Triathlon - Oh why? WHY?

People are getting a tad overequipped these days. I just competed in the Escape from Alkatraz triathlon, and i noticed that as I biked back (it is an out and back course) the equipment did not change so much from front to back.

Now why am I saying "WHY?" because on the run I saw a female WALKING HER BRAND NEW CERVELO P2 WITH ZIPP WHEELS UP THE HILL!!!!!

Just for the record I am riding a steel Nishiki from 1982, I wanted her bike, and WHY????

She has more money than sense. You want it because you will utilize it properly:)

she did a TRI because it was the "in thing" or she must think she is really doing some good in her life.
so...she blows money to "look the part"

I would rather "be the part" than "look the part".

If she has the money and wants to walk her Cervelo up a hill I don't see a problem.

Borrowed bike maybe?

My wife is a total newbie and she is doing a 10 mile ride this weekend on my Blue bike. She will look a tad out of place.

Who cares? She's out doing a triathlon instead of sitting in an ice cream parlor or watching some game on TV. Mad props to her I say.

Besides if you are going to be pushing a bike up a hill why not have a bike that doesn't weigh a lot?

Good point. She may have got the bike before she realized how hard it is. At least she didn't quit. She'll do better next time.

If she has the money and wants to walk her Cervelo up a hill I don't see a problem.

This is the best oulook to have in my experience.

As a guy who won 4 races OA on a steel bike in the past, but now rides a fancy ass carbon super rig, I think everyone deserves to enjoy the sport as much as they can. Sure that Cervelo wasn't designed to be walked up hill, but if she hadn't bought that bike, it wouldn't change the fact that you were still riding the 92 Nishiki.

Besides, hopefully she bought it from a LBS and that LBS then can have better/more knowledgeable staff and maybe give back some of what it makes to the tri community.

In my 1st triathlon I was on a Trek Discovery Edition that I bought used for $400. Probably a $900 road bike (not tri) which is a joke in the biking world. People spend that on suits, helmets, and shoes. But still a lot nicer than a lot of cycles I saw out there.

I passed pretty much everyone (not counting the olympic people sharing the course) on my bike but as soon as I got to the run I was dominated. A lot of people I see in sprint triathlons seem to be strong in the running and swimming but weak on the bike. I'm strong on the bike and could crank a SS up some crazy hills. But I'm horrible in swim and run. She's probably strong on the swim and run but horrible on the bike which isn't uncommon.

I'm just happy to see other people in the sport (or any sport that gets them off the couch). The more people I see buying overpriced peices of carbon the cheaper the prices come down as competition increases and companies strive to offer the best bike for the buck and market to these "Wannabe" triathletes.

Who knows. Get enough people into them and we may watch the entry fees go down to 5/10k levels or atleast close.

In my 1st triathlon I was on a Trek Discovery Edition that I bought used for $400. Probably a $900 road bike (not tri) which is a joke in the biking world. People spend that on suits, helmets, and shoes. But still a lot nicer than a lot of cycles I saw out there.

I passed pretty much everyone (not counting the olympic people sharing the course) on my bike but as soon as I got to the run I was dominated. A lot of people I see in sprint triathlons seem to be strong in the running and swimming but weak on the bike. I'm strong on the bike and could crank a SS up some crazy hills. But I'm horrible in swim and run. She's probably strong on the swim and run but horrible on the bike which isn't uncommon.

I'm just happy to see other people in the sport (or any sport that gets them off the couch). The more people I see buying overpriced peices of carbon the cheaper the prices come down as competition increases and companies strive to offer the best bike for the buck and market to these "Wannabe" triathletes.

Who knows. Get enough people into them and we may watch the entry fees go down to 5/10k levels or atleast close.


That would be nice... while I have gotten some good deals (this weekend's race was $20 because i signed up LAST YEAR), but a couple sprint events Ive done are nearly $100, thats rough I don't care how many t-shirts they give you!

PS on the topic, I have dropped more people on Cervelo's than I have on regular bikes (excluding elites of course). They are a popular (if not the most) tri bike, and any respectable tri-shop that has someone come in who has done a tri or two and wants a tri-bike Is gonna put them on a P1 at least. Its not that much more than a good road bike... That said I'd hope they would work on their "engine" a bit more before dropping $1500 on a set of ZIPPs.

That would be nice... while I have gotten some good deals (this weekend's race was $20 because i signed up LAST YEAR), but a couple sprint events Ive done are nearly $100, thats rough I don't care how many t-shirts they give you!

