General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Finally road my tri bike for the first time. Rss Feed  
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2014-03-07 11:50 AM

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Subject: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.
Bought a used 2010 Cervelo P1 all the way back in November for a pretty good price. Normal bike is a 2011 Trek 1.1 road bike. I wasn't able to ride the P1 a single time after I bought it due to other training commitments over the winter (marathon and first ultra marathon). Finally road it a few times this week (3 20-22mi rides). Some thoughts:

1) Aerobars. First time ever riding on aerobars. Scary for the first 20 minutes or so but I ended up taking to them very quickly and, amazingly, I find riding on the aero bars to be MUCH more comfortable than riding on my regular road bike configuration. Putting most of my weight on my elbows/forearms on the P1 feels so much better than putting a bunch of pressure on my hands on the road bike. Can't stress enough how much this helps my overall comfort level.

2) Geometry. I'm not a cyclist so I don't know all the ins and outs but I do know that my quads don't feel anywhere NEAR as burnt after a hard ride on this bike as they do on the road bike. I can really mash for a long time without feeling the severe lactic burn. I can get off the bike and walk comfortably too, though I haven't run yet.

3) Impossible to drink from my bottle on this thing while moving.

4) Scarier in traffic for sure. I definitely prepare for intersections earlier on this thing since the brakes aren't at my fingertips.

5) Cross winds seems to have more direct effect on overall stability than on the Trek. Can't imagine what riding this thing with disc wheels would feel like in high winds.

6) Neck pain. This is the only area that is worse than the Trek. Neck is pretty sore by the end of the ride but I think it may be related to not having my helmet properly fitted to my head. Strap is not tight and the brim of the helmet tends to drop on my forehead while in aero, requiring me to crane my head even further up to see ahead.
All in all I'm very pleased with this transition. I expected it to be much harder to adapt to the new setup since I'm not really a cyclist (I've had my Trek less than 2 years). I'm finding the P1 to be much more comfortable to ride than the Trek and it feels much faster as well (I haven't ridden a single time in ~6mo and my first time out on the P1 I was almost 2mph faster avg pace).

Not too bad for $600!


2014-03-07 12:03 PM
in reply to: aliddle9876

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.

I've heard the tri bike steering refered to as "twitchy", especially at the beginning of the learning curve. It sounds like you feel the same. Is that a safe assumption on my part?

2014-03-07 1:16 PM
in reply to: cdban66

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.
Originally posted by cdban66

I've heard the tri bike steering refered to as "twitchy", especially at the beginning of the learning curve. It sounds like you feel the same. Is that a safe assumption on my part?




I think the steering feels "twitchy" on whatever bike you're not used to...

I recently borrowed my friend's road bike to do some races where tri bike weren't allowed...The first thing I noticed was how twitchy the steering felt. I think my friend said the same thing. lol!
2014-03-07 1:18 PM
in reply to: aliddle9876

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.

Indeed, not bad for $600!

I have C7 issues with my neck, besides riding more, I found doing prone planks and slowly tilting my head up and down while doing it helps a lot with the neck & upper shoulder support muscles.

Are you doing the Pineappleman race in June?

2014-03-07 1:28 PM
in reply to: aliddle9876

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.
I always knew it was possible to tri a road bike, but I never knew it was possible to road a tri bike.
2014-03-07 1:33 PM
in reply to: #4961425

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.
Drat! Stupid auto correct! :-(


2014-03-07 1:34 PM
in reply to: aliddle9876

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.

Reaching for a water bottle on the seat or down tube is terrible while on aero bars. I tried that once. Only once. Since then, I ziptied the water bottle cage to my stem. BTA is the way to go. I can grab some GU from the bento box and drink without ever getting out of the aero bars.

My first few rides on the tri bike left me with a sore neck. A lot of neck stretches will help.

The steering will get comfortable with time.

I registered for all of the Brevard County races except for Pineapple Man  (out of town) and Rocketman  (can't justify the price - it's more expensive than USAT AG Nationals WTF?).

