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2014-07-13 12:18 PM
in reply to: elliot.power

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Subject: RE: Spending way too much money on triathlon
The only things I run in are - in the hot weather, lycra shorts and may be a t-shirt. In the cold, lycra leggings - 3/4 or full length, a t-shirt and gloves.


2014-07-13 5:10 PM
in reply to: Jason N

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Subject: RE: Spending way too much money on triathlon

Originally posted by Jason N

You should manage your finances like any other person would.  The way I see it, if I were not into triathlon, cycling, etc...I'd be spending my money on something else.  If you get to a point where you are considering spending money that you wouldn't otherwise spend...you should stop.

^^^^^^^ this ^^^^^^^

I'll also add that buying cheap junk twice is more expensive than buying good quality once. It doesn't have to be expensive or Big Name, just good. Always check Amazon or Performance Bike or REI reviews before any purchase.

Also when it comes to performance clothing and technical fabrics, there is no faster way to turn quality into junk than washing it wrong. Stay away from dryers and fabric softeners.

2014-07-14 7:25 AM
in reply to: elliot.power

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Subject: RE: Spending way too much money on triathlon

With this being my third season doing tri's I've found that I haven't spent near as much this year as years past.  Obviously my first year was the "big spender".  I bought two bikes, first a roadie to try and tri.  Then once I fell in love I just had to upgrade to a tri-bike after my second tri.  This third year I think my biggest expense has been race fee's.  I have everything I need to race on and just bought a few odd's and ends stuff to help out.

Next year there is a new bike in my future...so yeah it will be expensive...new wheels as well.

2014-07-14 9:54 AM
in reply to: Bevie

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Subject: RE: Spending way too much money on triathlon
I agree with what most folks have said on this thread...but here's my two cents.

Yes, the initial cash outlay to get into triathlons can be expensive. Look for sales, last year's models on close-outs, etc...this is good advice and you can save alot of $$ this way. IMHO, once you have the basics, it's all about building your engine. If you don't train and have physical capabilities to do well in whatever distance you choose to race, then who cares what equipment you have.

I understand that folks *think* that having multiple bikes and wetsuits, and the latest and greatest technology (like race wheels) will make them a better triathlete, but unless you're trying to qualify for Kona, I think there is way too much focus on gear and equipment.

Your focus, imho, should be on doing triathlons for fun (as 99.9% of us aren't professional triathletes), though as well as you can given your training and spending your hard earned money on building a great life for you and your family. If you feel that you're spending too much money on triathlon, then take a step back, figure out your priorities (hopefully you don't need a Dr. Phil intervention with this step), and then adjust as necessary.

2014-07-14 10:55 AM
in reply to: elliot.power

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Red Deer, Alberta
Subject: RE: Spending way too much money on triathlon
I'll echo a lot of the above - only you can decide how much is too much.

Take everything everyone has said, and multiply it by two - both my husband and I got into tri in 2011. So that's 2 road bikes.... which in 2013 we upgraded to 2 tri bikes.... more shoes than I can count, 2 wetsuits (except, oh wait, the LSS sized him wrong and after two horrid, uncomfortable seasons he bought ANOTHER one....), double the race fees, and so on, and so on, and so on....

When I find a good sale, I jump on it - last year I had to pay $60 per sports bra because no one had them on sale; last month I got 4 of the exact same ones for $135 total - necessary because they do wear out, but I've also lost some weight and need a smaller size!

I look for shoe clearances although for me it's not always possible - my size sells out quickly. I hate buying stuff and wearing it once, but refuse to be uncomfortable, which means when I finally find something that works, I use it until it is a rag and try to buy a couple extras!

But.... neither of us golfs, gambles, drinks much, we rarely go out, and this keeps us healthy and happy. Expensive? Yes. Our passion? For sure.
2014-07-15 1:27 PM
in reply to: lepfan72

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Subject: RE: Spending way too much money on triathlon
One way I save money is looking for non-USAT events. I have participated in 5 triathlons in the past two months. 3 were non-USAT sanctioned
events and the only difference I saw was the entry fee. The non-USAT events were all $50 or less. Amazingly, they were just as well run and safe as
the sanctioned events that I paid lots more for.


2014-07-19 10:34 PM
in reply to: elliot.power

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, Maryland
Subject: RE: Spending way too much money on triathlon
I'm lucky that I got a decent road bike via Craigslist, and it came with pedals, a bike computer, etc. I would like to upgrade the bike next season but I'm taking things piece by piece. I got a Garmin 310xt because I couldn't justify the difference for the 910xt, and it does what i need it to do. That was after cobbling together training data from a Garmin run watch + bike computer basic info + a swim lap counter.

Lots of stuff isn't "needed", it's "wanted" - it's hard to find the line of what will make a huge time saver difference in training (like the multisport watch) vs. what are nice-to-haves.
2014-07-19 11:01 PM
in reply to: CynthiaRunTri


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Subject: RE: Spending way too much money on triathlon
When I knew I would be in this sport for the long haul, I made a list of what I thought I would need. Then, over a few years, I slowly bought each item. The trick was to wait until good deals presented themselves. I would buy a lot of my stuff during the off-season. Black Friday/Cyber Monday, January/Feb. You can get a lot of the stuff out there a lot cheaper when it's not in demand.

And keep in mind. . . the engine is the difference maker, not the gear.



2014-07-20 9:04 AM
in reply to: elliot.power

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Subject: RE: Spending way too much money on triathlon

Triathlon and cycling are my one guilty pleasure in life so I don't mind spending money on it.

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date : May 1, 2006
author : acbadger
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I am not going to buy a tri-suit before my first tri - I want to make sure I am going to stick with this before I spend a lot of money on it so I want to figure out what will work best.
 
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So when it comes to triathlon, the largest investment we make, in both terms, comes in the bike. Looking at ways to get faster, while considering a budget, is a bind for most triathletes.