[dmagic17]

I found a decent deal on an Allez Triple with good components. Would this be ok to use for tris? This would be my first road bike.

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[Psydotek]

It's perfectly fine. :) It's normal to use a regular road bike (or whatever you can get your hands on) for your first few races or seasons. Then if you decide you want to do this triathlon thing on a regular basis you can start looking for a TT/Tri specific bike. :D

[cjbruin]

I did my first four or five tris on my Allez. It's a great choice.

[jet_dee]

I'd have thought that a road bike is actually better for most tri's, since they're better than a TT bike for technical bike courses (difficult turns, descending and climbing), and I've read that most Ironman distance races have more straightforward bike courses specifically suited to TT bikes. You can also install clip-on aerobars to your roadbike to get part-way to the aero benefits of a TT bike.

And if you ever have to commute or get around traffic/pedestrians on your bike, I'd much prefer drop handlebars to aerobars!

[dmagic17]

Good stuff. Thanks.

[derath]

Actually i doubt even if you get into it on a regular basis a tri specific bike is necessary. I have a friend who has done tris for years, including several IM's He still rides a road bike. Especially for an IM he says it is just more comfortable with the various hand positions available.

To each his/her own I guess.

-D

[Rahzel]

A triathlon bike, properly fitted to your size and position on the bike, will be more comfortable (when in the aero position), faster (when in the aero position), and have better handling (when in the aero position) than a road bike with clip-ons. The key, however, is the fit.

If you can't stay in the aero position on your tri bike for more than 15 consecutive minutes, that is a sign NOT that a road bike would be better, but just that you need to get a better fit on your tri bike. I believe that many people who claim they are "more comfortable" on their road bike are just trying to get into a position on their tri bike that is uncomfortable for them, and could use either a better fit on their tri bike or a different tri bike altogether.

ANYWAY

A road bike with clip-ons will get you most of the way there for the majority of triathletes. Go for the road bike and get some clip-ons, and if you decide to stick with triathlon and "upgrade" to a tri bike, you'll still have a perfectly good road bike.

[TysonB]

dmagic17,

Heck, my '68 Peugeot U08 was a good first tri bike. It was comfortable and fit me well when I was down in the cool Scott antique aero-bars. I raced mid-pack on it for many fun years. 28-29 pounds ready to race with water bottles and tire repair equipment.

I recently purchased a Merckx MX-Leader in Team Telekom pink. It, too, is a road bike. I'm still dialing it in, but it's going to work out nicely.

My opinion is the Allez will serve you well.

Dedicated TT bikes can be even a bit faster and more comfortable. However, I'm recently of the opinion that quite a few triathletes really end up setting their bikes up with more relaxed geometry than you might first think. (The reason might lie in the actual time expected to be on the bike . . . 56 miles or 112 miles is quite a bit longer than even the longest TT.) Others here can tell you more about that.

Tyson
Cushing, Oklahoma

[scorpio516]

Will it get you from the start line to the finish line without falling apart? If so, its ok for tris :D

[J.W.]

I sure hope its fine, i plan on doing a few on my Allez. Even though i am already dreaming of....Cervelo P2C...Mmmm

[Giovanni]

I sure hope its fine, i plan on doing a few on my Allez. Even though i am already dreaming of....Cervelo P2C...Mmmm

same here

[juddsonr]

My Allez is still serving me well after 4 sprints and an olympic over a year and a half. Great starter bike. I got some Profile Design aero bars with the swift shift and a bar end shifter for the rear derailleur. Time to upgrade soon though.