Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

Prev Next
Re: Longevity of Triathlon as a hobby/life style [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
HuffNPuff wrote:
As soon as you pick Brand A, you've alienated Brands B to Z. And what if RD Joe chooses Brand B while RD Jane requires Brand M? That could get unwieldy very fast. Instead of picking a brand, you simply create an Eddie Merckx division which generally consists of the following rules:
NO AERO EQUIPMENT ALLOWED
  • BIKE FRAME - no time trial frame, only standard road bike set-up
  • AERO BARS - none allowed
  • WHEELS - no rim depth greater than 36mm
  • HANDLEBARS - standard road bars only
  • HELMET - no aero helmet
  • CLOTHING - no skinsuit
You don't even need to go that far. Just enforce road geometry - obviously drop bars - and no aero-bar extensions, period.

Triathletes are sometimes an odd bunch - power this and that, toughness, speed, but won't take that toughness and power and climb anything steeper than a highway overpass. If everyone were riding road bikes, you've got much more variety in terrain that you could host races on. You'd develop better all-around riders. Strength, flexibility, and cycling ability become a big equalizer when you take away the aero-bar extensions.

Of course, not every triathlete wants to sacrifice their rig and have to buy a road bike, so it would never happen - the manufacturers and the consumers already have too much invested in the tri bikes.
Quote Reply
Re: Longevity of Triathlon as a hobby/life style [surfNJmatt] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
For me, it didn't stick for a four main reasons, in order of importance:

- Technical - Tri has been transformed into a giant science project. Is there anything we don't measure and count? <-- no fun.
- Alternatives - you can S/B/R without Triathlon, as well as x-country, ski, trail run, and a host of other local things. <-- more fun.
- Ironman takeover - it went from fun to a tweet / brand / corporate - from a sport to a business, overnight.
- Cost - it's easy to drop serious coin. You can't upgrade your bike, get a watch, or a new powermeter fast enough. TBI has you (us) figured out.

My last tri was in 2009; can't imagine doing another one (except relay maybe for charity). I'll invest time with friends riding or running, and the $$ in experience, travel, and destination events. Had some great years with tri, though; probably have 15 more good years to go do fun things - but as it sits now, tri probably won't be one of them.



------------------

- I do all my own stunts
Quote Reply
Re: Longevity of Triathlon as a hobby/life style [ripple] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
ripple wrote:
HuffNPuff wrote:
As soon as you pick Brand A, you've alienated Brands B to Z. And what if RD Joe chooses Brand B while RD Jane requires Brand M? That could get unwieldy very fast. Instead of picking a brand, you simply create an Eddie Merckx division which generally consists of the following rules:
NO AERO EQUIPMENT ALLOWED
  • BIKE FRAME - no time trial frame, only standard road bike set-up
  • AERO BARS - none allowed
  • WHEELS - no rim depth greater than 36mm
  • HANDLEBARS - standard road bars only
  • HELMET - no aero helmet
  • CLOTHING - no skinsuit
You don't even need to go that far. Just enforce road geometry - obviously drop bars - and no aero-bar extensions, period.

Triathletes are sometimes an odd bunch - power this and that, toughness, speed, but won't take that toughness and power and climb anything steeper than a highway overpass. If everyone were riding road bikes, you've got much more variety in terrain that you could host races on. You'd develop better all-around riders. Strength, flexibility, and cycling ability become a big equalizer when you take away the aero-bar extensions.

Of course, not every triathlete wants to sacrifice their rig and have to buy a road bike, so it would never happen - the manufacturers and the consumers already have too much invested in the tri bikes.

CrossFit games did it last year with one brand, it was successful.
We actually do have this stock class, in draft legal racing. Maybe DL tri needs to become more popular for non elite. Get rid of the DQ for being lapped rule.
Quote Reply
Re: Longevity of Triathlon as a hobby/life style [surfNJmatt] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Holy crap I just checked and the last time I logged into comment was in 2014...

When I think back to separating from the hobby I think it broke down to the following:

-Money, the sport/races and gear is expensive.
-Time, when compared to going to the gym now and getting a good workout in around 60 minutes I remember when 2 hours in a spin room was just the start of things sometimes.
-Community, which may be the hardest to stomach. When I think back to posts and friends that I had well racing and training they were great to have around and being on ST was and is still a good stop, just not as frequently. With many fandoms though it gets toxic quick.

***
Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A B A
Quote Reply

Prev Next