While my first love is running, I have to admit I'm a bit Tri-curious.  I like to swim (though I hate chlorine - and no lake choices around) and don't think 600m will be a problem.  But I'm not so sure about the bike.  I used to bike a lot 20years ago before I had a license.  Up and down a huge 18mi hill to see a girlfriend. But I've never 'cycled'.

My steel-framed Giant touring bike was stolen while I lived in Cambridge a decade ago.  I haven't ridden since.  Bikes are just too expensive these days.  And I hear a Tri bike is something like $3k entry-level.  Ooph.

So, there is a Sprint-Tri that my running buddy signed up for in June.  I've got a very very busy late-May (lots of travel) and no bike.  Still, I'm thinking of joining him.  I don't really care about my performance.  I just want the experience.

The first problem is what to do about the bike.  My friends are too short (I'm 6' 3").  But I was thinking, maybe the local bike-shop could rent me something for the event.  I'd train on stationary bikes at the gym.  I realize this NOT ideal.  I look forward to hearing cheap alternatives.

Do bike shops typically rent race-type bikes?   Or just Huffies and egg-beaters?

Zoomy, will this be the year you buy aero bars?

I have a set of nice carbon Profile Design aerobars that I picked up on ebay about a year ago...but haven't found any good reason to use them.  My handlebars are already so narrow that if I add aerobars I have no room for Garmin.  And I have enough "up front" issues (I actually wrote a bit about what I'm dealing with) that I don't see myself spending much time on them, anyhow.  I'm also doing only 2 dus, this year (at most).  Maybe next year I'd think more seriously about adding them.

In April, 2009, I signed up for a June 1st triathlon without ever swimming a lap or riding a bike.  It can be done.

For my 1st sprint triathlon, I used a mountain bike that I found in my garage (I knew it was there, just didn't ride it in the previous 5 - 10 years).  It worked.  Obviously, I wasn't competitive on the bike, but was able to do 14mph and I had a blast.  I was hooked from that 1 1/2 hour fun race!

A week later, I went to the LBS, and pretented that I was ready to buy and needed to find out what size bike I need.  The next day, I found a road bike on Craigslist for $300 to $350 that was my size (56cm).  I rode that bike for the rest of 2009 and most of 2010 before selling it on craigslist and buying a new tri bike. 

For what it's worth, my new bike doesn't ride any faster than my used craigslist bikes.  I was able to do 20mph in sprint tri races and OLY races. 

Basically, you can ride a good ride for much less than the $3,000 amount you mentioned (you are the engine, the bike is simply the chassis).  You can ease yourself into the sport if you choose.  If you choose, you can also walk away from the sport without a $3,000 trophy bike mounted in your garage for the next 10 years.

Welcome to the sport of triathlon!

Enjoy!

Brian

Yeah, those saddles are way too wedge-shaped, unfortunately.  They'd probably help my girl parts, but beat up my inner thigh and leg crease muscles.  If either company came out with a more t-shaped saddle I'd be on it in a heartbeat!

If you can get a hold of one, I'd give the adamo a try. You actually sit forward on the nose. Here is a link to an Adamo Century with a link to the Female Fit pdf that shows where to sit on it. Some people say the nose is too wide for them, but a work around for that is to take a zip tie and pull the rails together at the nose while still keeping the channel open for the relief.

I did pick up a computer mount, too.  I'm still not sure I want to mess with the aerobars.  If we put them on I'd have almost no room for my hands on the bars, which would kinda suck, sometimes.  It's kinda dumb being a short girl with really narrow shoulders...

Just echoing the advice about...

1. Find your frame size. At 6'3" you are likely to be looking for a 58cm frame, but it depends on leg/torso ratio.

2. Find a used road bike for a few $xxx - there will be one pops up. Look for a half decent make. I bought a Cannondale R500 for $350 with carbon aero fork and carbon seatpost. This will do you just fine for your first triathlons, whilst you work out if you enjoy it enough. And will also come in handy for training, group rides, gran fondos etc.

3. If you do, then you can get lucky and spend less than $3k for a new race bike. Cervelo just had a promo deal, which meant I paid $1550 plus tax for my race bike. That might not happen again, but buying used again is a good option.

Give it a crack - most folks have a blast.