I know more goes into setting up a triathlon properly. And honestly a lot (sprints atleast)of triathlon entry fees aren't too bad. $50 or so isn't so bad considering most 5/10ks are usually around $20-30. The problem comes from the insane price increase if you don't sign up months and months before. My 1st triathlon was $50 but a month before it went to $90.

I got my buddy to do a triathlon with a weeks notice. It was $90. His words were "F you Mark, I can't believe you convinced me to spend $100 to kill myself". But he loved the event (did better than me) and said he wanted to do more but wasn't sure at the large prices.

I wish the USAT or whomever sets the prices realized that a lot of people are kind of spur of the moment entries or want to train as hard as possible up to a certain point before they commit to a triathlon. I was the same way and waited until a month before my 1st tri before commiting.

The price jumps are just insane in triathlon.

Well, I think a lot of it goes into the bike. I mean they have to close roads and pay off police.

Of course it's totally impossible that she had a flat, broke a chain, cracked a rim, or any number of other things... :rolleyes:

I'm not quite sure why you'd feel compelled to post about this--she's out participating in a triathlon, as others have said. She can do that on whatever bike she wants, and if she can afford it, why not? Posting about it on here says far more about you than her.

PS on the topic, I have dropped more people on Cervelo's than I have on regular bikes (excluding elites of course). They are a popular (if not the most) tri bike, and any respectable tri-shop that has someone come in who has done a tri or two and wants a tri-bike Is gonna put them on a P1 at least. Its not that much more than a good road bike... That said I'd hope they would work on their "engine" a bit more before dropping $1500 on a set of ZIPPs.

1. I'm sure people on Cervelos have dropped you quite a bit too--of course, that doesn't make for good internet tough guy stories.

2. Who are you to judge how other people spend their money? What's wrong with owning nice equipment AND working on the engine?

I'd kind of enjoyed the fact that the jealousy/insecurity about equipment had managed to stay mostly in the road forum, but now it seems that it's here too. Kind of a shame, really.

Well, I think a lot of it goes into the bike. I mean they have to close roads and pay off police.

Actually most triathlons seem to keep the roads open. I've been to more 5/10ks where they literally shut a road rown with multiple police. So I don't believe it's that.

I'll admit -- I've got more bike than engine right now:( When I decided to get into this sport I had the money to get a nice Felt w/HED Jet 6/Disc wheels. Fortunately I do most of the passing (as I'm about 2/3 on the swim) and the last weekend I would've been in the top 10 bike had it not been for a flat.
This year is all about experience and trying to figure these things out -- next year's about getting faster, didn't want to buy 2 bikes and the TT bike is so much nicer to ride.

1. I'm sure people on Cervelos have dropped you quite a bit too--of course, that doesn't make for good internet tough guy stories.

2. Who are you to judge how other people spend their money? What's wrong with owning nice equipment AND working on the engine?

I'd kind of enjoyed the fact that the jealousy/insecurity about equipment had managed to stay mostly in the road forum, but now it seems that it's here too. Kind of a shame, really.


Wow Doc...a little chippy today? ;)

Wow Doc...a little chippy today? ;)

Sorry, just something of a pet peeve.

I'm a long-time roadie, and I've become accustomed to buying, building, riding, and racing some nice bikes. I'm a strongish cyclist but a mediocre MOP triathlete who still needs a lot of swim/run work. I still love building/tweaking/blinging out bikes, though, so I race tri's on a bike that I'm sure would be considered way "too much bike" by the BF police. But you know what? It keeps me riding, I love racing it, and when you're working 80-100 hours a week it's more about a new PR than impressing anyone or winning my AG. It's just how it is. Some days I have good rides, other days I have crappy rides. I still love my bike and plan to continue riding the hell out of it. Doesn't mean I don't want to work on the "engine" or that I think a P2C with all the fixin's will make me a better athlete than I am--that's why I'm shopping for coaches too.

So next time you need a good story about the fat guy on a blinged-out Cervelo whose bike split was Top 1/4 overall, look me up. ;)

Sorry, just something of a pet peeve.

I'm a long-time roadie, and I've become accustomed to buying, building, riding, and racing some nice bikes. I'm a strongish cyclist but a mediocre MOP triathlete who still needs a lot of swim/run work. I still love building/tweaking/blinging out bikes, though, so I race tri's on a bike that I'm sure would be considered way "too much bike" by the BF police. But you know what? It keeps me riding, I love racing it, and when you're working 80-100 hours a week it's more about a new PR than impressing anyone or winning my AG. It's just how it is. Some days I have good rides, other days I have crappy rides. I still love my bike and plan to continue riding the hell out of it. Doesn't mean I don't want to work on the "engine" or that I think a P2C with all the fixin's will make me a better athlete than I am--that's why I'm shopping for coaches too.

