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Is new tech worth it for me?
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Wondering what recommendations you ladies and gents have, swim / bike tech wise, that would be worth it financially for an age grouper completion-ist. I'm not rich by any means, but i'm comfortable middle class.

I have the Superfrog 70.3 coming up in 12 weeks. Currently i'm 230 lbs, riding at about 15 mph (for the 56 miler) and 9:30ish mile pace (depending on rest / nutrition) for the half. I swim a sustained about 2-2:30 min / 100 yard in the pool. I have a wetsuit for the swim, which is fantastic for buoyancy and keeping me steamline for swimming. My bike, however, is a Giant Contend 3 entry level. I put on Shimano clipless pedals and have the clip in shoes. That helped. I use a base garmin cadence, speed and distance meter. That is helpful I suppose. I train with a Garmin 935 triathlon watch. That definitely helps too. I am following a 70.3 race plan. That helps too. I swim with 2xu brand triathlon shorts, supposedly that helps with bouncy while swim training. I train between 7-12 hours a week total.

So my questions are these: would increased bike tech help and be worth it? The bike training plans I looks at measure sustained wattage to increase power over time (and basically know how hard you should go and are going). Most of the wattage meters i've researched are in the 400+ dollar range though. Do you guys think training with one would bring me to another level through measured harder training? How has it worked for you and what are your tech recommendations?

Regarding the swim, what trunks / tech do you wear when you train and what do you guys recommend for improvements for me?

Thanks for the help!
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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When you say "completion-ist", do you mean more one-and-done (70.3 or 140.6) or you are committed to the sport in the relatively long term but completing is your only goal in each race you do?

Benjamin Deal - Professional - Instagram - TriRig - Lodi Cyclery
Deals on Wheels - Results, schedule, videos, sponsors
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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Honestly, if you say you really are a 'completionist' not shooting discrete personal time goals or similar, I'd say that getting whatever gear makes it the most FUN for you, and makes you the most likely to train more (and have fun in the process) is what you should shoot for.

Bottom line, none of the aero upgrades are going to make a big difference in your race results as a MOPish completionist. Seconds or even a few minutes don't matter if you're not even shooting to keep track of time for performance goals over time.
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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I'd agree and suggest that "tech" isn't where you should be spending your money; the gains will be marginal and/or difficult to quantify.

Based on where you say you are, continuing to train consistently will pay off in spades, and if you're desperate to throw cash at something, some indoor cycling classes are probably high on your bang-for-the-buck scale. Way more so than investing in a power meter.

But yeah, enjoy the ride, have fun, and trust in your consistency. There'll always be new tech to lust for!

Eliot
blog thing - strava thing
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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Get supplies to wash and lube the bike, read a book on basic repairs and understand your gears. Get help with cornering and climbing. 20 bucks well spent.
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [realbdeal] [ In reply to ]
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By completionist I mean my sole goal is to finish - at my best. I don't care to win or beat anonymous person X (my only opponent is myself), I just want to improve my ability and cross that finish line not feeling like a slacker. I am in triathlon for the long haul, but have no aspirations to be a professional or whatever.

This will be my first 70.3. I REALLY want to do a full Iron, but training consistently for 12 plus hours a week with my job is something that is probably improbable until I retire.

I have reading a lot about KickR and Swift trainers on this forum and think a 1 thru 1.5k investment in that, even with a entry level bike is something that may improve my game a TON in terms of ability and stamina in this sport for the long haul since I am a dad stuck at his house a lot. What are your thoughts?
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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Some good advice already.

But for me:-
1) In normal situation the best investment is a coach. In this case with 12 weeks to go, probably not worth it.
2) I love that you are in the perfect mindset - it's a hobby, it's fun. So if something shiny/carbon makes it more fun then it's worth it. Stick with that mindset and you'll enjoy the day itself and be quicker because of that positivity.
3) Helmets are probably the best $ per minute saving assuming you've got a fair position and aren't wearing a parachute waterproof jacket on the bike.
4) But here - now. I'd say spend the cash on 6 fortnightly massages. Will make the next 3 months way better and actually have the biggest positive improvement on your actual raceday by helping you get through the big block with less fatigue / injury risk.
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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Zwift is the best money I spend each month. $15 to train safely in my home and whenever I want is a no brainer.

