With the wetsuit sucks thread going, lets say that triathlon became standardized with all equipment. No wetsuit, 800.00 bike that only is different by size. And any running shoes you care to purchase. Would you still race? Personally, I have the goods, but you wouldnt have to twist my arm to get rid of all of it if everyone agreed to “race man against man”
I would, in fact this thought has crossed my mind many times. Most wouldn’t as they love their gear far too much.
Sure. What’s the point of training, otherwise. Training and racing is what it’s about.
I think we should get rid of wetsuits for 90% of races anyway. The very existence of sleeveless wetsuits shows that they aren’t for warmth, they’re nothing but a full body pull bouy. Would 72 degrees be a good cutoff, a point where cold actually become a safety issue?
As for the bike, let people have their toys. The difference between a Cervelo Dual and a P3 is so small that it really isn’t an issue. I have a three year old $700 road bike that I do group rides on, and I think some of the guys have been pretty surprised at the kind of performance a cheap bike can provide. At the end of the day, it’s about the engine.
It would be a welcome change. Not just in triathlon… golf comes to mind. Lots of sports are being relatively ruined by technology. Have to make sure that skill/strength doesn’t play too much of a role in sport.
Sport is being dumbed down by some amazing engineering.
Lehmkuhler
Ha! I said 800.00 only as that would ensure quality components that would last for the long haul.
That’s actually kinda of a cool idea.
Kinda like a Nascar racing series or something. All of the bikes in the transition area would be the same. It would be very interesting to see how times are effected, although I’m not sure it woudl make any difference.
Maybe we can get Cervelo to donate a 100 or so bikes and make it a circuit raceing series?
~Matt
Of course. It’s about the race, not the “stuff”.
clm, with an old P2K and Prodigy
Remember in the 70’s when CBS sports had the superstars, where pro athletes would compete in all events ending with the obstacle course. They raced AMF bikes around a 400m cinder track, engine against engine.
Yes, I would race. I would still be middle-to-back of the pack slow as I mostly old cheap equipment anyways. David K
Not a chance that any bike company wants to see this happen.
personally i think it would be more exciting this way…but we’d have to up the anty on the bike a bit.
Make all the bikes single or fixed gear, we could drop the price that way to 400-500 dollars.
Would 72 degrees be a good cutoff, a point where cold actually become a safety issue?
It would, AAMOF when I was racing in Belgium in the early 90ies the cutoff temp for wetsuits was 20 degrees Celsius (68 Fahrenheit).
I can see your point but they do do it in auto racing.
I’m sure it would never become the norm as people want to race on their bikes and people will buy different bikes. But a “championship” deal were everyone rode teh same bike would be very cool.
Allow the people to get fitted to the bike, ride it for a a couple weeks prior to the race but no modifications.
I don’t seems like it would be fun to watch or even be in.
On the bright side it may also be a way to get more people into the sport. If someone doesn’t have to go out and buy a bike and or feel like a “newbie” on their mountain bike.
Just a thought.
~Matt
be it a 10 spd or fixed gear, my only requirement is that they are shiny. that’s all I ask. and if so, count me in!
This would be perfect. This is what swimming and running are actually all about.
Dev
I think this would be a great idea. On reading the check-list, of the must-have equipment for a race last year, it dawned on me that this sport has become WAY to complicated for it’s own good. I mean, it seems you must travel to a race these days with a portable and mobile sporting goods store with you.
I first got an inkling of this a few years ago, that the complexity of triathlons was starting to get out of hand, after I retired from triathlon racing and for a time just ran and did a few local running races. It was so nice to go to a running race - just throw the racing flats and my singlet in a small bag and off I would go!
Fleck
Fixed Gear!!! Orthopedic surgeons would be flooded with injured knees from triathletes on fixed gears. And ER’s with triathletes wrecking. Not to mention the heart attacks from those of us who live at altitude and with significant mountains. Could be quite the stimulant for the health care industry…
I’m all for the standardization, but let’s be reasonable… Would have to at least be able to have different colors as some colors are clearly faster. And the bike mfg’s could battle like car companies do for Nascar spots. We could even have the little sticker of Calvin peeing on Trek, or whatever company is your current rival… The possibilities are endless.
Lehmkuhler
68 degrees is the Red Cross minimum temp for a pool. I’d be game for 68, but wouldn’t kick if they wanted to make an exception for the 60+ age groups.