“I have been told that the land of the $ 1,000 bike is filled with junk,”
Not if you buy second hand. New bikes depreciate quite quickly. They generally lose 50% value or so, sometimes more, after about three years.
What about the idea that a Tri bike is supposed to leave you more fresh for the run? Perhaps a better question is which is going to give me more comfort for training and competition.
Also, as a reletive new comer, will I be able to tell the difference between a Tri bike and a Road bike with aero bars (given that they are bot ‘Fit’ properly)?
<< What about the idea that a Tri bike is supposed to leave you more fresh for the run? >>
That’s not 100% true for everybody. There are many notable IM athletes who ride slack and also run well.
<< which is going to give me more comfort for training and competition. >>
For training - a road bike. Just way more versatile. There are a % of folks who only ride their Tri bikes and “only” ride in the aero position, but I would be willing to bet lots of $ that they are a small minority. And - I’ve seen tons of folks on Tri bikes in races riding on the pursuit bars, including into headwinds. So much for “comfort”.
<< as a reletive new comer, will I be able to tell the difference between a Tri bike and a Road bike with aero bars (given that they are bot ‘Fit’ properly)? >>
Honestly, probably not. I had a crappy fitting road bike for years and didn’t know it - I still rode it very well; once I got it fitted correctly it was that much nicer however.
You can be VERY competitve in Tri’s on a road bike w/ shorty clips ons, and also enjoy all the benefits of having a road bike. The reverse can’t be said for a Tri bike. If you only can have one, make it a road bike. And make sure whatever bike you get fits correctly.
"What about the idea that a Tri bike is supposed to leave you more fresh for the run? "
Definately works for me. My hamstrings are less tight going into the run off my P2K than my road bike. However, my wife notices absolutely no difference, but she’s a better runner than I am. Also the ITU racers are running some awfully fast 10 kms after getting off their road bikes. I think it probably helps those of us who are not particularly good runners more so than the good runners.
You should be just as comfy on a proper fitting road bike with clip-ons as on a proper fitting road bike.
What kind of courses are you racing. Hilly & technical or strait and flat?
I am a detroit area person, so I have been in a lot of shops in the area. I have also purchased 4 bikes so far - 1 tri bike online, and 3 road bikes from 3 different LBS’, and I helped a friend purchase a road bike from a 4th LBS. I’ve also been in a few others.
I can say from the bike that I now own, and the one that my wife owns, you don’t need to take a test ride to know if a bike will be right for you. I’m sure if you’re getting into minute details, there are certainly differences between several bikes that will fit you, and the only way to figure out which one you like the best is to ride them and compare - whether or not you can tell from a test ride is debatable to me.
That being said, all of the shops performed some kind of fit to choose the bike size. Three of the shops (1 internet, 2 LBS) performed rather involved fits, one ball parked and adjusted from there, the other just plain ball parked. I would say that only two got close to the right bike. The kicker is that one of the LBS that performed a rather lengthy fit, also had my wife test ride the bike when it came in. Everything seemed fine at the time to us newbies, but it was evident later on that things weren’t right. So the moral of the story is, you need to find a shop that knows what they are doing in order to increase your chances of making the right purchase.
Consider a few things:
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If you are really a newbie, there is a good chance that your riding style and preferances will be somewhat dynamic for a year or so. Meaning, what you like now, may not be what you like in a few years. Also, it’s a lot harder to get on the “right” bike as a beginner.
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You can get a lot of quality bikes AROUND $1000 (meaning $600 - $2000). The tri bikes are at the upper end of $1000, but there are some quality road bikes at $1000 or less.
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Road bikes are certainly more versatile than tri bikes, but a tribike will do fine in most group settings. The only thing you can’t do with a tri bike is road race. I only own a tri bike, and I participate in a lot of group rides. It is less than optimal, but you can make it work. On the otherhand, if I were to do it over again, I would consider starting on a road bike. It’s hard to say really. If you plan on riding by yourself a lot and only want to race triathlons, a tri bike ins’t a bad place to start. If you’re not sure, best probably to start with a road bike and add the tri bike later. If you get into cycling, believe me, at some point you will probably have both anyways.
As far as where to go, certainly I feel that of the places I’ve been, Bikesport is the most comprehensive place to go. They aren’t prone to selling off the floor like every other place I’ve been (which is a big plus). There are down sides to going there, however. They often have very long lag between when you purchase and when you receive - you have to decide for yourself if it is worth the wait. During this lag, communication is not good. Another thing is at times some of the personalities in the shop can seem very stand-offish and un-helpful. I am not sure why this is (it almost seems a universal trait of the LBS), I suspect at times it is due to working their asses off - however, myself and others have experienced this behavior at less busy times as well. I will say, however, that they have been extremely helpful at other times and gone above and beyond the call of duty. All things considered, without question, to me, this is the place to start for anyone, as the upside is greater than the downside.
Sorry for the long reply, but I remember I have made a lot of mistakes in the last 3 years and thought I would throw out my opinions on things, good luck, there isn’t many things more fun than getting a new bike.
Have your read this article:
And now to confuse you even more. Here’s another take on setting up a road bike for triathlon:
get whichever type of bike that fits and appeals to your budget and your bike-lust nerve center. i bought a road bike, then bought a tri bike … i now have four bikes (including mountain/commuter), and am going to sell everything but my tri bike, because i like it best and the others collect dust. it’s the most comfortable to me and the side benefit is i train on the bike that i race, therefore i’m totally adapted to it. i will still ride in small groups with the tri bike … non-hardcore roadie groups, but it’s no big deal, i’m on the pursuit bars if i’m following and i’m in the aerobars if i’m pulling … and since i’m usually pulling this all works out just fine.
also, with a grand to spend, you can get a very nice bike, road or tri, used … just be careful and make sure it fits before you buy.
No offense, but this has to be one of the most painful posts I have ever read.
uhhh… yeah, that was rude.