What are the best sources of information on how to select and buy the right road bike for triathlon use?

Question

I am a serious age group athlete generally finishing in the top 20% of my group. Even after several years of competing I still feel seriously ignorant about bikes. I know I need a new one, but I don't know where to start with research etc. My top priorities are FIT (my current bike never fit properly and holds me back) and, ease of use (maintenance, tire changing). Yes, this is important to me. The amount of info out there is overwhelming so advice on where to start, what questions to ask, what to read, etc. is very welcome. I do Olympic and half Ironman distances but will work up to my first full IM in '07 or '08. So new, good bike is critical. Thanks.

Answer 1

what they said just shorter

Fit done by a shop, maybe not local. Ask around, find people who have been fit to find the best shop, you know references.

If you do that much racing get a TT bike, not a regular road bike. The angles and position are different, more aero for solo rinding. This should narrow your search and cut back on the volume of info.

Maintenance, about the same for all bikes, cheaper usually has more problems but not much different.

Tires, have multiple sets of wheels, use a durable clincher set for training and an aero sew-up set for racing.

good luck

Answer 2

First I am not a dealer or employee of any of the bikes I am writing about.

Okay. If FIT is the most important part then you need to find in your area a good, and I mean good, bike shop that will perform a FIT KIT exam for you. This will determine from your body the size bike that will optimize your ride. Talk to other riders who they will recommend.
If you are really serious about FIT then find a SEVEN cycles dealer. They are the best at fitting a bike for you. The bike is completely built around your needs and specifications. Custom bikes are all they do, they don't make any prebuilt sizes. You will lay down some serious cash, $1500 - $4000 for just the frame depending on material, but they are a great bike builder. You can option to use your own parts from your existing bike or have them build with all new parts.
Start with a FIT KIT, then at least you will know what you need for a bike size. Earlier I mentioned a good shop. The best way to tell is if they have the proper fit kit tools, and scheduale a time for you to come in. Atttention to detail is critical. Do not let someone watch you ride around the parking lot or even on a trainer and make some casual remarks.
Ease of maintenance is almost all the same for bike. Cheaper bike parts and wheels are harder to keep in good condition and will need more work, but the ease of which to reach and maintain that and a complete Campy Record should be about the same.
If you want easier tire changes then get quality tires that are Kevlar beaded ($55-65) for a single tire. They are softer on the edge than a cheaper steel belted tire, (yes like your car), and will peel off and push back on better.
Hope this helps.

M.

Answer 3

There is some excellent advice in all of this, I just want to add a couple points.

As far as maintenace, having parts from the same manufacturer will make life much easier. Record and D/A are fantastic, no question, but campy Chorus and Shimano Ultegra will get the job done just as well. Be careful about mixing in other parts. Cranks, derailleurs, and cassettes may claim to be compatable with Shimano or Campy, but often they require a lot more fiddling to get right.

As far as tires and wheels go, every combination fits a little differently. A tire that fits well on a Mavic wheel may be too tight on a Spinergy. Sometimes it takes trying a couple different tires to find one that works best on your wheels. And too loose can be just as agrevating as too tight, especially if you are using CO2 in a race. There is nothing more frustrating than watching the tube push the tire off the bead, and then pop!

Answer 4

I agree with your statement, that sometimes there is too much information out there, which makes coming to a decision about something very difficult. Buying a bike definetly falls into the 'Too much info' cattergory, so I'll do my best to help narrow things down for you. I'll start with fit, because in the many years I've spent working in the bike industry, no other subject has more BAD information available about it. Old wive's tales abound with regards to bike fit. Your best bet here, is to have a professional bike fitting done. A bike fitting is NOT where the guy in the bike shop asks you how tall you are and determines the top tube size of the frame you need. A real, pro bike fit will take approximately an hour, to an hour and a half, and you'll show up in your riding gear, clipless shoes inluded, put your bike on a turbo trainer, break a good sweat and start doing a thorough analysis of your position on the bike and how each variable on the bike (saddle height, bar height, hood position, pedall float etc.) will effect your ride. A proper bike fit is by far the most important step in purchasing a new bike, but sadly it is a step that 95% of riders will never take. I have put together $5,000+ Tri bikes for people who haven't had a fitting. You could have the nicest bike in the world, but if it doesn't fit well, you'll end up with some of the problems you mentioned (ie. a sore, numb hands), and you'll lose power and speed through inefficiency. There are many systems of bike fitting out there, but there are two I would specifically recommend: Serrota and Specialized. Both Serrota and Specialized offer a very thorough, systematic way of measuring your body and your bike. Their systems also interpret these numbers into actual real world adjustments that can be performed on any bike. The main advantage I see to these two systems in your specific case, are that you can have the fit done BEFORE you purchase your new bike, because the measurements performed during the fitting can actually tell what size bike, cranks, etc. you will want on your new bike. Then once you have your new bike, you can take the measurements from your fitting, and then adjust and fine tune your new bike. By starting with solid, real world measurments, you will be certain that your new bike is the correct size for you and how you ride.

