This may be the wrong place for an unbiased opinion on this, but… 
I have moved and with my new situation it looks like I will be limited to one sprint and one oly each year for the forseeable future. I am thinking of trading my tri bike for a road bike. I don’t dislike riding the tri bike in training, but I would probably be more comfortable on “pleasure rides” with a road bike. Anyone faced a similar situation?
Well the road bike is certainly more versatile in that you can take it on group rides and then you can also clip-on some shorties and ride it in your sprint or Oly race.
I think that it makes perfect sense if you are only going to enter a couple of shorter triathlons each year to just go with a road bike. Just slap on a set of shortie clip on aero bars and you should be good to go for the odd races that you do enter. That’s going to get you 98% or more there. If you take your time and get well fitted on the road bike and reaseach the bikes that do good double duty, you will likley be doing better than some/many of these folks on the high-zoot TT/triathlon bikes who seem to have no idea of fit or position.
Fleck
I don’t even think you need the clip ons. More of a distraction short races.
Tim,
As you know, I “retired” a few years ago in 1997. I have started doing one race a year just to say that I have done a tri
I am thinking of doing a race in a few weeks, and I am considering going old-school all the way, with just my road drop bars on the road bike and not even clip-ons.
Fleck
I am considering the same thing. I just turned 50 and just broke my neck in an accident on my tri bike. I only do sprints anyway. I just don’t know if I need to be in that aggressive of a position anymore. When I can get back on my bike again I may just ride my road bike and get rid of my tri bike.
You will no doubt derive great pleasure from passing many $5,000 tri bikes with your minimalist machine.
I just did that very thing. After 2 halfs and an IM last year, and now a baby at home I think 2 or 3 sprints and an Oly a year will be about it.
I sold my Cervelo Dual and bought a Specialized Allez frame on ebay for cheap and built it up with Dura-Ace and Ultegra. That will be my ride until I win the lottery and buy my Serotta.
IMO, a tri bike is a second bike that is too specialized to be your only bike. The road bike is more versatile and with clip-ons works great for tris. Plus you can use the road bike for group riding, road racing, touring, etc. If I had to give up one of my bikes it would be the tri bike.
I am actually saving up some money to by a tri frame, then build up a bike. I am doing this: a) to have a tri bike to race with and b) because I miss my road bike and want it back! The one bike thing isn’t really working for me. This will of course cause me to loose that great satisfacton of passing all those expensive tri bikes with my Cannondale roadie but I will get over it.
Rover
“I am actually saving up some money to by a tri frame,”
If you’re on a budget have a look at this titanium Wheeler tri frame at Chuck’s bike for only $285.
Allan who posts here won his AG at IMFL on one. Saw it a few nights agoand was quite impressed. Can’t beat the value for the money.
Duh. I forgot the url. Check it out.
Damn… I could almost afford that! Any idea the ti alloy?
C-guy, have you seen one of those? Are they any good? What a cheap price.
.
Okay, fine if you ride 60 or 62. Otherwise, SOL.
I actually have that frame in a 56 built up with 105 components. I like it a lot, but I have no idea about titanium alloys. The only bad thing is the front half of mine is painted red. I think it looks great, but why would anyone paint a Ti frame?
"C-guy, have you seen one of those? Are they any good? What a cheap price. "
The only one I’ve seen belongs to Allan, who posts here often. Itg looked very nice. Send him a PM.
"Okay, fine if you ride 60 or 62. Otherwise, SOL. "
??? Not sure why you say that? According to the url they come in 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60.
Did you contact Chuck’s Bikes?
I abandoned my last tri frame a few years ago. For racing tri I will put on a pair of Syntace C2s, but no way I’m ever going back to a stretched out forward seat position tri bike for daily riding.
Without a doubt though, my speed increases a good 1/2 mph or more when I go down in the aerobars on a flat road. No denying that.