Newbie questions.

[Slow but Steady]

I am about to do my first tri, a sprint. I have two questions.

1. Is is worthwhile to invest in a bike seat designed for women?

2. How comfortable are bike shorts to wear for the whole event?

[KSH]

1) Only buy a new bike seat if your current one is hurting you. When you go buy one, the salesperson can help you pick out what works best for you. Now, DO NOT go buy a new seat right before the event. Give yourself at least 2-4 weeks in the new seat to get use to it.

2) For triathlons, we wear tri specific shorts. They are made to go from the swim to the bike and the run... that way, you don't have to worry about changing clothes in your transition. Tri shorts, coupled with a tri top, are a wonderfuly investment. Only wear them racing and they will last longer. Plus, the padding in them is so minimal, it's not best to do long distances (over 25 miles) in them.

3) Good luck! Make sure you come back with a race report!

[Grog]

Same as KSH said.

Normal bike shorts are usually quite padded and if you swim in them you're likely to be miserable on the bike and run because of the "wet diaper" feeling. Tri shorts, because of their minimal padding, dry faster.

Enjoy!

[Tri Girl]

I ditto what KSH and Grog have said (they know their stuff).

If the bike ride is relatively short, and you're not sure if you want to invest money in a pair of tri shorts, you can do the bike ride in a regular pair of shorts (not padded bike shorts, but like running shorts) that you can pull up over your swimsuit in T1. That's what I did for my first tri. It was a sprint (400m swim, 12 mile bike, 2 mile run). I just swam in my swimsuit, pulled on running shorts over my suit and threw on a shirt, then ran from the bike in what I was wearing. If it's not a long distance, your tushy probably won't hurt in regular shorts provided your seat is comfy right now.

I didn't want to invest a lot of money until I was sure I wanted to do this sport very often. It can be a pretty expensive sport if you purchase all the things you think you'll need right up front. Do this first tri, see what you might like to invest in for the next one (which you will do, because it's very addictive), and then go from there.

Best of luck- we expect a report after you complete it!!!

[KSH]

Good advice TriGirl. I sometimes forget that people may not be committed to the idea of doing more than ONE triathlon.

Now, if you are interested... www.performancebike.com, has some great sales going on tri shorts and tops.

You could get an entire set for around $60.

[Slow but Steady]

Thanks Ladies. It is overwhelming first to figure out a training routine and then to think about purchasing a bunch of gear. So, words from the wise are always welcome.

[triflor]

once you've got one race behind you reflect on what did and didn't feel comfortable. From that start making priorities regarding gear purchases. Start with the things easiest and least expensive to change. (ex. if you find your saddle uncomfortable try re-positioning it, wearing different types of shorts, or testing out different products like chamois butter. don't jump right to changing the seat unless you know its the problem.) Doing everything at once is tempting but makes it harder for you to figure out your real needs.

Also talk to people at the events, and any friends you have in the sport. Let them know what gear issues are arising, and get their feedback. And you never know when someone may have parts that they are willing to pass on to you.