I’m fairly new to tri and have to plead a certain amount of ignorance. I bought a Trek Madone six months ago with the thought of riding with friends and maybe trying a sprint tri. I did the sprint and was immediately hooked. I have another this weekend and a 1/2 IM next month. Now I want to get faster on the bike. It’s stock except for PD aerobars. I now see myself mostly training alone and racing.
Should I upgrade the Madone (wing aerobars with shifters up front, racing wheels, etc.) or should I get a true TT bike?
Would changing my seat post (and geometry) on the Madone make a big difference?
Do I need a new cassette for the rear racing wheel or is it easy to switch it back and forth?
Do you train some with your race wheels or save them strictly for racing?
note: I know I need a professional bike fit but doubt if I can get one close by.
Wow…gotta love the Madone! Well, I’m certainly no expert, but I’ll throw my 2 cents into the pot. I ride a Litespeed Ultimate (road) with clip-on aero bars as well. I like the versatility of the road/clip-on combo since I do some training with a cycling club, and aero riding is largely verboten (unless you’re on the front or dropped and trying to chase back to the group). Don’t think I’d show up to a club ride on a tri bike. Personally, I don’t think putting a basebar/aero bar/bar end shifter set-up on the Madone is the way to go - not only would it look silly, but since the Madone is not set up (geometrically) for that type of riding, it might be extremely uncomfortable. For the wheel/cassette issue - removing a cassette takes about 1 minute, and installing it about the same. You’ll need a cassette removal tool, a chain whip, and a crescent wrench. I find it kind of a pain to move one cassette back and forth frequently, but I don’t ride my race wheels very often, so it’s not that big a deal. I currently have an 11-21 on my training wheels and a 12-23 on my race wheels - I will switch them around based on the profile of an upcoming race course. The only time I break out the race wheels is a couple days prior to a race, just to put some miles on them and make sure everything is good to go. If you’re definitely going to stick with tri and have some ‘extra’ cash to put into it, I’d say go for the tri bike rather than changing the cockpit on the Madone. If you’re not sure, stick with the clip on setup - if it’s good enough for Cam Widoff, it’s good enough for me.
The best way to get faster on your bike is to ride it more. I did the clip-on bars on a road bike for a couple of seasons but found the tri bike far superior for longer distances. If you have a 1/2 IM next month, I wouldn’t go changing your bike too much. If you buy a tri-bike it will take a little bit to dial in your position and for your body to adapt. I’d keep your road bike the way it is and buy a tri bike. A new cassette is a small fraction of the cost of a race wheel. Keep your race wheels and tires for racing.
If you’re pushin’ an 18 up those hills in Cross Plains, you’re the king! Went up there a couple weeks ago - the hills have gotten bigger and more plentiful…better rethink that 11-18.
Option 1) Have your bike professionally fitted, and have them install some reasonable clip-on aero bars that will work in your road position - look at LA’s Alpe d’Huez time tria bike for guidance. The Syntace XXS, Deda make one, perhaps the new vision tech clip-ons. Think ITU. I have a bike like this, and it is fine for short stuff up to 1/2 IM.
Option 2) Completely retrofit the Madone. Replace the bars with Hed bars, slide the saddle forward and try to get as low as you can. Personally, I think this is a great way to ruin an expensive bike. The Madone is a road bike, not a time trial bike. The fit will probably be marginal, the handling will likely be poor, and you will likely end up very frustrated.
Option 3) A dedicated tri bike. Everyone ends up here eventually. A dedicated tri bike, fitted by someone who knows bikes, will be your dream machine for short and long course. You will be comfortable in the aero bars, it will be stable in descents, and you will be able to get the front end nice and low.
I would go with option 1 until you are convinced you want to stay with the sport, then go with option 3.