Do you REALLY need a triathlon bike?

[@gtn]

Do you think you need a Tri bike? 🚴 Let us know what you think below 👇

[@darthjohn0]

Depends on your goals and the courses you race on! If you're very competitive, and race on flat courses and long distances (70.3+), you will need a tri bike to fully optimize your position for several hours of riding. But on a hilly course, the extra weight and lack of comfort on a tri bike may reduce performance relative to a road bike.

[@jurgenfischer7720]

Another factor is budget and storage place. Triathlonbikes seem to be quite expensive nowadays as I have not seen models covering the entry level budgets e.g. by alumnium frames. A second factor is the question of storage. As you do not want your bike to be stolen you either need enough space in your flat/house and/or a burglar proof storage box in the basement.

[@joshmadeley7457]

I have seen a bunch of videos talking about this topic. This one hit all the points I needed at the right amount of detail. Talking about the seat and aero adjustments without getting overly technical was great. Thank you.

[@gtn]

Gad we could help Josh! 🙌 Are you changing up your bike for a Triathlon?

[@christianb9597]

A standard roadbike worked fine for me for twelve years. From sprint distance to middel distance it was absolutely okay. Last year i have bought a second hand time trial bike. It is quite a difference, but i still believe the biggest difference is "training" 😉. So i would say, you don't need a triathlon bike, but you want one.

[@gtn]

Do you find it easier or harder to train on a tri bike? 👀

[@christianb9597]

@@gtn It is harder to accelerate or riding uphill with a tri bike, but it is easier to keep a higher average speed on longer rides. After i was used to the different geometry, i love it and consider it easier.

[@jeromeibanez2891]

In my opinion, you don't need it if: 1. You're not ready to commit to middle/full distance consistently over the next 5 years 2. Your bike handling is not there yet - riding in TT is going to be strange for most people and a lot can't even hold the position for more than 30 minutes at a time 3. You're planning on racing hill courses with technical descents (related to point 2). In my opinion, you should stick to your road bike and install an aerobar. If you have decided that you will indeed commit to middle/full distance racing but your bike handling is not there yet, invest on a biking camp instead of a tribike. When I raced Lanza 70.3 last March, I saw people in normal race bikes obliterate people on tribikes. A nice bike can only take you so far and if you can, invest on skill. Tribikes are also useless in hilly courses with technical descents UNLESS you have the bike skills. Why? Most hilly courses, especially in Europe, have winding descents. If you're not comfortable on the bike you will inevitably get off of the TT position which kinda ruins the purpose of the bike.

[@dbo4506]

Lol 😂 so you need to commit to 5yrs competing in half or full Ironmans to buy a TT bike. Ok mate. Imo your opinion is a joke.

[@brentcharlton1065]

It would have been great to also factor in these suggestions based on distance/time on bike. Interested in how much benefit there really is over just 40k in an Olympic distance…

[@gtn]

Great point Brent thanks for commenting 🙌 Do you think that it's as important as those longer stages? 👀

[@brentcharlton1065]

@@gtn 😂 How about you tell me before I do my first Olympic tri in 4wks on a road bike. 😬😬😬 Keep the content coming GTN! 🏊🚴🏼🏃

[@driventomadness117]

I have both. The tri bike is just more comfortable because of the better hip angle. Going into the aero position on the road bike is much less comfortable even with the seat slammed forward. I started doing F1 neck exercises and this helped tremendously with neck pain.

[@m.a.c1379]

Would a seat post with no setback or even "negative" setback help with the hip angle? How about shorter cranks?

[@jonathanzappala]

If you wanted a Quintana Roo (good option for USA) they would help you get the right fit. Canyon works with you after the sale too to get it right if you got the wrong fit. Also find a bike shop with a tri fitter even if they don’t have stock. You could also buy an older 2000’s inexpensive one, get it to fit, then order a modern one.

[@lesliereissner4711]

I like the trend in road cycling for time trial bikes to be substituted by normal road bikes, given how few time trials there are and even smaller teams as well as amateurs are concerned about budgets. With its lack of rules, triathlon will always be the big market for manufacturers of aero tt bikes.

[@washedup_adventurer]

Perfect timing. Swapped to different aerobars and made a bunch of other aero changes last night. Time to compare.

[@gtn]

love his 🙌 How did you get on?

[@washedup_adventurer]

@@gtn Pretty happy with the result. Far more comfortable on my bad back than my previous setup.

