The Fat Guy In The Back
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 2,532
Bikes: '81 Panasonic Sport, '02 Giant Boulder SE, '08 Felt S32, '10 Diamondback Insight RS, '10 Windsor Clockwork, '15 Kestrel Evoke 3.0, '19 Salsa Mukluk
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I've tried commuting on my tri bike a couple of times, and didn't care for it. Here's why:
1. My bike is set up to be ultra comfortable in the aero position. When riding in traffic, I don't find many opportunities to get aero and wind up using the pursuit bars, which gets tiring after a few miles.
2. The forward seat position of a tri bike shifts your weight out over the front wheels. This makes the steering very twitchy. The bike was made to go in a straight line really fast, not to slalom through city streets. More than once I've found myself in trouble halfway through a curve when I went in too fast and the bike doesn't want to lean over to make the turn.
3. Having the shifters on the bar ends and the brakes on the pursuit bars means that when riding in traffic, you always have your hands in the wrong spot for something you need.
4. The 120 psi tire pressure I normally run in my tri bike wheels beat me to death on a pothole infested street. I probably could reduce the tire pressure to alleviate some of this.
This is not to say I don't like my tri bike. When racing or training on the open road it is an incredible machine and carries out its intended purpose very well. It just isn't the best choice for riding around traffic or in groups.
So I bought my road bike to assist my commuting needs and relegate my tri bike for training and racing. Unless you're actually interested in doing triathlons (which are a lot of fun, but not everyone's cup-o-tea) I would pass and get a bike that is designed for the style of riding you want to do.