So you've decided to buy a bike and get started with your cycling or
triathlon career. Congratulations. As you check out your local bike shops
(LBSs), the web, and various newsgroups, you'll soon discover that choosing
your first bike is as difficult, if not more so, as choosing your first car.
Do you get the Ferrari with the expensive upkeep, or the truck that just keeps
on truckin'? How can you tell what a bike is really worth?
Buying a bike is a lot easier if you have large amounts of expendable cash
on hand. They can be very expensive. Some top of the line (ie, way
overpriced) models can run into the $5,000 range! But don't let that scare
you. You can also find much more reasonably priced used and new bikes out
there. There are plenty of good makes and models to choose from. So your first
choice really becomes: Used or new? And your second choice is: Road frame or
time-trial (triathlon) specific?
How much dough can you afford to spend? First thing to remember: The LBS
wants you to spend a lot of money. They will almost always recommend the
highest priced, high-end piece of equipment, because that's where they make
their money. That bike may be great - but also may be overpriced and more
machine than you really need. If you arm yourself with some basic knowledge
about frames, components, and wheels (the three main ingredients that make up
the 'bike' assembly), you can become an intelligent shopper and avoid wasting
your cash.
When you buy a bike from a frame manufacturer, you're buying either just
the frame or the frame and whatever accessories that company has decided to
outfit their frame with.
There are a lot of frames on the market these days. Too many for me to
discuss at this time (I would actually have to do some research, god forbid!).
Suffice it to say the Internet has made it much easier for you to go out there
and check out some information. Start with Slowtwitch, a website run
by the founder of Quintana Roo bikes and wetsuits. The site does a pretty good
job of examining and critiquing the many makes and models of bikes and
accessories as well as offering some colorful commentary on the sport of
triathlon.
Nowadays, most US and Canadian companies outfit their bikes with Shimano components. Shimano
components come in 5 levels, but only 3 that would go onto a 'racing' bike -
105, Ultegra, or Dura Ace. 105 components are the less expensive, heavier
components. They are good for entry-level bikes and riders who don't plan to
ride 200 miles per week anytime soon.
Wheels are another entirely different subset of your purchasing decision.
There are wheels for training, wheels for heavier
athletes, and wheels for time-trialing. Some companies who specialize in wheels
with different performance levels and prices:
Mavic,
Hed,
Rolf,
Zipp,
& Renn (discs only). You
can buy new entry level training wheels for about 60 bucks at your LBS and the
cheapest decent new racing wheels will cost you about $400 for the set. You
can buy great used racing wheels for anywhere from $200 to $600 for the pair.
Racing wheels are lighter and more aerodynamic than training wheels.
If you're going to buy used components, frames, and wheels, try to do it in
such a manner so that you can inspect the goods prior to final payment. There
are some dishonest folks operating on the 'net these days, and what they
advertise may not be what is delivered. Buy local. Check the cycling and
triathlon scenes, races, shops, and websites for local deals. 3 year old Dura
Ace components are fine. 6 years old and ridden a lot, they're getting closer
to being worn out. Anything 8-10 years old, unless it is a steel frame, may be
in good condition but is probably technically outdated.
All this being said, all the expensive equipment in the world will not make
more than a few seconds difference unless you go out and train. Back in the
day I blew away plenty of competitors riding on bikes 4x the value of my old
Trek, which had $40 dollar
training wheels and a hand-me-down Scott aerobar on it. If you're only going
to ride 40 miles a week, do yourself a favor and don't worry about the
aerodynamic differences between a 900-gram or 1100-gram wheel combination.
You'll be too freaking fat, slow, and weak for it to matter!
Your next big choice: Do you go roadie or tri-geek? My advice to you, if
you are operating on limited funds, is to buy a used road bike, including Bianchi, Cannondale, Fuji, Giant, Lemond, Litespeed, Merlin, Mongoose, Raleigh, Specialized, or Trek, as well as various
French, Italian, Australian, Japanese, German, and Canadian bikes which I'm
not familiar with. They are more comfortable and better suited for group rides
and touring, and with minor modifications they can be turned into
time-trialing machines. These minor modifications include buying $100 clip-on
aerobars (Profile, Syntace), and a forward
leaning seatpost.
The aerodynamic and weight differences between a top of the line time-trial
machine and a used road bike are often inconsequential compared to the ... say
it with me roadies ... size of the engine. That's you, plain and simple.
Aerodynamics and weight become more important as you reach the point of
diminishing returns on what you can do with that engine. Scientifically, the
aerodynamic difference is entirely negligible until you reach approximately 20
mph or 20 mph headwinds, and the weight differences only matter on starts and
hills. In other words, save your money and train.
But, for argument's sake, let's say you know you're only going to race in
triathlons and you don't really have much interest in having two bikes - one
for group riding and touring, and another for triathlon racing. In that case,
you may be better off with a time-trial frame (Cervelo, Trek, Elite, Kestrel, Softride, Quintana Roo, Javelin, Yaqui, Giant). What you need to be prepared for is that these
frames position your body differently than do a normal road frame. Essentially
a time-trial frame will move your body forward so that your center is more
towards the bottom bracket, your hips are rotated forward, and you lean more
weight on the front of the bike. This is better for your triathlon position
and is intended to relieve tension on your hamstrings, which you need for the
run portion of the race. Read this article at slowtwitch for a more detailed
explanation.
Next, before you buy that bike, you need to get fitted properly. That means
that they build bikes in different sizes, and different companies measure
their sizes slightly differently. A generalization I can make is that a 5'10
rider will be comfortable somewhere between 54cm and 58cm (that's the length
of the top tube). Taller, you go bigger, shorter, you go smaller. Your torso
and leg length are the critical factors here. If you're reasonably
mechanically apt, go do some reading and then size yourself. If not, head
down to the LBS and have them take your measurements. Bike fit, an equation
which balances comfort and power, is the most important scientific part of
your cycling. Here are some common sense guidelines you can use:
- When your foot is at the bottom of the pedal stroke, your leg should be
nearly fully extended and your knee should only be slightly bent. If you
have to point your toe, your seat is probably too high. If your heel goes
below your toe or your knee is noticeably bent at the bottom of the
downstroke, your seat is probably too low. - If you have to strain your lower back and stretch uncomfortably to reach
your handlebars, the top tube is too long, or your stem is too long, or your
seat is too far back on its post, or the handlebars are too low relative to
your seat height (or you have a bad back). Seat position and stem length
& height are easily controlled; the top-tube you're stuck with. - If your hips ache when you pedal, your seat may be too far back on the
post.
They also have 650cc bikes, which are time-trial specific and have slightly
smaller wheels for quicker acceleration. (A 'normal' sized bike uses a 700cc
wheel and the two are not interchangeable - you cannot use a 700cc bike with
650 wheels, at least not very well). Word on the street is don't bother
checking them out unless you stand less than 5'8" tall. Most frame companies
that produce time-trial bikes make 650 bikes.
A couple additional considerations for you:
- Always wear a helmet. Don't lose your life being foolish.
- Make a point of learning how to change a tube. It is a very simple
procedure and you should always carry a spare tube, a patch kit, and a C02
cartridge or a portable pump. You will get flat tires. Learn to fix them.
