Bikes, Bikes and More Bikes

Ready for my first triathlon.

I am still on the quest for a bike. It will be the biggest triathlon purchase I make, so I have been careful to take my time and do as much research as I can.

It is has been a steep learning curve, since I basically knew next to nothing about bicycles, except maybe some general things, like that there are different types such as comfort/cruiser bikes; mountain bikes, road bikes and triathlon/time-trial bikes. I also knew that a seat is called a saddle. (Why is that?) But, aside from that I’ve been having to learn everything else, like “What is a “stem”?” and “What is a “derailleur”? Honestly, I still don’t understand a lot of it, but I am learning little by little.

I now understand, for example, why my cruiser is the completely wrong bike for racing. It was fairly obvious whenever I would go up a hill that it was not a racing bike, but now I know that it is because with its fat tires, a heavy frame and an upright riding position, it just does not have low enough gears and is not at all aerodynamic. It is the opposite of everything a triathlon bike is, and is basically the Ford Granada of bicycles, instead of the Bugatti Veyron of bicycles.

Triathlon and time trial bikes are lumped into together and from what I can tell are basically the same thing – bikes which are meant to go really fast. So, you will typically see special handle bars (aero bars) attached to the front, which allow the rider to form a more aerodynamic position, but which allow for a little less control over the bike. Triathletes are also really obsessed with the weight of the bike (aluminum vs. carbon frame) and the accessories attached to it, which are meant to make for fast transitions, but not slow down the aerodynamics. There are even special triathlon water bottles which try not mess with the aerodynamics.

I don’t think I need to go that far, since I know that even with a $12,000 bike and a $70 water bottle I still wouldn't be anywhere near the lead at any race I enter, so I have just been looking for a decent road bike that I can use and learn on. My personal preference is for curved handle bars, rather than flat ones, because I like to be able to switch between leaning over and leaning up. (Back in the day, I used to have what was known as a "10 Speed", so I know this from experience.)

My original price range was about $300. However, from searching I found that unless I knew exactly what I wanted and was willing to buy a used bike, that price was not going to cut it. I have upped my budget to $800 maximum. This has put me solidly into the “Entry Level Triathlete Bike” category and it seems like I will have several choices available to me, depending on where I look and their available stock. They are:

• Specialized Dolce Compact
• Trek Lexa C
• Felt ZW100
• Giant Avail 5, Defy 3 or Defy 5
• Cannondale Synapse 8

These are all aluminum frame road bikes and all seem to have decent reviews. Which of these bikes I end up with will depend on which one ends up fitting me best and which I find most comfortable. I am a short girl (5’2”) and it seems like I will end up needing approximately a 49-50 cm frame size. Many shops do not have the smaller frames in stock, which will limit my choices. I was going to go back to the local bike shop this week before the snow hit, but now it will have to wait. I have also been looking at used bikes and trying them out as they become available. I think that when I go back to the bike shop I will get a better idea of what I like in each model. I may also have to go to a few area shops to see what they have. Thankfully, I live in an area where there are quite a few shops around.