Is a triathlon bike worth it?

Triathlon bikes are almost worthless outside of triathlon and time trialing. They’re not as safe, as comfortable, or as easy to handle as a road bike. In fact, you can still be pretty competitive on a road bike with some solid training and coaching.

When should I upgrade my triathlon bike?

Lower Weight, Higher Comfort However, the above are just rational reasons to upgrade your bike. As many triathletes can attest, a new bike immediately “feels” faster than an older model. If your bike is more than four or five years old, there are some definite improvements in triathlon bikes to consider upgrading for.

Are triathlon bikes good for long distance?

Yes. However, triathlon bikes are not tour bikes. Triathlon bikes can be ridden for long distances, but they are designed for relatively straight and flat ridding. You wouldn’t want a triathlon bike on any multi-day gran-fondos or do any serious mountain climbing or descending with a tri-bike.

Do triathlon bikes go faster?

Triathlon bikes are designed to make riders faster. The seat tube is closer to vertical than a road bike’s. This steeper geometry places the rider’s hips over the crankset which engages their quadriceps more for increased power.” Tri bikes are more aerodynamic and are “faster” than road bikes.

Why are triathlon bikes so expensive?

However, why triathlon bikes seem more expensive is because there is no viable low-end market for triathlon bikes. The thing is, there is no such thing as a casual triathlete rider. If they are casual, they use a road bike. Road bikes are more versatile and comfortable.

Why do triathletes use TT bikes?

Triathlon’s are stand-out challenge’s that require proper training and sharp focus. Triathlon’s also require the proper bike to ride. From the geometry of the frame and its efficient aerodynamics, to the angles of the seat tube and aerodynamics, riding a triathlon bike will enhance your triathlon results.

Should I upgrade my tri bike?

If you routinely ride in wet conditions or on roads that are technical with a lot of elevation changes, you might want to consider upgrading to a tri bike with disc brakes.

Does a triathlon bike make a difference?

The most notable difference is the design, or geometry of the frame of each bike. Triathlon bikes have a steeper angle of the seat. The steeper angle allows the user to travel at a faster rate because you can bend your body down lower which reduces wind resistance.

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.

What is the difference between time trial bike and triathlon bike?

By design, triathlon bikes are made to go the distance. In contrast, time trial riders get off the bike completely spent. Their bikes are designed for only one thing—speed. As such, triathlon bikes favor a more relaxed position and a lighter frame than time trial bikes.

How fast can a triathlon run?

High-caliber professionals will often finish Olympic triathlons in around 2 hours or less, with the men’s record currently at just over 1 hour, 46 minutes. But for top age groupers, Olympic distance triathlon times typically range between 2 and 2 ½ hours.

How much faster does a TT bike make you?

The BikeRadar website claims the advantage a TT bike gives you is 60-70 watts at 40 km/h, that is, it takes 270-280 watts to ride a road bike at that speed and 220 watts to ride a TT bike. Translated into seconds, a TT bike gives you 9 seconds per kilometre advantage. This is six minutes in a 40 km time trial.