Triathlon - Newbie's first tri - on fixed!

First tri tomorrow. Damn that friend for daring me on New Year's Eve when she knows I can't resist a silly challenge... so since then I've learned to swim (!) and got plenty of running in (half-marathon slow but successful a couple of weeks ago). It's only a short tri - a novice event even shorter than a sprint - but even so, I've got heinous night-before nerves.

And I'm riding it on a fixie for budget reasons. Hilly course. It'll be death or glory ;)

I'm right in thinking that every newbie gets paranoid about screwing up their transitions, right? :eek:

I recently did my first triathlon, I did not worry about the transitions and I didn't make any mistakes. Think about it like this if you go slow in the transition and take two minutes instead of one you only add one minute to your time. It's not really that bad.

So how did it go on the fixed?

It was good. The swim was the ugly bit, I'm a late-learner. Transitions were clean and the bike was lovely, a nuclear assault that exploited the hill-climbing and my sprinters' legs. The run was a bit of a mechanical plod but I'd done no pace training.

I'm entered for a proper Sprint next month and have ordered a proper wettie. I think I may spend this summer being "the freak on the fixed". If you can't be good, be weird :)

This is awesome! I had a thread a month or two ago about whether anyone had ever done a tri on a fixie.
Okay, I'm definitely doing at least one sprint on the fixedgear this summer. Way to go!

Check your event organisers. In the UK, BTA rules are a bit vague ("each wheel must be a free wheel" might just mean that they have to spin freely!) so it's down to race bike check people to approve or not. Tthey're pretty generous as they want people to have a race!

Yep. Good point. I thought I read somewhere that USTA requires two brakes, but I don't know what they say about freewheels.

Man, I want a fixed to train on....it sounds like so much fun. I cant afford it, dam super duper wheels taking all my money.....

It was good. The swim was the ugly bit, I'm a late-learner. Transitions were clean and the bike was lovely, a nuclear assault that exploited the hill-climbing and my sprinters' legs. The run was a bit of a mechanical plod but I'd done no pace training.

I'm entered for a proper Sprint next month and have ordered a proper wettie. I think I may spend this summer being "the freak on the fixed". If you can't be good, be weird :)

And if you do well enough in tough races, you can follow Hunter S. Thompson's adage: "When the going gets tough, the weird turn pro".

yea, if you're doing a USAT event, a fixie won't fly

Hmm. I looked up the rules on the USTA website and this is what is says about bike equipment. It doesn't mention either freewheels or fixed gears but you have to have a brake on each wheel and there is a catch-all provision for "unusual or untraditional" bicycles.


5.11 Bicycle Specifications.

All bicycles and bicycle equipment used in USA Triathlon sanctioned events must conform to the specifications set forth in this Section. Any participant using a nonconforming bicycle or otherwise violating this Section shall be disqualified.

(a) Length cannot exceed two meters, and width cannot exceed 75 centimeters.

(b) The distance from the ground to the center of the chain wheel axle must measure at least 24 centimeters.

(c) A vertical line touching the front most point of the saddle may be no more than 5 centimeters in front of and no more than 15 centimeters behind a vertical line passing through the center of the chain wheel axle, and the cyclist must not have the capability of adjusting the saddle beyond these limits during competition.

(d) The "front-to-center" distance, which is defined as the distance between a vertical line passing through the center of the chain wheel axle and a vertical line passing through the center of the front axle, must measure not less than 54 centimeters and no more than 65 centimeters, except that in the case of bicycles for taller participants (where the distance between the center of the chain wheel axle and the top of the saddle is greater than 80 centimeters), the front-to-center distance cannot exceed 68 centimeters and, in the case of bicycles for shorter cyclists (where the distance between the center of the chain wheel axle and the top of the saddle is less than 71 centimeters), the front-to-center distance cannot be less than 50 centimeters. Applicability of the two foregoing exceptions is determined by measuring from a point on top of the saddle which is 14 centimeters behind the front most point of the saddle.

(e) There must be no protective shield, fairing, or other device on any part of the bicycle (including frame, wheels, handlebars, chain wheel, and accessories) which has the effect of reducing resistance. Aerodynamic carriers for food, water, and or cycling provisions may be attached to or be an integral part of the aero-handlebars if they meet the following guidelines:

(i) the carrier can pass from front to rear, through a rectangular loop with dimensions of 10 inches (25 cm) in width and 8 inches (20 cm) in height.

(ii) The front of the carrier is behind the cyclist's hands when the hands are placed in their customary position on the end of the aerobars, and

(iii) The length of the carrier is no greater than 10 inches (25 cm) front to rear.

When the carrier is an integral part of the aerobar, this integrated unit must be able to pass through the rectangular loop defined in (i) above and the carrier portion of the unit must meet criteria (ii) and (iii). In the event that compliance with this section is in doubt with respect to any particular carrier or integrated unit, a member of USA Triathlon may submit the carrier or integrated unit to USA Triathlon for evaluation.

(f) No additional equipment, whether it is worn under the competitor's clothing, over the competitor's clothing, or is otherwise attached to the athlete's body, which has the effect of reducing wind resistance is permitted. An exception is the use of safety helmets as described in Section 5.9. Such helmets may have the effect of reducing the wind resistance of the head only.

(g) Except as otherwise determined by the race director in the interest of safety, the front wheel may be of a different diameter than the rear wheel, but the front wheel must be of spoke construction. The rear wheel may be either spoke or solid construction. Wheel covers shall only be permitted on the rear wheel.

(h) No wheel may contain any mechanism, which is capable of accelerating the wheel.

(i) Handlebars and stem must be fashioned to prevent any danger. All handlebar ends must be solidly plugged to lessen the possibility of injury.

(j) There must be one working brake on each of the two wheels.

(k) All aspects of the bicycle must be safe to the user and to other participants in the event. Minimum safety standards include, but are not limited to, properly glued and sealed tires, tight headset and handlebars, and true wheels.

5.12 Untraditional or Unusual Bicycle Equipment.

Any unusual bicycle construction or equipment to which the specifications in Section 5.11 cannot easily be applied shall be illegal unless prior approval is received from the Head Referee before the equipment is used in the event. Any violation of this Section shall result in disqualification.

Sounds okay - well, sounds like ref's discretion. Best buy the ref a beer a fortnight before the event :)

Hey andy,

what type of handlebars did you use?

Moustache bars, of course! I've got some Cane Creek bar-end brake levers which I have on the ends facing forward, cables tucked away under the bar tape. There's a decent semi-aero position with your hands perching forward on the "brows" of the bar, and of course they're hugely wide so they are superb for honking.

Moustache bars, of course! I've got some Cane Creek bar-end brake levers which I have on the ends facing forward, cables tucked away under the bar tape. There's a decent semi-aero position with your hands perching forward on the "brows" of the bar, and of course they're hugely wide so they are superb for honking.

Nice, I may do a tri using my fixie, and I was wondering about the mustache bars.

Thanks Andy!

Andy,
Is this what it looked like at your triathlon?

You've been stalking me again!

Actually, it looked much much worse. Here's the event protographer's proofs:
pretty scary stuff huh (http://photofit.businesswebsolutions.co.uk/content/order_new.php?race_name=Taunton+Deane+Triathlon+2006&race_folder=taunton+tria+06&event_id=24&race_number=128&submit=Search) - still the bike one (coming into transition I think from the gumby legs!) shows those bars.

I officiate and I race, and I ride a fixie.
I can't say I'd let someone race on a fixie. There's just too much going on and too many people who don't know what they're doing for it to be safe.

Andy! Fancy meeting you here... LOL

check your PM's on that other site...