You don’t need a $1k trainer. I have a Kurt kinetic rock n roll trainer that I bought used for $150 with the in ride sensor, as well as a speed and cadence sensor. The in ride tells zwift my power and I chug along with my plan for that day.

I’ve debated getting a smart trainer, but this accomplishes my needs for way less.

A quality trainer and zwift has made a huge impact on my training. I’m in the same boat as you, just racing myself.
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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Unless I missed it in your original post, there are three relatively inexpensive pieces of equipment that will help your cycling immensely.

First, clip on areobars. $130ish. These should be good for a 1-1.5mph improvement. Assume 1mph. That saves 14 minutes at your current pace.

Second, an aero helmet. An older Giro A2 at $100ish. Not sure what the improvement for the helmet is (someone is bound to chime in on this), but 0.2mph would ave another 2:48.

Finally, if it fits, wheelcover from Wheelbuilder.com. $120ish. FLO's disc vs a Mavic Open Pro is 5:19. Let drop that by a minute as a rough guess. So 4:19.

For less than $400, you stand to gain 22 minutes on the bike.
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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Before you get a power meter get a decent bike computer. Yes, you have the watch but if you spend a lot of time on the bike (and you should) something like a Garmin 520 is an ideal starting point. Get the premium heart rate monitor and you have the beginning of useful data that you can train with. If you decide later that you want to upgrade then you can add a non drive side crank style power meter for about 500-600.

Indoor training is great but you need to be able to ride on the road with confidence. If there's a local bike club that does organized rides in your area mix a few days of fun with guys in with your daily training.

The clip on aerobars are a must, also relatively inexpensive.

Put Continental 5000 tires with latex tubes on the bike. ProBikeKit.com had a pair for $78 on sale last week.

Buy some good quality bike shorts (The Black Bibs, best $35 shorts ever).

Treat yourself to a good race day tri suit. It may not make you any faster but you'll look smashing!

"They know f_ck-all over at Slowtwitch"
- Lionel Sanders
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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+1 to everyone recommending clip on aero bars. And lots of sound advice to buy gear that will make training more fun for you. After all, our hobby isn't racing triathlons; it's training for triathlons. Things get better when we learn to love the process.

An indoor trainer would be an excellent purchase. Makes bike training a lot less intimidating when you don't have to suit up, gear up, and do battle with cars. Sometimes (okay, most of the time) it's really nice to just put on youtube/netflix/reddit and space out. Make sure to buy a good fan and some extra towels as well :)

I love data and adding a power meter made cycling a lot more fun for me. Favero makes a pedal power meter for ~$400 that is super easy to use and effortlessly switches between bikes.

Darren
https://www.strava.com/athletes/12385497
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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Lots of good advice. As you write, everything you have done so far helps. So do more.

What I would keep in mind is that comfort is worth a lot too. Whatever you add to what you're doing, ask yourself if it adds or detracts from your comfort level.

I don't know about latex tubes. For me, they have been too fragile in training on entry level equipment and the roads I ride. It could be me; but until I get the hang of them, they won't be worth the money to continue to go through them.

Indoor Triathlete - I thought I was right, until I realized I was wrong.
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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+1 for Aero bars.

Rethink all your time management to see where you can squeeze time from. Can you cycle to work? Too far? Once a week? Public transport to work? Can you get off a stop or two early and run the rest? Cycle to where you swim. Run while family cycle.

