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Road Bike & Tri Bike - A Beginners' experience
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 2013-12-17 1:57 PM |
 81 |  Subject: Road Bike & Tri Bike - A Beginners' experienceFor anyone looking at winter sales on bikes, I wanted to provide a quick synopsis of my bike buying experience. I did my first Sprint Triathlon in July and bought a $200 Wal Mart Road Bike for the experience. After deciding I really liked triathlons and also after getting destroyed on the bike portion (T1, 6th place overall, T2 87th place overall, Finish 35th overall). I figured I needed to ride my bike more and get a good bike. I've got a couple of loops that I ride very consistently and here's what I've found. 1.) I've upgraded the cheapo Wal Mart bike. It has new gearing, new brakes, new wheels, new tires, and new pedals (SPD-SL). But, it's very comfortable. The frame is punishingly heavy, but I'm a quite heavy guy and I really like how stiff it is. It's also comfortable for hours. I'd say DO NOT discount the cheapo big box store bikes. They'll inevitably cost more than their sticker price but my former $200 and now $500 Wal-Mart bike is cheaper and equipped better than anything I've seen at the multiple LBS's in Portland, Oregon. 2.) I can get more power down quicker on the Road Bike. A Road bike allows you to yank back on the handle bar while pushing forward with your feet. Like a leg press. A Tri Bike feels more like you're shoving backwards. If there was a 200 yard dash for bikes, I would choose a road bike. You can just nail down and crush the pedals. 3.) However, my "average" speed on the tri bike is 3.5mph faster - averaged over the same loop on multiple rides. (flat course, 19 miles). If traveling as fast as possible by yourself on a flattish course is your primary goal, then I think almost everyone would meet that goal on a Tri Bike. No matter how inexperienced you are, the aero benefits are instantly apparent and dramatic. However, the Tri Bike is twitchy, it's hard to look over your shoulder without veering off into the horizon, it's harder to fit and easier to get cramps just about everywhere. Your position is harder to dial in and it's much harder to squirm once you get a cramp. Your weight is shifted further forward on the seat - meaning much more delicate areas are subject to punishment. Everything I've said is a rehash of what you can find elsewhere, but I'd go so far to say that unless competing in Triathlons is your primary activity, then the bike probably isn't worth it. If your primary activity is to just finish races (bucket list), or if Triathlons are an offshoot of a biking passion, I'm not quite sure what the point of getting a Tri Bike would be. I get lots of satisfaction out of seeing Strava PR's. But, it will be early summer at Blue Lake I think before I actually think this bike was worth the money. |
| 2013-12-17 2:06 PM in reply to: 0 |
Veteran 2842    Austin, Texas | Subject: RE: Road Bike & Tri Bike - A Beginners' experience Wait - my bike selection is supposed to make sense? Like logical, honest to goodness smart choice kind of sense? Hooooooo boy, have I been making bad choices… I'll just say that there are many different motivations, reasons, excuses, rationalizations, "needs" and such among us (from roadies through hardcore tri-types). What each of us considers "worth it" is usually a pretty individual - even personal - thing. I certainly don't need my trusty old "new to me" P2, any more than I needed a road bike, but I have my reasons (that I often repeat to the Better Half, if sometimes in vain), and **I** just love riding that thing! When I see a bike store, I feel like Home Simpson at a bacon convention or the like… mmmmmmm…. bikes….. Your reasoning is 100% valid for you, and I hope that by the early season you feel that the bike was worth more than the money you spent! May it ever be so for us all. Matt ETA: It sounds like you also might have a fit issue with the tri bike (and given another of your recent posts I just saw, that seems quite possible). FWIW, my tri-bike is pretty much as comfortable as my road bike. Both are reasonably aggressive in terms of fit, but I can comfortably suffer on them both (if that makes sense). The tri bike shouldn't be punishing you SO much more than a road bike (a bit, sure, but it sounds like it's really bad?). Maybe that would help? Edited by mcmanusclan5 2013-12-17 2:18 PM |