[@steveosborne9273]

Great tips regarding Aero Bars and Hydration. Together, both make a huge difference in reduced times but does require some practice. It can feel a little unsettling at first, but becomes second nature after a few runs...

[@nizam_mr]

i dont know if i need one yet for my skill level, but im eyeing the VanRysel XCR releasing to public next year

[@Mrcheesydancer]

Same, insane bike imo. Van Rysel slowly taking over the cycling game. Best price/ value ratio!

[@rodneyjones3376]

Thanks for the timely and relevant content. Planning my first tri this summer, thinking I’ll just go the the bar extensions and see how that goes.

[@gtn]

For your first tri a road bike is perfect 👌Good luck and let us know how it goes 🙌

[@ljadf]

I've been using the 'CamBamBox' as an aero seat tube mount for a while now.

[@PaulioNZ]

I have used a Redshift seat post in the past and it worked wonderfully. It allows you to shift the position of your seat on the fly from a road position to a TT position. I had it on my bike when I went for a TT bike fit on my roadie and the fitter was amazed at how well it worked.

[@gtn]

Sounds like a great solution 🙌

[@victorfb01]

Glad to see this video! Gustav Iden won 70.3 world champs on a road bike, that should be proof enough that it's a valid option. If your road bike geometry allows you to get a good and comfortable aero position, a good aero tri suit would be a much more cost effective upgrade than a fancy tri bike or a set of deep section wheels.

[@PhiyackYuh]

The problem with that is, do you have the capabilities of a pro? Majority of age groupers arent 😂 show me age groupers who got on the podium with road bike 🤷‍♂️ i will wait then 😂

[@victorfb01]

@@PhiyackYuh not sure I follow your logic... do you think Iden was so far above his competition that he could afford a massive disadvantage and still win? I doubt that. Similarly, if you give a top age grouper a road bike (race optimized of course, deep section wheels, low rolling resistance tires, etc.) on which they can maintain a good aero position, it shouldn't change the results too much - especially on a hilly course, which was the case for the Iden win. The thing is, at the top of the sport, both on the pro and on the age group side, athletes will seek any marginal advantage they can get and on most courses a tri bike will be a marginally faster than a road bike.

[@allancox4694]

Very helpful DIY setup. I've been play8ing around with some and this will help with fine adjusting. Thanks GTN!

[@jonathanzappala]

I just traveled for Multisport national championship week. I only wanted to fly with one bike. I worked out through testing I was at an 8 second disadvantage in the super sprint(4.75k), and 1:30 for 40km. That includes tires and no disc wheel, not just clip one vs tri. In the super sprint I made some of that back with sharp turns. If I had only brought the tri bike it would have been no draft legal race for me. So first time I’ve qualified for both non draft and draft legal world champs, I will do the same traveling with one bike. Unfortunately I don’t own a disc brake disk wheel, and my wheels are two wide to put vitreous corsa speeds on. I’m as low as the road bike can go but I’ll accept that for convenience.

[@krilin84]

I have made almost every modification I can to my road bike to tailor it for triathlon: good aerobars with bottle, fast forward seat post with ism saddle, shorter cranks. The only thing missing is an aero wheelset. I'm very comfortable on it and I think ride geometry and fit wise it's pretty close a real triathlon bike. I don't have shifters on the aerobars, but it's not a big issue to briefly move my hand to shift on the hoods when needed. The only real disadvantage is aero, but given that my ride position is fairly close to optimal and that the rider makes up the dominant part of the drag, I wonder how much speed I would really gain from a proper TT frame compared to my current setup, especially if I were to get some proper wheels. You'd argue that I would've been better off buying a used tt bike instead of a cheap new road bike and modifying it so extensively. But the thing is I have a brand new bike with DISC brakes, with a groupset that works great and yet is cheap to replace when worn out. The maintenance savings and disc brakes means I'm probably still saving about 5k euro by just taking a relatively minimal aero disadvantage. I don't know. That's my current line of thinking anyway. I'd love a real tri bike just for the nice looks alone, but they're just too pricy and lacking in terms of configuration, to my mind. Show me a new, modern alu tt frame with tiagra components for 3-4k euro and I'd seriously consider buying it.

