Get road bike now or wait?

[squirrell]

I am looking for advice on timing to buy a road bike.

I currently have a 5 year old Raleigh Hybrid I ride. It's ok but I can only get top maintained speed of maybe 13.5-14mph on it.

I want a road bike, as I'm riding longer distances and it just takes forever on the Hybrid at those speeds. My LBS told me I could probably expect 18-20 mph on a road bike! So I plan on buying a road bike, obviously.

I know that I only have maybe 4 more months of good weather left to ride outdoors here before it's too cold, so I originally was going to wait until next Spring to get the bike.

BUT--I am riding the 15 mile bike leg in a Triathlon for a team I've put together on Sept. 23. My first Tri--and probably the only one! We have no intentions of winning and are doing it for fun.

I know I can do that ride no problem on my Hybrid but it will take a while. If I get a road bike now, I can do that ride much faster and not be blown completely away by the other riders.

My concerns--

---I can't get the bike until Sept. 1: that will leave me 3 weeks to get used to the bike before the Tri. Is that enough time?

--I would be buying the bike now instead of waiting for next Spring primarily just to use in the Triathlon. I'm doing some Charity rides in the fall but I can do those on my Hybrid--the road bike, again, would be much faster but Charity rides don't have time limits

It would be better financially to wait on the bike until spring, and I might be able to find a used one by then, too and save some money.

Should I get the bike now or wait until Spring?

Let me add--I am a new rider, just started in April. I am also losing weight--have lost 55 pounds but have another 80 or so to lose.

[KnottedYet]

I'm all for buying more bikes, now now now.

But if your finances are tight and you *need* to wait until Spring, you might be best off waiting until Spring. If finances are just snug, and it'd be *better* to wait until Spring, I'd get the bike now.

All our LBS TE'rs are saying bike prices for 2009 are going up. A lot.

I'd think 3 weeks would be plenty of time to get used to the bike before a sprint tri. You've been riding the hybrid all this time, it'll only take a little while for your body to say "whoo-hoo, I dig this road bike thing!" And if you have trouble with the road bike, you'll still have the hybrid to ride as back-up. (keep the hybrid, it's good to have a utility bike in the stable)

[Flybye]

All our LBS TE'rs are saying bike prices for 2009 are going up. A lot.

I'd think 3 weeks would be plenty of time to get used to the bike before a sprint tri.

That's exactly what I'd say!

[Blueberry]

Ditto what Knot and Flybye have said. You can still be tweaking fit when you do the tri - 15 miles isn't really *that* far (and you've been doing longer distances on your hybrid, no?).

I think a lot of it depends on whether you've decided (at least sort of) what you want, and whether there's a decent chance you'd find that used. I've bought 2 used bikes, and both have been good experiences. Of course, a grain of salt is in order

CA

[SouthernBelle]

Normally late summer and fall is the time to get the best deals. There may be an issue this year as my LBS has told me they have sold a lot of bikes this year.

So I would go looking for a deal.

[aicabsolut]

Normally late summer and fall is the time to get the best deals. There may be an issue this year as my LBS has told me they have sold a lot of bikes this year.

So I would go looking for a deal.

+1

And my buddies at bike shops also have said that 2009 prices could go up as much as 20%, depending on the brand.

[amy]

I can imagine you are going to hear a lot of "BUY, BUY, BUY". You have to remember that most of us are completely addicted to our bikes. Heck, I'd buy 2 more right now if I had enough money in the bank.

Whatever decision you make is the right one. From my own experience, I didn't regret my road bike purchase for a second and wondered why I hadn't gotten it sooner.

You can always put her on a trainer and ride in the winter, so she doesn't get lonely.