Let me say here, that I come from a cycling backround, which I think lets me dispel some of the common misconceptions I see with people getting Tri bikes, so maybe you can avoid some of the pitfalls I see people drop into all the time. You mentioned you do Olympic and Half Ironman Tri's, so you're riding 40-90 km, so the weight of your bike shouldn't be the biggest concern you have. This is a major problem I see when setting up Tri bikes for people. They become obsessed with gram counting, when the hinest truth is, in a 40-90km race, the weight of the bike doesn't make that much of a difference at all. The distance is too short for it to have an effect, and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is either misinformed, or lying and trying to get you to buy something. That's the facts. Sure, if you try to race a Tri on a Schwinn Stingray, you'll have a problem, but in general most good quality road bikes will work just fine for a triathalon, and they will ne plenty light. Reliability (as you mentioned maintenance was very important to you) and fit are much more important. I mentioned the weight issue, because when bikes start to get incredibly light, you DO sacrifice some reliability and ease of maintenance. Again anyone who tell syou different is incorrect. If you read the fine print that comes with most carbon fiber bike frames, you'll notice that manufacturer reccomends that you stop using the frame after you've either a.) crashed it or b.)raced on it for one full season. Carbon Fiber frames are meant to be one season frames. I don't know about you, but I have a hard time spening $3000 (USD) or more on a frame that's supposed to last one season. The additional rub to that is that CF crack from the inside out, so you won't know it's damaged or broken until it's too late. Where am going with all of the above? Basically, you don't need a carbon fiber frame for triathalons for all the reasons I mentioned.

I suggest you look into some of the amazing steel frames by Salsa, Independent Fabrication or Jade, which in many cases weight the same or a little more than a comparable CF frame, but will last you for a long, long time. I also think that steel frames have a superior ride quality to CF and aluminum, but that's a personal opinion. A lot of people agree on that one, a lot disagree. I'm not sure what your budget is, but if you're really serious about your sport, a custom frame may be worth the money, and you won't be able to beat the fit. Vanilla Bikes, Ben Moon and Brick City are just three of the many,many amazing and competent frame builders out there.

As far as ease of maintenance goes, this all comes down to components, and in my mind there are really only two component groups worth owning: Campagnolo Record or Shimano Dura-Ace. Really, both do their job exceedingly well, the main difference is each has a slightly different way of shifting, which is again personal preference. I like Campy, but Dura Ace will be just as reliable and easy to work on. I suggest trying out both to get a feel for the shifters and choosing which one feels more comfortable. It can sometimes be difficult to get Campy aero bar shifters, but with a little searching you can get them. Out of all the parts you put on your bike, the wheels will have the most noticeable effect on ride quality, and they are the one place where weight does matter quite a bit, because you feel rotating weight much more than static weight. Get the lightest wheels you can find. For the most part, discs and tri-spokes (or quads) offer no real advantage over spoked wheels,and if there's a crosswinf you're sunk. I reccomend hooking up with a local wheel building guru. Every town has one guy who's been building wheels forever. Find him, tell him what you're doing, and he'll be able to lace up a set of wheels that will be perfect for your tri-bike. Wheels are worth breaking the bank for, as they are a piece of gear that really will effect performance. Also, hand built wheels will easily last 10 years if you take good care of them.

I hope that was somewhat helpful, and remember that hype is rampant in the cycling world, so follow your gut when buying your new tri bike.

Answer 5

I gotta pass with Wacky in this one. i like the two motorbike ideas-set. the two motorcycles he chosen look aggressive get entry to point motorcycles. of path in case you locate you like "street" Tri over Xterra (or vice versa) you in all probability could improve to greater healthy that want. look into the Felt line additionally, as carlos reported they DO have a reliable rep in Tri. they have the womens specific motorcycles with 650 wheels.