2014-03-07 2:37 PM
in reply to: vertseven

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.
I wouldn't say the steering is too twitchy for me. Pretty comfortable. I may end up getting one of those water bottle that go between your aero bars. They're pretty expensive though so I dunno. Wife wasn't amped about me buying the bike to begin with. Lol.

I'm registered for the Ron Jon in Apr, signing up for Pineappleman here shortly. Not too sure about the Rocketman after my experience last year. I know it was a new race but after the fiasco with the permits all the way up to the end, ugly run through the gnarliest part of Titusville, bike route that was several miles longer than advertised and the insanely long check in period with a huge single file line I just don't know if I want to go down that road again. Is it more expensive than last year too? It seemed pretty expensive already.

I was supposed to go do the ITU Chicago race this summer but due to some work related stuff I may not be able to go now so I gotta get some stuff on the calendar for summer. I'll surely do the Battle of the Bridges to wrap things up, though I'm considering the HIM FL if it's still open. Dunno.
2014-03-07 2:46 PM
in reply to: aliddle9876

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.
RE: Rocketman -

From this years website:
"A significant part of the entry fee is due to our agreement requirement to buy a full price Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center tour ticket ($53.00) for each entrant who rides onto the secured grounds of the Kennedy Space Center. Each individual registrant will receive a single day ticket to KSC, valid for 1 year. A single ticket will also be give to each relay team (not each team member). Additional tickets can be purchased at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex."

WTF? Lol.
2014-03-07 3:18 PM
in reply to: aliddle9876

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.
Originally posted by aliddle9876

4) Scarier in traffic for sure. I definitely prepare for intersections earlier on this thing since the brakes aren't at my fingertips.


If you are riding in traffic, your brakes should be at your fingertips. There are times and places for practicing aero position, riding in traffic is not one of them.
2014-03-07 3:23 PM
in reply to: nhunter344

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.
By traffic I mean, whenever there are cars around, like intersections or a vehicle passing me. If you mean don't ride in aero when moving vehicles are in the vicinity then that's a tall order.


2014-03-07 3:37 PM
in reply to: aliddle9876

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Melbourne, Florida
Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.

Originally posted by aliddle9876 RE: Rocketman - From this years website: "A significant part of the entry fee is due to our agreement requirement to buy a full price Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center tour ticket ($53.00) for each entrant who rides onto the secured grounds of the Kennedy Space Center. Each individual registrant will receive a single day ticket to KSC, valid for 1 year. A single ticket will also be give to each relay team (not each team member). Additional tickets can be purchased at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex." WTF? Lol.

I emailed them about that. I have an annual pass to KSC, but they still have to charge me for admission. $175 to run through Titusville just doesn't add up. Though the picture of me riding past the VAB is cool, I can just take a picture of the VAB and Photoshop myself in for free. 

2014-03-07 3:53 PM
in reply to: cdban66

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.
Originally posted by cdban66

I've heard the tri bike steering refered to as "twitchy", especially at the beginning of the learning curve. It sounds like you feel the same. Is that a safe assumption on my part?




A tribike will feel twitchier than a road bike because it is more stable and therefore requires longer to respond to inputs. This often results in an inexperienced rider oversteering and the bike feeling twitchy as a result.

Shane
2014-03-07 3:54 PM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.
2014-03-07 8:40 PM
in reply to: vertseven

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.
Originally posted by vertseven
I emailed them about that. I have an annual pass to KSC, but they still have to charge me for admission. $175 to run through Titusville just doesn't add up. Though the picture of me riding past the VAB is cool, I can just take a picture of the VAB and Photoshop myself in for free. 


Interestingly the price was the same last year if I recall and we were told to buy our own tickets to KSC...
2014-03-10 2:38 PM
in reply to: aliddle9876

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Subject: RE: Finally road my tri bike for the first time.
Originally posted by aliddle9876


3) Impossible to drink from my bottle on this thing while moving.



I agree. I went with a Profile Design system that mounts between the aero bars. I never have to move to get a drink. I'll probably step up to this system in the next couple of months. But dump the cage mount water bottles for one of these and you'll never go back.

http://www.trisports.com/xlab-torpedo-system-400.html


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