Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,614
Likes: 176
From: Frankfurt, Germany
Bikes: Focus trash find commuter, Eddy Merckx Corsa, BP Stealth TT bike, Leader 720 TT bike, Boardman Comp Hybrid drop bar conversion, Quantec CX budget cyclocross build, SerottaNOS frameset ready to build up!
Vanilla, weight is absolutely not something you need to concern yourself with. Trust me.
At 205lbs you need to make sure the wheelset is suitably robust (I would recommend 32 or even 36 spokes wheels) and you run the tyres at the correct pressure (around 8bar) or else you will have very wobbly wheels very quickly.
Learn from my mistakes when I was buying my first bike. The three most important things are fit, fit and fit. If you have a bike that fits well you'll love riding it, and a first sprint triathlon will quickly turn into lots of training, maybe road racing, group rides, commuting....
Give us an idea of your dimensions and people here will be able to point you in the right direction r.e. what size of frame you need. Now, regarding your upcoming sprint tri, do you have any bike you could currently use? Even an MTB with slick tyres and maybe some clipon aero bars has its merits.... I know I have been passed in the past by strong riders on them!
x2 on scanning the local craigslist an eBay for local pickup only... lots of bargains to be had. Check over in Classic and Vintage if there are any bike flippers in your area who might be able to fix you up with something. Check the 'tri bike on a budget' thread above, lots of advice there.
Best of luck.