I been thinking about doing one of my life goals which is to do a Triathlon. I've competed in swimming, distance running and BMX. Not all together at once of course. I kind of know what I'm getting into with the running and the swimming but have never ridden or bought a road bike. I know from the little research I've done that I would need a Time Trial type road bike but I know nothing else. Can someone give me an idea of what to get for an entry level bike for triathlons? So far I just want to complete one race and am not sure if I'll do more after that so I'm not looking for the best thing you can get. Also, any other tips for a newbie in this sport would be appreciated.

my opinion, from being both a long-time bike shop guy and road rider who has done some time trials and bike legs at Tri-relays.

since you're just getting into it and not sure wheter you'll continue, i'd say get a "regular" road bike, first. get some tri accessories like aero bars and maybe a seatpost that moves you forward.

reasons for this are many, but here are a few:

depending on what you want to spend, a tri-bike will start out at a more expensive pricepoint than where "road" bikes will start.

if you decide not to continue doing tris/time trials, a dedicated tri bike is not that useful at anything else (ie: if you still want to keep the bike a just ride it) because of the particular geometry. ( i have a dedicated aerobike and it sux for anything but fast, flat straight lines )

alot of the added expense with a tribike is for aero features. this is all good, except that many of those features don't actually come into play unless you ride at approx 25mph+. i don't know where you're at in that respect, but i know most of my customers just starting are no where near that mark, yet. (aero bars are the exception. get those, for sure. they make the single biggest difference)

I'll echo coasterbrake. I did my first duathlon last Fall aboard my MTB, which I outfitted with 1" wide tires. I want to do that du again this year, and a Tri or two. But I decided on a classic road bike. I'll add clip-ons Aero bars.

I figured this would be the best thing for me as I am just getting into road riding. I might try our local citizen's road race, and I also might do a couple of longer road rides (75 - 150 miles) that I have always thought would be fun.

So I figured an all-purpose road bike would be appropriate. I'll stick with that until I am convinced that it is holding me back in the Du/Tri races (maybe next year if I make great progress in my times and in my weight loss program!)

I'd echo Paul & coaster, but if you are looking for something entry, look at the Jamis comet or the Felt S32, lastly a fuji aloha all around the $1000 price point.

I should give you a couple more tips, since you are at the place I was a year ago. You are ahead of me, actually, with your experience with running and swimming. I was not really a runner since I gave up Track as a freshman in High School. And I have never been a swimmer. I am still trying to figure out the swimming piece - lucky for me it was a Run-Bike-Run duathlon in my town that caught my attention and got me training.

Here's my story, I've told it elsewhere before so if anyone has read this before, sorry to be redundant. I was a fat guy who was still active in BMX and basketball - never more than once a week in either activity. I tore up my knee in January of 07 playing basketball. Had surgery on April 2. At that point I knew I had to lose weight. I changed my diet quite a bit, following the ideas laid out in a book called "The Three Hour Diet" - available everywhere. That helped a lot. I also started commuting to work (5 miles) by bike. But by July, I kind of plateaued on the weight loss at about 20 lbs. I found a flyer for a Duathlon to be held in October in my town. It was the first time it had been held. I looked at it and said "I could do that". This was in July. I started walking/running. I'd walk to warm up, then try to run for about a half mile, and then walk a mile. I tried to do this about 3x a week, and riding the bike about 2-3x a week too. I'd gradually increase the running. Then I found a training plan on www.runnersworld.com/first
This fit into my plans very well. I figured that by focusing on my running training, I would increase my overall fitness faster, and that would help my bike. I do believe that is a true-ism to remember.

Anyway, by following that FIRST program, I really pushed myself, in a way that I would not have without having any structured program. Also, along the way, I substituted a local 10K race for one of the long runs planned for Saturday. That was a good thing too, to keep my motivation up.

Bottom line, I went from 256 lbs on April 2 to 216 lbs on October 16, when I did the Duathlon. I entered in the Clydesdale class aboard my MTB and got 3rd place, something like 82nd overall out of 300 participants. As this event was in our town for the first time, many of them were also first timers. You should not feel out of place or intimidated if you do not have a Tri-bike - all kinds of people do these events.

I was proud of my accomplishment and am eager to push myself more in 2008. Now I just have to add swimming to my skill set.
Like you, I have had a triathlon on my personal radar for over 20 years - ever since I was 16 and I heard about a phoenominal 15 year old triathlete named Lance Armstrong. This will be the year I finally tackle it.

But enough about me...what's your story Chris? Anyone else chime in too...let's make this the tri thread. Pep and Elvis, have you guys been doing Tris? Your posts in the other thread about the Orbea TT bike would make me think so....

