I like my tri bike in races well enough (it’s an all aluminum late 90’s QR Kilo Private Reserve) but the ride is kind of harsh, so I am doing more and more of my training rides on my steel framed Lemond Poprad (OK, so it’s a cyclocross bike, but with road tires it behaves just like a road bike). I enjoy my training rides much more on the Poprad so I figure that helps with motivation etc. I wonder if the different geometry will hurt my racing though?
I don’t intend to give up my tri bike altogether, but if I did say two thirds of my training rides on my Poprad and one third on the QR, would that slow me down?
I train mostly on my roadie up until a few weeks prior to tri. Then I’ll train on my tri bike to get used to it’s handling and time in the seat. I love both bikes but they each have a specific purpose for me.
Having recently purchased a tri bike, and with the goal race approaching, all of my long rides are now on the tri bike, as well as some of the shorter rides. So, let’s say 75% of my riding is on the tri bike now. Personally I want my muscles used to exactly what they will face on race day, both on the bike and then running off it.
Sure is ok, but always switch over to the tribike when you start focusing on speed bricks or about six to five weeks out from your taper (I generally do this in the first half of the season). In the second half you’ll have enough base to reasonable expect little if any negatives. I’ll still mount the tribike once a week on bricks.
Likewise I’ve done some spinning classes of late. I try to duplicate as best I can my tri position on them, and it’s not too far off (a little short in the cockpit), but it’s better than not riding.
Although this is purely anectdotal, most my IM bike splits (and run splits as well) are INVERSELY proportional to the time I spend on my tri bike in training (in other words, I’ve had my best performances with very little tri bike time). I in 2004, I trained exclusively on my tri bike and had the worst bike performance to date. Certainly there could have been a lot of other issues at play, but I’m not buying this specificity thing in this case. Sure, specificity may help train the muscles in the exact way they will be used race day, but it also fatigues them in the exact same way, and with the mileage we log leading up to some of these races it’s a concern for me. During the leadup to my 3 best races, I only did one ride a week on the tri bike - either a short time trial or my longest ride, and I felt very fresh in the aero position and ran well off the bike too. I’ll do it the next time as well.
Well, I can’t argue with your results, but I’m not buying the logic behind it. I’m thinking that if it were true, then the effectiveness of a taper is in question.
Sept to end of April is around 90% road bike and fixie. May through August (i.e. Race Season) is 99% tri bike. I ride my P3 in the 75 degree position (heaven forbid!) so I don’t notice too much of a difference switching between bikes.
I do think you should be able to ride your tri bike in the aero position forever. If you find yourself using your hands on your armpads more than your forearms during you long rides. You either have a poor fit or you need more ass time on your tri bike.
Yeah, I know. Like I said, too many things at play. However, I’ve done the EXACT same taper for 3 weeks for the past 4 IMs. EXACT mileage, pace, everything I can reasonably replicated. I’m not denying it could be something else though. I’m convinced though that I was fresher with less time on the tri-bike, and have been trying to figure out a reason why. The reason I gave above may not be right, but I don’t have any better ideas.
