Buying a Bike for my first Tri (Read 2834 times)

So I've been running for almost a year and a half now and want to add a triathlon or two to my race repertoire. Because the last time I rode a bike regularly was about 10 years ago (when I was 13), my goal race is an Olympic distance next summer. I am going to sign up for a training program closer to the date of the tri, but I want to be comfortable on the bike well before then, so I'm buying my bike now. I've checked out tri bikes from bike stores, but because I'm a student, I don't have $300-$800 to spend on a bike. I'm tempted to just go to Target and find a fairly cheap bike and ride it for now if I want to continue with the tris, buy a real tri bike when I have the money. Am I better off buying a tri bike now (new or used) or will I be okay going to a discount store and finding a "normal" bike to tide me over for my first race? Thanks!

A tri bike is designed to be hard to use and kind of uncomfortable

This made me laugh out loud. But damned if that wasn't my experience (tri bikes are designed differently so you work your legs differently... saving some for the run. Some people swear by them, but no way would I suggest it as a first bike.)

Depending on how much you want to spend and your comfort in putting a bike together and maintaining it you could try some online vendors. www.rscycle.com Randall Scott Cycles Low entry lever for ~$400 www.bikesdirect.comBikes Direct another place to look. I recently got a bike from them for my wife and I haven't been disappointed. Then again like alot of people will say check craigslist. If you know your size you're halfway there, from there it's pretty much what you can afford and what feels nice. hope this helps.

Forget about purchasing anything new at this stage of the game. Right now, my advice to you is to purchase a used bike. Buy a used road bike if you can find one and if you can't, buy a used hybrid and put some road tires on it. check craigslist, check Ebay, check your LBS for trade-ins. This bike will suffice just fine for your first few triathlons. If you decide it's a sport that you want to stick with, THEN you can save your pennis and get yourself either a dedicated tri bike or a road bike that can be set up with some aerobars.

THEN you can save your pennis .

Saving this is very important if you wish to continue the family line...

I bought the lowest level GIANT road bike at a local bike shop and have never regretted it. It cost $600 and that was at full price. One of the few times I have paid full price on anything. You want a Road Bike and like some else said you can add on Aero bars later. I would not suggest getting a hybrid. You really want a Road Bike. Biking is not cheap! I learned this the hard way - you have shoes, pedals, helmets, gloves and clothes to name just the basics. Do not get a Tri Bike yet. If you get one you want a good one and you need to see if you really like the sport first. I would go with the Road Bike. I would suggest buying local so you have someone to help you understand you bike better and can get everything adjusted. I normally wouldn't care about buying local or on the internet but this is really important. That reminds me that I need to have my bike serviced.

check w/ a good local bike store and see if they got something (even if it's used) that fits you and your budget. bike fit is a big deal and will make you life a lot easier if it is right.

I know you are a student & so money is tight, but my 2 cents are ... I absolutely agree with this, especially for a 1st-time purchase. Pleasure on the bike is ALL about fit (how much do you enjoy running in shoes that don't fit well? Project that misfit from your feet through your legs, back & shoulders when you are on a badly fitted bike). No way you will know yourself if a bike fits well from a test ride if you haven't been riding much. If you are not sure you will like the sport, get a cheaper but decently fitted bike. If you want to get a used bike, find it locally & take it into a shop to see if it is at least a reasonable fit before actually purchasing it. Good shops should do this for a small fee. Also if & when you do purchase, either new or used, have the shop adjust the fit for you (saddle height, stem length, etc.). If you buy new from them, they should do it free, and good shops should give regular free refits. If you buy used, good shops will do fits for small fees. Who knows -- you might get a bike online that works really well for you. But you might not. If it fits badly your first experience of a really great sport might not be very much fun at all. So I know you don't have much money, but IMO buying a bike without expert advice is a crapshot. I think the ONLY time you should buy a bike online is when you know exactly the model & specs you want. Then of course you can find some awesome deals. Of course you could reserch the bike you want at the shops, get the specs, then find a deal online. But that kind of screws the LBS that has done all the work, right? And who will fit your bike for you? My first experience with a tri bike was exactly what I'm warning you against: I bought used, just took a test ride & figured it felt fine. The person who sold it to me was about my size. But in the end the frame was all wrong, and I spent months riding in pain. Took it to a shop (and then another for a 2nd opinion) & ended up spending almost what I would have on a new bike, in the end, to get a major refit. But now I ride in comfort. But that was just my $0.02

I just bought a hybrid bike from Performance Bike, brand new 2008 closeout for $399, original price was $800. If you have a Performance shop near you, I highly recommend them. My husband is an avid cyclist and wouldn't go anywhere else. The other plus is that you get free lifetime adjusments when you buy a bike from them and they will also put new components on your bike for free. Of course you have to pay for the components first! I have to say it sure beats out the 15 year old Huffy department store bike by a lot! I agree with the others...don't go to Target.