As well as training to be better at the 3 sports also prepare during training to do a long distance triathlon. In the 80s my Dad told me that people would turn up for the marathon with brand new trainers and then get blisters. We are still making the same kind of mistake.
When you race you want to have nothing new. Your nutrition strategy shouldn't be new. You should know you are comfortable in your saddle and position for hours. No new gear and don't do anything you haven't practiced. Find a race day check list. Volunteer at a race. Watch races on youtube. Visualise yourself in a race and going through each stage. If you spend time on this forum you'll often see people say they have a race next weekend and then a question. At a race start I've stopped someone putting on a wetsuit back to front and had to help someone rethink their plan because they thought we went commando under wetsuits (and this race didn't have a changing tent).

Don't be that person.
Work out all your questions in advance and work them out while you train. What is the race provided nutrition? Have you practiced with that and do you like it? How often are the stations? Is 6am in that lake directly into the sun? If the sun will be to one side have you practiced breathing to the other? Have you practiced siting while swimming? What are the swim waves/starting positions like and where do you plan to start from? Have you practices mounting/dismounting? Have you got enough bottle cages and know how to ride through a drinks station?

You can do all that and still get tech.
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [IT] [ In reply to ]
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IT wrote:

I don't know about latex tubes. For me, they have been too fragile in training on entry level equipment and the roads I ride. It could be me; but until I get the hang of them, they won't be worth the money to continue to go through them.

You're probably right about the latex but that's more of a "how competent are you with bike mechanics" issue than a triathlon training issue. Maybe the OP knows nothing about bikes but I think fussing over your bike is a good way to enjoy the overall sport. But that's just me, if I have any hope of winning my AG I'm going to have to bring the best machine I can afford to the race.

I did, by the way, put new Contis and latex on my own bike the other day. I'm not sure what the fuss is about but on my Aeolus xxx6 rims it was a breeze. The additional cost is laughable compared to the rest of my triathlon investment. I hope my knees last long enough to get a decent ROI.

"They know f_ck-all over at Slowtwitch"
- Lionel Sanders
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [Fuller] [ In reply to ]
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I am in the same boat as you. My goal is to complete it and I will be nowhere near the front. My #1 concern was the cut off times. Below is how i spent my money.

Power meter(azzuma 1 sided power meter) cheapest and most reliable I could find.
trainer road. +$15 a month. In 5 months my FTP has gone from 107 to 165. Being able to ride safely inside whenever I want has been great and I bought a Kinetic smart trainer to go with it.
Continental 4000 tires ($60 on sale) to replace stock tires. Just dont use them on your trainer.
Clip on aero bars($25 ebay)
Wet suit - wait for a sale on swimoutlet or similar. I spent $180 for a $350 wetsuit.
Aero helmet ($35 ebay) - I wouldn't have bought this if I didnt get it on ebay cheap.
Trisuit - Piece of mind ultimately. I don't have to worry about changing in transition.
I have a garmin forerunner and a 530 head unit for the bike. The 530 I got as a Christmas present. It is a lot easier to stare at this then your watch.

Total above is probably right around 1.5k(I dont recall what i paid for the power meter/trainer).

I couldn't rationalize spending the money on wheelsets, a TT bike, or more expensive parts/meters for a BOP finish.
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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Reading through most of the responses I wondered whether you wouldn't be better off finding a swim group, ride group and a run group.

Yes it's nice to have all the toys, but in the end it's whether you enjoy the process.
There's got to be a Tri group locally.
Most running shops have a run group and almost any bike shop has a ride group.
Swimming is more difficult, because pool time is expensive.
But I'll bet if there's a lake near you, there's a lake swim group as well.

I have always preferred HR over power (a heresy) and that's a cheap solution.
This is a six hour event, controlling HR is important.

You mention weight, but not height, so really you are either big or small for your height.
Either way, it's just one more thing to learn to deal with.

The average temperatures there are highest in September, so you may want to look at dealing with the heat.
Bigger bodies (me too) make a lot of heat.

