that's great.

i rode a Raleigh Record (true 10 speed) the first few years. didn't bother me a bit.

let's hope the owner had enough fun to come back again.

---

Train hard...race well.
www.jimmishler.com
"Jim, I happen to agree with you" DougStern

Honestly ... I'm resolved (and content) to get the Wal-Mart bike or something similar. It's not a big deal to me.

When we sat down and figured out the budget/schedule, the one thing that stuck out to me was that I spend more time and money and triathlon stuff than I do helping others, church, etc. That's not okay with me.

I don't *need* a $2K bike. I can deal without one. As someone else said, I'll focus on the engine, and see where that gets me.

So, next year, there will be at least one Wal-mart (or similar) bike in a 1/2IM and IM-distance race.

As I said in another thread, the WM bike is likely a step up form the 20yo Raleigh I am using now. Worst case scenario, I train all year on a heavier bike (Wal-mart) bike and use my Raliegh (slightly lighter) for race prep and racing .. and gain some speed with the switch.

---

=======================
-- Every morning brings opportunity;
Each evening offers judgement. --

hey, until this spring, my road bike was a 15 year old 25 pound Trek with an Arione saddle. I'd love to know how this Walmart thing rides, for $149 (?), maybe we are all idiots!!!!

shhhh, don't tell Tom...

---

--------------------------------------------------------------------

it still always comes down to the engine

---

Train hard...race well.
www.jimmishler.com
"Jim, I happen to agree with you" DougStern

Dave Scott was going sub 9 without aerobars and a clunker bike decades ago.

---

________________
Adrian in Vancouver

My very first tri was done on my trusty fixed gear commuter. Yes, a new bike has brought my time down by a fair bit, but I still passed a heck of a lot of people on much more expensive bikes with my green snot rocket (as I affectionately refer to it as). Still, would easily drop $5000 on a high zoot tri bike if I had the coin! I just love bikes.

Chris

You're really getting a lot of bike for the price if you look at it in terms of $$ per pound.

I think any bike that gets you from T1 to T2 safely is what you need. You can spend $10 at a garage sale or $10,000 for a total custom rig. I do think that people get way too hung up on the bike. I will also say that since I have been old enough to own my own bikes (8 years old with money from Christmas) I have been tricking them out. I love bikes and if I was not doing triathlons I would just have one less bike. I am working on my 5th one now. I do like to have a bike that is made specifically for the event that you are doing. Tri-bike, road bike, cross bike, mountain bike, bmx.

I remember doing some bike races in high school. A guy name Lee shows up on a POS that was almost falling apart. I think he only had 6 working gears. No top end or bottom end. Anyways this guy kicked ass in the last race of the year. It is all about the engine.

Wait till I show up next year with my '89 Puch I got at the Berlin Flea Market for $10!!! With her clip-on bars and clipless pedals, I equate her to a Bucket-T roadster ... it's not what she was - it's what she is now ...

---

"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin