Triathlon - Convert trek 1000 WSD road bike to Tri Bike?

I'd like to know if it works to use WSD (woman spec. design) road bike and convert to tri bike.

I am a man at 170 cm tall. Normal road bike size is 50-52.

I am thinking about using trek 1000 WSD size 47 which has TOP TUBE about 4 cm shorter than 47 normal size.


Any comment? Thank you

Its a road bike- wrong geometry... Just race it as a road bike and add on some mini aero bars if you want to get a little more aerodynamic. You dont have to ride a triathlon specific bike to race triathlon however due to the geometry of a "tri bike" they tend to help you transition into the run because the muscles work a little differently at 76-78 degrees as opposed to 73-74 degrees of a road bike.
Check out...
http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/bikes/difference.shtml
I think it will give you some short straight answers. =)

Its a road bike- wrong geometry... Just race it as a road bike and add on some mini aero bars if you want to get a little more aerodynamic. You dont have to ride a triathlon specific bike to race triathlon however due to the geometry of a "tri bike" they tend to help you transition into the run because the muscles work a little differently at 76-78 degrees as opposed to 73-74 degrees of a road bike.
Check out...
http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/bikes/difference.shtml
I think it will give you some short straight answers. =)


That does not mean that a bike with a 73-74 degree seat tube angle would not be fast or as useful in a Triathlon or a TT specific event. It is also not true that a better fit or Triathlon outcome can only be achieved from a 78 degree geometry bike. I have a Trek-TT that has a 73.x seat tub angle and is the fastest bike I have ever ridden, and with my Zipp z999's it is just over $13,000. Lance and Team USPS also used this bike to win in the Tour de France. Tim DeBoom has also used this bike at IM Hawaii (as have I) and he has won using this bike 2 times. The UCI rules are very differnt that that of say IM Hawaii in that in races like the Tour de France the seat cannot be in front of the Bottom Bracket.
I also have a Cannondale IM 5000 which has a seat tube angle of 78 degrees, and is set up more aggressive. This bike is my short course bike for Olympic to 1/2 IM distance and My Trek-TT is my 1/2 IM to IM bike. I have used both bikes in TT specific races back and forth and depending on the day one can be faster that the other. Last season I used my Trek-TT in every TT specific race and had my best year ever.

To answer the question of the thread
I'd like to know if it works to use WSD (woman spec. design) road bike and convert to tri bike.
I used a crappy Schwinn back in the early 1980s and added aero bars and good wheels, used it in Tri's and did pretty good too. So can you - YES!