Can You Turn A Road Bike Into A Tri Bike?

Either way, as a compromise, many triathletes choose to retrofit their existing road bikes so they can be used for regular riding and racing.

With just a few simple upgrades and tweaks, you can turn your road bike into a triathlon machine

, making a real difference come race day.

How do you make a tri bike?

Are road bikes good for triathlon?

If you're new to triathlon,

investing in a road bike is a perfectly fine place to start

. Even for those who are not beginners, road bikes can deliver most of the same performance advantages as tri bikes.

Can I convert my road bike to a TT bike?

Fortunately,

with a few clever changes and additions, you can easily convert your familiar road bike

, make it race-ready and still lay down a fast triathlon bike split.

How much faster will a tri bike make me?

In general you will see a

1.5 mph – 2 mph

boost in speed between a TT and a road bike… assuming the rider is using regular shorts, jersey and helmet along with no aero wheels. Most of that is due to the differing rider position (i.e. more aero).

Are tri bars worth it?

Tri bars can make a significant difference in your speed and can help to lower energy consumption at the same power output

. Since TRI bars help reduce wind resistance, the power needed is much less than having no TRI bars.

Are triathlon bikes hard to ride?

Triathlon bikes are squirrelly aerodynamic beasts. They are great for speed, but frame geometry,

riding down on aerobars and weight distribution (especially with bento boxes and bar-mounted hydration systems) can make tri bikes especially difficult to handle as compared to road bikes

.

Can you do an Ironman on a road bike?

If your goal is to complete the race and you're not worried about competing in age group or overall awards, a road bike will work fine, in my opinion

. If your goal is to be more competitive, perhaps a tri bike should be your choice. Next, terrain makes a difference in the bike portion of your Ironman.

What is a tri bike vs road bike?

How They're Different. The most notable difference is the design, or geometry of the frame of each bike.

Triathlon bikes have a steeper angle of the seat

. Seats on a road bike are positioned at, on average, 78 degrees while the angle on a triathlon bike is closer to 72 degrees.

Can you put aero bars on a road bike?

AERO BARS MAKE YOU ~1min 40s per 40KM FASTER

The advantage of adding aero bars on your road bike is to lower your upper body to a more aero position

. You create less drag and hence go faster for the same amount of effort.

What is a TT bike?

TT bikes, commonly referred to as time trial bikes, are

a type of bike that has been specifically made for competitive time trial race

. During these races, competitors race against the clock and attempt to achieve the fastest time across a set route.

Can you put aero bars on a Trek Domane?

You can add aero bars to your Domane…but it won't be ideal

. It will still “work,” but just not nearly as good as a true tri bike, and not quite as good as it may on a more aggressive road bike such as the Madone.

What are aero bars?

Aerobars, which are also known as triathlon bars, are

handlebar extensions with padded forearm rests that allow the rider to get into a more aerodynamic position by drawing their body forward into a tucked position, with a dropped torso

.

Are TT bikes worth it?

Triathlon Bikes are

absolutely worth it if you are well trained, in love with the sport, and want the best equipment to compete

. It is not worth it if you are just a hobbyist and new to the sport.

Why are tri bikes faster than road bikes?

It's generally known that triathlon bikes have

aerodynamic and geometric advantages

that make them faster than road bikes. With all variables remaining equal over the bike leg of a triathlon, the tri bike wins in speed.

Are TT bikes faster?

Are drops more aero than Hoods?

Hunker down on the hoods, say researchers. It has been shown in multiple tests that

using the hoods with bent elbows is more aero than the drops

as the arms are straighter and offer a larger area to the wind on the drops.

Are aero bars Safe?

Aerobars can be considered less safe

for a few reasons: mostly because your hands are not on the brakes while riding in the aerobars. It also takes more practice and skill to maintain a straight line in the aerobars (especially in cross winds) due to how close your arms are together.

Do I need Aerobars for Ironman?

A dedicated Ironman aerobar will help your performance, but there are options you can choose and still do well without one

. For long-course racing, you need to make sure your aero position is comfortable, powerful, sustainable, and allows you to run a half marathon when the ride is completed.

How do you get used to a tri bike?

Can I use any bike for a triathlon?

For your first triathlon,

any bicycle that you have access to will work fine

. After the triathlon bug bites, you may want to consider a new bicycle. The question is—what type of bicycle is right for you? The two areas where the right bicycle can make the most impact are comfort and speed.

Do TT bikes have gears?

Gearing.

Riders tend to push bigger gears on their time trial bike than they do on their standard road bike

. Many find it possible to produce more power this way, and they don't need to be ready to respond to unexpected accelerations like they do when riding in a group.

Why are tri bikes different?

SEAT POSITION

One main difference is simply

the way the seat is positioned

. On a triathlon bike, the seat tube is steeper than a road bike. The angle of the seat tube on a triathlon bike forces the hips to sit forward which gives the rider less tension on their quadriceps and hamstrings.

Can I use a TT bike for Ironman?

Yes, a dedicated triathlon bike will help your performance

, but you can still do well without one.

Are triathlon bikes good for long distance?

Tri-bikes have steep seat tube angles and often don't handle that well. They are made to go fast in a relatively straight line, with the rider in a very low aero position.

Not a good bike for typical distance rides

.