Thoughts on the new course?
Tri bike. It really is not that bad.
Definitely a tri bike. I rode the course with my girlfriend who competed this year. Nothing there that would dictate a road bike.
If you normally race with a tri bike - ride the tri bike. I ride the course most of the year and did the race this year. There are two steeper climbs and some rollers - nothing that techincal to require a road bike.
Mike
tri bike. Regardless of the hilly section, there is quite a long flat section that you do twice which justifies the tri-bike.
Make sure you do a lot of hills in training on whatever bike you choose.
Jodi
Tri bike. There are maybe 10 miles of rolling hills per loop (so 20 miles total).
Thoughts on the new course?
I can’t think of one single IM where it makes more sense to ride a road bike than tri bike. Now there might be specific cases where an individual lacks comfort and confidence or has a really piss-poor position on a tri bike but from the perspective of considering the aerodynamic advantage of a tri position vs the technical terrain advantage of a road bike, it’s not even a close decision. A tri bike will win hands down every time on just about any IM course in the world.
Thanks, Chris
Have to agree with every one. This was a challenging course but I spent far more time in the aero than out. I came out of it on 2 or 3 of the bigger hills (meaning 4 -6 times) but other than that I was down. It got slightly windy so I wouldn’t run a disc but I would def. say tri bike over roadie 10 out of 10 times. Enjoy, it is a beautiful course.
brian
I am doing CDA in 2008. I have heard it was very hilly, did you run a 23 or 25 Cassette?
I ran an 11-23 which I regret to a certain extent. I am sure there are plenty who can run that pretty easily on a course like CDA but I recommend a 12-25.
Ride a tri bike, 12-25 would probably be best. There are some tough hills that you will just want to spin up. The hills aren’t overly steep or long, but there are lots of little ones that make it hard to get a rythem going.
thanks a lot, a 25 it will be then. Better for me to go easier gearing than to go with the harder gearing and blow up my legs for the run.
"A tri bike will win hands down every time on just about any IM course in the world. "
I hope you posted that to Simon Lessing after he won IMLP on his Soloist.
"A tri bike will win hands down every time on just about any IM course in the world. "
I hope you posted that to Simon Lessing after he won IMLP on his Soloist.
And somehow that one single data point is so compelling it must change the answer???
No, it doesn’t, imho. As I stated earlier, there are always exceptions but when you make the decision to ask a forum what they believe is the right approach, we shouldn’t focus on answering the question based on the exceptions.
Thanks, Chris
This thread got me thinking about the 12-25 vs. 11-23 and what I am running this weekend at Clearwater. I came across this old ST article. Check it out, very informative.
http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/techctr/gearing.html
brian
It would have to be a rather technical course, especially on the descents, before I would revert to a road bike geometry. I’ve used road bikes with shorties at Nice and Alcatraz. I don’t like descending so I feel more comfortable on a road bike descending. I won’t use a road bike at Alcatraz again but I might use one at a course like the Monaco 70.3. Then again, after using the new B2 with the better steering form the Bayonet front end I may consider that. It descends quite well.
There is always the exception to the rule and in this instance it depends on riding style and position capabilities - as a general rule i’m with lakerfan on this one…never seen an IM course including the original CDA one that needs a road bike…
“never seen an IM course including the original CDA one that needs a road bike…”
Can’t comment on the course in question as I’ve never rode it, and most IM courses are not overly hilly/technical so a tri bike set up will likely work best for most people, especially at the top end of competitors. Lessing winning LP and LVL winning Kona on road geometry bikes are not the norm, but it certainly suggests the blanket ST advice of always getting a tri bike may not be true for everybody.
How many AG’ers do you notice in an IM sitting up off the aero bars or riding with a stack of spacers or/and an upturned stem on their tri bikes. Was tri bike the best choice for them?
Lessing winning LP and LVL winning Kona on road geometry bikes are not the norm, but it certainly suggests the blanket ST advice of always getting a tri bike may not be true for everybody.
You think they were actually faster because of the road geometry?
Or perhaps they rode those bikes because…umm…gee I dunno…thats all they had?
There is always the exception to the rule and in this instance it depends on riding style and position capabilities - as a general rule i’m with lakerfan on this one…never seen an IM course including the original CDA one that needs a road bike…
Doesnt’ pretty much everyone use a road bike at Nice??