Triathlon - Roadie or Tri?

Here is question I am agonizing over as the weather gets cold and I look forward to the upcomming triathlon and road biking season:

Should my next bike be a tri-specific bike, or should I go roadie?

Now let's give you some background. I participate in 5-6 sprint and olympic distance tri's each year as well as doing long training rides on non-event weekends. I am currently hauling myself around on a converted cyclocross bike that is a tad heavier than most decent roadies.

I have a hard time committing to either type, with the functionality of the tri having a strong foothold in my head, and the overall versatility of the road bike.

So I put it you you, esteemed readers and pseudo-experts. Wisen me if you would with your opinions, feelings, and facts.

Thanks,

Tom

Keep the tri for races and a decent road bike for training.

What I am trying to get at is if I had only one, what would the right choice be? (I realize this is entirely subjective, but I'd like to see what people think.)

The Tri geometry and aero tubes MIGHT get you a couple minutes off of your Olympic distance triathlon and less off a sprint. You can flip the post on a roadbike, put aero bars on it and get close to the tri geometry. Meanwhile the tri bike will be a pain on any long road ride. Unless you are competing to win and 1-2 minutes is significant, I would get the road bike.

-s

Most of my Tri friend have the set up that shokhead recommended. They actually enjoy riding their road bike more than their Tri bike. But when they race Tri's, they use their Tri bike.

Sounds like you only race Tri's, so I'd get a Tri bike. I know a lot of people that only have a Tri bike and take it for long training rides without a problems. I think you get used to the long ride after a while. Personally, I'd get a road bike 'cuz it's more versatile than a Tri bike. I'd also suggest that you look at the Specialized S-Works (or Allez). I think it's the best of both worlds. Peter Reid used it to win this year's Ironman in Hawaii. I have one and actually just converted it over a Tri configuration and it works great. Check it out. http://www.specialized.com/sbcTeamMember.jsp?a=b

Also check out the Cervelo Soloist

http://cervelo.com/bikes/SLTeam.html

I participate in sprint tris as well and have my Specialized Allez elite setup for tri with bullhorns and aerobars. I have my seat pushed foreward between where a "standard" road and tri position would be. I find this gives me the best of both worlds with one bike. A lot of premier triathletes use road geometry. In fact, the winner at Kona did it on a Specialized S-works road frame if I'm not mistaken. I think even Trek's time trial bike is considered road geometry. The bottom line however, is that as long as you get a good fitting, quality bike, any selection you make will be a good choice.

In fact, the winner at Kona did it on a Specialized S-works road frame if I'm not mistaken.

Yep, Peter Reid.

Road with clip-on aerobars will give you the most versatility.

I've always used converted road bikes for time trials. If you're only going to have one bike, get a road bike, get aerobars, etc.

One of the riders on the team I was wrenching for only had one bike for the Olympic Trials. She brought two sets of all the following:
seatpost and saddle (TT one was forward post)
cockpit (road bike was standard bars, STI shifters; TT bike was bullhorns, aerobars with bar-end shifters)
crankset (larger ring for TTs).

Obiously this would be overkill for you, but it's an example. Personally, sounds like you'd be best served by a road bike with aerobars on it.

Thanks, all! I've got myself on a Jamis Eclipse and turned the Thomson Setback around and added a set of Syntace C2s! Light and sweet!

Very nice bike.Any pics?

Not yet, but I gaze adoringly at it every day before and after I ride it on the trainer. I long for warmer days and pulling a couple of centuries on it this year.