Tri or Road
48
Member
1128 days
macfights posted 2 years ago.
Nick- can't you get a VAT form to help offset the costs? i am stationed in belgium and had no problems... the cost of the bike was actually really close to the US price... like $50 more or so... with COLA it should help offset that too... plus you can take a trip here and get a ridley roadbike for cheap... they are pretty sweet... their timetrial bikes are waaaaaaaaay too expensive though... :)
A bend in the road is not the end of the road … Unless you fail to make the turn.
1
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1086 days
peejay posted 2 years ago.
i'd get a road bike if i were a starting up. plenty of reasons:
- a road bike is more allround - where-as a tri bike is a specialized tool
- a road bike is more comfy to get your training mileage
- you should be able to get a decent tri set-up on a road bike. the other way around is harder
- tri-bikes cost heaps
as a starter, I'd go for a bike with at least shimano105 or campy veloce parts - cheaper parts would wear out too fast - probably a basic aluminium frame and a carbon fork. prices for bikes with these parts would start at about 1000euros. if I was sure I'd be biking for a couple of years - because I know the sport and I have cycling buddies already, etc, I'd invest a little more, maybe 1500-2000 euro's.
If you'r stationed in germany and getting a bike for europe, an online shop like http://www.roseversand.de/rose_main.cfm (scuze the ads) offers good quality for relatively cheap prices.
good luck!
pj
16
Member
1089 days
PorterWB posted 2 years ago.
You may also check Airborne, they have just recently stopped selling bike in North America, actually the changed the name to Flyte. However they used to offer a 30% military discount, it's worth a shot.
http://www.airborne.net
http://www.airbornecycles.com/airborne_ec/janette/afcycling.asp
398
Member
1112 days
TBRAVO posted 2 years ago.
I struggled with the same question about 1.5 years ago. As I was just starting out, my roadie friends convinced me to go with a road bike that had a compact geometry and add clip on aero-bars. This way I have the best of both worlds…I can still ride with my roadie friends and use the aero-bars when I am training alone. Eventually I will get a tri specific bike, but not until I am a lot more competitive in my age group. I bought a K2 Mod4 as I was on a budget and could not afford a Trek or some other major brand. It has proved to be very reliable and fast and I enjoy blowing by people that have way more expensive bikes than I do. Used bikes are also a great option if you can find a reputable dealer. Don’t know how hard that is being stationed in Germany. Good Luck.
- T
1488
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1318 days
brittda posted 2 years ago.
I have a road bike with a compact frame and love it. I can ride it with friends and then use the aero bars on my own. If you are going to use it to commute at all etc, I would go with a road bike. I may get a tri bike eventually - but for now the roadie is the best for me.
66
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1089 days
66
Member
1089 days
NICK10980 posted 2 years ago.
brittda- I am not going to use it to commute but I will use it to do my training rides. i am going to go with a road bike. Now I just got to figure which one. Hoping to spend 600-800 dollars. the Army doesn't pay me enough. :(
TBRAVO- I am going to check into the K2's. I saw on a couple sites they had last years models pretty cheap. Thanks for the info.
PorterWB- If they still offer the military discount this could turn into a real good deal. I can not believe I have not heard about this. Or anyine else I know that rides in the military. Great info. I bookmarked the page. :D
v/r
NiCK III
142
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1199 days
BrettD58 posted 2 years ago.
Nick ,
You can look into buying a bike online from the States as some shops will ship to an APO. I would recommed a road bike as stated before simply for the versatility that it offers. However if you are tri specific and only are interested in doing tri's then a tribike is a better option. You will produce more power on a properly fitted tri bike as well as saving your quads for the run due to the difference in seat angles (74 degrees for road vs 78 degrees for tri). The Cervelo Soloist used to come with a seat post that you could reverse to make it a road or tri bike. You should check into that as it may be an option for you. Hope this helps
Brett Daniels
USAT Level I Coach
www.thesportfactory.com
13
Member
1150 days
chicanery posted 2 years ago.
Am I the only person here who prefers steeper geometry and aerobars for everyday riding?
Racing juniors it wasnt allowed, but as soon as I turned 15, the aerobars never came off of any of my bikes again.
According to all of the testing I have done, I am at least 15-30 watts higher on average @ 77 degree s and slung out over my front wheel...could be an acquired muscle composition thing, I dunno.
16
Member
1089 days
PorterWB posted 2 years ago.
If you decide to order stateside Flyte, the company formally Airborne as I mentioned earlier, will ship a complete bike to overseas military for $130.00. The big plus is that they also offer a 25% military discount. In the e-mail they stated they are still working with the military program and call for help, you can e-mail for more info. Hopefully this helps and you can get a good deal.
Flyte:
http://www.flyte1.com
Shipping Info:
http://www.flyte1.com/soar/janette/shipping.asp
E-Mail:
10
Member
1135 days
tarheeltri posted 2 years ago.
I think as a novice you should get the road bike. Though tri-bikes seem better, consider IM Wisconsin this year. I believe 400 people dropped on the bike where there are apparently decent hills. Problem was, as I have heard, there was a lot of wind and heat and it killed people. When uncertainties like the wind and heat happen, it would certainly be nice to have a triple chain ring on a road bike to get you through and get that medal unless of course, you are super strong and can hammer through wind in the heat with a double chain ring on a tri-bike.
[URL=http://tridaddy.blogspot.com]tridaddy.blogspot.com
946
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1116 days
PJT posted 2 years ago.
If you're looking to spend $600-800, I think you're definitely in road bike territory. Decent tri bikes seem to all start well over $1000. You may want to check out Felt bikes the next time you're stateside (they have a website but they don't have online dealers). You should be able to find a Felt with all Shimano 105 components somewhere near $800-$850. Try to get the dealer to throw in some entry-level clipless pedals as well. (Ignore the MSRPs on Felt's website, in my experience you can get a better price.) Aero bars and a decent seat will add to the purchase price, but ebay is a good source for those items.
946
Member
1116 days
PJT posted 2 years ago.
Also, if you're buying new, it's good to test ride the bike for fit. This involves a trip to the bike store, but some stores will match online prices + shipping, so you can pay essentially the same amount.
Help. I am new to this. Any suggestions on what to buy, Tri or Road?
What is a good starter bike? I have to be able to purchase online as I am stationed in Germany at the moment. euro to dollar does to equal a good deal. Any suggestions would be helpful. :D
v/r
NiCK III