[@ralfmimoun2826]

I did all that for my first triathlons last year :-) Because of the ridiculous prices of tri bikes, that will be my setup for this year, too. But I got some nice aero wheels (Sigma Vel 6085 RL) for a great price. So, if you have some spare money, that's a great upgrade for 570 Euros. And I am really curious how the Sensah Empire performs ;-)

[@gerardochaparro1639]

James, the master of DIY in GTN.

Canyon with sensah empire groupset? 🤔

[@deathbymidnight13]

Bike is nicked from gcn, the tech show reviewed them on that frame to see if they were any good

[@Whiskeytango2178]

Excellent well detailed and easy to understand! Thank you GTN!

[@gtn]

Glad to hear you like our content! 🙌

[@marcuswills6569]

I used an aero road bike with clip ons for a while before investing in a 2nd hand Tri bike. The biggest difference I noticed was how better I ran off the Tri bike, legs felt much fresher. I do still however use the road bike on most sprint or standard distance local tri's.

[@gtn]

Great to hear from someone that has done this 🙌Why do you think you still use the road bike for those shorter distances?

[@marcuswills6569]

@@gtn My experience in local tri's which tend to involve a fair share of hills and technical descents is that the time difference is ends up being minimal, the road bike results in being more comfortable climbing and better handling descending.

[@jascollinscork]

I have clip on bars for my road bike and love it but some Great tips here too👌🏻 is it possible to buy a strapped on rear fairing for a road bike for spares though 🤔🤔

[@desroin]

I did put aero bars on my road bike, but I can't really fit any of the aftermarket solutions for hydration to them since I mounted them too close apparently to fit these... but I do find the setup rather comfortable so I'm not entirely sure what to do now ^^' I suppose for the 5150 this Sunday it wont matter anyway since I wont change anything this close to the race for better or worse, yet the building process apparently isn't done yet :/ Personally I'd say I could go up to a 70.3 with that setup (+ hydration) if I ever do a long distance... that's when I'll look into real Tribikes :x

[@notmyrealname6272]

Very interesting video and more realistic for a lot of people I imagine that buying a tri bike especially at the beginning of getting into triathlon. Could you tell me how these adjustments affect your knees? I’ve put tribars on and moved saddle forward and up a bit as described (done by a bike fitter) but feel like my knees aren’t in the optimum position in relation to the pedals -producing less power and risking knee pain. What’re your thoughts/the facts on this?

[@gtn]

Your new position certainly shouldn't put strain on your knees. However, a more forward position will slightly change the hamstring/quads balance. Take some time to adjust to the new position, don't jump into huge miles. And review your position as you adapt to it, you'll become more flexible and may need to adjust as you adapt. This said, it's always a good idea to go back to the bike fitter and to make sure their adjustments are working out. Everyones fit is different and it's always best to seek personal advice when you are having specific issues. Hope this helps! 🙌

[@notmyrealname6272]

@@gtn it certainly does. Thanks very much indeed. I’m flexible but have knee issues so am extra paranoid! I’ll do as you say. Thanks again. :)) This type of video is very useful indeed.

[@darthjohn0]

I completed my first 5 triathlons on a blue Canyon Endurace CF SL Di2, similar to the one in this video! I just did my first triathlon on a tri bike. I honestly don't know if it made me faster, especially since it was a hilly course (St. George). I plan on using my Canyon road bike for Escape for Alcatraz, which is also a hilly course.

[@gtn]

Use whatever you feel fastest and most confident on 🙌 Good luck in Alcatraz! You are going to love it 💕

[@NickStrong]

I'm looking for ways to increase my average speed for next year's triathlon season. I always loose places on the bike and then make up a few on the run - so I need to address this. I do Standards and Sprints but thinking of increasing to 70.3. I've got a Specialized Venge road bike that I want to make more aero. I've been advised to work on strength, get more aero and get a bike fit. I'm thinking of going for the bike fit and aero adjustments in one step. Is this a standard request for bike fit? Should I buy the parts before the bike fit or consult the bike fit company first? I'd like to get this right first time if possible.

[@Detego93]

My issue at the Moment: i cant find any aerobars for the bike i want. Got an entry Level road bike atm and want to Upgrade to something like Canyon Aeroad. No Aerobars to find… same for a lot of other new high end Road bikes..😢

[@Trailrunner.]

Hmmm ,if someone is in the situation to buy a bike generally and have to choose between an road bike or an aerobike.Isn't it better to buy a used aerobike and modify it?

