I’m doing the Ironman UK this summer. It will be my first Ironman in my 2nd season of Triathlon. I hope to do the bike leg somewhere around the 7hour mark. I currently have the Trek 1400 Double 2007 which I use for absolutely everything. I intend buying the Felt B12 when it arrives in Ireland but I don’t know if I will see an obvious benefit on such a twisty course. The bike leg will have 1248m of climbing.
Get a tribike wih drop bars + clipon aerobars, best choice for all slower riders on technical courses. Change is easy … Felt B12 with a proper road bar and a clip on aerobar could be your ticket.
My choice for IM Lanzarote and Brett Suttons choice for his girls on technial courses. Slower means everything over 4:40 for men and everything over 5:10 on a fast course for women
The aero technologists will be able to calculate a potential aeroloss of around 2 minutes … but you win back 1/2 an hour due to easier handling.
But most important: train (exclusively) with the setup you race. I change the base bars (Profile Carbon x for easier courses, road bar with clipon for technical courses) but never my position on the aerobars. I use the drops for technical downhills (down to haria in Lanzarote), steering on very bad concrete (cobbles) and the hoods for climbing. The FIST technologists will explain, why power generation in this position is suboptimal in the drops … but who cares when you go down a 10% mountain
PM jonsey and UKathlete they are based that way. Looking at the detail you have posted I would be inclined to go with the road bike, clip ons and spoked aero wheels.
