Tri bike: renting vs buying

Aug 1, 14 11:41

Post #1 of 16 (2188 views)

I'm what most of you would call a "lightweight" AGer...I only do a couple sprints, a couple HIMs (not yet, planned for 2015) and an XTERRA per year. So 4-5 tris, one of which is off-road (so no road/tri bike necessary). My Trek road bike has been, to date, my training and racing bike...and has been bombproof and very comfortable.

My LBS is now renting a new Specialized Shiv, and will soon have a Trek Speed Concept 7 for rent as well. It's only $60 for the first day, $40 for the second; $100 for a weekend. If I'm only racing four to five races a year (many of which I don't need multiple days for), that would only be $300-400 per year. At that rate, it would take 10 years to cover the cost of my dream bike (Falco V) at that price. Add to that my XTERRA-only plans (ok, two local road sprints, too) for 2016, and it seems like a no-brainer to me.

My LBS has a very knowledgeable fitter, who I've talked to and says he can get me fit on the Shiv (or Concept) before renting and then whenever I want to rent, I can easily have it adjusted. I might even save the rental for the HIM-distance races, and only go with the roadie for the sprints.

Does anyone have any experience renting a TT bike and using it for racing?

- John
"Have courage, and be kind."

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [fitknight] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 11:59

Post #2 of 16 (2163 views)

Sounds like you're training/racing enough to warrant owning a tri-bike.
(ADD: Consider finding a good used rig...?)

Last edited by: Brushman: Aug 1, 14 12:01

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [fitknight] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 12:21

Post #3 of 16 (2132 views)

buy your own bike, you'll be happier

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [fitknight] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 12:42

Post #4 of 16 (2094 views)

I would suggest that your shoulders, neck, and even legs (yes they are used slightly different in an aero position) will hate you for riding in the aero position only on race day. Ouch.

You'd be better off setting your road bike up with a very low front end that puts you in a good aero position. The difference between a road bike frame and aero frame is small if you can put your body in an equally good aero position on a road bike.

24 Hour World TT Champs-American record holder
Fat Bike Worlds - Race Director
Insta: chris.s.apex

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [fitknight] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 12:44

Post #5 of 16 (2091 views)

I think it's a great idea. You don't have to ride a tri bike all the time for training. Unless you plan on selling your road bike to fund the purchase or have a large discretionary income, go with the rental. You might find that after a year you do want to buy a tri bike. I'd rent it for a weekend or even 4 days to get comfy on it, then maybe one other time too especially before a HIM, but it's still cheaper than buying a new bike.

I do most of my riding on a road bike and just enough on my tri bike to be comfy, but if I only did sprints, I wouldn't at all, just race on a tri bike.

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [cmscat50] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 12:56

Post #6 of 16 (2068 views)

cmscat50 wrote:

I would suggest that your shoulders, neck, and even legs (yes they are used slightly different in an aero position) will hate you for riding in the aero position only on race day. Ouch.

You'd be better off setting your road bike up with a very low front end that puts you in a good aero position. The difference between a road bike frame and aero frame is small if you can put your body in an equally good aero position on a road bike.

I spend a lot of time in the gym, strength training and focusing on my core and shoulders, because I know that otherwise I'll suffer on the ride. My fitter actually commented on my core strength the other day; on that note, I'm pretty low on the road bike as it is...but that's a really good suggestion. :)

- John
"Have courage, and be kind."

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [fitknight] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 12:57

Post #7 of 16 (2065 views)

Say you race 5 times a year for 3 years and ONLY RENT on race day. That's $900 spent in renting.

But realistically you'll rent it for the weekend and at that rate you'll spend $1500 renting over 3 years.

For $1500 you can buy a pretty solid tri bike in the classifieds or a low end brand new tri bike for very close to that. I mean, here's a brand new 2014 Giant Trinity Composite 2 for $1900. Or use a company like "My Bike Shop" (whose owner you can often times find in the classifieds) and get a ridiculously good deal on bikes.

https://www.mybikeshop.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=62&sort=p.price&order=ASC

https://www.mybikeshop.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=461

So no, renting does not make sense from an economics standpoint even if you tell yourself you're minimally using it. As I demonstrated, you're likely to spend between $900-1500 over 3 years and you can easily own a solid low end tri bike (and let's be real, a low end 2014 tri bike is still an amazing bike and is pretty much only 2-3 years of tech behind the top end bikes often times).

