Tips for Buying a Triathlon Bike

Guest post by Skin Strong sponsored professional triathlete Brad Seng

You find yourself bitten by the triathlon bug and see your friends on some sweet looking bikes.  Yours truly rides a Valdora PHX2.  Crowie rides a Specialized.  Chrissie rides a Cannondale.  Rinny rides a Felt.  Skin Strong’s John “Big Man” Owen rides a Cannondale Slice and wife Chandi rides a Trek.  Picture yourself flying down the road neatly tucked in the aero position on a slick & speedy carbon fiber tt bike.  Is it possible to “buy” speed you ponder?  Well, yes, but ultimately your bike is only going to be as fast as the engine driving it.  If you are currently considering upgrading to a bike with triathlon specific geometry there are some basic items to consider:

• Comfort & fit are paramount to color & bling
• Research brands available in your area & ask others who ride them of their experience
• Higher cost does not always equate to better brand/performance
• Best value may be purchasing current model “closeouts”
• If buying used via E-bay or Craigslist, be sure to get accurate documentation/photos
• Expect a bit of a learning curve with the feel of riding in the aero position

 

Ride with speed,

Brad

website: http://bradseng.com/ 

Twitter: @bradseng