So next time you need a good story about the fat guy on a blinged-out Cervelo whose bike split was Top 1/4 overall, look me up. ;)

+1... I hear what your saying! Heck..... the only bike in my "arsenal" is a Trek 1.2. My FIRST Tri, I came out of the water 27th in my group... after the bike....I came out 13th. Its the biking that got me into TRI's in the first place.

Eh not eactly intended as jealousy... more intended as a funny comparison but you can think of me badly if you wish.

Eh not eactly intended as jealousy... more intended as a funny comparison but you can think of me badly if you wish.

At the foundation of the whole thing is a statement that she was unworthy or undeserving of her bike, not a true triathlete like yourself who doesn't need those fancy things to be faster than she is. It's fundamentally belittling.

Your post was followed by several more, stating that

"has more money than sense,"

"I would rather "be the part" than "look the part".

"She may have got the bike before she realized how hard it is."

None of us should really judge what kind of bike anyone else is deserving of or can "back up." Whether you're consciously aware of it or not it's a way of asserting superiority over another person who has something you don't and likely covet to some degree.

It's not even a personal dig on you or anything--it's an attitude that's rampant in any sport that requires equipment of any kind, and has become annoyingly prevalent on BF.

Fine then sorry if I offended you. I do implore you, however, to realize that you do not know my mind, and that you not make personal attacks on me as your statements seem to point out.

Also, just for the record, about 30% of the reason I am riding a steel bike is that I do not consider myself fast enough for a "better" one, although I may want them. I am judging based on judgments I have made about myself.

I am judging based on judgments I have made about myself.

And if your "rules" of bike purchasing applied to anyone but you, that might be fair.

As for the "personal attack," I don't really think I was making any kind of attack. I don't think you had any true malicious intent by what you were saying, but you made it very clear that you had a problem with this woman riding her Cervelo--enough of a problem that you had to single her out as an example of a pervasive problem in the sport of triathlon. I'm not sure how you could possibly construe that as anything but you imposing your own set of rules about who deserves what equipment.

1. I'm sure people on Cervelos have dropped you quite a bit too--of course, that doesn't make for good internet tough guy stories.

2. Who are you to judge how other people spend their money? What's wrong with owning nice equipment AND working on the engine?

I'd kind of enjoyed the fact that the jealousy/insecurity about equipment had managed to stay mostly in the road forum, but now it seems that it's here too. Kind of a shame, really.

Wow, did I piss in your Cheerios this morning? If you took the time to read my comment without bias you would see I was defending the Cervelo purchase as a P1 is hardly more money than an average good road bike. My comment was ment to show the proliferation of Cervelos throughout the pack front to back, but as sirious said you may interpret my comment however you would like. I'm hardly a tough guy, for the record I ride a bikesdirect bike, am a mid-packer at best, and have been dropped by many a Cervelo, Argon 18, and guys on old steel Nishikis as well. Oh and I swim like a rock.

The comment was made IN MY OPINION which last I heard it was still a free country and I can make it. So IN MY OPINION I see nothing wrong with dropping some coin on a nice bike, but theres a huge difference between that and then adding a $1500+ set of wheels as well. We don't have all the facts here as to why she was walking, but based on what was presented, unless you have a mechanical failure, injury, or a bad cramp, if you are walking your bike mid race you are best served saving that $1500 and working on yourself first. JMO $1500 may be pocket change to some, but I personally believe in taking it slow and buying what you need before what you want.

Maybe I worded myself poorly, but It IS a shame that someone can look at a post with such bias as to automatically assume its a form of bike snobbery instead of realizing that nothing could be further from the truth.

I guess there is a bit of envy behind it.....true you dont know that person or their abilities but its often those people that jump head first into things and blow $3k+ on things only to turn around and do nothing with it (and knowing you can) that end up getting people hurt.

When I primarily was a "roadie" (if you could say that...I guess what I mean is when I rode with our cycling club), I had a training buddy that went out...dropped all sorts of money on a new kit, bought a brand new Giant, and talked the talk. We were riding with one of the local clubs and he decides to sit up mid pack doing about 25-30mph and ride no handed. Almost caused a wreck. In fact, the first ride out he slowed, didnt use any hand signals and had a guy slam into the back of him. He proceded to yell at the guy.
Next ride, its his turn to pull and he gets to the front then peels off to the left and stays next to the guy pulling...and says I am doing some cadence/spinning drills so I am not pulling.
Needless to say we all dropped the hammer and he didnt catch up.