Here's my story... I swam competitively in middle school and in 9th grade in high school. Hated my swim coach in Highschool and after swim season I went out for track and found out I was a decent distance runner. I ran track and cross country through highs chool and started racing BMX as well early on in high school. After high school I did nothing athletic. I missed BMX and competing. Fast forward 11 years later... I'm married with a career and my wife gives birth to our daughter. I have an early midlife crisis and buy a BMX cruiser the month my daughter is born. I race BMX for the next year and a half, that gets us up to now. About a month ago I eat it hard in a race and separate my right shoulder. Now I know this isn't a major injury and it is healing up fairly quickly, but it has been tough being head of household with a toddler and being injured. So, I decide to be responsible and not to compete in the BMX arena any more. I'm still going to stay involved at the track and ride my cruiser at practices for fun but the hard core competing is out. Not to mention my wife is not very suportive of my BMX racing.

So, we are at my wife's work last weekend (She's a personal trainer at a major health club here) and we are talking to this guy that she works with and he is talking about doing an iron man and that he has been doing this stuff for a while. After we leave I say to her " I've always wanted to do a triathlon" and she says " I don't know why you havn't"

So, that starts me thinking. Especially since my wife sounds like she will actually support this venture and I have an excuse to buy another bike. LOL.

So, so far I have bought a pair of running shoes and am researching bikes. I ran this morning and felt pretty good. I plan on starting off just with the running so I can get my endurance back. I'll buy a bike in a few months . I plan on doing my first triathlon in June or July. There are a bunch down in the Sarasota FL area which is where I'm from originally and still have family down there. There is a short local event here in a month but I won't be able to get a bike before then. I may see if I can borrow a bike from a friend though. The local one is a 250 swim, 4 mile bike and 1.5 mile run. That will be a good first one to do if I can round up a bike. All I have is my BMX cruiser and that of course won't cut it.

Thanks for all of the info you've given, coaster and retro. You have answered a lot of my quesitons. Thanks also for your story too Retro. I would love to hear anyone else's first time triathlon stories.

-Chris

Hey midlscoolChris imagine how cool it would be to finish in front of a few bike snobs at a du or tri on a 3speed bmx cruiser....
Im with you guys, the Tri's look like a good time, the sprint distance or the olympic that is... I have been looking around for a road bike too. Im planning on clip on aeros. I really wanted to get a made in USA bike, but it looks like even the lower end treks are outsourced these days, I was told you need to go up to a $2900 madone 5.1 to find a USA made frame. Then theres seven cycles and waterford both way out of my $ for a bike to start on. Sure would like to find something USA complete under $2000. (The same goes for bmx cruisers, theres not enough small USA made frame builders anymore, I think my next one will be a Schnieder since Supercross doesnt make an xxl anymore.)
Ive been running about 5miles most days for a few years, but any more miles makes the knees hurt. It might be good for the legs to spin on a bike instead of hammering the street as much. The swim will be the tough one. Havent been in the water in a long time, and swimming laps in the pool is way different than open water, gives me the butterflies thinking about not being able to stop and stand up. Are waist floatie duckies legal in competition?
So anyway Ill post again if I find a bike, thinking of picking one up this week or next. Suggestions on brands/models in the 1500-2000 range?

fyi,,,Somehow I forgot about Cannondale as an option, I called their HQ and asked about USA made products and as far as the road bikes Im looking into the Caads, six 13's, system 6's, and the ALUM synapse are made in USA.
The Synapse Carbon and Ironman versions I was told are made elsewhere.

Paul -

I have done a couple Tri's & 1 DU. I was a mountain biker up until 2001, racing on the Wisconsin Circuit & some NORBA races. My friend told me to get a road bike and see if I liked it. Fell in love. Sold the mountain bike & never looked back.

Sprint distances mostly & I had to train hard on the running part. I have weak knees, but good legs from all the biking. I have not done any races for a while & have been concentrating on more distance rides and enjoying that. It's not to colossal of an effort to go and ride 70 miles any more. As I type this, I do think about getting a tri bike just for going fast, but again....I have to look at where I am at mentally & physically in my life & right now I am unclear.

I raced at 180, got lazy, went to 215, new years resolution got me back in the gym and now I'm back around the 190 mark, but solid. That's my story...

mxer - the cannondale's are nice. the synapse is a different, less aggressive ride because of the VERY tall headtube. much more of a relaxed geometry. If you want a ride that you can go all day on, I'd recommend that, but if it's speed, then I'd look more to the R800 & above for a faster ride.

I have access to a lot of FUJI ALL Carbon team bikes, carbon cranks in all sizes for around a $1500 or less price point at my Tri shop where I get all my gear.

If nothing else, ride everything & get a pro-fit. You'll thank yourself later for that.

Those fujis sound like a really good value..isnt se bikes and kestrel really fuji too?
i think the super six is more than I need and I heard the system six isnt any lighter than the caad's.The caad 9.5 withthe 105 group looks like a nice start for me, its also the only USA bike I can find in that price range...

