I’m not trying to open old wounds here. I just came across these photos from the tri relay I did this past weekend and I thought they were a little funny.
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The sequence is kind of amusing.
Hm… just like a runner in an Ironman… like this series.
- http://photos-713.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v72/55/108/501635433/n501635433_454713_5579.jpg
- http://photos-714.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v72/55/108/501635433/n501635433_454714_5858.jpg
- http://photos-715.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v72/55/108/501635433/n501635433_454715_6147.jpg
- http://photos-716.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v72/55/108/501635433/n501635433_454716_6429.jpg
I don’t know which is worse - the guy riding in the drops or the shirtless guy who appears to be quickly turning a rosy pink from sunburn.
Alright, what am I missing here…?
Bob, is that you on the right jetting by everyone?
Bob, is that you on the right jetting by everyone?
What? You don’t recognize me unless I’m in my boxers and bedroom slippers? Wait … that doesn’t sound too good, does it.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
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Alright, what am I missing here…?
I’m not sure myself. There’s been so much dialog about roadies vs. triathletes here lately and I thought that, against that backdrop, this photo sequence was a bit amusing. The contrast at the far right is rather glaring, don’t you think?
The truth is, though, that the folks in the photos are no more your typical triathlete than I am your typical roadie (I’m a reformed alcoholic who was smoking 2 1/2 packs a day back when all the other serious roadies I know were racing crits … something I’ve never done even a single time in my life. But I digress). And there’s another truth in the sequence … we’re probably all racing our butts off and trying to do our very best. We all start (or start over) somewhere.
Oh … and there’s still another truth … but it’s not in the photo sequence. The elite triathletes are way up the road.
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You can’t necessarily tell a roadie from a triathlete just by what kind of bike a person is riding in a triathlon. Some triathletes ride road bikes in races because that’s the one bike they own and they don’t want to shell out big bucks on a second (TT) bike for their HOBBY. On the other hand, a number of roadies I race with sometimes use their TT bikes in triathlon relays (and unless you are finishing top 20 on the bike portion at Columbia, for example, you won’t pass them on the bike).
Stupid me… I thought the triathlete was on the right and the roadies were the ones on the road bikes because when I see roadies in triathlon relays they’re usually on road bikes.
You can’t necessarily tell a roadie from a triathlete just by what kind of bike a person is riding in a triathlon. (NO! You’re kidding me.) Some triathletes ride road bikes in races because that’s the one bike they own and they don’t want to shell out big bucks on a second (TT) bike for their HOBBY (NO! This can’t be true). On the other hand, a number of roadies I race with sometimes use their TT bikes in triathlon relays (and unless you are finishing top 20 on the bike portion at Columbia, for example, you won’t pass them on the bike). (Um … that’s roadie me on the TT bike going by on the far right, racing for my relay team. For the record, only two of the elites escaped me … but they had open roads ahead of them and not the blocking-fest I faced.) Oh … I almost forgot … 
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I thought the triathlete was on the right and the roadies were the ones on the road bikes because when I see roadies in triathlon relays they’re usually on road bikes.
It can be confusing. However, I’ll note that many roadies, particularly the very good ones are likley set up in a more aerodynamic postion, riding in the drops on their road bikes than many triathletes are on their tri bikes with aero bars and with all the funky aerodynamic paraphinalia that they have.
OK … I think some folks need to have some coffee and then take another look at this.
Here’s what I think is the funny part. That’s me … the roadie … going by in red on the far right on a TT/Tri bike in an aero position … passing (and being blocked by) triathletes who are all on road bikes.
I find irony and a bit of amusement in it in light of all the stupid roadie this and triathlete that threads on here last week.
The point is, we’re all out there racing and layin’ it down on whatever we have available! I say we support each other.
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Ok! It had to be said–this is ST, isn’t it–YOUR SEAT’S TOO HIGH.
particularly the very good ones
The good roadies and the good triathletes are always more likely to be set up more properly.
ID,
Agreed. I think you missed my point: Even on their road bikes in their traditional road positions, many road cyclists are set up better than their triathlon counter-parts, despite all the triathletes physical attemps to get more aero. My point is that despite all the help and wealth of informaton out there( much of that excellenat help/info residing here on ST), many triathletes are very poorly positioned on their bikes for the purposes of what they are doing( more or less time trialing) and the photos clearly illustrate that.
My goal has always been the following
- Be able to swim like a “swimmer”, meaning I could jump into any masters class and they couldnt tell that I was a triathlete (as long as I am doing the crawl stroke).
- Cycle like a cyclist. I should be able to get into any group ride and fit in just like the Crit guys.
#1 and 2 I can now do after about three years of busting my butt. My only issue now is there is no way in hell I am going out on a run with the local running guys. The last time I did this they were talking with each other while running a 6 min mile pace for 8 miles. I lasted about 2 miles before I had to conveniently pee behind a tree.
Personally, the guy on the right in the pic just looks like an elite triathlete who has his shit together on the bike, the people on the left look like they could be doing the Pan Mass Challenge or something.
I missed it completely. I don’t see you in the first picture, in the second it looks like several guys have just passed you and in the third, it looks like they have left you way behind.
The best thing about those photos is that the roadie is the only one riding on aerobars!
Although, if I had to guess the relay wave of this triathlon was one of the last to hit the water and thus psycholist is pictured flying by the BOPers who are more likely to be inexperienced triathletes and thus less likely to even own a pair of aerobars much less ride in an aero position for any length of time.
The best thing about those photos is that the roadie is the only one riding on aerobars!
Although, if I had to guess the relay wave of this triathlon was one of the last to hit the water and thus psycholist is pictured flying by the BOPers who are more likely to be inexperienced triathletes and thus less likely to even own a pair of aerobars much less ride in an aero position for any length of time.
Exactly. As I said in a later post on this thread, the elites were well up the road (some may already have been done with the bike, or nearly so).
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