Triathlon - Best Budget Tri Suit?

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA

View Full Version : Best Budget Tri Suit?

talleymonster
08-23-08, 06:06 PM
I'm looking to get a Tri Suit and I wanted to get some feedback from everybody before I bought one. I'd like to get a cheap one for now as this will be my first Tri.

What should I look for?

Any brands to avoid?

How does the sizing work?

Any recommendations?

Anything Else????

DrPete
08-23-08, 06:42 PM
FWIW, I just got a 2XU Endurance suit for about $100, and it's been good so far. I'm a total tri newb, though.
Rahzel
08-23-08, 06:49 PM
The fit should be tight, for comfort and aerodynamics.

Sizing varies from brand to brand. Most brands will be comfortable on most people, though most people end up preferring one brand as most companies have slightly different fits.

Expect to pay between $70 and $110 for a decent suit. You can occasionally find one in an off size for cheaper, and the top-of-the line stuff that the ITU guys wear can get really expensive.

bikinpolitico
08-23-08, 10:33 PM
I agree with Rahzel, look for something sleek that does not have loose fabric that can flap in the wind. (Think super hero tights.) Loose fabric can be a hugh drag, aerodynamically speaking.
Calminian
08-26-08, 04:48 PM
Are there any sources you guys recommend? Online or otherwise?
bikinpolitico
08-26-08, 05:09 PM
If you have a tri shop or a good LBS that doesn't just treat a triathlete as someone to sell a few more bikes to, I definitely do that route. Different suits will fit you differently and it's important to try this kind of stuff on first. If you don't have one of these in your town, I'd look at All3Sports (http://www.all3sports.com), TriZone (http://www.tri-zone.com/), SportsBasement (http://www.sportsbasement.com/), or BikeSportMichigan (http://www.bikesportmichigan.com) for a decent selection of stuff.
djwright
09-15-08, 10:36 PM
I found a Zoot suit on Ebay for $40. I worked great in my tri this weekend.

http://wrightideas.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d111053ef010534a6b805970b-pi

This picture doesn't show it well. But it wasn't a problem for me (but cramps were).
Raerfani
09-15-08, 11:18 PM
I used this Orca suit in my first sprint. I felt like a champion the whole way through. I can't think of a single complaint. It kept me warm in the cold lake, aerodynamic on the bike, and my arms and legs were as flexible as if I were naked. However, one thing to note is that its a large but I always wear medium as I am a pretty average guy (5'10 155).

Good luck.

http://www.3-athlon.com/product.php?productid=1142