| 2013-12-17 2:35 PM in reply to: mcmanusclan5 |
| 81 | Subject: RE: Road Bike & Tri Bike - A Beginners' experience I'm almost positive at this point I have to go get re-fit. I've got 3 spacers on the stem that really need to come out, I think. I've got a long torso and if I'm in a tuck i want my elbows to take some of the weight. As it is, with the tall stem my nether regions are taking all of it and if I want to relieve that pressure it requires a nice bit of lower back muscle to try to shove my weight forward. I got fit by a dude who was a 3-time Washington state Time Trial champion. However, his only criteria was to "get comfortable" - which means I got as close as I could into my Road Bike position. That's butt backwards, shoving forward on the pedals while sitting fairly upright. That was the only position I had any reference to. Do you really cruise for hours on your tri bike? I can handle about 90 minutes and I'm on the cowhorns. I flat-out call Uncle. |
| 2013-12-17 3:39 PM in reply to: adelsud |
Pro 6191  | Subject: RE: Road Bike & Tri Bike - A Beginners' experience Originally posted by adelsud I'm almost positive at this point I have to go get re-fit. EVERYONE should get refit As you adjust and adapt, small tweaks on your bike can really make a difference. Find a fitter that will let you come in for follow-ups (preferably included in the fit price). I just had my 3rd tri bike fitting. 1st was at purchase. 2nd was after a long hiatus from riding. 3rd was a follow-up to fit #2. 4th one will be in 5 weeks - I'm currently "comfortable", but we're planning to drop it to a (potentially) less comfortable / more aero position because my upcoming goal race is an Olympic distance, and I'm willing to suffer some soreness to pick up some speed. Right now, though, I could cruise for hours in aero, if I had a road that would let me do that. I'm in the bullhorns in traffic, generally, though. |
| 2013-12-17 4:44 PM in reply to: adelsud |
Veteran 2842 Austin, Texas | Subject: RE: Road Bike & Tri Bike - A Beginners' experience Originally posted by adelsud I'm almost positive at this point I have to go get re-fit. I've got 3 spacers on the stem that really need to come out, I think. I've got a long torso and if I'm in a tuck i want my elbows to take some of the weight. As it is, with the tall stem my nether regions are taking all of it and if I want to relieve that pressure it requires a nice bit of lower back muscle to try to shove my weight forward. I got fit by a dude who was a 3-time Washington state Time Trial champion. However, his only criteria was to "get comfortable" - which means I got as close as I could into my Road Bike position. That's butt backwards, shoving forward on the pedals while sitting fairly upright. That was the only position I had any reference to. Do you really cruise for hours on your tri bike? I can handle about 90 minutes and I'm on the cowhorns. I flat-out call Uncle. A couple observations. Time trial is different than tri, and even the best triathlete (whatever that means) might be a lousy bike fitter. Not saying your fellow isn't top notch, but if you're hurtin' after 90'? It's not a good fit. Most great fitters also ride, but they all need training and experience in fitting per se. I can ride very comfortably for several hours in aero, only getting on the bullhorns for traffic or occasionally on a nasty hill (or to stand once in a while to give my legs a different feel). My neck can get sore, but it actually get's more sore on my road bike (until I made the fit a bit less aggressive - little tweaks matter, as said above). I actually am more comfortable in aero than the horns, oddly, but that took a few hundred miles to happen (and I would veer, as you describe, until I got a bit more experience). I definitely agree with multiple fittings - especially if it's your first tri bike. It takes a while to adapt to the different position, and as your body gets more comfortable, you can get more aggressive (or just stay more comfortable - depends on your goals). Either way, it's a moving target for everyone over the course of a season, but especially so (IMO) if it's your first time on tri geometry. I really do hope you get it ironed out and are both comfortable and feel more safe/stable on it. I've come to really enjoy riding my tri-bike, which surprised me, coming off a road bike that I love. Best of luck! Matt |
| 2013-12-17 7:58 PM in reply to: mcmanusclan5 |
