But at the grass level, your run of the mill community has no idea about the likely costs of IM and/or associated costs. IM's pretty much are only in more urban areas to begin with for most races. We have a local race that has been run for almost 30 years and the amount of costs associated with the venue has only become cost prohibitive in the last 5 years (along with decline in numbers as well). Again we are living in a culture where everything is someone else's fault, so at this point, the good will that communities used to have for the run of mill community events, I don't think it's that way anymore. Everyone has to cover their ass these days.

ETA: And no I dont think your local run of the mill races are trying to "fleece" athletes. I think many are running into real issues with cost issues while generally keeping entries at a reasonable price. So I dont think local races generally are fleecing anyone. I think they are having to deal with the real realities that the cost of running a race today is way more expensive than what was happening even 10 years ago.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

This, we need more accessible events, where people just show up with their mtb, old or borrowed road bike. As pointed out by others there are heaps of second hand TT and road bike options out there. Compared to the costs of major events a bike is not that big a cost driver, do a few 70.3 an IM per season and watch the costs mount up;

quick search: https://www.theproscloset.com/...thlon-bike-2021-54cm

this is $2600.

Lack of accessible affordable events is a problem, which in turn leads to smaller more expensive events. Having said that our local sprint Duathlon is about $63, which is pretty good. I will be on my 2012 Cervelo r3 as my other bike is subject to the shimano crank recall, 4 year old tri suit, no elastic laces and 5 year old sunglasses

I don't disagree with the overall sentiment. However, you are throwing out $2600 like it's small change. For most people on an average salary with kids that's simply not an affordable cost to be spending on a hobby, before you add on all the other triathlon costs.

Agree, though if we look at other sports with equipment we will find the same cost drivers:

You can spend over $1000 for a surfboard, and there seems to be all types of board for all conditions.
$4000 for a kayak.
MTB are well expensive very quickly.

Team sports are not cheap, for juniors once you get out of participaton only and everyone is in some sort of academy programme.

At some point the market worked out people were willing to pay lots of money to do things that previously did not cost a lot of money. $2600 is not bad for a fairly decent carbon fiber tri bike that will last you ten years or more.

Any equipment based sport will come with some level of entry cost, but the bike is a one off. The recurring race, travel and coaching everyone has to have are the major costs.

Once you get out of the continual upgrade costs, I am riding a 2012 Cervelo 10 speed with second hand zipps on the weekend, you will be fine for equipment. I even moved up a cat in cycling on that bike last year.

I think the real cost isn't the initial get into the sport. The real "sticker shock" is when you enjoy the sport and want to stay in the sport and/or "go faster". Because many many people do their 1st tri borrowing a tri friends bike, or use their junker.......So I think the sticker shock is more for the people who then want to stay in the sport or do it beyond on the junker gear setup.

I would be curious the percentage of 1st timers who invested in a bike (I'm not talking about a junker bike) for their 1st event vs investing once they fell in love with it post initial race.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I think that the solution is to have more stuff like this - https://www.tritheparks.com/
It is cheap, and fun, and local, and you get to hang out with the other tri buddies throughout the season, and maybe get a Subaru at $1k over the invoice if you decide to become a Subaru dude/chick. What's not to like?

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

Ironman could just use their market position to mass produce low cost basic spec equipment XD

Anyone following the Kansas City Chiefs, knows that all we need to do to revive triathlon, is to get Taylor Swift to run an IM

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Athlinks / Strava

I mean, that would be great wouldn’t it?

I don’t even follow the NFL and I know all about that.

Kent