Tri bike first Impressions...

[Running Mommy]

Ok girls. I took my new baby for her first real ride today. Here are my observations...
First a little background. Been doing tri's for 4 years now, used a road bike w/ clip on aerobars from the start. I've noticed as I've gone to longer distances that I wasn't as comfortable on the road geometry and felt like I wanted a bit more aggresive position- to be dumped down in the aerobars more. This is my first go 'round w/ a tri bike.
First, It's a totally different animal. The tri bike is VERY squirrely. I actually swerved a couple of times? It was weird. I instantly realized why tri bikes are frowned upon in pelotons or club rides. Handling is an issue.
Second, my neck is really going to have to get used to being so low in the aerobars. W/the 650 wheels and the low profile a-bars I'm really down close to the ground. I really had to stretch my neck upwards to get a good view of the road ahead. I like to look pretty far beyond me so I really had to stretch my neck upwards.
Third. Not sure of the arione saddle. I love the side rails, no side chafing at all, but my middle bits were squished- bad. I was in tri shorts so I'm hoping it will be better in shorts w/ some real padding.
Fourth: very fast and very easy to get up to 20 mph on the flats. And going downhill I was FLYING!
Fifth: I can see where she is not a climber. I did fine on the rollers, but the steep hill was not so fun. If I were to do a hilly course I'd prolly pull out the road rig
Sixth: Carbon fiber ROCKS! I could feel the bumps, but they didn't bother me at all. No jarring. It was smooth as a Caddy..
And finally, the bar end shifters. Shifted pretty smoothly, but hard to get used to. I actually over clicked a couple of times and had to back track. The lever for the front cogs is nice though because it's easier to trim it out if the der. is rubbing (chain cross).
All in all I'm happy with her. But like I said it's a whole new animal. I think she's going to serve me well in the race, but I have to get used to that agressive position in the aerobars. And the saddle.. I may have to swap it out for my other one. We'll see.
She sure is a beauty though, and I even got a compliment from a mtn biker.. Of course it was my neighbor and he yelled "sweet ride, but go park her and pull out the nobbies. Lets hit the trails"...

[tprevost]

Sounds like the "issues" are things that will just take a little getting used to! I am so "unversed" in bikes that obviously I can see the aerodynamic stuff but I didn't really think the ride would be so different, as you described. I was reminded of a conversation I had with a friend's husband about the differences in the two types of bikes ... I guess I must have been thinking "ya, ya, ya... can't really be so different"; its sounding like I was wrong! In the tris that you have done, have there been many w/significant hills? How will the AZ course be? It sure sounds like the bike will be a big help w/speed! I've found a tri in October (I know, far away) in Palm Springs that I'm planning to do so I am just going to have to buy you a coffee and pick your brains (AND check out your new bike!!!!! )

Keep us posted as you and Valentina get to know one another!

Tracy

[mommelisa]

RunningMommy:

I'm in AZ, too - over in Scottsdale. I'm training for my first IM, but I'm doing Florida, not AZ. You're about 6 months ahead of me, so I've been watching your posts with great interest - hoping to learn as much as I can for my training!

Maybe we can get together after the race for a "debrief"!?

Keep up the great work!

Mommelisa

btw - Valentina is beautiful. I'm headed to the lbs for my tribike fitting on Tuesday, I can't wait!!

[tprevost]

Hi RM,

just wanted to check in to see if you've ridden again and if you are getting used to the differences yet?

