Loads of great info here. I have been reading for weeks and finally have an idea of what I am looking at in terms of bikes.
I am getting into tri-ing and want a bike to train on. My current bike is a Fuji Hybrid (Supreme) with 700x35 semi nobbies. Here is my question:
Should I upgrade my tires and get some clipless pedals for the Hybrid?
Or
Should I use my tax return to get the Specialized Allez Sport that I test rode (and liked best after lots of testing) at my LBS?
It's really a vanity thing. I must admit. If the road bike will make me train more and make me faster should I buy it?
I am new to biking and am not sure about tring either. 1000 dollars is a lot of cash for me to drop since I am in school and I am trying to decide if getting the new bike with the tax return is worth it.
So its really more an advice question than a bike specific question. I just can't make up my mind. Part of me says I should save the cash and go ride my tri on the hybrid and that it just my vanity of wanting to be faster in my race that is telling me to spend 1k on a new bike. If I like tri-ing after my first year, I could buy a bike next year. Anothe part of me says" Go get that new bike! It will be so fun and fast!"
Help!
lablover
05-01-05, 08:53 AM
I posted this in the road forum but got few answers so I thought that tri-sepcific people might have better advice for me on this one.
I have been reading for weeks and finally have an idea of what I am looking at in terms of bikes.
I am getting into tri-ing and want a bike to train on. My current bike is a Fuji Hybrid (Supreme) with 700x35 semi nobbies. Here is my question:
Should I upgrade my tires and get some clipless pedals for the Hybrid?
Or
Should I use my tax return to get the Specialized Allez Sport that I test rode (and liked best after lots of testing) at my LBS?
It might be a vanity thing. I must admit. If the road bike will make me train more and make me faster should I buy it?
I am new to biking and am not sure about tring either. 1000 dollars is a lot of cash for me to drop since I am in school and I am trying to decide if getting the new bike with the tax return is worth it.
So its really more an advice question than a bike specific question. I just can't make up my mind. Part of me says I should save the cash and go ride my tri on the hybrid and that it just my vanity of wanting to be faster in my race that is telling me to spend 1k on a new bike. If I like tri-ing after my first year, I could buy a bike next year. Anothe part of me says" Go get that new bike! It will be so fun and fast!"
Help!
Cycleman1958
05-01-05, 09:48 AM
Make the jump. I do not regret putting the clipless pedals on the hybrid, it was a nice intermediate step. But if you are willing to fall a few times on your new bike, go for it. The difference in the cycling experience could not be more pronouced. It is worth the grand I dropped on my Giant 2 years ago. It is like a bird taking flight the first time. Now my hybrid is just the workhorse, hauling work back and for to the office, or cruising around town to the post office or grocery store. Use the Force Luke. Ride like the wind. And dont let anyone give you any crap about vanity. Part of the sport is a self esteem boost.
CAAD5AL
05-01-05, 10:54 AM
That's such a Catch-22 isn't it!? If you find you love cycling and stick with the tris, you're going to want to spend more money upgrade the new $1,000 bike soon too. But, if you just gut it out on a hybrid, you may never catch the bug and really see what road cycling offers . . .
I'm a big believer in used stuff for newer riders for that very reason. Find a sweet 5 year old or so steel ride and enjoy the hell out of it. If you find that you hate it, it won't be due to any limitations of the bike, and your resale won't have changed much and you can walk away experienced and financially intact!
lablover
05-01-05, 04:40 PM
I can't seem to find a used bike that I like around here and I am unwilling to get one off Ebay without riding it first. :(
ZappCatt
05-01-05, 07:03 PM
CAAD5AL, exactly...last year I needed an outlet for excercise(and my competitive drive). I got a hybrid and HATED it...luckily the LBS took it back after I had it for less than a month, and I used the money on a cheap roadie..after a couple of weeks, I was hooked and wished I could have bought a better roadie...
If I would have gone the USED route, I would have realised I loved it and been able to research, and get a really nice bike...now I am stuck with a good bike.
ZackJones
05-01-05, 07:56 PM
If it were me I would bank the refund check and do your first tri on the hybrid. It is possible you'll find you don't like doing triathlons. If that's the case would you continue to ride the Allez?
If you really want to do the tri on a road bike and not your hybrid try (1) to borrow a road bike for the day (2) buy a used one - check the local pawn shops, good will, flea markets, credit union bulletins, etc
lablover
05-01-05, 09:11 PM
So should I put clipless and smaller tires on the hybrid? Is it worth it for speed? Or is it a complete waste of my time/money?
PinkFloyd
05-01-05, 09:46 PM
I've been riding a Giant Cypress hybrid since last summer and just recently got a road bike for longer distances and club rides (where it's hard to keep up with a bunch of roadies when you're the only hybrid). Doing those simple, inexpensive things that you mentioned to your hybrid first and seeing how you like it sounds like the best option for now.
Long before even shopping for a road bike, I switched to clipless pedals. I'd recommend that you do that first. I put Crank Brothers Mallet C's on the hybrid and have liked them alot. They're compatible with SPD type mountain bike shoes and you can use the same shoes/cleats if you later get a roadie and install the lighter and smaller Crank Bros. eggbeaters or Candy pedals. Once you get used to the clipless, you'll be surprised at the increase in efficiency. It'll also help you in any later transition into a road/tri bike (on which you'll very likely be using clipless pedals).
Last Christmas, my wife got me some Continental 2000's in 700x28c (the smallest size tire that could safely be used on my rims). That too will make a difference since you'll have less (and smoother) tread on the road and higher tire pressure.
BTW- I'm keeping the Giant (it has served me well for 1200+ miles) for bad weather, trail rides or rides with friends who have hybrids or mountain bikes. It also never hurts to have a backup.
heymickey
05-07-05, 05:52 PM
How long have you been training for? How often do you see yourself tri-ing? When I put myself in this situation, if I have to even question it, I go one step further. (Buy the bike.) What that can do is drop so much motivation in you, you get totally addicted to the sport, and you fall in love with it! On the other hand, if you find yourself with lots of unfinished projects, and you tend to jump around a lot, the bike could be totally wasting away in your bedroom (don't you keep yours there, too?). You could go cheap by working on the hybrid... you won't spend a grand on pedals and tires, for sure. If you switch from the wide tires to thinner one, you'll probably see maybe a 1 - 2 mph increase in speed, but that's pushing it. The pedals, I wouldn't worry about, just get a pair of speedplays, and you could always swap them into your tri-bike later on. I personally find it very discouraging to ride on a bike that would let me only do 16 mph when everyone else is flying pass me. I get kinda pissed. (Been there, done it.) It all depends on your goals. Do you want to just finish, or do you want an even chance in your age group?
lablover
05-08-05, 02:36 PM
I am not concerned with placing. I just don't want to come in last. I have a road bike that I will be able to ride on race day and practice on before. My neighbor is allowing me to use his. I just have to get shoes and he is lending me clipless pedals and cleats.
This seems like the best option for now: ride my hybrid a lot, race with the road bike and decide later in the summer if I will stick with it.