Which TT bike seems like the better buy?

[HillSlugger]

I just saw this article that you may find interesting:

http://triathlon.competitor.com/2015...uo6R7bvAqmV.99

[zoom-zoom]

I just saw this article that you may find interesting:

http://triathlon.competitor.com/2015...uo6R7bvAqmV.99

I definitely have several places I can improve. Weight and figuring out how to make my ride position comfortably aero for the bulk of the bike leg (which is tough with drop bars and a bum right wrist). My training volume is good, but I should do more structured speed work, probably.

Though I discovered something very intriguing from the recent race results. The woman who took 1st was only a mere 26 seconds faster than I on the 10k run leg (she was nearly 2min, faster on the 5k). I suspect this was her first olympic distance race, as I've done this race the last 3 years and this was the first time I'd seen her. I've otherwise only seen her do sprint dus and tris. Her bike leg was so strong that I suspect she focused more on TITS than time on foot, and/or she went out too strong on the bike and blew up for the last run. I usually take a more 50/50 approach.

Compared to my time last year (when I hadn't messed with my saddle height days before the race -- thing I should know better than to do -- and generally had a FAR better, stronger day and fewer training interruptions, allergy issues, and other nonsense during training) she was 8 min. faster...which I think better aero positioning and loss of even 5-10#s off my butt could easily account for (I cut 10 min. off my time between the 1st and 2nd times I did this race without much change to my training). It's a reasonably flat course, so weight loss wouldn't benefit me hugely on the bike, but definitely on the run. I've seen a quick-and-dirty formula that suggests ~3sec./mile running improvement for every # lost. I've generally found that this holds pretty solidly true.

[HillSlugger]

btw, have you considered putting aerobars on your road bike? It's not the same as having a dedicated Tri bike, but it give some aero advantages and would get you off your wrist

[zoom-zoom]

btw, have you considered putting aerobars on your road bike? It's not the same as having a dedicated Tri bike, but it give some aero advantages and would get you off your wrist

I have, but I'm under the impression that they'd not be something that could simply be swapped on and off easily -- and I still use my road bike for paceline/group rides (which I do 2-3x/week). Even if I weren't riding on the aerobars, just having them jutting-out is kind of dangerous to riders in front of me, in the event of a crash, right? Plus I'd need to look at a different seatpost to mimic TT geometry, I suspect.

[HillSlugger]

Yes, you are right that aerobars are usually frowned on in pacelines; that whole getting skewered thing

There is one aerobar that I know of designed to be easily removed and remounted: http://www.redshiftsports.com/quick-release-aerobars/

You'll never be able to duplicate a tribike geometry on a road bike, but you can gain some of the advantages by adding the aerobars and maybe lowering the stack height; and you can move the seat forward some, but not as radically as on a tribike.

I have my dedicated tribike (Cervelo P2C) that I use for flatter races and training rides and my Trek Madone with aerobars that I use for hillier riding and racing. I don't do many group rides, but when I do it's on the Madone, with the aerobars.