Road Cycling - (newbie) tri-bike fit for reg. rides/training?

hey,

im a newbie at road bicycling. im just getting into it, and it seems awesome. however, i've been looking at rides, and i have to pay for my own stuff. ive just recently grown an interest in the triathlon, thanks to my neighbor, who him and his son are 3 and 5 time ironman competitors. anyway, since i dont have all the money in the world, and will most likely be competing in triaths in the not-too-distant future, im in a bind deciding what bicycle ill get. ill be riding road most of the time for sure, in groups and for cross-training. ive read up on triathlon bikes, and i know that the are built around the aero bar, and that 98% of the time youre riding in that position. i know that tri-bikes work best under effort, and that they are designed to burn less carbs and glucose and are more efficient with energy, and work the quads less, saving them for the run in a triath. however, are they really all THAT different from riding a road bike? they look a lot similar. i know the geometry and angles are different, but its a bike. would it be plausible to buy a tri-bike and use it for the reasons i described, or should i get a road-specific bike and use that for my triathlons? ive been looking at the cervelo soloist, the aegis trident, and the cervelo dual.

any help or comments would be great. thanks.

The salient feature is the aero bars and the hunched
position it engenders. Riding in groups with aerobars
can be hazardous as the brakes tend to be elsewhere
and sometimes the shifters also, depending on whether
the bike is road or tri. So you are forced to ride in a
position where the brakes are accessible. If you are a
long time runner taking up cycling to extend your legs
and are absolutely certain of the tri way of life, then a
tri bike would be a better choice. My few visits to tri/bi
events suggest tri athletes are equipment oriented and
it doesn't take long before you begin to feel that a $3-4k bike is an acceptable minimum. You can do anything you want on either bike, but a tri bike would probably
be a better choice. If there is any thought of bike
racing or doing a lot of riding with groups however, then a convertible road bike is a much better choice. The tri bike position is not an intuitively comfortable position for everyone and must be adjusted to. If you are tall, then 650 tires may not be the best choice either. (say >70"). Tri riders that compete alot tend to
like to ride with the local racing groups, they push you
hard and are competitive on training rides. Steve

See also the separate thread on Tri/TT handlebars. Steve

thanks steve.
anyone else have something to say?
btw, im 6'2", 185lbs.

I'd like to horn in on this topic too.

I jsut registered with the forum as I am preparing to enter my first half-triathlon and I need a road bike. I can't afford more than $500. I am 6' and 185lbs.

Any tips on bikes? Thanks in advance.