How Much Are Bikes For Triathlon?

Triathlon and road bikes are expensive, but

you do not need to buy a new one to train or race with

.

Is a triathlon bike worth it?

When comparing the average and normalised power of both athletes we can definitively say we have an answer to our question – forgoing a severe lack of bike skills or huge gusting winds,

yes it is worth riding a TT bike in a non-draft race

and although we at JT Multisport specialise in finding every free watt possible …

What type of bike do I need for a triathlon?

Yes, you will need a bike. No, it does not need to be expensive. We see people do triathlons on their old

mountain bikes, hybrids, or other slower bikes

— and especially with a couple simple modifications these bikes can do very well. If you can, try to use a road bike, even if you simply borrow one from a friend.

Can I use a road bike for a triathlon?

How much faster are tri bikes?

there have been many tests in the wind tunnel and these tests often show in an Ironman event that a TT or Triathlon bike can be

up to 3kph quicker

, while this is a general figure you may find this slightly more or less depending on your position, wheel choice and average speed.

Why are triathlon bikes so expensive?

Triathlon bikes are expensive mainly

because of how small the market is

. So, the market economics causes manufacturers to establish high price ranges for these bikes. Triathletes tend to customize their bikes. So much effort has been put into manufacturing, quality control, research, and design.

Why are triathlons so expensive?

Most U.S. Ironmans are running $725 these days, before the despised reg fee. So far, that leaves us with this: Traveling to races in the U.S. is expensive

because it takes more time and more hotel nights should you venture across the country or up a mountain

.

Do I need a wetsuit for a triathlon?

Triathletes normally wear a tri suit during a triathlon

. A tri suit is made of a thin athletic material and can come in one or two-piece options. Sometimes because of colder water temperatures, a tri suit is not enough and triathletes will opt to add a wetsuit to wear during the swim.

Is a triathlon bike faster than a road bike?

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.

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.

Are tri bikes comfortable?

Triathlon bikes are

not designed to be comfortable

, they are designed to be aerodynamic, light, and to allow the rider to exert maximum effort against the pedals to get the most speed out of the ride.

Do triathletes Pee on the bike?

Some riders have practiced urinating on the bike while others consider a different approach.

Most triathletes don’t need to pee a lot when riding unless they ride really slow

. In this case, they can always stop at the port-a-potty station and urinate.

Is it hard to ride a triathlon bike?

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

.

How many gears should a triathlon bike have?

Your standard racing bike (triathlon or road) has

10 gears

attached to the rear wheel, collectively known as the cassette.

Do you need a tri bike for triathlon?

Let’s get something out of the way straight away:

you don’t need a tri bike unless you are a triathlete

. It might not be obvious and some of you might even get swayed by the cool looks of TT bikes but unless you need one for triathlon racing, you shouldn’t get one.

Can I ride a hybrid bike in a triathlon?

One of the more common questions we get from beginner triathletes is if they can use their mountain bike, commuter bike, or hybrid bike in the triathlon. The answer is

yes, absolutely – especially if you are doing a sprint or perhaps even an Olympic distance

.

What’s the difference between a tri bike and a road bike?

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.

Is a TT bike the same as a tri bike?

The most significant difference is comfort

. By design, triathlon bikes are made to go the distance. Triathletes often ride through hilly terrain, cover distances up to 112 miles during races and must transition to running quickly and efficiently. In contrast, time trial riders get off the bike completely spent.

How much time does a triathlon bike save?

Specifically, the subjects’ average 5km time registered 27:10mins compared to 27:59mins, resulting in an overall cycle-run time of 64:23mins on the steeper set-up versus 63:31mins – an impressive

52secs saving

.

Are triathlons expensive?

During your first year into triathlon, you can realistically expect to spend around $700

. This amount covers all the basic gears you will need before your first race. The second year is actually the most expensive one with a total cost of $5,600, mainly due to a couple of one-time purchases (bike, wetsuit).

Why is cervelo so expensive?

The price for this is basic bike is an even $1,000. The good news is this basic bike comes with the same warranty as the $3,200 Specialized Tarmac SL6. Cervelo bicycles appear to be expensive because

the company does not offer low-end entry-level bikes

.

Why is bike racing so expensive?

Because everything is expensive

. Registration site charges a buck each, credit card processor another couple bucks, land owner another couple bucks, insurance up to 5-7 bucks per rider. Then you have awards, prizes, annoucers, timers, course setup, the list goes on.

Should I do a 70.3 before Ironman?

Athletes often complete an IRONMAN 70.3 before a full-distance IRONMAN race

. This is a wise choice, as doing a lead-up race can help you dial in important elements of racing such as nutrition and gear.

How much does an Ironman cost?

The average cost of entering an Ironman is $777. Depending on the location, it ranges from

$613 to $974

. The price stated on the Ironman website is, most of the time, not the one triathletes will pay at the end of the checkout process.

What distance is a triathlon?