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OK. So, this is an entirely hypothetical question until my wife gives me back my wallet, but ...
The premise: I've just bought my first tri bike and had it dialed in so that it fits me perfectly. I've got almost $900 left from the allowance my wife gave me. If I don't spend it I've got to put it into the kid's college fund or do something responsible with it like that.
The question: However I spend the remaining $900 I want to get the most for my money. The chances of me getting my hands on another $900 any time in the near or distant future are slim. What would help or give me the greatest performance improvement for my money, a Power-Tap, PowerCranks or a good set of race wheels? I can only choose one.
I'm interested to hear what your opinions are.
Rusty
PS I haven't been lurking around here for very long so forgive me if this type of question has been debated to death already.
Believe me buddy, and I know.... Take the $900 to Tiffany's and buy your wife something in a little green box. THAT would be the single best investment you could make in your entire racing season... maybe career. I'm not being funny either. It pays to not forget the people who take care of you and tolerate all our excesses. And, bear in mind I own a bikeshop that sells triathlon equipment. Take this advice, it will return your $900 investment maybe 10 fold over the next few years.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
Excellent advice, Tom. If I really had my last $900 to spend on anything that I want, that's what I would do. It's our 15th anniversary this year and she deserves a lot more than that for putting up with me all of these years.
That said, though. It is just a hypothetical question.
Rusty
Powercranks.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
If I had $900 buring a hole in my pocket and was required to spend it on triathlon, I'd spend it on coaching. It probably wouldn't go as far as I'd like for the type of coaching I really want. But I want more than a personalized workout schedule. I want a person (or people) helping with my swim technique, with me on some of my rides, and working with me at the track. I have PCs, I think they're great and they make my pedal stroke better. But I think coaches will make me into a better Triathlete.
i'm with tom on this one. powercranks, my friend.
If your wife lets you run around with $900. 00 in your wallet then you are a lucky man and should go with Toms suggestion; however, I feel that a great bike without race wheels is just lacking...good wheels can improve your performance all by themselves and even make you want to train more as no one wants to get dropped by the guy with the kMart bike when you have a nice bike equipped with a nice pair of race wheels.
Greg
There's only one place I am aware of that would give you that money back in 60 days if you didn't think your money was being well spent. Powercranks. Take the $100.00 you save from trying PC's and take your wife out to eat. In sixty days, you could get the $800.00 back if they weren't doing the job for you, and take her out for a weekend somewhere! Either way, you come out ahead!
Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)
I guess that it depends on what wheels came with the bike but I would say get a set of race wheels. They will cut your times and look great on the new bike.
A
For $900 a nice new set of Hed-3s would greatly increase the coolness factor of the bike and help speed you up a bit.
No question!
RACE WHEELS
Greg
my cold dead body you'd get the PC's back. I can always rent wheels to go faster in a race, PC's make me faster all the time.
The single best investment you could make is to send it to my paypal account since I went $889.73 over budget on my new softride, which my wife doesn't know about, yet. Let us not tell her either. Send the kids to college on whats left.
A powertap and a few books on training! or an altitude tent downpayment.
andrew
There's only one problem with Tom's suggestion- $900 won't get you much at Tiffany's. You might get a bit of gold at Cartier... Find a wholesaler of jewelry and have it shipped out-of state to get the most for your money.
I could have bought the high-zoot Pinarello TT bike as pictured for the price of my wife's jewels, so she can allow a bit of spending in the bike department...
I have three ways to spend it:
1) Renn disc ($340), Nimble Fly ($300), four Tufo JET Special tyres ($100), Louis Garneau Prologue V helmet ($120), $40 towards race fees
2) Renn disc ($340), Ambrosio X carbon rim ($400), tune hub ($100), custom build w/spokes ($30-50)
3) Fit consultation ($150-250), coaching ( $whatever you could afford or want to spend).
I will add one more to make it four: travel, lodging and entry fees to some really cool race or races you could not otherwise afford to do.
This is how I would spend that extra $900.
Flip a coin for either powercranks or powertap. Nuff said.
Version 2.0 of the Powertap.. still waiting!