Originally Posted by
Jeff Wills
Well, yes and no. To excel at either, you would want dedicated bikes. To just get it done, you could adapt one bike to do both.
For touring, get an aluminum bike that fits correctly and carries a load well. It'll be long, stable, and it should carry a load. To adapt the bike for triathlons, strip off the bags, racks, and fenders and install a set of narrow, light weight tires. "Aero" handlebars are useful for either touring or tri.
The key point here is "excel". Not a priority atm. Budget? Very much so. I have a car, motorcycle, numerous other hobbies and aspirations that currently overshadow cycling with respect to money. I hesitate with Al because though it is much lighter it cannot handle fatigue as well as steel (Al's yield strength and ultimate strength are much closer than steel's) and to make it as tough as steel, the frame eventually becomes almost just as heavy as a steel frame. On the plus, yes, I'll save a couple pounds and it won't rust. Would it still be worth it?