maxcyclist

I need to know if there could be any problems or bad side effects to my road cycling from getting a TT bike. I've raced at national championships, and in many parts of the US. I want to get a time trial bike because I can get a very good bike for a very good deal but the two people who I go to the most for advice on cycling are telling me differently. One has been an Olympic Coach and is telling me that it will hurt my road cycling because of the position change. The other has raced professionally at races like the Vuelta a Espana and is telling me that it will improve my time trialing significantly but won't hurt my road cycling. Also, if I did get the TT bike I wouldn't be riding it extremely often. I would do most of my time trial intervals on my road bike as to avoid changing positions to often.

Thanks

EventServices

Everything in moderation.
It'll help your power. It'll kill your sprint (if you have one). (Actually, it wont' KILL it, but it sure won't help it much.)
It'll offer a different way to ride. I see nothing wrong with that. Too much of one thing is wrong.

There's nothing wrong with changing your position as long as it's not destroying your body. If that were the case, then sitting in your car or at your desk would be harmful to your position.

maxcyclist

I do have a pretty good sprint and I wouldn't want to ruin that but I would mostly use the tt bike for races only and ride it a couple times a few weeks before a big race.

LoneCyclone

Aint no experts on this here bike forums

Quel

If I had a power meter, I'd post my crappy numbers just to make you feel bad for asking this question to this forum.

But that being said, do whatever you want to do. If you love crits and road races only, don't buy a TT bike. If you want to race TT's and have the cash for a TT bike, buy it. Unless you have top tier talent and are somehow going to make a living as a bike rider, do what you want and enjoy it.

DrPete 

I think the important thing to remember is that the positions are different enough that you should continue training on both bikes. I spent 90-plus percent of the season on my tri bike and on my first long ride on the road bike this fall the position didn't feel great.

fogrider

my current project is to build a tt bike. I was in a tri with a 25 mile bike leg. I was going pretty fast...as hard as I could without imploding...then I hear it...the sound of a carbon wheel coming from behind and pulling away from me like I was standing still. I'm pretty sure that if I'm on a tt bike, I could get at least 3 to 4 mph faster. many top pros do tt training...if you are fast, any training will only make you faster.

DrPete 

Not 3 to 4. Sorry. Dude who blew by you was just faster than you. You can probably buy 1-2mph, but not much more than that.