[@gtn]

It depends what you will be using your bike for. With a road bike you can remove and add things depending on your ride such as aero bars whereas a TT bike may not offer the versatility you need as it it for non drafting events only. If you want to join club rides, commute or go for leisurely spins then a road bike gives you more freedom to do that. We did a video on the differences a little while ago if you'd like to find out more 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIWqgJ-ffdJ8mck hope this helps! 🙌

[@FromRags2Riches1]

I have both, i have much faster Strava times on the same courses with the Tri Bike

[@alexnice9847]

Next video: how faster is the tri bike? and is it really worth the extra money? Isn't your victory more valuable if u can win with 'inferior' equipments? What's more, I just re-checked on the highlights: zero tribike (nor aerobar) in Paris test event last weekend (was it forbidden!?). Just swim quick enough to be on the peloton and concentrate your efforts to your running skills.

[@DigininjaRobin]

#gtncoachescorner Do you have recommendations on how to buy a tri bike online? No shops round here stock them so I can't go and physically try any. I've got bike fit numbers from my road bike but don't know how to convert them into the best tri bike for me.

[@raycrou8837]

Is James South African..... Love the accent

[@larrylem3582]

Turn the seatpost around

[@alexandersoltesz8103]

I'd rather stick with converted road bikes, one, because I think TT bikes have ugly design... :D And two, if I plan or like to ride in groups it's common courtesy you clip your aerobars off, 3) I like to train on hilly routes too. I mean, if I had a shit ton of money I might invest in one for fun, or if I'm aspiring winning in my age group with others having top equipment but that probably means I've been committed to triathlon for years and a TT bike I would use for a few races a year wouldn't go to waste.

[@timvanmonero2720]

i just bought the Cadex TRI. so the answer is, yes. needed. ✅✅

[@raginald7mars408]

I did my Triathlon with my Vintage full STEEL Bike Hercules from 1979 and was faster than others with Fancy 10 000 Euro Bikes and 2 000 Euro fancy Clothing more fun than 1 hour faster...

[@alexandersoltesz8103]

Congrats!! People often forget that equipment won't substitute fitness. In my opinion the frame is more significant when it comes to hilly courses, on flat road once you gain momentum and you have superb fitness, steel can be just as fast too!

[@AManSnowMan]

Video doesn't match caption. This is a review of how retrofit a road bike to become a tri bike.

[@atlantaswelder]

👏👏

[@xprodigy1x674]

I got a full carbon TT/Tri bike with some carbon shoes for £330 for FB marketplace, otherwise i'd still be cycling happily on my roadie with my amazon clip on bars. Ride what you have and keep your eyes open for what you want and you'll likely get lucky at some point.

[@andyilsley2448]

Er no I'm sticking with the drops thanks #roadie #rimbrakes #foodinbackpockets

[@nestwolfsteiner2292]

nice music, but too loud

[@michaelhenry4405]

No. Simple. 😅

[@francisdelacruz6439]

Not really. Most Tri races decided on the Run. Dont lose much in swimming and cycling, winning is through the run.

[@Catharsis791]

I think you don't need it to complete it. But I do know if you want to be faster than those who have it you really need to have superior fitness. The gains are like a normal bike in the year 2016 versus a aero bike genre canyon aeroad 2023. You are just 2 km per hour faster by doing nothing at all. If you are not allowed to lay in their wheel you just can't follow them on a 3 hour bike race. That said: I do believe the prices for these things are a bit over to top. Can't find anything decent under 4000 dollar.

[@dbo4506]

A quality road bike with clip ons is not going to be 2km per hour slower just because. You can get your road bike into a very aero position. 2kph off the jump…. Kidding yourself mate

[@Catharsis791]

Ganna or Evenepoel their bike with jersey is easy 2 km per hour faster than this bike. If not almost 5

[@PhiyackYuh]

You cant beat tt in time trial position vs road position with cli ons period. Theres a reason why you save so much energy and more efficient on tt bike vs road with clip ons. If you want to burn your legs on the bike so that you dont have enough on the run be my guest 😂

[@Catharsis791]

Indeed, spot on

[@wordup0719]

yes you need a tri bike

[@djordjenjegic533]

Not really, give a watch to a wind tunnel video mark’s done a few days ago

[@wordup0719]

@@djordjenjegic533 But N+1 😁

[@yukiko_5051]

@@djordjenjegic533 You need all bike because bikes are great