Best of luck.
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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wduke59 wrote:
So my questions are these: would increased bike tech help and be worth it? The bike training plans I looks at measure sustained wattage to increase power over time (and basically know how hard you should go and are going). Most of the wattage meters i've researched are in the 400+ dollar range though. Do you guys think training with one would bring me to another level through measured harder training? How has it worked for you and what are your tech recommendations?

Regarding the swim, what trunks / tech do you wear when you train and what do you guys recommend for improvements for me?
wduke59 wrote:
I have reading a lot about KickR and Swift trainers on this forum and think a 1 thru 1.5k investment in that, even with a entry level bike is something that may improve my game a TON in terms of ability and stamina in this sport for the long haul since I am a dad stuck at his house a lot.
I made my biggest gains from a used Kirt Kinetic Road Machine trainer and a TrainerRoad training plan subscription. After six months with that combination, I added a PowerTap P1 power meter to manage ride power better to plan. But, the KKRM trainer was the thing that was my difference maker. Then a year after that, I got a KICKR trainer. The KICKR made training easier, but it did not dramatically enhance the effectiveness of my training.

I train in Speedo Endurance Lite jammers. I only use these for training, and I chose them because they seem relatively inexpensive and last well for me. I do not race in them.

The rest of the performance investments are spot on. On a budget, with a goal of maximizing speed, this is the order I would buy:
  1. Good quality one-piece, sleeved tri suit
  2. Great tires and tubes (Continental GP 4000S2 or GP 5000 and Vittoria latex tubes)
  3. Aero helmet (Bell Javelin, or equivalent, for under $100)
  4. Clip-on aero bars-- these will help you speed up, but they also require some work on getting the fit and configuration right to be effective

Last edited by: exxxviii: Jun 24, 19 7:39
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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Use what makes it fun.

As far as spending $$$, I suggest TrainerRoad. Someone else suggested Zwift. TR has the plans and great analytics. you can do 30 days at no cost nor obligation.

I may have missed it, but a bike fit would be the other place to spend $$$. A REAL bike fit. And if you are going clip-on bars, include those.

If I were to put clip-on bars on my road bike, I would buy a second seat and seatpost -- and be fit for each (TT position and road position). Then all I would have to do is switch out the seat (assuming the seat angle itself were different), remove/add the clip-on bars and I would be ready to go.

The last suggestion would be a masters swim group with a coach on deck.
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [wduke59] [ In reply to ]
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For me, the best way to get faster is to train more on the bike, so the one recommendation I would make is a power meter and subscription to TrainerRoad. Follow a TR plan and you'll get a lot faster and fitter, not just on the bike. If you don't want to spend a ton, get a single leg power meter. I love the Favero Assioma pedals I have.

The second investment I would make would be a TT bike with a good fit and, if possible, decent set of wheels (HED, Flo). I wouldn't bother with the aerobars on a road bike. They might offer a little more comfort in that you have more position options on long rides, but they generally do not fundamentally alter your position in a way that allows you to cut through the air faster. And a TT bike with a good fit also helps you run better off the bike.
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Re: Is new tech worth it for me? [Changpao] [ In reply to ]
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Changpao wrote:
For me, the best way to get faster is to train more on the bike, so the one recommendation I would make is a power meter and subscription to TrainerRoad. Follow a TR plan and you'll get a lot faster and fitter, not just on the bike. If you don't want to spend a ton, get a single leg power meter. I love the Favero Assioma pedals I have.

The second investment I would make would be a TT bike with a good fit and, if possible, decent set of wheels (HED, Flo). I wouldn't bother with the aerobars on a road bike. They might offer a little more comfort in that you have more position options on long rides, but they generally do not fundamentally alter your position in a way that allows you to cut through the air faster. And a TT bike with a good fit also helps you run better off the bike.

While you might not bother with aerobars on a road bike, you could not be more wrong about their ability to help you ride faster. Post #2 in the following thread is but one example.

https://forum.slowtwitch.com/.../?page=unread#unread
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