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I am shortly going to do my first triathlon and would like advice on what bike to get and about how much to spend. I have a budget of about 1000 pounds. Also is it advisable to get a female specific bike?? I have been told to look for a bike with '105' gearing.... Sound good? Thanks : )
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Much more important is a bike that fits, lots of the ladies here ride men's bikes
Local bike shop, see what fits you...
Shimano 105 is a decent basic gear set my first bike had 105
ps get friendly with your local bike shop!
I'm not that experienced I suppose
Fit fit fit. All that matters to start with
Fit is important but feeling right / comfortable more so
If it feels good you will ride it and if you ride it you will get better
Is your £1000 budget the total you're spending on bike stuff? If so then I'd allow at least £200 of that for accessories (shoes, clips, pump, track pump, water cages & bottles, lights etc).
Why has no one mentioned colour? Surely that is the most important factor - Red is fastest, pink is for girls, black is for ninjas, white gets dirty.
black is best.end of debate
but its impossible to find after the pub
Mines blue/white/black.....slow, grubby, rusty, noisy and destined to stay in the garage for ever more.
I am intending to attempt my first Tri on a hybrid as I don't know how much I will enjoy the experience and also I might be totally AWFUL (most likely) so thought I'd try first and then I have looked at a Trek Lexa and a Norco that I really like.
Any suggestions about where to get a cheap tri suit?
Any brands that are particularly good or to avoid?
PS thank you for the tip - I had looked at chain reactions but only briefly good to know there is an alternative to wriggle.
Thanks Jamie and DTES!
My feelings were not to spend money until I know I like the event - but at a couple of bike shops I felt that I was a complete idiot for trying a tri on a hybrid. I know the cycle positiion isn't ideal etc but surely so much of it must be the machine (ie me) that will make the difference.
It's a bit like getting a shark skin suit ... I'm still not going to swim like Ellie Simmonds and all the EPO in the world won't allow me to cycle up an alp!
At the moment I am really enjoying the variation in training - I am particularly enjoying the swimming even though I still have to train in a lane with an 82 yr old! She is fabulous though and so encouraging.
However I think a tri suit will be important - I had originally fancied a 2 piece but actually found a full suit more comfortable. Should I wish to do longer distances then I might be happy to invest in more kit anyway.
2 months to go until my first attempt at a tri! Yikes!
I did my first tri on a hybrid - mainly because I wasn't sure If I was going to like it and also because I was relearning to ride and this bike did the trick. I wasn't the only one on a 'normal' bike and I have seen at least one or two hybrids or commuter bikes at every event I have done - except perhaps the London triathlon.
I don't know if I would have taken the sport any further if it wasn't for that bike.
Saying that, I now have a garage full of bikes and a super shiny red boardman TT.
Also don't worry about anyone else in your first race enjoy the crowds and have a great time it's beats the living day lights out of standard run races!
Thanks folks - what you have said makes sense. I would hate to be an all the gear no idea sort of person. I would dearly love to beat someone with a road bike on my little old hybrid - it is unlikely I know but it would be nice. A very smug woman told me it was very unlikely that I would beat anyone who had a road bike so I will just have to nail the final stage to try and make up for the other 2 disciplines (tricky as I am a plodder).
I also had thought I could get tri shorts, swim in a sports bra and then throw a top on before I go out on the bike?
Bonus is that as first ever event it is a guaranteed pb. I have a duathlon on Sunday - eek!
I did my first tri on my fathers old mountain bike with nobbly tyres which weighed about 100 times more than my road bike does, I over took quite a few people on road/tri bikes, its quite fun after too when you talk to the people that you overtook standing by your mountain bike
I tend to skip the bra, But thats what most people do when they are starting off