| 81 | Subject: RE: Road Bike & Tri Bike - A Beginners' experience Thanks guys! I'm heading back for the refit! |
| 2013-12-17 8:27 PM in reply to: adelsud |
| Subject: RE: Road Bike & Tri Bike - A Beginners' experience Originally posted by adelsud Do you really cruise for hours on your tri bike? I can handle about 90 minutes and I'm on the cowhorns. I flat-out call Uncle. I've done 4-6 hour rides on my tri bike regularly. I've gone to the mall after 5 hour rides without an issue. I ran 26.2 miles after doing a century a couple times on my tri bike. Your fit sucks. Tell you what, you might want to try some of the higher end bikes before you really make a decision on that wal-mart bike of yours, no matter how much you upgraded it. |
| 2013-12-17 8:44 PM in reply to: 0 |
| 81 | Subject: RE: Road Bike & Tri Bike - A Beginners' experience I think part of this is that you're in better shape than me. :-). I've run over 26 miles twice in my life. I did not ride 100 miles leading up to it. I woke up early, ate a bagel, drank some coffee, and put the number from my race packet on. I'll definitely look at Road bikes as well, though. My only real complaint with mine now is the weight (Try 30lbs!). But, I'll take your word for it that life may be funner & faster on a different road bike. I could easily buy the frame and move all my upgraded components over. Edited by adelsud 2013-12-17 8:45 PM |
| 2013-12-18 10:50 AM in reply to: adelsud |
Member 258 | Subject: RE: Road Bike & Tri Bike - A Beginners' experience I wasn't thrilled when I first got my tri bike, either, and I did have it professionally fit. I didn't really have physical discomfort, but I'm embarrassed to say it took almost a year before I felt stable in the aero position. It was just so twitchy, and the brakes were so far away from my hands. A lot of my issue was core strength, or the lack thereof. However, after about a year of practicing I rode it in all my races and training last summer and I actually like riding it better than my road bike now. It just took a LONG time. |
| 2013-12-18 11:10 AM in reply to: adelsud |
Elite 3060 N Carolina | Subject: RE: Road Bike & Tri Bike - A Beginners' experience I'm waaaaaaayyyyy more comfortable on my tri bike than my road bike and I have been fit on both bikes by someone ranked as among the best in the country. |
| 2013-12-18 3:55 PM in reply to: adelsud |
Veteran 134 Murfreesboro, TN | Subject: RE: Road Bike & Tri Bike - A Beginners' experience sticker price but my former $200 and now $500 Wal-Mart bike is cheaper and equipped better than anything I've seen at the multiple LBS's in Portland, Oregon. Did I miss something here? Do you have an old Wal-Mart road bike and a new Tri Bike? And which $300 did you spend on upgrades that are better "equipped" than LBS bikes? Just need more info here. 3.5MPH gain is quite a lot and probably just means you are in better bike shape than before. |
| 2013-12-19 5:52 PM in reply to: Chris.1333 |
| 81 | Subject: RE: Road Bike & Tri Bike - A Beginners' experience Did I miss something here? Do you have an old Wal-Mart road bike and a new Tri Bike? And which $300 did you spend on upgrades that are better "equipped" than LBS bikes? Just need more info here. 3.5MPH gain is quite a lot and probably just means you are in better bike shape than before. Yes. Short explanation. I bought a $200 Wal Mart road bike in July to compete in my first triathlon. I had not ridden a bike in years and didn't want to spend loads of money on something I wasn't excited about. So: I was excited and I bought a Scott Plasma 30 earlier this month. Then, I bought new Zipp 60's. So, now I have the Shimano R501-30's (wheels) and decided to put them on my Wal Mart bike. I also got Ultegra shifters, and front & rear gearing & derailleurs. I also got SPD-SL pedals for it. And relatively cheap brakes (the Shimano 501 wheels are aluminum - don't need amazing brakes). So - that's $300 + the $200 I spent on the bike. However, I defy you to find a $500 LBS bike with full Ultegra throughout with those wheels. That said: I'm counting the wheels as free since I got them on the Tri Bike. The Ultegra shifters, crank and front derailleur were also free. As for the 3.5mph average speed increase. It's legit. It's an average of multiple rides under different conditions on both bikes. I'm certainly hoping all the riding I do is getting me in better shape but it's about 3.5 mph on the Tri bike. |
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