Tracy

[Running Mommy]

Sorry... I had a crazy weekend! We decided last minute to go to CA for the bike race. Of course I had to get my long workout in Saturday first!
I was orig. scheduled to do a 100/10 brick but swapped it and am planning on that this weekend. I didn't want to do a 100 miler out of the block on a new bike. And MAN am I glad I didn't! The bike is fine- great I love her... However the saddle is a torture device! I lasted 22 WHOPPING miles on her before I parked her, grabbed the road bike and finished my 56 miler. I ordered one of those Selle smp saddles on the advice from some of you here. Hopefully it works, or I'll just swap it out for the saddle on my road bike. I'm not thrilled w/ the saddle on my road bike, so I'm still on the hunt. Lets hope I find a winner soon here!
Other than that training is going well. In fact I have to go jump on the trainer right now and spin my legs out. Then on to the treadmill to get some miles on my new running shoes. I'll post my training log later.
Thanks for thinking of me though! It really helps and keeps me going. Training alone is not always fun. In fact it's not really fun at all. It's nice to have someone to share my tales from the road with...

[tprevost]

actually, my DH is in Phoenix as I type! I'd love to come and meet you; you are really inspiring! (plus, I love AZ anyway, so any excuse!) I'll look forward to reading your training log!

Tracy

[Running Mommy]

Hey, anytime! Just send me a pm and I'll give you my cell #. I always love showing people around my world. I really love it up here! We'll meet up sometime. I do occasionally come out to so cal for races in the summer.

[Running Mommy]

Sorry I just realized I didn't reply to you! How rude of me!!
Where are you going for a bike fit? You have lot's of choices over on your side of the valley! Over here we have one new shop and thats it! Unless you count "goodyear lawn mower and bicycles".. Uh yeah, I bet the guy in that shop knows a little about bikes.. heh heh heh
Where do you ride? I'm also a part of the trinewbies online forum, so when I plan our IMAZ get together I'll let you know. Maybe you can join us crazy kids. We usually do it at Buca Di beppo in old town.
Good luck with the bike fit! I can't wait to hear all about it. And let me know if your ever itching to go for a ride. I like to ride the Sun Valley Pkwy because there is so little traffic and the bike lane is the width of a car lane, but I won't ride it alone. It's a little too remote for me.

[tprevost]

where is the sun valley parkway? I lived up in scottsdale eons ago and am not too familiar with your area!

Tracy

[mommelisa]

RM: lol, no problem! I went for my bike fit yesterday. I bought my road bike from Bicycle Ranch (on Pima and the 101). I've heard that they can be a little "snooty", but I've had great luck with my fitter, so I went to him when I decided to invest in a tribike. I laugh at your description of Goodyear! My dad lives in Litchfield Park and you're right - although things are GROWING like crazy over there! I ended up getting a GURU bike, have you heard of them? I think trisports.com sells them, too. I did a bunch of research and couldn't find anything negative about the company or the bikes at all. I got the Tri'Ti bike - its a little (lot) more than I wanted to spend, but geez, she was so pretty, I just couldn't NOT do it. I just have to figure out some way to sneak her into the house when she's done so DH doesn't have a heart attack!

I usually ride around here, or I've met some friends down on Tatum and Shea and rode from there. I did SOMA this past year, then took a little time off, so I haven't been doing many long rides. I'm up to about 2 hours or so right now. I rode with the BR women's group one time and they were FAST!! I don't like to have that pressure when I ride! :-)

Where is the Sun Valley Parkway? I'd love to ride with you sometime, just let me know, perhaps I could do part of it with you since I'm not riding 100 miles right now ;-)

[tprevost]

I figured out where it is...

Looking at a map of phoenix; go west and just past the junction of 10/85S, you'll see it going north, around White Tank Mtn Park and then heading back east and connecting with 60. What a great stretch of road!

Mommelisa, don't forget to post pics of your new bike! Good luck getting it snuck in the house! I'm getting pretty good at that stuff Are you going to go watch the IMAZ? I want to go SO badly but I don't know if DH will be home to watch kids...

Have a great day!!

Tracy

[mommelisa]

It sounds like a good ride, but far from here. I'd have to get up really early. My dh was training to hike the grand canyon last year, and I think they did a hike out that way - at White Tanks. But, to ride without cars and traffic and all - that'd be great!