My local shop is getting a Cannondale Caad 9.5 for me this week. I thought it was a good price, ultegra rear d, with 105 everything else, plus the big selling point for me at least is made in USA. When I get it fitted up Ill post back a quick newbie review.
Chris- if your still looking for a tri specific, they had a nice trek on the floor at my lbs that went for around $1700, I think you have alot of options though in that price range , one think I noticed is it seems you get slightly better components for about equal prices on regular road bikes...

I'd give a serious look at the JAMIS and then the ORBEA
The JAMIS scored #1 in the wind tunnel(Beating BMC,CERVELO,ETC.)

http://fujibikes.com/2008/bikes.asp?id=416

Fuji, SE and Kestrel are owned by a company called ASI. they are all separate brands and while connected, one does not "run" any other.

The Aloha is a good value and has great geometry. Wehn the Kestrels come in, they will be a good bike to look at. Kestrel is really backing the Tri market. Look for big things from them.

Picked up that Cannondale Caad 9 R5 today. Im a newbie at the road thing, but I really feel like I got my $ worth, lifetime adjustments from lbs, and they worked on the fit for a good while changing out the stem and making other adjustments. Plus its one of the only bikes in that price point made in USA.

Congrats MXer! Sounds like you have a great local bike shop there - that's great that they swapped the stem for you. And you accomplished your MADE IN USA goal. Sounds like you are going to be picking bugs out of your teeth, as you speed down the road with a grin permanently affixed to your mug.

MidSchoolChris...with your running and swimming experience, and a personal trainer for a wife, you should be able to do that Tri no problem. If you can't find a bike, do it on your BMX cruiser for sure! Just raise the seat way up! Honestly, these types of events attact all kinds of peoples, you shouldn't worry about it.

But anyway, since you would probably rather not do it on BMX bike, check around with some of the shops that rent bikes to tourists. Some of them probably carry road bikes and would rent you one for the day or weekend.

It's been a couple weeks since you posted Chris. That race must be just about 3 weeks away....how's the training coming? You have to follow through on this! We're pulling for you!

Yeah, I'm still trying to get into a training routine. It's tough with a job and toddler. I've only been running a couple of times a week and havn't gotten in the pool yet. I'm shooting for doing a sprint triathlon at the end of June. I need to get in a groove soon in order to pull that off. I'm still trying to figure out the bike thing. Budget is playing a big role right now. Just got done paying doctor bills from when I wrecked in a BMX race and have maintainance on my car to do. I'm trying to avoid selling my cruiser but that still may happen since I'm cutting back on the BMX racing and really want to do a triathlon. So, a road bike is last on my list right now. I'm hoping to beef up the running and get in the pool a couple times a week. Once I can keep with that I'll get serious on getting a road bike. There is a 5k run in town pretty much every weekend here so I'm going to do some of those to help get back into it. So, it's slow going but don't give up on me yet. LOL.

When I first started I just bought a low end Specialized road bike and some clip on aero bars. I've done around fifteen or so triathlons with that setup, from sprint to half-iron, and five or so duathlons. I've been doing a lot more bike riding than running since I moved to Georgia, so now I've taken the aero bars off. I'm really liking BMX these days so, I'll probably do one sprint triathlon this year with that setup (no aero bars). I figure when my BMX career comes to an end, I can always go back to triathlon.

In regard to equipment, one thing I hate about triathlons are all the equipment weenies who act like you have to spend thousands to do triathlon. You need good shoes, good shorts, and a decent road bike. Everything else you have to train with is probably just fine. It's a pretty simple sport really. You swim around for a while, ride your bike some, and then go run.

Thanks tomg. yeah, I'm looking at low end bikes right now. 500-700 range. So far locally I've seen a Jamis for $550 and a Giant for $650. There are a couple of shops in town that sell used stuff so I'm going to check them out soon.

I have a BMX friend that did Triathlons for four years and was on a team. He is helping me develop a training plan. So far I've only been running. Hope to get in the pool at the gym this weekend and then do some bike riding at the gym as well until I get a bike.

I had a chance to put some miles on the cannondale r5, and I like the bike, but the shifting was way off though, I had it adjusted and will test ride again. Every time I stood up to climb, it broke loose out of gear almost went down a few times. Im sure its just cable stretch, should be ok now, at least I hope thats not completely normal for 105 group, it does have an ultegra rear d. Maybe I should somehow fit up some sew ups for the kappa k26, that would cheese off the bike snobs.....

Yeah, I sat on the CAD9 5 at the shop but didn't ride it. It was on sale for $1,300. The shop owner said since I was already into bikes that I would'nt be happy on anything lower end than that bike. Hope it works out for you.

-Chris

Chris,
So did you ever end up buying a bike and/or doing any tris?
Rhett