I am not a rich man, but I am thinking about making some upgrades. Here are my thoughts, please rip me if I am going about this wrong. Background, I ride a specialized road bike and am tarining hard. I plan on doing my first HIM in 2007, plus other short races (1-2 sprints, 2 olys). I quit playing ultimate frisbee to make more time for tri training (which will save me lots of money in 2007).
Upgrade from 105 to Ultegra on everything for a discounted cost of $800. Keep the hubs and use current wheels for training.
1a. When I can afford it buy HED3 set.
Reverse order, buy wheels first and upgrade components later.
Have local bike shop switch everything to Campy Centaur and hand make a race wheelset (mavic) for a total of $1,100.
Sell road bike and put extra money towards a tri bike with ultegra and keep saving for nice race wheels (least appealing because I don’t feel like delaing with the sale and my wife would be less understanding of this)
Upgrading cpmponents will not matter speed wise. 105 and Ultegra go just as fast as the other. Spend your bucks on the HED3’s, unless your 105 is totally trashed. Until 2 days ago I was still using 10 year old 8 speed components. The new 9 speed shifts nicely but is NO faster then my old 8 speed stuff.
The option that will improve your bike split the most on race day is definitely #4, but that’s not an easy decision. If you’re doing group rides then you want to keep your road bike.
I don’t get #3. What kind of Mavic race wheels would you get for what’s left of the $1100? I’m assuming they won’t be aero, so no (and aero Mavic wheels aren’t that fast either, compared to other aero wheels).
Upgrading from 105 to Ultegra won’t make a big difference (and not difference at all performance-wise), so I wouldn’t do it at all, and maybe get nicer wheels (or something else). But, if it’s important to you, are you still going to get race wheels before your first race? If the answer if yes, then #1… You won’t use your race wheels for training anyway, so at least you’ll get to enjoy your new components earlier. If the answer is no, then #2.
Believe it or not playing ultimate at a nationally comptitive level is very expensive, not nearly as much gear as Tri’s, but flights around the country for different tournaments, hotels and team dues (paying for nice fields and entry fees) add up.
Yeah, I am not sure why I am pushing for the ultegra, I know it won’t make me faster. I suppose I was trying to add value to the bike, but the buy-in isn’t worth it.
this stuff is so aggravating to a newbie to tri’s because I fnd out everything after the fact. i’d like to buy a tri bike and maybe switching the components over now is the way to go. i was thinking of waiting another 2 years to buy a little bit nicer model (and getting some ride out of this bike).
maybe i just need to suck it up, sell the roadie, buy a tri bike with that money and a little more and buy the race wheels later. i’ve also recently read that a nicely fitted tri bike will make the transition to runa little easier.
Fit yourself into an aero and powerful position. If you are on a budget I’d do it yourself. Find pictures and if posible video of top pro riders and go to school on their position. I’m assuming you have clip ons on your road bike. Cost: nothing or next to nothing.
I would look on e-bay for a used Hed-3 FRONT only wheel. The front wheel will matter most, you can always get one of those disc wheel covers for the rear.
Cost: for both would be around $450 or less.
Might as well get one of those aero helmets that people seem to either love or really, really hate. To my way of thinking you have to wear a helmet anyway, why not spend a little more and get one that’ll help you go a little faster.
Cost: $200 or less.
Don’t spend any money on componets if your are working well, they won’t matter.
The main thing is make yourself a smaller target for the wind, that should not cost anything if you do research and work on your “aeroness” during the winter.
all you’ll need to buy different wil be handlebars/aerobars, and shifters. Possibly a stem and front derailleur.
Buy it from a fist (the slowtwitch syle of fitting) shop and they may include the sizing in getting the frame. You can get a p2sl for 1,000 bucks and i’m sure there are frames you can get for less.
ify ou look on ebay you can get a complete tri bike for 1000, or a pretty nice frame and aerobars/shifters for that, or look through the classifeids here, and post a note about wanting one, you can find any bike/part on here cheap that way. i am building a road bike, mostly ultegra parts with some DA, alum frame, for around 500 total, nice bike. look around for what you want, its out there.
buy a used bike. I have saved huge money buying used.
For $1100 you could find an older cervelo soloist somewhere and use it for all of your needs.
Don’t just buy whatever though, do some research. In this months Triathlete Mag one of the ads has huge deals on older bikes, chaeck ra cycles and toms shop too.
If you are going to spend $1100 for wheels (You can find HED 3’s for cheaper if you just look and negotiate) .
If I were you I would “find” another $500 to $600 and get a tri bike. If you look you can get a Cervelo Dual new for about 1500 to 1600. I am sure there are other brands simarliy spec’d in the same price range. Besides the 2006 are on sales as the 2007 bikes are heading to the stores. Hell 2005 bikes will be priced even better.
If you do not do it now, you will soon enough. So in the long run you will save money. $800 bucks for a grupo change would be a waste of $.
The new bike if fit properly will probabaly give you better bike splits, and run splits.