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newbie, bike issues
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Hi. I'm new and bound to say something stupid, so please be gentle.

I want to do a sprint and maybe international distance triathlon this summer. I am a very good swimmer (masters, was competitive in college), and semi-regular runner... but absolutely cluess when it comes to biking. I take spinning classes and ride the stationary bike in the gym, but when it comes to biking outdoors (on my mountain bike), my limit is about 10mph tops.

Part of the problem is that I live in a city, and it's very hard to bike fast because of traffic. The stoplights don't help either. The other problem is that I live in the northeast, so it's cold and dark. I don't mind doing my runs in the cold and dark, but I'm not comfortable biking after dark. Also, I don't know how to do anything to my bike - can't fix a flat or anything, so I'm afraid to go very far from home.

Is it possible to be adequately prepared for a first tri doing mostly spinning/stationary biking? Or am I kidding myself here? Is the idea of doing a first tri with a mountain bike ridiculous? I don't have nearly the money to spend on a road bike, unless I can get one for under $200 total.

Thanks for any advice.
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Re: newbie, bike issues [janet] [ In reply to ]
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If you are spinning and running and swimming you'll have no trouble at all doing your first tri when the weather improves. My first year of doing tris was right after I graduated from university. I had been a varsity cross-country and track runner who started swimming in January when I decided to take up the sport (I struggled to swim 200 yards my first swim). I did no riding at all until April when I graduated and could afford to buy a bike and then got in all of 7 weeks of riding before I did my first race. If you are fit from the other disciplines then you can easily complete your first race. As for the bike knowledge, it will come in time as well. I remember being asked "what kind of gruppo" and did I ride "tubulars or clinchers" in my first season. I had no idea what the hell anyone was asking me and of course I was riding tubulars since they had tubes in them!:) I would recommend going down to your local bike shop and asking for some help showing how to change a tire and do basic maintenance and just use your mountain bike (switch the tires over to slicks) for your first race or two to see how you enjoy it. Good luck and have fun.
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Re: newbie, bike issues [janet] [ In reply to ]
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Janet, realize that tri is first and foremost all about having fun. There is no such thing as a stupid question. We were all beginners once. 99% of tri-geeks are very willing to help. I've found that is the really nice thing about this sport. This is a good forum to ask questions.

I ran my first tri on an old 12 sp road bike with no aerobars or clipless pedals. There was an elite woman at the event who had her tri bike stolen. She borrowed a mountain bike and I still remember her passing me.

All newbies start tris with strengths and weaknesses. As a good swimmer and runner, you're way ahead of where I was. Lots of newbies run their first events n mountain bikes, so don't worry about it. Just go out and have fun. Be aware though, that you're starting into something that can become very addictive.

You can sometimes actually get a fairly decent 80's road bike for $200-300 if you look hard enough. Some of these bikes have beautiful lugged steel frames that are nicer than those found on many of the newer bikes. Add on a pair of clipless pedals and a pair of short length aero bars and you'll have a bike that can do 95% of what a new bike will do and will be faster than your mountain bike. Remember that the engine is the most important part of the bike. Just make sure it fits well.

There is a lot to learn about bikes. You'll have to do a lot of net research but please feel free to come here regularly and ask questions. there will be a lot of folks willing to help.

I'll try to dig up some urls to recommend for the next time you post.
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Re: newbie, bike issues [janet] [ In reply to ]
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Hey Janet if we had time I will tell you all about my early disasters, what not to do, and how not to do it, but it would take too long!! Way too long

My first multi sport event was a duathlon, somehow got talked into it by training partners (trained for a marathon with them) they told me it was 5km run, 20k bike (once up a local 1km hill) and 5km run. How hard could that be, I just ran a marathon!!

So I dusted off my mountain bike (been in storage 2yrs) and got entered (I did not actually enter myself you understand). Turned up and found out it was 5/40/10 and 3 times up the hill not 1. Talk about being had! At this stage my bike skills had not got to the stage where I could drink without having to stop, also evidently I did not know how to secure my front wheel. On the second descent I noticed the front quick release was rotating it self loose at some pace. I said my prayers and crossed my fingers and somehow managed to get to the bottom when I could safely secure the release. From there I am now training for my 3rd IM, which is coming up real soon. So I have learnt a few things since then (such as not to eat smokies, sausage rolls, pepperoni sticks during stops on bike rides and hope to feel good after, especially if Yellow Lake is coming up!)

Anyway I back to your question. Yes, spinning and indoor riding will definitely see you through your races. I once did a half iron (my first) training mostly indoors (that was another story all in itself) I still ride a lot on the trainer indoors. I did my first half iron on a 200 CND (not real money BTW :)) Bianchi, its my winter bike, cant bring myself to part with it but its always on offer as a loaner to newbies in the summer months.

Good luck and have fun. Eats lots afterwards!



__________________________________________________
Simple Simon
Where's the Fried Chicken??
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Re: newbie, bike issues [janet] [ In reply to ]
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janet,

find a fellow biker or bike shop and just get a quik 101 on bike stuff. you are more prepared than i was my first tri. i signed up for boulder peak (a big olympic dist. race in boulder co). i had an older road bike way to big...it was a 61' inch frame. i now ride a 56'. i bought a used set of way too long aerobars. i rode about 130 miles all of training. my longest ride was about 30 miles. i had somewhat of a running background so running was about 85% of my training! swimming.....well, i could swim...sort-of. most of my training swims were about 400-500 yards (with alot of rests). my longest swim was about 1000 (once). for a 1500 meter swim open water race. RACE DAY: i finish the swim in 35:00! run up the shore to transition and BARF! i lost all my breakfast and a powerbar. right in front of my family and friends! after puking i run (walk) to the bike. (i had a race worker watching me very suspiscously, i thought she was going to pull me) once on the bike a did the 25 mile ride, i had fun (biking is the easiest part, so you'll be fine) and passed alot of people. once i finished i new i wanted to be a "tri-geek" ....i finished the race in 2:45:50. (i thought it was pretty bad, but was told pretty good for my first race) ...the next olympic race i did (after a few well needed sprints races) i shaved 13:00min off my swim.! that's how bad i was!

cheers and have fun!
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