first triathlon - cycle leg

[yendor28]

Hi,

Just a Fun triathlon for work. We split the legs. I am doing the cycle run. A 10km around the roads in the city (closed to traffic). Very flat.

I only have a mountain bike. Very nice Giant 2006 model though. Big tyres though.

I want to enter for fun but 1) Am not much of a cyclist especially racing. 2) Do not have the bike.

Can you please help with suggestions for 1 and 2. I am keen.

I currently ride 10 times a week (to and from work (4-5 km each trip). I used to ride for 90 minutes on a Sunday but have not in about 8-10 months. Generally pretty fit though.

The racing part is interesting. What are the rules? The protocol? How do you not hit each other, fall over etc?

The bike, I was thinking of getting some slick tyres if cheap.
*tried to borrow a racing bike but no one had one.

thanks

*not trying to win. Want to have fun but also want to do as well as possible.

[rplong]

Get some slick tires. If your mnt bike has a front shock, try to lock it so you are not bouncing around on the front end. You should try to ride at least the distance before the race. You say you are biking 10 times a week anyway, so you should be ok. Just better to play it safe and make sure you can do the distance. Especially since the race will grab ahold of you and you will want to go faster. Just stay to the right on the course and don't pass unless you are sure you can overtake someone. Others will have tips, I'm sure. Good luck.

PS: after doing this, it is a well known fact that you will want to do a whole one yourself. So be prepared for the future.

[SaabFan]

What are the rules? The protocol? How do you not hit each other, fall over etc?


Check with your event's sanctioning body, or whoever is running it, for official rules - but generally, the biggest one is no drafting. What that means in layman's terms is that you can't be within a few bike lengths of anyone else, except to pass or be passed.

Get some slick tires if you want, lock out your suspension, remove anything extra from your bike (racks, baggage, lights, etc.) and have fun. If you have a chance, visit another local event as a spectator or volunteer before you enter your own event, it'll give you a really good feel for what race day will be like.

And get ready to be addicted. I started out the same way you are - doing the bike leg of a local sprint on a team with some co-workers. :D

[yendor28]

great :)

What about pacing myself? I only ride recreationally so do not know how to allocate energy.

Do you sprint the start and end? Cruise? Push as hard as you can?

What are your basic thoughts, thanks?

[spiderbike]

Its 6 miles, that takes like 15 minutes...you'll be fine, go as fast as you can hold for 15 minutes...

[SaabFan]

Its 6 miles, that takes like 15 minutes...you'll be fine, go as fast as you can hold for 15 minutes...

+1. In an event that short, just go all-out. If you are in any kind of shape, you shouldn't have to worry about pacing yourself. If you're anything like the rest of us, you'll have such an adrenaline rush, it'll be over before you even *think* about pacing or effort.

Oh, warm up beforehand. When your swimmer gets in the water, start jogging in place or something. Ride your bike for 20 minutes before the event even starts. Something to get the blood flowing. Going from zero to all-out without a warmup is asking for problems.

[yendor28]

Thanks guys. I can borrow a:

Cadex racing bike

All I know about it. Hire actually for $25 for the day. I will have some fun :)

How does the bike sound?

I have never ridden a racing bike. How different is it to a mountain bike? How can I transfer my riding ability easily?

*assuming I cannot use the bike before the race day.

[cslone]

IMO, ride the mountain bike if you cannot get the road bike before hand.

[merlinextraligh]

Assuming you've got some time to train. Start doing some intervals. Go hard for 5 minutes, recover 5 minutes. Repeat. Do this once or twice a week. Work up gradually to where you can do 15 minutes hard, and that will give you a pretty good idea of what you can sustain for your 10k.

[spiderbike]

Thanks guys. I can borrow a:

Cadex racing bike

All I know about it. Hire actually for $25 for the day. I will have some fun :)

How does the bike sound?

I have never ridden a racing bike. How different is it to a mountain bike? How can I transfer my riding ability easily?

*assuming I cannot use the bike before the race day.

just learn how to shift in about 5 minutes and you'll be good to go. I would definitly ride the road bike...there is no adjustment time in learning how to ride...its just a bike

[SaabFan]

If someone's totally new to competitive riding, only used to a mountain bike, and only interested in "having fun" - I would strongly reccomend NOT using an unfamiliar road bike. Don't worry about looking out of place, I'd guess that at least a quarter of the people at sprints in my area fall into the exact same category as you - they're doing it for fun on a mountain or hybrid bike.

[spiderbike]

If someone's totally new to competitive riding, only used to a mountain bike, and only interested in "having fun" - I would strongly reccomend NOT using an unfamiliar road bike. Don't worry about looking out of place, I'd guess that at least a quarter of the people at sprints in my area fall into the exact same category as you - they're doing it for fun on a mountain or hybrid bike.

It should always be fun unless your getting paid...anyways if he can ride a bike, he can ride a bike, he'll just be going faster on the road bike which means more fun (funner).