Anyone done this? I got some sweeeeeeeeeet high-end bike shorts for graduation and holy moly do they feel great on my booty. I have always used tri shorts during my races, but I am wondering if it’s worth it to take the time to do a deck change in T1 into regular bike shorts. They are just sooooo damn comfortable.
Do I lose my man card for calling it “my booty?”
for IMWI last fall, i went tri shorts for the swim and just pulled on bibs over for the ride. then, at T2, stripped off the bibs and was ready to go. it was great to have the extra padding for the ride, and it was quick and easy to change, both in T1 and T2. some will undoubtably cite chafing as an issue, but i had no problems - certainly try it out before you race like that though.
Assuming that your primary goal is speed, do you think they’ll make you faster? (Better yet, do an experiment and find out…)
People change in to all sorts of things in an IM transition tent. I personally wore the same tri shorts the entire time, and though maybe that wasn’t the absolutely most comfortable option, comfort was definitely not my limiter.
You’re paying for the change tent - why not use it?
And if a few extra seconds in T1 are truly an issue, just wear the bike shorts under your wetsuit.
Then change to run shorts in T2.
You’ll be comfortable all day. Comfort is fast.
You’re paying for the change tent - why not use it?
And if a few extra seconds in T1 are truly an issue, just wear the bike shorts under your wetsuit.
Then change to run shorts in T2.
You’ll be comfortable all day. Comfort is fast.
Yeah - 140.6 is a lot of miles. I am thinking being significantly more comfortable will in the end get me more speed that taking another 1-2 minutes in transition.
You’ll be comfortable all day. Comfort is fast.
Of the things that make me uncomfortable during an Ironman, shorts are far enough down the list to be pretty close to irrelevant. If you want to change the time doesn’t matter that much but an IM is uncomfortable no matter how you approach it.
TCW
In an IM you do whatever makes you A) Comfortable and B) Faster. Usually A leads to B.
Last year at IMC I swapped to a running singlet for the run, I just feel much more confortable in that than a tri top, always feel like a tri top is pressing in tightly on me.
at IMWI last year i swam with my pearl izumi bike shorts under my wet suit and then had tri shorts in my run bag for the marathon. the chamois in my tri shorts is too damn thin for 112. maybe im just a puss.
You’ll be comfortable all day. Comfort is fast.
Of the things that make me uncomfortable during an Ironman, shorts are far enough down the list to be pretty close to irrelevant. If you want to change the time doesn’t matter that much but an IM is uncomfortable no matter how you approach it.
TCW
Yeah “be comfortable all day” is an overstatement, you’re right. Plenty of sources of discomfort. What I meant was…his butt, specifically, will probably be more comfortable than it otherwise would be. And if that allows him to stay aero longer, or not go numb, or not chafe and end up with a contorted pedal stroke, that sort of comfort is fast. Will he go faster than he otherwise would? No. Will he slow down less than he otherwise might? Maybe. Especially if he’s never ridden 100+ miles in his tri-shorts.
I’ve gone with real bike shorts (under wetsuit, not going into the tent in T1 at all) and then run shorts, and tri shorts for the whole day (in a non wetsuit IM), and I will concur that the tri-shorts were not really an issue, but by that time in my racing life I’d ridden quite a few miles, and was less vulnerable to saddle-turns-into-ass-hatchet situations. I get the feeling OP is somewhat new to the distance, and my feeling is bike shorts may pay some dividends, however small. Also, it’s somewhat relaxing to do the run in proper running garb while everyone else is all kitted up squeezed into their booty shorts and man bras. Maybe that’s just me though.
I’ve ridden up to 120 miles in tri shorts. No problem. I actually prefer the thinner pad. OP may be different of course, but the general assumption that thinner = less comfortable on longer rides is not always true.
For both of my Ironman races(IMAZ,IMSG) I wore trishorts under my wetsuit,and put on a TT suit over them in T1. Lots of Chamois cream already on pad, so I had no Issues with sore butt and was full aero. Strips off quickly ,then ran in Trishorts. THats probably what i’ll do in Hawaii as well.
in the tri position, thinner shorts feel better even over the longer distances. thicker pads generally bunch up around the crotch making you very uncomfortable.
join the desoto forza tri short cult.
You’re just talking crazy now dude.
Why don’t you just go ahead and wear a bike jersey too.
For me, thinner is more comfortable on long aero rides. Find out what you like on your long rides. Wear those.
I did it at IMWI and was glad I did. The 30 seconds I lost in T1 were more than made up for by being able to cruise comfortably for the 112 miles.
Your mileage may vary but, it’s your race, I’m a big believer in doing whatever works best for you.
Do I lose my man card for calling it “my booty?”
YES YOU DO…Qualify for Kona and you can have it back.