Road Bike Or Tri Bike For Half Ironman

Tri bikes are more aerodynamic and are faster than road bikes.

Road bike or tri bike for half ironman. The kestrel talon x tri shimano 105 bike features a lightweight carbon fiber frame and fork adding a ton of overall durability. A tri bike will generally be 1 2 5kg heavier than a road bike so if your ironman bike route is hilly then use your roadie because the extra weight of a tri bike may take a lot more out of you for the marathon. George escape from alcatraz or wildflower. So which bike is best for a hilly race like ironman st.

If you re serious about long races like 70 3 half ironman and above then i d say get a tri bike and practice a lot beforehand. The downside to tri bikes is that they can be uncomfortable i ve heard a few ironman triathletes complain of back pain after riding in the aero position for five hours or more. Plus i ve heard the position a rider is in on a tri bike makes the transition to a run easier. As a rule of thumb the steeper the seat tube angle the further it places the rider on the bike and thus forces the rider into a more aerodynamic position.

A triathlon bike has a much larger seat tube angle 76 to 78 degrees than that of a road bike 72 degrees for a typical road bike. On a traditional road bike you ll have a 72 degree seat tube angle. The bike i have right now is a 2010 vilano tuano road bike. I need help deciding if i need to find a way to upgrade to a triathalon bike for race day or if putting some aero bars on my vilano will suffice.

Hilly routes especially favor road bikes over tri bikes. While a triathlon bike starts with 76 78 degree seat tube angle. Our experts answer the common question of whether the trusty road bike is good enough for a longer distance triathlon posted. They re also more versatile if you want to actually bike places.

I m currently training for the 2012 boise half ironman. A triathlon bike is better suited than a road bike for solo riding. It features a longer handle for you to lay flat. But the geometry and componentry of a road bike is preferable for hilly twisty roads.

The steeper angle of the the tri bike can create a much more aero position. It s great for long distances. The major differences between a triathlon bike and a road bike is the geometry of the frame more specifically the seat tube angle. Do you need a triathlon bike for 70 3 and ironman races.

However once you get into half ironman and ironman distances the advantages of a tri bike become massive and not having one will adversely affect not only your bike split but your run as well. At this point a tri bike is a reasonable addition to your cycling stable. If you are sticking with sprint and olympic distances i d probably recommend a standard road bike.