Learning to ride Tri/Disc combo

Triathlon Forum
1

I was hoping to get some thoughts on the becoming comfortable riding a tri/disc combo. I recently purchased a Hed 3/3d and am planning on using it in a HI in 7 weeks time. It’s a dead flat course with good roads and generally minimal winds but there’s always the chance of it picking up on the day.

Anyway I figured I would start by riding the 3 up front with the regular training wheel on back and get comfy with the steering issues first. My thoughts are that this is the more difficult of the two wheels to ride (doesn’t the disc bring the centre of gravity back to the fixed rear axle?) so get used to it first…then maybe go out and ride the disc a few times with the trainer up front and then combine the two. I didn’t want to put them all on, go out and find myself in difficulty and needing to get home.

Anyway today seemed like the perfect test day. There were 18 knot side winds pretty much the entire time on the long flat bike path. There were times when it got a little hairy but I read some posts the other day saying just to plough on so I did and I lived. I’ve read that some people get scared and back off and then lose speed. If you’re getting blown around a bit but don’t back off are you still going faster than normal or does getting blown around full stop mean you’re better off without them?

I’m 6ft/175 and consider my bike skills decent enough without having a tonne of experience. Anyway thought I’d try and get some feedback on whether 7 weeks is plenty of time (really only testing on weekends) to adapt to the sensation, whether the disc will be easier to handle and whether getting blown around a bit but not backing off is still better than going hard on a std wheel?

CHeers in advance

Mike

2

Hmmm, well, I think it is a good idea to put some thought into this as you have, however, I think you’ll find it really isn’t that significant of a change and you’ll do fine.

I think, in general, some people tend to overstate the effects of crosswinds on disc wheels and bike stability. I am shorter and light then you by nearly 20 pounds and have never expereinced a situation where I felt anxious about my bike being unstable with a disk wheel due to high winds. I’ve won 3 USCF State time trial championships on a rear disk, one in the rain on a gusty day, and done tons of triathlons with a disk and never really had an issue.

I sure wish I had a disk at Ironman New Zealand.

3

I’ve found it harder to ride a h3 on the front with a spoked wheel on back than any combo with a disc.My rule is equal or greater areo on the back.
Cullen

4

Cullen’s experience and mine are similar. Riding with an H3 only up front is more difficult than the H3/disc combo. Ride them both, or ride the disc rear only, but, don’t ride the H3 front only.

5

Thanks Tom, Cullen and Aka!

Appreciate the feedback. Appears as though I picked the worst combination of all to attempt! At least now I know it only gets easier.

Thanks again.

Mike