Buy a bike and own it 24/7 and have it at your disposal, you won't regret it.

The Home of Advanced Running
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Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [SpicedRum] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 12:58

Post #8 of 16 (2065 views)

SpicedRum wrote:

I think it's a great idea. You don't have to ride a tri bike all the time for training. Unless you plan on selling your road bike to fund the purchase or have a large discretionary income, go with the rental. You might find that after a year you do want to buy a tri bike. I'd rent it for a weekend or even 4 days to get comfy on it, then maybe one other time too especially before a HIM, but it's still cheaper than buying a new bike.

I do most of my riding on a road bike and just enough on my tri bike to be comfy, but if I only did sprints, I wouldn't at all, just race on a tri bike.

That's kinda why I'm leaning this direction...it's a lot easier to stomach $400 a year (especially if my race entries are cheaper) than $4000+ all at once.

Good idea about the whole weekend rental to familiarize myself with the bike.

- John
"Have courage, and be kind."

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [fitknight] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 13:06

Post #9 of 16 (2044 views)

See my post above, you can easily land a solid tri bike in the low $1000s. And by $4000 you better be a solid triathlete to dump that kind of money into a bike.

For example, I ride this little guy.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/trinity.composite.1/14803/66301/

I picked it up for $2400. That's an amazing bike. I've made it faster by picking up a zipp 808 with disc cover for the rear and i'm buying a 404 for the front. But it was stock a really nice purchase. You can easily get the Giant TC 2 for like $1500 or so.

And as I mentioned, if you only rent, you can never ever ride or train the bike unless your racing. Why would you ever really want to spend 99.8% of your time on a road bike only to not race on that? Doesn't make a lot of sense.

If you've made up your mind that's fine, but the numbers don't make a lot of sense for renting given that the used triathlon market is one of the best and your inability to train with what you race on is a huge negative.

The Home of Advanced Running
Advanced Running Instagram Page
My narcisstic training log

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [fitknight] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 13:09

Post #10 of 16 (2035 views)

Perhaps you should post up a pic or video of you on the road bike. That'll give us an idea how much time you are potentially losing vs. a tri bike. If you are indeed pretty low already, just get some shorty clip ons and be done with it for <$100. Spend whatever you have left on other go-fast bits.

Otherwise, I think you are neglecting the best option which most people take (and what has already been mentioned). Get a great second hand bike for 1-1.5k. The difference between that and the shiv will not be too much. I'd go further and guess that you will be faster on your own bike than the rental as well since you will be more comfortable, having logged many many hours on it. Personally, every spring, I always have a sore neck and shoulders my first few rides outdoors. This is because on the trainer, I stare at the stem more than the "road". I can imagine you'll have all sorts of discomfort only riding the rented shiv a few times through the year.

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [fitknight] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 13:11

Post #11 of 16 (2034 views)

How are your bike handling skills in the aero position? I know it took a fair number of rides in the bars just to get used to it, and I'm still learning real riding skills. Hard to see how to train for that other than on the road and on the TT bike.

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [fitknight] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 13:24

Post #12 of 16 (2008 views)

I bought my frame for $100 on the classifieds and built up my aluminum, tri bike for not a lot more than your rental figures ( I had some parts sitting around.)

On the other had, the fastest car in the world is a rented car.

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [fitknight] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 13:37

Post #13 of 16 (1979 views)

You can't train the aero position in the gym IMO.

For what it's worth the 10 watts or whatever you save with an aero frame would probably be lost trying to fight a bike you aren't used to anyway.

24 Hour World TT Champs-American record holder
Fat Bike Worlds - Race Director
Insta: chris.s.apex

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [justarunner] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 14:19

Post #14 of 16 (1945 views)

Thanks for the perspective; hadn't quite thought of it in those terms.

- John
"Have courage, and be kind."

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [cmscat50] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 14:22

Post #15 of 16 (1941 views)

Thanks for all the input, guys; I've got a lot to think about before next April (first tri of the 2015 season). I guess I need to spend more time evaluating what I want to get out of my racing and what I have to work with (money-wise).

- John
"Have courage, and be kind."

Re: Tri bike: renting vs buying [fitknight] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 14 14:53

Post #16 of 16 (1914 views)

Dont forget, if you dont want to drop the $ all at once, a lot of bike stores & companies offer financing - usually 0% for 6mo-1year. Helps spread out the pain of buying a new bike if you cant afford it all at once.

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