In my last oly race on Sunday I swam a 34 minute 1500. I’m really slow, that’s just the plain hard truth.
I’m having some shoulder issues that I’m working through so a whole lot of swim training, which I’m willing to do may not be a good idea until it gets better.
My real question is would one of those swim skins help a 30 minute+ 1500 meter swimmer at all? Or would it be like someone that can’t ride 15 mph getting a disc, aero front and aero TT helmet?
Depends on if you look like you’re a fast swimmer when you’re wearing it. If you don’t rightly fit in it, and you know who you are, and you can’t swim I’d bag it. Now if you fit in it just fine and look the part feel free to wear.
I see plenty slow riders on PC3s and other fast tri bikes. Does that answer your question?
I don’t want to be wearing it just to be wearing it. I could prolly look like a decent swimmer up until any water came in to play…
I’m just wondering would it help me at all, could it turn a 33:45 1,500 meter swim time into a 32:28?
If by “skin suit” you mean like a speedo fast skin, then no, it’s probably not going to help you a whole lot, unless you’re a headcase swimmer(your mental hindrances are more significant than your physical), in which case, the sweet feel of such a suit might help you a lot. But if you’re just plain not a smooth swimmer yet, you’ll probably only buy yourself a few seconds. Fast skins tend to look pretty awesome, though, if you’re into the race photographs.
If by “skin suit” you mean wesuit (i.e. a neoprene rubber/engineered polymer suit), i’d say anyone, slow or fast, has serious business wearing one. Even if you didn’t cut any time in the swim wearing one, the advantages of wetsuits are much more far-reaching than swim performance. That wouldn’t be a 15mph rider getting disc wheels so much as it would be a naked rider getting some clothes, or a rider with a wooden saddle switching to gel. But i’m guessing since it’s the middle of the summer (well, a little later), and it’s hot as hell, you’re probably not talking about a wetsuit.
Either way, good luck.
There are so many variables in a 1500m open water swim (especially at a 30:00 pace) that the suit is not going to make any measurable difference from a physical sense. They don’t make that much of a difference, even for a real swimmer. At best, it might turn a 33:45 into a 33:30. They are not in the same league as a disk wheel or an aero helmet. That being said, I am a firm believer in the psychological benefit of cool things so If the price doesn’t bother you, wear what makes you feel fast. But, if you do turn in a 31:00, it will be your head, not your suit, that did it 
and other fast tri bikes
where can I get one of those?
No, you will feel no real difference. Swimming speed suits don’t really last that long anyways, so you really have nothing to gain. However, if you do triathlons to justify buying cool stuff, like many people out there, then go for it. No offense implied.
No, you will feel no real difference. Swimming speed suits don’t really last that long anyways, so you really have nothing to gain. However, if you do triathlons to justify buying cool stuff, like many people out there, then go for it. No offense implied.
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So you are saying in a non wetsuit swim there’s really nothing I can buy to make me faster? That just does not seem right…
why join TNT? I hear they give great swim lessons
why join TNT? I hear they give great swim lessons
Well because the colors green and purple just make me look so fucking SLOW. I wonder if anyone else has that problem?
I didn’t read the whole thread, but I want to share my opinion anyway.
Wear what ever the heck you want to wear.
If you like it. If you are comfortable in it… even if it just makes you feel better wearing it or you think it looks cool.
Go ahead and wear it… you don’t have to earn the right. You don’t have to have anyone else’s permission (although I guess I am giving you my permission right here).
If you are wondering how much it will help your swim… i dunno. As long as you look and feel good, does it really matter that much?
My speedsuit was just delivered today. I’m a slow swimmer. I was looking, basically, for a wetsuit with no arms and legs so I don’t get overheated. I took it out of the bag and that is not what it is at all. It is heavier than a tri suit, but it is not going to provide much if any additional bouyancy. I got the speedzoot for your reference. I may send it back and spend my money on an inexpensive wetsuit with no arms instead.
I was looking into the Speedo FSII because a friend told me it help take 2 min off a 2000m. These guys wear it instead of the tri suit for Olys and sprints. I came accross this article about them and you may want to read it before plunking down your $. http://www.coachesinfo.com/article/146/
exactly which speedsuit did you get? my desoto liftfoil is lighter than my orca elite, and ironman extreme.
QROO makes a summer suit for under $200 and the almighty speedtube from DS is also an option. Keau
wouldn’t the Speedtube be illegal in a non wetsuit swim? Basically it’s just a wetsuit “bottom”. Is there a loophole I don’t know about making it ok?
yes it’s illegal.
Looking at the Blue Seventy, De Soto and Speedo websites: none of them post any data that would show even a fast swimmer would benefit. Lot’s of maketing verbage and pretty pictures, but no data.
Only if you are really, really hairy. But there are less expensive ways to deal with that (clipper).