When I see someone walking their bike MY first thought is something is wrong. On any normal ride I would ask if they are okay. Race day... I wouldnt even put them in my head.

Back several years ago when Kestrel was very new and very costly I remember seeing my first 2 outside of the showroom. One was on the paved track around the Polo field in San Franciscos Golden Gate park, the other on the bike path in Santa Monica. Both were going very very slow. In one way sad, it did seem a waste. But the other side is they were the ones who ended up paying to the R&D, not the people who bought later when the price came down (at least a bit).

Wow, did I piss in your Cheerios this morning? If you took the time to read my comment without bias you would see I was defending the Cervelo purchase as a P1 is hardly more money than an average good road bike. My comment was ment to show the proliferation of Cervelos throughout the pack front to back, but as sirious said you may interpret my comment however you would like. I'm hardly a tough guy, for the record I ride a bikesdirect bike, am a mid-packer at best, and have been dropped by many a Cervelo, Argon 18, and guys on old steel Nishikis as well. Oh and I swim like a rock.

The comment was made IN MY OPINION which last I heard it was still a free country and I can make it. So IN MY OPINION I see nothing wrong with dropping some coin on a nice bike, but theres a huge difference between that and then adding a $1500+ set of wheels as well. We don't have all the facts here as to why she was walking, but based on what was presented, unless you have a mechanical failure, injury, or a bad cramp, if you are walking your bike mid race you are best served saving that $1500 and working on yourself first. JMO $1500 may be pocket change to some, but I personally believe in taking it slow and buying what you need before what you want.

Maybe I worded myself poorly, but It IS a shame that someone can look at a post with such bias as to automatically assume its a form of bike snobbery instead of realizing that nothing could be further from the truth.

Sorry... I guess my post was a bit too inflammatory, but here's my side.

There's no way to know why the lady was walking.

Why the distinction is made about wheels is a little beyond me, and there's nothing that says wheels and training are mutually exclusive. You can have nice race wheels AND work hard in training. The perception that having race wheels means you're proclaiming to the world that you're a perfect triathlete is bogus. All it means is that you had money to spend on wheels and you did it. Says nothing about priorities or anything. Maybe the lady had already signed her 6-month contract with a coach and had a few grand left over, so maybe she DID buy what she needed before what she wanted. There's absolutely no way you can know any of this just riding by someone.

So your opinion, which you're of course entitled to, is prejudiced and biased, i.e. fundamentally flawed.

You've assumed that:

1. the bike is hers and not borrowed.

2. That she was walking her bike out of exhaustion.

3. That she paid retail for the bike, or that she paid for it at all.

4. That she doesn't have a coach or a training plan.

5. That she was free of injuries, overtraining, cramps, a near-drowning, or anything else that could cause someone to have a bad day on the bike.

6. That the first thing she spent her money on--if she spent it at all--was fancy wheels.

So if you have no idea about any of the circumstances, why use her to make a point about anything? If you're entitled to post a huge logical fallacy, I'm entitled to point it out.

Sorry... I guess my post was a bit too inflammatory, but here's my side.

There's no way to know why the lady was walking.

Why the distinction is made about wheels is a little beyond me, and there's nothing that says wheels and training are mutually exclusive. You can have nice race wheels AND work hard in training. The perception that having race wheels means you're proclaiming to the world that you're a perfect triathlete is bogus. All it means is that you had money to spend on wheels and you did it. Says nothing about priorities or anything. Maybe the lady had already signed her 6-month contract with a coach and had a few grand left over, so maybe she DID buy what she needed before what she wanted. There's absolutely no way you can know any of this just riding by someone.

So your opinion, which you're of course entitled to, is prejudiced and biased, i.e. fundamentally flawed.

You've assumed that:

1. the bike is hers and not borrowed.

2. That she was walking her bike out of exhaustion.

3. That she paid retail for the bike, or that she paid for it at all.

4. That she doesn't have a coach or a training plan.

5. That she was free of injuries, overtraining, cramps, a near-drowning, or anything else that could cause someone to have a bad day on the bike.

If you're entitled to post a huge logical fallacy, I'm entitled to point it out.

Wow... I'm really trying hard to get over your holier than thou attitude with regard to this post but I just can't. However with a name like Dr Pete, well I dont want to stereotype, and I won't because thats not fair or true, but your replies here aren't.

Opinions don't have to be 100% Logical, and my OPINION was that I FEEL IT IS A WASTE OF MONEY to buy $3000+ worth of bike equipment when you are not at your peak. I also said I don't know what her situation was, which is why I was presenting my opinion based on what was posted. Ok I didn't break out every POSSIBLE scenrio out like you did I merely grouped them tighter. And finally I was saying that Cervelos are increasing in popularity so you will find athletes at all levels riding them now.

