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Newbie
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Hi, this is my first time on the board. I'm BRAND new to triathlons, and have yet to purchase a bike and would like to know what other ladies out there use and would recommend. I am 5'9", 150 lbs, and I'm in the military so I'm no stranger to physical fitness. Any advice would be helpful!

Nice to meet ya'll,
Kate
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Re: Newbie [trulykate01] [ In reply to ]
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Well hello trulykate01. Welcome.

I ride a Kestrel KM40 (tri bike) and for my road bike a custom Litespeed Arenburg (not made anymore nor was ever a customizeable option, I had connections). My Mt. Bike is a Specialized StumpJumper piece of crap that I want to get rid of.

Have you done any races yet?

____________________________
Life is Short...Run Long
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Re: Newbie [trulykate01] [ In reply to ]
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Hi Kate,

Welcome to the world of Tris and endurance sports.

I have a slightly cheap (comparitively to a $3k-$5K tri bike) Trek 1000 road bike with aerobar setup. It has gotten me where I want to go so far in the Tri world. My baby (that I won't get rid of) is a very older model MTB hard tail that I love to death. It is the billy goat of bikes. My MTB is the bike I used for my 1st Tri (a sprint). Don't soak too much money into this sport until you know for sure that you love it too death, and even then you must be careful. It is truly a gadget, hi-end kinda sport. Stay low-end and have fun in it for a bit.

N~
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Re: Newbie [trulykate01] [ In reply to ]
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I ride an insanely heavy steel Marin San Marino (8 or 9 years old now, wow, can't believe it's that old!) road bike with clip on aero bars. Was supposed to be my entry level bike to see if I would even like riding or doing tri's (I live in the mountains, and just couldn't even fathom buying a tri bike). 8-9 years later, I can't give up the bike, although I desperately want a Kestrel Talon SL, if they would only quit painting bikes black and white (blah), I may upgrade some day... but for now, 2 IM's, countless 1/2's, a few Oly's, one sprint and one incident with a guard rail and the San Marino is still kickin!

Only advice is to test ride multiple bikes and be comfortable on the bike you decide to buy.

**********************
Harry: "I expected the Rocky Mountains to be a little rockier than this."
Loyd: "I was thinking the same thing. That John Denver's full of shit, man."
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Re: Newbie [trulykate01] [ In reply to ]
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Welcome Kate!

I'm a big fan of buying a used bike until you know if this sport is for you. I rode an old cannondale road bike for a few years before I bit the bullet and bought a Kestrel that didn't fit at all. It was a very expensive mistake. When you decide you are ready to bite the bullet, go to a reputable shop and buy something that fits.

Have fun!
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Re: Newbie [QRgirl] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
Welcome Kate!

I'm a big fan of buying a used bike until you know if this sport is for you. I rode an old cannondale road bike for a few years before I bit the bullet and bought a Kestrel that didn't fit at all. It was a very expensive mistake. When you decide you are ready to bite the bullet, go to a reputable shop and buy something that fits.

Have fun!


Welcome Kate,

I have to second QRgirl's advise. Pick up something used - as your fitness builds, flexibility changes so will the bike that you could be on. Buy something cheap and have fun. I still use one of my old bikes for training - it is a complete piece of junk and super heavy but my attitude is that I'm out there getting exercise so the weight is an advantage :-)



"your horse is too high" - tigerchik
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Re: Newbie [QRgirl] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
I bit the bullet and bought a Kestrel that didn't fit at all[/quote] which I still feel miserable for since it was my husband that fit you to it. :(

____________________________
Life is Short...Run Long
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Re: Newbie [leslieW] [ In reply to ]
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Let the misery go.... I don't think he realized how short I am nor did we do any measurements... duh on both our parts. Hopefully Black Beauty is alive and well at her home on the east Coast.
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Re: Newbie [trulykate01] [ In reply to ]
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Welcome, Newbie! I have a Cannondale SLICE tri-bike, which I LOVE. It was a gift to myself after my first IM (I think around $2200 out the door- before a couple upgrades). Before my sweet little orange ride, I had another Cannondale road bike, and before that a Cannondale mtn bike. I am a fan of the comfort, fit and the fact that Cdales are built in the US (although some of the components are probably built elsewhere!).

Anywhoo, I agree with the idea of buying a used bike until you know if you really like the sport and want to invest in something a bit more pricey! Road bikes that are retrofit are perfectly GREAT! And, you can always upgrade different components to really make it your own :)
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Re: Newbie [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the warm welcome and the great advice! I appreciate it!

I have yet to do a triathlon, but am beginning training now. I'm ashamed to admit I have to take swim lessons first... but so far it's something I'm really enjoying. It gives me motivation to actually work out!
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Re: Newbie [trulykate01] [ In reply to ]
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There is no shame in swim lessons! I signed up through my local parks & rec before my first tri in 1998. I finished the Seattle Danksin without noodle nor swim angel and have done 3 IM races since then. :-)
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Re: Newbie [trulykate01] [ In reply to ]
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There's no shame in lessons! I train others to swim and yet still get coached myself, and I've been swimming 34 years! :-)



"your horse is too high" - tigerchik
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Re: Newbie [trulykate01] [ In reply to ]
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I'm a little suprised that nobody's mentioned this yet - but whatever bike you get (used or new), one of the most important thing to do is make sure you get fit properly. All the major bike manufacturers make quality bikes - but a size 50 from one manufactuer may not match a size 50 from another manufacturer. You're better off on a used aluminum bike that fits you properly than on an expensive new carbon bike that is way too big or small for you. So if you buy a used bike, you may want to take it to a bike store (or a friend who knows what they're doing) to make various adjustments to help it fit better.

_________________________________

Go that way really fast. If something gets in your way, turn.
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Re: Newbie [TriStrut] [ In reply to ]
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She's probably a 54 or 55. The tone I was trying to project and I believe many others were as well is that - it is just great to get started and don't spend much $$ until she has a chance to learn what she wants rather than try to learn everything from a forum.



"your horse is too high" - tigerchik
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Re: Newbie [Hid] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
She's probably a 54 or 55. The tone I was trying to project and I believe many others were as well is that - it is just great to get started and don't spend much $$ until she has a chance to learn what she wants rather than try to learn everything from a forum.
Sure, and I agree - but even if you're getting a used bike, you need to make sure you find one that fits well. If you're miserable and uncomfortable on the bike you won't have much fun out there!

_________________________________

Go that way really fast. If something gets in your way, turn.
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Re: Newbie [ In reply to ]
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Thanks! I plan on starting out with a used bike. I'll upgrade once I know that I'm going to stay dedicated to the sport. I'm focusing on my run at the moment, I can't buy a bike for another three months (out of the country currently) and at that time i'll be able to look into it better.
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Re: Newbie [trulykate01] [ In reply to ]
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x2 on the used bike idea. A couple of thoughts:

1) I got a road bike for my first bike (as opposed to a tri bike). Easier & safer to ride in a group ride, and you will find it easier to fit yourself into a road ride group if you have a road bike. I found riding with a group more fun than just pounding out miles on my own. You can put the aero bars on a road bike and still get some of the benefits.

2) Fit. I bought the first bike without making sure it fit. Riding a bike that doesn't fit stinks. Go to a couple of LBS' and figure out which models/sizes fit you. We just bought a bike for my wife and the Women Specific Designs (WSDs) made all the difference in the world for fit.

3) Saving money. Once you have an idea of a couple of different bikes which you would be happy with, look around in the classifieds here or go to Craigslist. You can find good bargains if you wait for the right bike to pop up.

Good luck!
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