I’m trying to convince myself that it’s not about the bike as I get back into tris after a couple of year hiatus. I’d love something new simply for the motivation, but it’s not currently in the budget. I’ve always done tris on my road bike up to 70.3.
So, for a little motivation, is anyone killing it on something old, cheap, non-aero, or anything else that’s not sexy? Getting on podiums? If so, post some pics.
No pics, but most of my best races (a few course records, and some prize money now and again) were on a steel bike with external routing and non-aero tubes. Though, I also had very aero wheels and aerobars.
Most people “killing it” or “on the podium” as you say are serious triathletes. Serious triathletes race serious tri bikes. I don’t know of anyone killing it that races a road bike.
I’m not saying that to sound mean. Just keeping it real.
People were killing it in the 80s.
I’m riding my first ironman on an old roadbike (10 years old, decent condition) and clip-on aerobars. I’m looking forward to being ahead of a lot of TT bikes
Get a second hand bike. For under $1,000, you will be better off then a road bike.
If someone is constantly up on the podium and is riding on a round tube road bike, good for them…but that is just stupid.
Most people “killing it” or “on the podium” as you say are serious triathletes. Serious triathletes race serious tri bikes. I don’t know of anyone killing it that races a road bike.
I’m not saying that to sound mean. Just keeping it real.
Right, like all of those ITU pussies.
Somebody drank the marketing Kool-Aid. I remember racing in Dallas a few years ago and William Huffman (Young ITU pro) coming to races and destroying everybody on a road bike, top bike split every time. Also the state TT race had second place on a road bike set up really nice but nothing too special (not even a disc), 54 flat for 42k on a windy day (translation: way faster than 99% of people on here can ride using the nicest TT bike). I also remember doing a local half iron race and racing for an overall spot and pretty happy with my 24+ average speed, then some guy blows past me on an old steel road bike with down tube shifters and ends up riding just over 26mph, he jogged the run and still won. So yes it can be done 
Didn’t John Howard do his first Ironman bike leg in 4.24 in about 1982 or something? He definitely would not have even had aerobars at that point.
Nevertheless, there are so many advantages to a TT bike if you are doing TT’s & tri’s that if you can justify it because you race enough, its kind of a no-brainer. However, if you only race a couple of times a year, its hard to see the need - even though you will have an advantage in those couple of races.
Marketing Kool-aid? I’m not sure you really know what you’re talking about.
You’re only argument is to reference 1 guy a few years ago? Please enlighten me as to how that’s an argument or contraindicates my post. 1 guy a few years ago does not equate to people killing it/on the podium today.
As for the ITU post. That’s draft legal triathlon racing. Take draft legal out of the equation and they will all be on tri bikes. Saw the Brownlee bros at Abu Dhabi and they were on Boardman TT’s, not their road bikes they use in ITU.
I have two teammates who own only one bike- scott foils. nothing too sexy, race wheels but normal components like 105 or ultegra. they podium regularly. one has a killer swim and one has a kickass run. both are pretty good on the bike.
Have another team mate on an older Pinarello F4:13. He’s OK on the bike but his real strength are very good swim and run.
Note that my team primarily races short course. the longer course athletes in my team ride mainly look 596 and scott plasmas.
If you are comfortable with a bit of DIY check out the TT frames from China. I have 3 riding buddies with china carbon TT frames and they were tempermental to build up and had some small issues to be ironed out in the buildup… they have very nice bikes for 700-1300.
I am in my second season of triathlons and just out of University so getting a TT bike was not an option.
I have one cheapish bike that I use for training and racing and I can tell you there is some great satisfaction when you overtake folks on TT bikes at races.
I have a added a pair of cheap Chinese Carbon race wheels, clip on aero bars and a aero helmet to pick of some of the low hanging aerodynamic fruit and I get along just fine.
An upgrade will happen in the future but until that’s feasible I’m getting along just fine.
Most people “killing it” or “on the podium” as you say are serious triathletes. Serious triathletes race serious tri bikes. I don’t know of anyone killing it that races a road bike.
I’m not saying that to sound mean. Just keeping it real.
I believe two years ago in the Vienna 70.3 there was a former pro or a pro type fella (I don’t want to be too specific and be wrong and subject to flaming) that placed third on an old school road bike. The only thing that bike didn’t have was tassels coming out of the handlebars. He was quite the subject for photographers.
I’m pretty sure you can modify a road bike and get a lot of the advantages of a tri bike. I rode a cannon dale cad 3 rigged aero for three IMs back in the early 2000s all with 5:15 ish splits. It’s all about position and cheating the wind, right? Forward rotating seat clamp 25.00, used clip on aero bars off ebay ? 50.00, duct tape over the vents on your helmet 2.00, wheel cover 100.00. As long as you aren’t riding a super hilly course , once you get that rig rolling and your POSITION is dialed in, I bet you are 90% there in any high end tri bike advantage. Just make sure to wish those guys and gals out on their 5k rides a good morning as you pass.
As an aside, 7 years ago I dropped 4k on a custom indi fab ti road bike. Headed up to the blue ridge parkway with my buddy who had just gotten his newewest model specialized. Thought we were the shit as we humped it up 276 towards Pizgah out of brevard. Well, about half way up an older gentleman comes riding up along side and says hello. He’s riding what looks to be a bike he bought from Walmart. I asked him where he got his ride and he said it was his wife’s bike from Walmart that she never uses. As he rode off and dropped us we both just laughed in shame.
My fastest ever tt’s were on my old cannondale r700 with 32spoke shallow v rims. I’m convinced the extra speed there was because they were purple. Purple rims are the fastest rims.
I’ve done 2 HIMs in my life. The first was on a Klein road bike bought a size too small and with aero bars on it. The second was on my cervelo. Guess where I had the faster bike split and overall time?
A guy I know rode a road bike in IM Sweden, one of the courses where aero is most rewarded. Clip-on bars plus a disc cover which I think was borrowed. Rode entirely on feel to a sub-5 split, top 15 age grouper off the bike and a KQ.
A guy I know rode a road bike in IM Sweden, one of the courses where aero is most rewarded. Clip-on bars plus a disc cover which I think was borrowed. Rode entirely on feel to a sub-5 split, top 15 age grouper off the bike and a KQ.
Might have been top 10 off the bike if he was on a tri bike.
Honestly, all of these examples of people going fast on road bikes. It is possible to do well on a road bike if you are a fast cyclist, but you would have gone FASTER on a tri bike unless you have it set up really weird. Your mate who got on the podium on his Canondale CAAD might have won it on a P3.
Right. They’re winning in spite on their gear, not because of their gear.
I’m on my same entry level tri-bike that I bought in 2007. It’s no where near ST approved. In a recent conversation with the LBS, I was discussing the differences between my ride and a souped-up P5. He said from 6-10 minutes over the course of an IM. I am not 6-10 minutes away from an FOP cyclist, not even in a half (maybe an oly). It’s not the bike.
Most people “killing it” or “on the podium” as you say are serious triathletes. Serious triathletes race serious tri bikes. I don’t know of anyone killing it that races a road bike.
I’m not saying that to sound mean. Just keeping it real.
Right, like all of those ITU pussies.
Those people are doing a kind of racing that the OP will most likely never do.
Gomez rides a Shiv for non drafting events. That’s not to say he wouldn’t be killing it on a round tube bike though.