In this case it was. It was easy to police a race that didn’t need policing. It was much simpler to put a race on, so many folks did it. There were a lot of races and they drew big numbers. In our city there was a triathlon heyday from 1983- 1986. Triathlon even had a cult classic made for TV movie (Challenge of a Lifetime). Then it all crashed, and has never been the same. It’s funny, for years I’ve been listening to folks cry and moan the blues about why triathlon isn’t more popular, but whenever I attempt to bring up the days when it really worked, I get answers like the above. Oh well, it is what it is.

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Athlinks / Strava

Races had already started going anti drafting, before aero bars were even invented. Or at least known/used. Trifed already set their hook in our area in 86, when Dave Scott won Kona with standard drop bars. I’m not near the historian some are here, but it was around that time that Tinley and Molina were experimenting with them. I was the first in my area to use Scott bars, and that was 87, possibly 88. By then most of our local races had folded, we had only one big race left, and the numbers were falling fast. I can see where tri bikes evolved into TT bikes because of the anti drafting racing, it only made sense. But it also sent the sport into a point of no return niche sport. The sport catered to the serious 10%, instead of the 90% who wanted some cheap healthy fun, on whatever old bike they found in the garage.

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Athlinks / Strava

ya the swims are fast, I am top 10 in my Age group out of the water in nearly all IMs and 70.3s I do, and I was 3rd to last out of the water in a field of 75 at tritonman Draft legal this February lol

obviously tri bikes would be banned at DL races. More people can afford or have a road bike vs tri bike so you can grow the pool of competitors. I like what is done in mexico which its DL..... 1 minute penalty for those with tri bikes.

The short style clip on aero bars are actually legal in the EDR races (and elite races), just not in the AG draft legal races.
HOWEVER, the ITU officials that check people in will legitimately measure to make sure that the tips of the aerobars don't extend past your brake levers, and if they do, you have to take them off. If you can't, you can't start the race. TT bikes automatically do not start any DL race, AG or EDR.