What bike should I get?

I did my first tri on my old mountain bike. if you have one, I would recommend putting some slicks on it and racing in that next year. After my first tri, I bought a used road bike and that lasted me through several seasons until I was ready to invest in a triathlon bike. That said, I started tris as a university student, so budget was a big concern.

I'm in the same boat as you. I'm planning on buying a road bike. Haven't rode a bike in over 20 years, so I'm planning on starting practicing on grass with an old mountain bike to start so I don't break my neck.

I'm roughly in the same boat. I did two tris last year on a jamis commuter 1 and did ok. This year I'm looking for an entry road bike. Aluminum frame carbon forks and under 25 lbs that's my goal. Good luck to you.

The advice of trying a tri on a regular bike is good advice as ou might want to see if you like triathlons A triathlon is the hardest event I have ever competed in

Good morning everyone and Happy New Year - May we all be healthy for 2014 ( as well as stronger and faster)

This is the best time of the year to buy a bike - depending on your budget, you can get something amazing for around $1,000.00 with a decent frame and components. Depending on where you live - I can suggest a few places

Toronto - Cyclepath (Yonge and Eglinton) - speak to Mike as he is a friend of mine and will surely help you - Tell him that Jean (French) sent you in
Toronto - Brown Cycle (Bloor and South Kingsway) - just bought a pair of great MTB shoes - they had amazing deals on 2013 models (full carbon at $1,500.00)

I have been riding a Norco CCR 2 - full carbon bike for 2 years that I purchased at Cycle Path Norco in Toronto (Yonge & Eglinton) and I love this machine; the new line is now called Valence or Tactic; one of the Norco top bike was reviewed in Canadian Triathlete magazine in the spring / summer of 2013
My Tri bike is an Argon 18 E80 loaded with extras

Remember that you get what you pay for
I prefer SRAM components - the APEX groupo is a better buy than Shimano 105; if Shimano is your choice - stay with at least with Shimano 105 but Shimano Sora could do for an entry bike

Good luck on your search and keep us posted - don't be afraid to ask questions - lots of knowledge on this site

Jean - AG 45-49

Congratulations on your decision to start triathlons this year! Welcome to a sport which will bleed your bank account dry if you let it.

I have been riding an aluminum frame road bike with sora/tiagra parts for the last 3 years at triathlons and it has served me pretty well. My only issue is that I didn't get shimano 105 parts or above on my initial road bike (or rival for SRAM equivalent). From what I've observed from my limited experience is that 105 parts are much smoother when shifting, this dramatically increases ride comfort and is important during the pre-climb gear adjustment.

Also, it is my personal belief that the versatility of road bike makes it the clear choice for new triathletes. The seating position is less compact making it more comfortable for the rider (to some extent), is less technically challenging for novice bikers (can be overwhelming on climbs and descents given the positioning of the brake and shift levers) and provides a great platform for developing biking technique and form. Furthermore, it gives the individual flexibility to ride with a group of other road bikers and attend road biking events.

I am actually hoping to get a tribike myself this coming spring, however I highly recommend getting a road bike first!

See you around at races this summer. Best of luck!