Hi everyone! I’m still relatively new here to slowtwitch; often lurking in the shadows. I’m looking for some of the ever-so-potent advice from the experts. J I have been doing short distance tri’s for 2 years and want to get more serious (greater speed and completing long course). I ride a Giant Defy entry level road bike that I replaced the drops with tri-bars and bar-end shifters. It’s a triple (I have never used the granny ring) and with the basic Sora components. My long rides are now 80+ miles and I’m quite comfortable on the bike for those distances. Running off the bike isn’t causing me any problems at this point. I was contemplating getting a Flo 60 front and Flo 90 rear to gain some better aerodynamics. But Flo Cycling told me their rear wheels won’t accept my 8 speed cassette. I’ve gotten to a point of some decisions. Budget wise I can’t really go wild here but I can do something. So…
Time to upgrade the whole bike to a dedicated tri bike?Scope the used bikes.
Stick with what I have and shut up? Speed isn’t everything.
Stick with my current ride and go something like a Flo60 front and disc wheel builder for the existing rear wheel to accommodate theexisting 8 speed cassette?
First, your bike is not designed to use tri bars. I did the same thing for a season. I rode my old road bike with tri bars. The difference in switching to a tri bike is amazing. That said, the races you plan to do will dictate the amount gained. If you are planing on racing a lot of really hilly courses, you may be better off on a road bike than a tri bike. Putting money into a bike fit is always worth it. The other option is to do a lot of research and utilize some online tools to fit yourself. If your races and budget work, stepping up to a tri bike can be worth it. For what it’s worth, I rode a Chinese frame I bought on eBay for the last two years and it was a great bike. They are not for everyone, but they offer an alternative price point to dropping thousands on a tri bike when you aren’t sure. In fairness, I also just upgraded to a brand name bike, so …
I’d say get a new tri bike before getting aero wheels for sure. You could convert your old bike back to roadie and use the bullhorns and bar end shifters on a new tri bike build to save some money, if you wanted to… Get aero wheels later.
I vote for . You should be able to get a decent TT bike with reasonably aero wheels for not much more than a set of new Flos.
But don’t take for granted that you can rid for 80+ miles comfortably and then run. That’s not a bad place to be, and more than a lot of people can say. As any ST reader should, know your fit coordinates, and the geometry of your current setup. That way you can check to see whatever bike you’re picking up can replicate something like your current fit.
In the context of what you could gain (speedwise) by going to a full on tri bike - race wheels are pretty much irrelevant. Unless you have achieved an optimised position already, though that is quite unlikely on a Defy.
Doesn’t need to be a flash bike - just something that gives scope for a good position. Choose wisely and you’ll get frame aero benefits too.
Hi everyone! I’m still relatively new here to slowtwitch; often lurking in the shadows. I’m looking for some of the ever-so-potent advice from the experts. J I have been doing short distance tri’s for 2 years and want to get more serious (greater speed and completing long course). I ride a Giant Defy entry level road bike that I replaced the drops with tri-bars and bar-end shifters. It’s a triple (I have never used the granny ring) and with the basic Sora components. My long rides are now 80+ miles and I’m quite comfortable on the bike for those distances. Running off the bike isn’t causing me any problems at this point. I was contemplating getting a Flo 60 front and Flo 90 rear to gain some better aerodynamics. But Flo Cycling told me their rear wheels won’t accept my 8 speed cassette. I’ve gotten to a point of some decisions. Budget wise I can’t really go wild here but I can do something. So…
Time to upgrade the whole bike to a dedicated tri bike?Scope the used bikes.
Stick with what I have and shut up? Speed isn’t everything.
Stick with my current ride and go something like a Flo60 front and disc wheel builder for the existing rear wheel to accommodate theexisting 8 speed cassette?
Thoughts?!
My $0.02: option 1
Your chances of meeting your goals of more speed and finishing longer races improve with a tribike.
I’d keep the giant as training wheels and start shopping for a used TT bike, there are lots of them in the fall.
One of the things that a lot of people seem to miss on the Road bike vs tri bike geometry is the remarkable effect the shifting saddle position has for opening up your hips while down on the aero bars. Yes, it’s possible to get as low on road geometry, but with an incredibly tight hip angle. With the dedicated TT geometry, you can ride a much more “relaxed” position rotated forward to give you the same aero benefits, with less musculoskeletal cost.
This helps power output, breathing, and translates to better run times as well.
You can get some great deals on used tribikes, and certainly the geometry combined with a likely groupset upgrade to 105 would yield far more return than a pair of Flo’s right now, Bike first, then the wheels.
I went from a roadbiek to a tri bike. My postion was no only better for making power it was a lot lower, forwards and in genral more aerodynamic. The aero features of the frame are a bonus, but it’s the postion that matters most.
At hte same time i improved my training as well and dropped some weight. But over hte course of 3 seasons, I went from doing well at races with an average speed of abtu 21.5 in sprints and 20.5 in Olympic distance to now into the upper 23’s and finally broke into the 24mph aveage in an olympic.
Get a good frame even if you have to go cheap on components. Wit hbar end shifters, the quality of the other ocmpoentns doesnt; matter as much. Then get a good fitting aero helmet, it’s about as big of an improvement as wheels. Then finally get a set of wheels last. Although I’d suggest spending moeny on racing more first.
Hi everyone! I’m still relatively new here to slowtwitch; often lurking in the shadows. I’m looking for some of the ever-so-potent advice from the experts. J I have been doing short distance tri’s for 2 years and want to get more serious (greater speed and completing long course). I ride a Giant Defy entry level road bike that I replaced the drops with tri-bars and bar-end shifters. It’s a triple (I have never used the granny ring) and with the basic Sora components. My long rides are now 80+ miles and I’m quite comfortable on the bike for those distances. Running off the bike isn’t causing me any problems at this point. I was contemplating getting a Flo 60 front and Flo 90 rear to gain some better aerodynamics. But Flo Cycling told me their rear wheels won’t accept my 8 speed cassette. I’ve gotten to a point of some decisions. Budget wise I can’t really go wild here but I can do something. So…
Time to upgrade the whole bike to a dedicated tri bike?Scope the used bikes.
Stick with what I have and shut up? Speed isn’t everything.
Stick with my current ride and go something like a Flo60 front and disc wheel builder for the existing rear wheel to accommodate theexisting 8 speed cassette?
Thoughts?!
It may or may not have been you but I remember a conversation recently where we told someone that our wheels were not compatible with a “7” speed cassette/derailleur but not an 8 speed system. An 8 speed system is compatible with our wheels. Did someone at FLO tell you that 8 speed wouldn’t work?
Yup… that was me. It was mentioned that the Flo wouldn’t accept the 8 speed cassette. Since posting this I went with the consensus of option 1 and located an actual tri bike. It’s a 2009 Cervelo P1 and has Easton Circuit wheels. Next purchase might be a wheelset for racing, although i’ll see what performance i can get from the Easton’s at this point. I need to witness what gains i make through the P1 vs. my Giant Defy also.
Yup… that was me. It was mentioned that the Flo wouldn’t accept the 8 speed cassette. Since posting this I went with the consensus of option 1 and located an actual tri bike. It’s a 2009 Cervelo P1 and has Easton Circuit wheels. Next purchase might be a wheelset for racing, although i’ll see what performance i can get from the Easton’s at this point. I need to witness what gains i make through the P1 vs. my Giant Defy also.
I apologize if you were mislead. Sorry about that. Best of luck with the new bike. I’m sure you’ll see some great gains.