Quote Originally Posted by tracy7199 View Post
Can you swim in most of the sleeveless tops and tanks listed on TE or is there something specific that I should look for before buying something for the water? Also, I forgot to ask about bottoms......what do you wear in the water? Do you then transition into a bike short on top or wear what you have on?
Tri tops and bottoms (or one-piece suits) are moisture wicking, including the built-in chamois (usually light, but comfortable - still something you'd want to get used to if you're a fan of padded shorts). Most triathlon gear is tight fitting, like a bathing suit, so wearing it in the water is not a problem. Your bike seat will get a little wet, but don't worry, she'll survive.

I actually prefer the seams on tri shorts a lot to regular shorts (I have a pair of the zoot ultra shorts, too). Sometimes when I ride long rides, because I am a giant wuss, I ride with my tri shorts and put regular shorts on top, then shed the regular shorts for running. I love the tri suit for shorter distances and am thinking about getting a new one (as long as I don't have to pee, it works great!).

You can always throw on a bike jersey or top for riding/running if the tri tops make you self-conscious (you would NOT be alone), or you want to avoid sunburning your shoulders. I suck at putting sunblock on that back part of my shoulder, I have this terrible tan line that shows you exactly where my biceps shadow the sun when I ride my bike (I didn't even know I had biceps significant enough to create a shadow until I burned a couple times).

Shop the tri sections and you'll be pretty safe. If you have questions about your preferred style or sizing and are shopping here at team estrogen, the TE folks are super helpful, and many of them have tested their gear in real triathlons and training.