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Kingwood Triathlon Club |
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Archived Newsletters |
Newsletter - June 2006
selecting a triathlon bikeby Josh Rubin
Fit is easily the most important factor in bike selection. Stay out of your local bike shop for this item unless they are well versed in triathlon. Our sport is so much different than road cycling and it requires a fitter to understand exactly what you will be going through. There is no cookie cutter method of fit either. Your dimensions will give a starting place as far as frame size is concerned, but then your age, flexibility, desires and fitness level will determine the rest of your fitting. Remember also that your own goals will help to determine what position is right for you on the bike. If you are doing short course you may be able to get into a much more aerodynamic position than for long course. A good fitter knows all of this and should ask all the right questions. Along with fit, wheel size is another question mark for many people. What wheel size should I use? The guy at the bike store says 700c is faster than 650c. The guy at the bike store also only sells 700c bikes. The wheel size argument has been around for years; maybe I can make it simple for everyone. If you are over 5’9” or have an inseam of greater than 31” then a 700c bike is more than likely for you. If you are shorter and require a frame size of 52cm or less then a 650c wheel may work better for you. Here is why. The geometry of a tri bike uses a steeper seat post angle of 76+ degrees. This coupled with 700c wheels on smaller frames causes some design problems. The frames look out of proportion, your feet usually hit the front wheel when it is turned, and your shorter legs will have a hard time maintaining the proper cadence with the use of larger wheels. The larger wheels are also heavier, less aerodynamic, require more truing, and typically have more spokes than 650c wheels. The downside is that 650’s are harder to find spares for and you loose a little speed wise going downhill, but you have a big advantage uphill. Most of the tri specific manufacturers offer their smaller bikes with 650c wheels and then the larger ones with 700c, with the exception being carbon monocoque or 1 piece frames which are usually available in 700c only as a cost savings to the manufacturer. Carbon is one of 4 choices that you will have when choosing a bike. Bike frames are available in 4 flavors, aluminum, steel, carbon, and titanium. Your price range will determine much of your choice. Aluminum probably offers more bang for the buck than all the others. It is stiff, fast and inexpensive. It is also less comfortable as it vibrates and transfers the road vibrations right to your rear end and arms. The majority of fast bikes at less than $2000 are aluminum. Steel is another choice that is available, but less so these days. It is heavier and not as stiff as aluminum. Most steel tri frames these days are custom built only and tend to be expensive. They do have a very smooth ride quality. Carbon is the trend these days. Don’t kid yourself, there are some fine high-end carbon offerings out there but they are not any faster than the others, though their manufacturers would have you believe so. Carbon offers some unique qualities, it light and fairly stiff, though not as stiff as aluminum by weight. It dampens out a lot of road vibration so it is comfortable on the long rides. The bikes look awesome but they are so very expensive to the point that some of the price tags almost seem silly. If you are considering a carbon bike I would also only consider a new on as many of the used ones I have seen have had cracks in them. These are probably not fixable, at least not by me. The last of the choices is titanium, which is my favorite, but very expensive. Titanium is light; stiff, fast, a great vibration dampener, and forever. You pay a lot for it but it does not corrode, wear or crack. It has a ride quality that is very hard to beat. It is however hard to work with so not many companies build them. This keeps the cost up. Cost is the last concern in your choice. Frame material will drive a lot of your outlay, but there are other factors as well. Component groups are a big factor. What type of drive train you choose can change the cost by as much as $1000. Shimano groups are the most popular and basically 3 are available as race components, 105, Ultegra and Dura ace. 105 is the least expensive and DA the most. They also make other groups but most are too heavy to be considered. They also come as 8, 9, or 10 speed, which refers to the number of rear sprockets. Ask your fitter which would be a good choice for you. All of the new 10 speed systems shift very well, the main difference is weight. Race wheels are also a big consideration as they can double the cost of a bike. They are also the quickest way to pick up some extra speed in that they make the biggest difference of anything that you can add. Race wheels can cost from about $800 to $5000. Expect to pay $1500-2000 for an entry level bike, but I dislike the term “entry level” as many of these bikes are every bit as fast as the more expensive offerings. Go to some races and see what people are using. Get the right tool for the job! The right tool is perhaps the most important thing. If you plan on racing triathlon you need a tri bike, not a converted road bike. If you are racing non-drafting events you need aero bars w/bar end shifters. It needs a steep seat post angle of 76+ degrees, not a road bike with a bent seat post, as the rest of the bikes geometry is also wrong. All of this will allow you to run more efficiently and with less pain after the ride. All of this will make the sport a lot more fun and make you faster. training definitions!
member of the month
birthdays!June
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