Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

Bike Conundrum
Quote | Reply
Long time lurker here.

Did my first sprint tri in August, the Chicago Triathlon, and absolutely loved it (and performed much better than I anticipated) as part of working towards my goal of doing a 70.3 in 2018.

I'm doing the St. George 70.3 in May and am trying to figure out what to use for the bike. I've been cycling for almost 3 years and have a 4 year old Cannondale Synapse disc with 105 groupset. I bought the bike used after it had sat outside for a winter. I have been in a wreck with it that left me with 60+ stitches and several broken bones in my hand, and it has been laid down a couple other times. Needless to say in it's current condition it's not ideal for any racing.

I don't want to buy a new bike before the race, because I'm waiting to see how much I love doing another tri as right now I'm split between a race road bike and an aero road bike.

Everything I read says not to use anything new on race day, but it doesn't seem worth bringing my beat up Synapse to St. George.

Should I suck it up and bring it? Should I rent a road bike near there? Should I wing it and rent a tri bike without ever having ridden one?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Quote Reply
Re: Bike Conundrum [willg] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
willg wrote:
Should I wing it and rent a tri bike without ever having ridden one?

This would be a terrible idea.

"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"
Quote Reply
Re: Bike Conundrum [willg] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
You have 6 months before the race. I suggest going to your local bike shop and have them get the bike in working order.

A tri bike would certainly be faster, but on a course like St George, you want to be comfortable and confident on your bike. Do not rent a tri bike for the first time at this course.

The descents are not technical, but you can easy hit 40mph or 50mph if you tuck confidently.

Alex Arman

Strava
Quote Reply
Re: Bike Conundrum [willg] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Find a good deal on a used bike on the classifieds. May is a long way off and you’ll have all winter to train on it. If you don’t like tri after all, you won’t be out a ton of cash on a rapidly depreciating new bike from a shop. You can always resell it.
Quote Reply