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bike help

Brew_TriBrew_Tri Member, Rooster Endurance Member
Sup Boys(and gurlz),

I currently have a 2013 Madone 5.2, full ultegra and everything stock.(A generous gift from g-pops, I have no money so I couldn't get any upgrades)I have money now so I am looking to get a tt bike but at what point am I faster on a tt than my current road bike? If I get an entry level tt I think I am faster on my current ride. A specific example would be, am I faster on a P2 or on my madone with clip ons?

Should I drop some coin on a new ride or just upgrade my current? My LBS is being a used car salesman on this and pushing me towards a tt bike.

-Ya Boi
Yay Sports! :#
HMkrplunkit

Comments

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    PreachSwansonPreachSwanson Member, Rooster Endurance Member, Rooster Endurance Officers
    I would think that the geometry of the Tri bike would always put you in a more aerodynamic position and likely keep you faster, if speed is your only thing. If you are doing sprints only then I might stay with the road bike for versatility, if you are only doing triathlons and no road stuff & or going longer then the trip might be the way to go...

    I'll let the experts among us speak more to details than generalities.
    Aaron Webstey
    TRS Racing
    I'm an angel with an incredible capacity for beer
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    @PreachSwanson pretty well nailed it: you'll be faster 99.9% of the time, outside of the hilliest of all TT/Tri courses. Hint: that never happens.

    You may want to scour eBay for a P1/P2SL or P3SL. Still aero as snot and a frame can be found (especially if you are a smaller size) in decent quantities starting around $500.
    Aaron Webstey
    Resident Gear Guru
    Bike Crash Free Since August 4th, 2014
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    Brew_TriBrew_Tri Member, Rooster Endurance Member
    I am switching to longer course stuff and moving away from road racing. Right now I am maintaining decent speeds(around 31 min sprint, 1:08 for olys, and IM was 5:30ish). So you think new frame and swap components? Piece together something for the road bike then?(I want to keep a road bike for versatility.)
    Yay Sports! :#
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    Mark_after_DarkMark_after_Dark Member, Rooster Endurance Member, Rooster Endurance Officers, POTM
    I go 1-3 MPH faster on a tri bike.

    Get a tri bike.
    Ryan HeislerAaron Webstey
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    @College_tri I would recommend getting the frame, and probably scouring the ST classifieds for components. I've had great luck with used components from there in the past; SRAM parts in particular seem to hold terrible resale value (outside of Red), and I've found them to work better than Shimano IMO. In total you could probably spend $1K and get a frame, used components, and MAYBE a cheapo wired PowerTap while you're at it.
    Brew_Tri
    Resident Gear Guru
    Bike Crash Free Since August 4th, 2014
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    Aaron WebsteyAaron Webstey Administrator, Rooster Endurance Member, Rooster Endurance Officers
    I have a cheapo wired powertap I'll sell ya!! Caveat: size BB30 :S
    #KOAT
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    @AaronWebstey I believe you mean "wired SRM." Or you're just trying to fuck with me.
    Theo
    Resident Gear Guru
    Bike Crash Free Since August 4th, 2014
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    Get a TT/Tri Bike. You will (likely) be faster and more comfortable. Faster = easier (Damon Rinard).

    Totally agree with @rrheisler - Older Cervelo frames can be had for very cheap and will get you the best bang for your buck. Had a friend not had a Transition frame that fit for a crazy deal, I would likely be on a P3 now. You might be able to find a P3C in your price range, but the P2 will do you fine as well. If a P2C can win Kona, it should do you just fine.
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    Aaron WebsteyAaron Webstey Administrator, Rooster Endurance Member, Rooster Endurance Officers
    @rrheisler ha! Yes, of course I meant SRM. Whoops!

    Also, I always thought BB30 sounded like a fetish abbreviation (other than 'nerds who love Cannondales').

