I have a $5,000 budget for a new bike. Can’t decide whether or not to get a road bike or triathlon bike. I probably do one full ironman, a couple of half ironmans and some sprints per year. I live in south florida so all of my training is pretty much on flats.
Tri-bike. Many to choose from.
There is a guide on this web site about how to decide what kind of bike to look for.
here
http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/prodreview/tribikes/bikepicker.html
why not get one of each? you can get a very good tri bike for between $1,500 and $2,000, and get an awesome road bike for the difference. or vice versa.
I would buy a serotta road bike. I did imusa on my Nove. Super responsive and comfy over what ever distance.
kevin
I was thinking about either the QR TiPhoon or Litespeed Ghisallo (modified for triathlons) or do I look for full carbon. Way too many choices.
yeah but you can only cruise at 25mph, so what do you know?
lol
For $5K, I’d do a nice $1,500-$2,000 road bike, maybe a Felt F55, possibly steel, something on the inexpensive side in carbon, Giant perhaps. Then spend the other $3,000 on a nice tri bike and race wheels Get a P2K (since we’re on a Cervelo loving site) and add a set of Zipps or nice HED race wheels. Two bikes, race wheels and you’re at or right around your $5,000 limit.
If you really get into this sport, and especially if you find that you really enjoy the cycling aspect of it, you’re going to want two bikes, a tri and road. Some people will disagree here, but the majority will be with me.
I win, this is the best reccomendation period. Switch around the brands to whatever works for you but go for the two bikes and flashy fast wheels.
Two bikes isn’t an unreasonable approach, for two reasons:
- A $5000 bike is “better” than a $2500 bike, but it certainly isn’t twice as good. $5000 split between two bikes gets you two really really nice bikes.
- Then you can get a dedicated and suitable bike for each pursuit, with no compromises (except for downgrading to the $2500 model).
On the other hand, if your taste runs to $5000 bikes, then choosing between road and tri involves choosing where you’re willing to most like a fish out of water. The question is “Which is more unsuitable, a road bike riding in a triathlon, or a tri bike riding on one of my regular road rides?”
In my case, the rides are 1. Triathlons, 2. Recreational riding (or commuting) on my own, 3. Recreational riding with my family, or a local bike club. I don’t do criteriums or sanctioned bike races of any kind, so my tri bike is not illegal or dangerous in any of my riding scenarios. I won’t be in next year’s Tour du France, so I don’t really care what UCI says of my bike’s geometry. In our local club rides, TT bikes fit in just fine, as do tandems, mountain bikes, reccumbents, etc. And a road bike is actually quite unsuitable in a triathlon (for me, anyway). Therefore, if I were to acquire a $5000 bike, it would be a TT bike. Apply this logic to your own situation, and the question will very likely answer itself.
Happy hunting!
Hey Trikling
This is just a look at what you can get for $5000 from Nytor
Tri bikes
P3 ultegra 10 2799.00
Or
P2SL ultegra 10 2299.95
Road bike
Soloist Ultegra 10 2798.95
You could get a Tribike P2SL and a road bike Soloist for 5098.90
And you would make all the Cervelo people happy
Dan…
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$5,000!!! Wow - I’ve got a whole stable (garage) full of bikes and parts and haven’t spent that much coin. Spend a little time on e-bay and you’ll have your road bike, cross bike, mountain bike, tri-bike, race wheels, rain bike, helmets, shoes, etc. and still have money left over to actually enter some races! To answer your question, if I was really going to spend that much on a single bike, I’d definitely get a custom steel road bike. It will give you a lifetime of enjoyment.
You live in pancake flat South Florida and you want a Ghissallo? That is a great CLIMBING bike. You would
probably be the fastest guy on the overpasses though.
Listen to these guys who say get two bikes. Having a dedicated road and tri bike is the way to go if you can afford it and have space. I ride both every week. You don’t own just one pair of shoes for running, work and going out on dates do ya? (I am assuming you are single since you get to spend $5K on a bike!!)
Mike