Originally Posted by
burnthesheep
Questions first:
1. What kind of triathlon? Draft legal UTI? Non draft legal? Long course (70.3 or 140.6)?
2. Ever had a bike fit?
Comments next:
1. That bike ain't nowhere near worth that. Don't even bother.
2. At that price point, you should be able in a road bike to be able to get something pretty modern and carbon in the 105/Ultegra 11 speed kind of equipment if you look. Like a model year 2015 or so. Then still have money for clip ons.
3. In tri, other stuff costs too that makes a difference worth budgeting for: bike fit, race tires, TT helmet, good fitting triathlon suit
4. If you're really getting into tri and it is not draft legal, a tri bike is the way to go. It's built around both the speed, and often the hydration/nutrition and storage needs of a triathlete. Bike racers can't legally carry bike integrated storage for hydration or tools or nutrition. Triathletes can. And having the ergonomics of a tri bike really helps you both be faster in a tri, and also enjoy the event more. Tri bike is always the answer if it is not draft legal.
See if you can get a used Shiv with the hydration or a used Cervelo P2 with Shimano 105 on it or something.
Thanks for the heads up. I am leaning towards a more of a road / aero bike instead of a Tri bike. I probably will want to join some riding club to improve because I can run and swim fairly well, but I haven't been on a bike in over 10 years. I guess around here the riding clubs from what I understand kinda frown upon people showing up on tri bikes.
Really hard right now finding anything out there, been keeping an eye out for the past couple weeks and that one I posted about was the only carbon bike in a large frame I have come across for around the 2k price mark.