Bring your best gear to a sprint or Oly Tri?

Triathlon Forum
1

This question is inspired by the “Ironmen at Beginner Tri” thread…

There is always ‘that guy’ at a race that looks pro and that may even be pro at the local sprint…

I do mostly short races and as I improve so does my gear. My gear may be slight overkill but I get some degree of enjoyment out of my gear and getting new gear. It’s just for me and part of the fun of the sport.

For any race that i do, i intend to bring my best stuff. Do you bring your very best gear; disc, carbon wheels, Tri-spoke, Tri bike, and other aero gear or do you tone it down for short races?

2

Why wouldn’t you bring your best race stuff to a race? An olympic and sprint distance is just as worthy of the good equipment as long course.

3

All that matters is if a race is a priority for YOU, bring your “A” game. Period.

4

x 2 on the “A” game. If you’re out there to race, then why wouldn’t you want your best race day gear?

5

If I show up, if I wake up at an ungodly hour and drive to a race, I’m giving it all I’ve got. That counts equipment and effort.

To anyone who complains (and I’m not saying the OP does), would you really feel better about a fit, fast person showing up and not even taking the race seriously?

6

If I paid money for the event, I’m bringing everything I got. That’s the reason I bought that stuff in the first place.

7

All of it. For every race.

About the only thing I won’t bother with for some events is swapping out the R tire and butyl tube for race tire & latex tube.

8

If its a race, bring your best gear. Always. I did a sprint tri last week, my first race back after my broken leg. I was too lazy to put my wheelcover on my FLO 90. 32 seconds faster and I would have moved up 5 spots into 7th OA. It will be on for my next race!

BTW- I only race sprints so no reason not to bring my best stuff.

9

Absolutely I use my “best” at sprints. I’ve even been known to pass up that last bourbon the night before (just kidding - I never pass up that last bourbon)

10

It’s a race. Why would you show up to not do your best?

11

About the only thing I won’t bother with for some events is swapping out the R tire and butyl tube for race tire & latex tube.

Lazy.

12

About the only thing I won’t bother with for some events is swapping out the R tire and butyl tube for race tire & latex tube.

Lazy.

Like you read about.

13

Why wouldn’t you bring your best race stuff to a race? An olympic and sprint distance is just as worthy of the good equipment as long course.

Only in triathlon would people think a shorter race is a justification to not bring their best stuff and A game. Triathletes continually amaze me sometimes with their thought processes.

14

I always bring my a-game and always bring my best gear. Just questioning if everyone else does…even to the local events. Carry on.

15

I wasn’t saying you don’t sorry if it sounded like I implied that. I just meant in general that triathletes seem to have this twisted sense that shorter races are somehow less difficult and don’t matter.

16

I wasn’t saying you don’t sorry if it sounded like I implied that. I just meant in general that triathletes seem to have this twisted sense that shorter races are somehow less difficult and don’t matter.

Got ya…

I don’t have enough experience to know how veteran racers think of sprints, but most folks I speak with aren’t too impressed…but it’s all I do so each race is very meaningful to me whether the swim, bike, run or transition.

17

I just did s sprint tri in Greeley, Co. I brought the same 53/39 12/25 gear I always do.

18

The implication being that sprint and olympic distances triathlons aren’t real races?

Relevant thread: http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=4606460;page=1;

19

I wasn’t saying you don’t sorry if it sounded like I implied that. I just meant in general that triathletes seem to have this twisted sense that shorter races are somehow less difficult and don’t matter.

It is rather annoying that somehow shorter is for less acomplished people. I mean those medals won by U. Bolt at the Olympics weren’t very much of an accomplishment were they. His race seemed barely worth bringing an A game for.

20

It is rather annoying that somehow shorter is for less acomplished people. I mean those medals won by U. Bolt at the Olympics weren’t very much of an accomplishment were they. His race seemed barely worth bringing an A game for.

No no, it’s OK to bring your A game, just not your A gear.