Just wondering how many of you ride a tri bike only.
I did for years but got a road bike last November and love riding it. I typically ride the TT bike twice a week (long ride and medium distance ride) and the road bike 2-3 times per week.
tri bike only here, but i come from a swimming and running background.
me
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Do you think people who only ride a tri bike are at a disadvantage? Has a road bike made you a better cyclist?
i only ride a tri bike
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I think it depends on where you live. I lived in the French Alpes and NEVER rode the TT bike. All the TT are uphill.
I have both and I really like having the road bike for when I join up with my non-tri friends for more or less “social” rides…
Do you think people who only ride a tri bike are at a disadvantage?
No.
Has a road bike made you a better cyclist?
Yes.
I realize those two answers don’t appear to make sense but let me explain. I don’t think that it’s as simple as road bike = better rider. However, for me it has for two reasons. First, the variety allows me to consistently get 5 rides per week in and sometimes 6. Thus, more riding equals better rider. Of course I could achieve the same result with the TT bike but never did do to boredom. Second, the road bike permits me to go out once a week with the local cycling club race team and do their Tuesday night hammer session. TT bikes are welcome but it’s really hard to take full advantage of the ride when not on a road bike. Thus, I’m more likely to make this ride and really hammer it. Again, I could do it on a TT bike but found that it rarely happened.
Hope that makes sense.
Got my first bike in December… Cervelo P2C and its my only ride… LOVE IT
I put a slightly different spin on “tri bike only”.
I have a tri frame configured in a low aggressive setup for around 7-8 months of the year (late spring to autumn)…for the other months I reverse the seatpost, throw on a set of shallow drops & STIs and ride it like a road bike (no clip-ons, about 50mm setback).
Sure its a compromise but I only want one bike and like the different stimulus in the offseason…most winter weekend rides are just fun group sessions. Hasn’t hurt my progress thus far…
I can only afford one. Picked a tri bike.
I think a road bike makes you a better rider if you use it in Crits, or group rides that may push you harder than you would push yourself. I will ride the Tuesday night Crits here in Las Vegas every once in a while , and sometimes I am anaerobic for the whole hour just trying to stay with the pack. I think this has improved my engine as well as my bike handling skills. I think in a technical course I have an advantage over someone who only rides a Tri bike all the time. Just my 2 cents
I used to have a road bike in addition to my tri bike, but I got rid of it because I do 90% of my training rides solo. I certainly did enjoy local group rides when I had the road bike, but for me these were entirely a social affair which did very little for me performance-wise. (I’m going to sound like an arrogant prick, but it was very rare for anyone to manage to hang with me, and this includes some decorated Cat 2 and 3 racers.) The obvious benefit to riding a tri bike most of the time is training specificity. My body has practically fused with the rig by now. When I get tired of it, as inevitably happens every now and then, I roll out my MTB and hit the trails or, better yet, show up for some of those local group rides. My all-time favorite intensity workout is just that: trying to hang with roadies on my MTB. Usually I can handle them on flats and uphills, but spin out and lose them on downhills… (Regardless, the engine is pretty much red-lining all the way.)
I do
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I only ride a tri bike. 1st bike i’ve ever owned. wanted to race tri’s so that’s what i bought. been getting more and more interested in a road bike though. like some of you have said, i’d like to join some of the roadies in my town. If i’d quit racing for a season, i could probably afford one, but that’s not going to happen.
since crashing on the road bike, i have only the TT to ride. I live downtown in a major city and miss being able to start my training rides from my apartment.
Have both. Ride the road bike once a week to do a steep hill ride, trainer intervals the other day. The tri bike goes on the weekend long rides. In the off season, seem to gravitate to the road bike on the weekends because of the handling advantage.
Just wondering how many of you ride a tri bike only.
Me.
I own only a tri bike but am looking to get a mountain bike for the anerobic thrill. SOmetimes i wish i had a road bike but i can do group rides with a tri bike just fine, i do have to take corners slower and when line pulling sometimes i go 20-30 mins without going into aero, and i hate not being in aero.
I think a road bike is better for intervals and group rides
mountain bike for building power and anerobic and trails are just fun 
tri bike for position and comfort, and TTing / tri’s of course.