age, training habits, how long doing tri's......and your budget, so it's really hard to give you a definitive answer. But generally, speaking, you can't possibly maximize your potential on your current equipment/bike. I averaged around 21-22 when I first started competing and now in the 26-27+ range for Olympic distance. But that's with a new top of the line tri-bike, a proper fit, upgraded wheels, aero helmet, and another year of training. If you want to get serious about a potential overall podium finish, this is a sport where hard training along with top level equipment is a must. Good luck with the upcoming bike purchase.
2013-06-17 4:49 PM
in reply to: gphin305


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Subject: RE: Upgrading the bike!
Originally posted by gphin305

x2 to morey000's answer. You don't say anything about your background......age, training habits, how long doing tri's......and your budget, so it's really hard to give you a definitive answer. But generally, speaking, you can't possibly maximize your potential on your current equipment/bike. I averaged around 21-22 when I first started competing and now in the 26-27+ range for Olympic distance. But that's with a new top of the line tri-bike, a proper fit, upgraded wheels, aero helmet, and another year of training. If you want to get serious about a potential overall podium finish, this is a sport where hard training along with top level equipment is a must. Good luck with the upcoming bike purchase.

Cheers all for the input, I am 32 yrs old and have only started sprint tris this year, I started cycling last April and migrated to triathlon during the winter as I spent time in the pool as I couldn't swim so good.

I would like to think by the end of the year I could push 21mph avg whilst training, then hopefully if/when I upgrade at least I should see a difference as I will have maximised my fitness on the current bike.

Cheers
2013-06-17 5:09 PM
in reply to: gphin305

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Expert
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Scottsdale, AZ
Subject: RE: Upgrading the bike!
Originally posted by gphin305

x2 to morey000's answer. You don't say anything about your background......age, training habits, how long doing tri's......and your budget, so it's really hard to give you a definitive answer. But generally, speaking, you can't possibly maximize your potential on your current equipment/bike. I averaged around 21-22 when I first started competing and now in the 26-27+ range for Olympic distance. But that's with a new top of the line tri-bike, a proper fit, upgraded wheels, aero helmet, and another year of training. If you want to get serious about a potential overall podium finish, this is a sport where hard training along with top level equipment is a must. Good luck with the upcoming bike purchase.


That's some pretty elite/pro caliber bike times!


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