You need to get past thinking that I was judging this woman and realize I was merely presenting an opinion based on a theoretical situation. You are taking everything WAYY too literally. And finally before you go calling people flawed you need to take a look in the mirror and have a chill pill.

at I was judging this woman and realize I was merely presenting an opinion based on a theoretical situation. You are taking everything WAYY too literally. And finally before you go calling people flawed you need to take a look in the mirror and have a chill pill.

You need to get past the idea that an attack on an opinion is an attack on YOU. It's not. As for flaws, I have as many as anyone else. And since you're the only one who can't seem to avoid making this personal, you can have my chill pill.

You need to get past the idea that an attack on an opinion is an attack on YOU. It's not. As for flaws, I have as many as anyone else. And since you're the only one who can't seem to avoid making this personal, you can have my chill pill.

Calling me Jealous/insecure, and a "internet tough guy" is an attack on me. It was never personal till you made it...

I'm done with this thread, explaining myself to you was a complete waste of time. Good luck in your triathlons, and keep the chill pill, you need it.

what you were saying, but you made it very clear that you had a problem with this woman riding her Cervelo--enough of a problem that you had to single her out as an example of a pervasive problem in the sport of triathlon.

I would, for a moment, like to disagree with this statement. I did and do not have a problem with it and I would have to agree with others that there is a bias in the reading of this thread.

I was merely attempting to point out a semi-comedic comparison of two very different athletes.

I would, for a moment, like to disagree with this statement. I did and do not have a problem with it and I would have to agree with others that there is a bias in the reading of this thread.

I was merely attempting to point out a semi-comedic comparison of two very different athletes.

Fair enough.

I've been a member on this forum since 2005, and the single most annoying things about this place are the assumptions that get made about people who ride high-end bikes for the sake of belittling them in some story. Hell, I've had people make assumptions about my CHARACTER based on the bikes I ride. What's oozing with irony is that the people passing these judgments are the ones who claim that the bike doesn't matter. So if it doesn't matter, how/why can you judge someone based on what they ride?

As I've mentioned before in other threads, nobody ever gets on the internet to talk about the young guy on the $12K Cervelo who dropped them like a hot rock on the climb. So yeah, I freely admit to my own bias in that regard.

I also wasn't trying to insult anyone. What I was trying to do is challenge people a bit to ask themselves 1. why they care at all what someone else is riding or how much it costs, and 2. the fact that the "rules" about who should be riding what equimpent apply only to the person making them up.

Anyway, I'm sorry about the frenzy I managed to start in this thread, and if something was taken personally I apologize.

Calling me Jealous/insecure, and a "internet tough guy" is an attack on me. It was never personal till you made it...

Nobody holds a monopoly on jealousy or insecurity. They're not personal--they're human nature. As for the internet tough guy thing... Yeah, that was a little over the top and I apologize.

Nobody holds a monopoly on jealousy or insecurity. They're not personal--they're human nature. As for the internet tough guy thing... Yeah, that was a little over the top and I apologize.

Thanks man, glad we could all straighten things out.

i'm a good FOP runner.

I probably don't deserve my bike yet, and i'm on a p2-sl. :shrug: its a good motivator since i don't have money...so i can't let me large (to me) purchase go to waste.

the swim, on the other hand... i have a lot of similarity to the aforementioned "rock". luckily with this combo, I'll probably be passing more than i am passed since my events will go slowest to fastest.

I'm with you Doc. I've never liked the threads/posts suggesting that someone doesn't "deserve" an expensive bike. I once posted some race pics and some d-bag flamed me for having expensive equipment and being too fat to deserve it. He then started a thread in the Road Bike forum about people like me. So...I tend to PM him with pics of anything new that I buy.

Honestly, I think we should be more harsh on people who don't think twice about spending $2K on their new flat screen TV but won't spend half that on a bike.

...
Honestly, I think we should be more harsh on people who don't think twice about spending $2K on their new flat screen TV but won't spend half that on a bike.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.

My guess is that part of it is the feeling that it's unfair that it's possible to "buy" a better time in a sport like a triathlon. The people at the top are forgiven because most everyone else at the top has good equipment too.

Though I fall on the lower end of the equipment spectrum, it's part of what's fun about the sport. I like tinkering with my bike and seeing what I can do it to make me even a tiny bit faster. Of course training make the biggest difference, but it's not nearly as fun ;)