Choosing the Right Ride – Beginner Tri Bikes

The bike section is the longest part of any triathlon so it is important choose the right ride, even for beginner triathletes. JZ shares his tips for selecting the best bike for your triathlon.

As EZ mentioned in Splurge Worthy Endurance Tri Gear for Beginners, I am a bit of a “gear geek,” but as she also stated, it is important to know where to splurge. We put a considerable effort into selecting our beginner tri bikes, and I hope it can help you, as you look for a bike light enough for your race and your wallet.

Budget.

We started our training rides on 30+lb mountain/commuter bikes before making the leap into the carbon-filled world of road/tri bikes, and I think this was very helpful.  We were clearly able to feel the weight difference when test rode the lighter bikes built for racing, but it really put the weight difference between a full carbon setup and an aluminum mix in perspective. Those high-end Cervelos certainly look fast, and Chris Froome was on a Pinarello when he won the 2013 Tour de France this week. However, even with one of those $10,000 bikes I knew I was not going to finish anywhere other than the lower half of the pack.  Especially with my first triathlon being a half-iron distance. This brings me to the first the first decision you need to make, budget. I recommend determining your absolute max, and then subtract $200-$400 depending on whether you are near $1000 or $2000. This will not only give you a little wiggle-room, but also leave you some money for shoes, pedals, helmet, clothes, and the other miscellaneous accessories required for safe, enjoyable riding. Mine included enough for a new seat.

New vs. Used

Now that you know what you want to spend, the next big decision is new vs. used.  I personally am risk averse when it comes to mechanical purchases so I recommend new, unless your best friend or a family member happens to be a bike mechanic. In my experience, you will spend the savings from the used bike on the random fixes that pop up in the first few months of ownership. Also, a proper bike shop will measure and fit you to a bike, making tweaks and adjustments that will keep you riding longer with fewer injuries and more comfort. If money is really tight, consider renting a decent bike for race day and 1 or 2 training rides, but do most of your training on something a little heavier. This will let you save up for a solid entry level ride, and you’ll be better off in the long run.

Here is a photo of the Scot Speedster S20s that we purchased, and absolutely love.  We have a few thousand miles on them, and aside from splurging on tires, our only maintenance cost was one chain that wore out a little faster than normal while EZ learned to shift properly.

Having set a budget and decided to get a new bike, the real challenge presents itself.  Which of the seemingly endless number of brands to choose.  Here are some rules of thumb to give you a hand:

• Set a budget and stick to it. We set ours right at $1000 and test rode bikes within a few hundred dollars either way.
• Buy new and preferably from one of your local bike or tri shops. For the most part, their guidance and expertise will help you far more than the $100 you might save by going to a big box store. We got lots training tips and other information from Inside-Out here in Charlotte.
• Check around for the previous model year bikes that are often heavily discounted.
• Buy a road bike, they handle better, and they are more versatile, which makes them good for training on city roads.
• If the budget is < $900, choose the bike that is the most comfortable to actually ride. There is no point in racking up all the costs of making an uncomfortable bike comfortable, and in that range there won’t much quality difference between models.
• Avoid paying for a name, and instead pay for components. As beginner, training will make a bigger difference than the bike, and you can get a quality components set for half price if you avoid big ticket names like Cervelo. Earn a sponsor, or at least be close enough to the podium that every second counts, before you hop on a ride like that.
• Grab some friends, and try to save 10-20% buying all of your bikes together.  We negotiated a pretty good deal, and only bought 3 bikes.

Choosing a bike is a very subjective and individual decision. The most important thing is to do a little research and leverage the knowledge of the pros at your local bike and tri stores.