    @College_tri thanks for starting this thread - the advice here has been pretty helpful, as I'm also stuck on a road bike right now and have been wondering if I should bother to switch or not.
    #KOAT
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    PreachSwansonPreachSwanson Member, Rooster Endurance Member, Rooster Endurance Officers
    I would also second @rrheisler on his advice to look to ST or eBay etc... for deals. I got all SRAM red components for the new Tri bike and most of them are in like new condition or new condition and I spent half or less then half on the components from MSRP. Just be patient and know what you want so that when it presents itself you can act.
    Aaron Webstey
    TRS Racing
    I'm an angel with an incredible capacity for beer
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    Brew_TriBrew_Tri Member, Rooster Endurance Member
    Its kind of funny because all my cycling friends say drop money on race wheels and race with those on the road bike. All the tri guys say to get a new frame. Just an odd grey area that lots of agers hover in.
    Aaron Webstey
    Yay Sports! :#
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    PreachSwansonPreachSwanson Member, Rooster Endurance Member, Rooster Endurance Officers
    I saw a guy come into the LBS all kinds of pissed off that the guys he trained with on road bikes blew him up in the triathlon on their tri bikes... his road bike even cost more than their tri bikes (he "kindly" reminded the shop guy). The shop guy told him flatly that the tri bike will always be faster, all other things being equal and some things even being unequal (price)
    Aaron Webstey
    TRS Racing
    I'm an angel with an incredible capacity for beer
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    @College_tri race wheels, at best, will give you roughly 20 watts worth of change. A TT position on a decently aero bike (P2SL, e.g.) is a good 40 watts worth of change. YMMV.

    In an ideal scenario, you'd have one set of race wheels and the two bikes. Less that, find a decently deep front wheel, a PowerTap, and get a disc cover from Wheelbuilder. But I think the bike would make more bang for your buck.
    Aaron WebsteyDuckies
    Resident Gear Guru
    Bike Crash Free Since August 4th, 2014
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    Aaron WebsteyAaron Webstey Administrator, Rooster Endurance Member, Rooster Endurance Officers
    @rrheisler I think you need to drop "Shoe" from your signature
    #KOAT
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    the geometry of the Tri bike would always put you in a more aerodynamic position and likely keep you faster

    @PreachSwanson nailed it on the first post. What makes people faster on TT bikes aren't the frames themselves (sure, they may be marginally more aero), but the position they allow you, the rider, to get in, which often will be significantly more aero than a typical road position. Depending on the size and adjustability of your road frame, pairing it with something like a RedShift seatpost where you can get much steeper and some clip-ons could getting most of the way there.

    seems like kind of an asshole =)

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    Aaron WebsteyAaron Webstey Administrator, Rooster Endurance Member, Rooster Endurance Officers
    @Theo that is fucking cool! I'd never heard of that seatpost!
    #KOAT
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    @AaronWebstey The Official Gear Guru has a decent ring to it, no?
    Aaron Webstey
    Resident Gear Guru
    Bike Crash Free Since August 4th, 2014
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    Wheels make you look cool. The bike will make you look cooler when your on the podium staring at your friends and their carbon wheels.
    Aaron WebsteyMark_after_Dark

    Zach Boring, Overly Average Looking Man

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    Aaron WebsteyAaron Webstey Administrator, Rooster Endurance Member, Rooster Endurance Officers
    I was thinking "The Bird Herd's Preferred Nerd", or "TRS Forum's Tri Gear Sanctorum", or maybe even "Jack of All Things from Wetsuits to Chainrings". Yours is probably better :)
    #KOAT
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    Keep your road bike intact. Always have a backup, especially if you're getting into longer stuff. I have had occasions where I do something stupid to my tri bike and suck up a long ride or two on the road bike until I get it fixed.

    TRS WEST

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    The geometry on a tri bike saves you for the run too I believe. At least I read that once and took it as gospel!

    Polletta ~ TRS West

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    Dark_Mark said:

    I go 1-3 MPH faster on a tri bike.

    Get a tri bike.

    Ditto.

    danimal

    Reformed Canadian
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    just get an aero chainring and rubberized shoe covers, you'll be good with your current bike....

    Nathan Kiser
    Just FYI, you... are also less than mediocre. -TheActualPaulo

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    Seriously though, I raced for year on a Cervelo RS and had some fairly mediocre races. This year I got a P2 and my improvement has been pretty dramatic with zero change in how I went about training.

    Nathan Kiser
    Just FYI, you... are also less than mediocre. -TheActualPaulo

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    Keep your road bike intact. Always have a backup, especially if you're getting into longer stuff. I have had occasions where I do something stupid to my tri bike and suck up a long ride or two on the road bike until I get it fixed.

    This x1000. Get a tri bike, keep the road bike, train on both. I started with just a tri bike, and got a road bike cheap later. Going on hard group rides helps with effort. I am pushing harder in the group rides just to hang on than I would do by myself. But my long rides and bricks are on the tri bike.

    _MurManTheo

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