I went down last year to IMAZ. I took my dd (she was 8 at the time) down and we volunteered on the bike course - we were down there about 12 hours or so. It was amazing and very motivating. I'd already decided that I wanted to do triathlons, but to see those people do IM... It was very inspiring. I had a few friends that competed. They all finished and it really gave me the feeling that I could do it, too.

My new baby won't be ready until probably April, which is good, it gives me that long to figure out how to break the news to dh!

[Running Mommy]

WOW! A GURU??!! SWEET!!!! I am SOOO jealous! Those are such nice rides. I've never been to BR, but I had some really bad experiences w/ the folks at Landis in Scottsdale, so I just headed where I knew they would be friendly.
Isn't waiting tough?! I was DYING!
Don't forget to post pics when you get them! I can't wait to see it!!
yeah, the SVP is "out there" even for me, but esp. for you guys on the East side. I usually pick it up where Bell Roads ends and it begins. There is a funky old folks bingo hall that looks like a riverboat. I park by the canal and then ride out from there. I like that there aren't many cars and the bike lane is so wide. But like the Beeline there's always a ton of debris. One day I got three flats in 30 miles!!
So how fast do you ride? I usually average around 15 mph. Hopefully that will get better now that I'm on my new ride..

And Ms Tracy, when are you going to get your bum out here? I sooo hope that you can come to IMAZ. That would be cool! If you do we'll have to be sure and hook up. My cousin is coming out as well. She lives in Canyon Country. Don't know if that is near you??

Well, just got done spinning my legs out from my long run I did today. They feel MUCH better, but now I need to go get Un-sweaty!! Have a goodnight.
Denise

[tprevost]

Hey there Denise!

Ya know... I don't even know where Canyon Country is!? I think deciding if I can come watch will be a last minute thing; I'm really pushing my luck w/DH and being gone for so many events this year. I gave him a list of about 10-12 events I wanted to do, several of which involve more than one day due to travel time. Believe me, if it turns out I can make it, you'll be the first one to know! Or, if I decide to drag the boys with me, then its a non-issue. BUT, if I did that it would seriously limit how long I could watch because they are almost 5 and almost 7 and not too patient!

Either way, I will definately come and bug you sometime - you are just too cool a 'chick' not to come and meet!

Mommelisa, I bet it will be so hard to wait for your new bike! What made you choose IMFL? I didn't catch whether you were going to go watch any of the IMAZ??? I'm going to do a sprint tri in the fall (mainly because I'm concentrating on getting back into biking shape between now and then); probably one in Palm Springs with a lake swim... I have a whole plan in my head but getting your opinions on that is a whole other post!

Okay, I am SO blabbing...

Trac'

[mommelisa]

I had some really bad experiences w/ the folks at Landis in Scottsdale, so I just headed where I knew they would be friendly.

Yea, I've heard the same about Landis, but I've heard it about BR, too. Funny thing, the first time I went there for a fitting, I didn't even own a bike or a pair of bike shorts or anything! I'm sure they got a good laugh, but I figured if I was going to buy something, I wanted to be sure I got the right thing. I had an appointment with the head fitter, but he had an "emergency" that day and pawned me off on the other guy, Chris, who has been a really great person to work with. The funny thing about my new bike - I only had a few questions about the components, he fitted me in the shop and we ordered it up straight away, but it took us a series of 8 or so emails to get the paint scheme figured out... I am having her painted.... pink!

I did Soma this last year - did you do it? I think on that course (pretty flat) my time was 3:08 or something for the bike. It was probably a little under 18 mph. I tend to try to push it too much and I'm hoping during my training this year, to ease into the long rides. I've been riding with some guys that are faster than I am, so I try to keep up - my heart rate goes sky high and I'm trashed for the rest of the day. Not good. I would bet you'll gain at least one or two mph with your new bike. Plus, I am SOOOO not a climber, I really need to work on that! I'd love to ride sometime, you just let me know. We could do a weekday ride (are you reading "shorter" in that??) sometime!

- Melisa