I’m currently training for the 2012 Boise Half Ironman. The bike I have right now is a 2010 Vilano Tuano road bike. I need help deciding if I need to find a way to upgrade to a triathalon bike for race day or if putting some Aero bars on my Vilano will suffice.
This is my first competition I’m of course thinking about finishing with the best time possible but its also more important for me just to finish. So speed is not my biggest concern, more about comfort and endurance.
You definitely don’t need a tri bike, although you will surely be faster than on a road bike. Would it be nice? Sure, but whether it is within your means to upgrade at this point is up to you.
I’m currently training for the 2012 Boise Half Ironman. The bike I have right now is a 2010 Vilano Tuano road bike. I need help deciding if I need to find a way to upgrade to a triathalon bike for race day or if putting some Aero bars on my Vilano will suffice.
This is my first competition I’m of course thinking about finishing with the best time possible but its also more important for me just to finish. So speed is not my biggest concern, more about comfort and endurance.
if it’s your first competition, i’d say just get some clip-on aero bars. and maybe a forward-offset seatpost, depending on your position and bike geometry. the aero bars will give you a significant part of the benefit of a tri bike, but they’re relatively cheap and you’ll still have all of the road bike hand positions for comfort.
if you complete this one and are hooked (bet you will be), then invest in a tri bike. for now, in terms of comfort, endurance, and intelligent use of resources, road bike and aero bars will probably be just fine.
that said, if you have the money and think that getting a tri bike will make training more enjoyable, go for it.
Thanks but I was looking for advice not a spelling lesson.
To the other two responses thank you it was very helpful, I’m am already hooked and I haven’t even finished yet so I’m sure in the future I will have to shell out the money for a more competitive bike. But for now I will just upgrade what I have.
Thanks but I was looking for advice not a spelling lesson.
To the other two responses thank you it was very helpful, I’m am already hooked and I haven’t even finished yet so I’m sure in the future I will have to shell out the money for a more competitive bike. But for now I will just upgrade what I have.
Understood, but it’s probably the single most likely one to get correct if you want to race it…
To your original question. Road bike is fine. TT bike might save you 5-15 mins…
Boise is a great race! Are you from Boise, or travelling in for the race?
I did Boise last year, also my first 70.3. I did it on a Litespeed road bike with clip on aerobars. Worked just fine, and pretty comfortable. I’m looking for more speed this year, and upgraded my bike to an actual tri setup. I’d recommend something similar to my path, just use the road bike the first time around. Unless you are rolling in cash, that is.
I am from Boise! And I am definitely not rolling in cash so I figure on slowly adding components to my Vilano.
Does anyone know if there are regulations on saddles for competition. Currently I have very wide flat seat on my bike, I have never been able to ride effectively on the thin hard seats. I am wondering if I would be allowed to ride in the even with this type of seat, or if I need to start toughing it out with a racing seat?
Not sure about the rules, but you will have a very hard time riding a steep seat angle with a wide seat since you need to roll your hips forward to get aero.
Go see Antonio at Tri Town in Hyde Park. Ask him about trying some of his demo seats. My seat was the worst thing about my road bike setup last year.
Took the words out of my mouth!! GO TO TRITOWN!!! Antonio is AWESOME and can get you fitted and comfortable on your bike for the event. He totally got me set up on my felt b16 that was not fitted, or sized very well (thanks meridian cycles), and now it’s way more comfortable. I too will be doing the Boise 70.3 as my first ever tri, so good luck and I’ll see you out on the road somewhere. PM me if you have any questions too
Nice blog post. It’s an interesting question, and I’ve had local riders here tell me I need to get a tri bike. Thing is, our local road rides are all mountain rides. My favourite local ride is a 27 mile loop with about 2300ft elevation gain. Other local favourites include mountain roads or passes with ~2000ft gain in 4-5 miles stretches. So I have a bike that I feel is appropriate for my local rides, since I do thousands of miles a year on local rides and only hundreds elsewhere.
I don’t own a tri bike, and will likely not get one in the next year or so, even though I’m signed up for Ironman Wales this year. My bike split at Austin 70.3 was a disappointing 3:04 (after stopping twice for punctures). The biggest difference to my time would’ve been more robust tyres and a faster tube change. I think bigger gains are to be made by smarter training than by getting a new bike or clipping on aero bars. And if the course has a lot of tight turns, elevation and hairy descents, I’ll be way happier on my road bike than a lot of folks will be on their tri bikes. Of course, that’s not true for elites, but most of us aren’t elites.
My current ride (a 55cm '11 Boardman Elite SLR 9.2) is a radical improvement over my old bike, and not just because it’s 17 years newer and a svelte 16lbs (with my bottle cages, Edge 500, Keo Carbon pedals, seatpack, etc.). The bike just fits me better, and fit and comfort translate to faster times. I can get a pretty aero position in my drops (tested by max speed coasting down >10% grade hills) and as long as I watch my head and elbow positions I don’t need a tri bike*.
So my opinion is that a well set-up road bike is perfectly adequate, and in support I’m going to quote from Chrissie Wellington’s website
After Korea I flew straight to Singapore to do the 70.3 there. I got my first time trial bike that weekend, and spent the month before Kona learning how to ride in what was a completely alien position. I flew to Hawaii nine days before the race…
She rode road bikes through a very successful AG career and even for a while as a pro. I’m going to work on my cycling, not on getting another bike I probably don’t need.
Yet. I mean, if I do more tris and get more competitive in my AG then I’ll think about one. Probably the Boardman Elite AirTT. Very sexy bit of kit. I don’t need it, but I do lust after it.
You’ll be fine on your road setup. If you want to clip on aerobars, do so now while you’re training for the event so you’re used to them. If you have the means and want to race on a triathlon bike, buy the bike now and start training on it. You don’t want to learn a tri set up during a race. Whatever bike setup you’re confident racing is the setup you need to use. Rule #1 in any kind of bike race is don’t crash.