Buying first tri bike

there is no right bike for you, there are several good bikes for you out there. unfortunately that is not what you are really looking for. bike size is the most important thing and that one is pretty easy to nail down. the next part really comes down to component level, which effects comfort and price the most. there are small differences in performance between shimano 105, ultegra, and duraace but to the average triathlete it's not noticeable. you want a bike that is comfortable to you and that you feel safe on. i have tried several bikes (fits) where I loved the bike and it looked fast on the rack but I couldn't hold the aero position so it was worthless. other bikes have been good for holding aero but I hate the way they cornered and braked or descended down a hill (literally thought I was goin\g to die) . So get a bike with good geometry, that allows you to stay aero in, that you are comfortable handling. everything else is extra after that.

http://www.ironman.com/triathlon-news/articles/2013/06/how-to-buy-a...

let me know if you have any other questions

Thanks for responding. It seems the only way to figure out the correct fit, is to actually have a fit performed to determine size of bike, flexibility for aero position, at a bike shop that truly does fitting for triathletes. Staying Aero for me will be difficult at first, but over time as flexibility improves it will be easier. Is this pretty accurate?

I just don't want to buy a bike that doesn't "fit".

Dan

I do not have a tri bike but rather a roadie with clip on aero bars. However, when I am serious about spending more than 1K on a tri bike (my next big purchase but still a year or two down the road) I will likely get a fit done to ensure I have a fitting bike that will last a while. I bought my current road bike guessing my size frame and I have a few concerns about the fit but nothing I can do about it now since I had to go the cheap route. Good luck searching!

It's very difficult to tell if a bike works for you or not if you don't have a reference to start from. The reason why a tri bike is faster than a road bike (most of the time at least), is not so much the bike itself as it is the position it can place the rider in. There's the balance between aerodynamics, comfort and efficiency. This is why a bike fit is so important for tri bikes.

If you already have a well fitting tri bike, then it's a whole lot easier to shop for another tri bike.

I just went through the process of obtaining a tri bike a couple months ago. Only difference was that I have never owned a road bike.
I actually borrowed a road bike for my first triathlon last month...and I did not find it as initially comfortable as a tri bike (with no training spent on either bike that is). FYI; i have lower back issues...slightly herniated disks.

From what i have researched and from limited personal experience, the 2014 P3 i just picked up has alot of adjustment capability. and i could have sworn i read the geometry is slightly more relaxed compared to other bikes. I beleive the biggest concern on the P3 is to find the right size...and your bike shop will fit it for comfort. they started the stem on the very top of the steering tube for example...and I have slowly moved it downward every week or so of riding; as my confidence is building. Yesterday, i rode it for the first time with the stem all the way to the bottom. This picuture is where the stem is positioned almost all the way down from a few weeks ago.

Edited by Unicron 2014-08-14 10:27 AM






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