Dual Triatholon/Touring Bike Questions

[johnny bicycle]

Hello all, I am looking to purchase a bike for touring and triathlons. I don't know much about these bikes. What bikes are best for both?

I'm a beginner to triathlons and will only be doing my first one in April. Time isn't important; finishing is. If I like it, I'll probably just do like 2 a year. Just for fun, not competitively.

As for touring, I want to use the bicycle to do about 3 weeks of touring through Japan, where I live currently. So I want to be able to carry a tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag, and a light dayback of summer clothes.

The problem is that I can't get too much information out of the bike shop people because of the language barrier. Basically, I am under the impression that any standard touring bike would be sufficient for a beginner doing a triatholon. However, after going to the shop today, the shop keeper seems to think that the Giant TCX2 would best suit my needs. However; this is a performance x-road competition bike. Is this one going to be okay?

Any tips and/or advice? Thank you if you have read this far, I'll owe you a beer if we ever meet.

Cheers,
JOHN

 

[John the Monkey]

Touring bikes and tri-bikes are quite different beasts.

A tourer will have a relaxed, comfortable geometry, and have lots of attachment points for racks, mudguards and clearance for large, comfortable tyres. They're for long days in the saddle, with the bike loaded, so overall bike weight isn't such a consideration. (A pound here and there on the frame matters less when your loaded up with luggage &c)

A tri-bike is going to have an agressive, head down racing geometry, tight clearances (and thus take thin tyres) as they're built principally for people who want to be in the saddle for a short period (relatively) and go as fast as possible. It's fairly unlikely to have the attachment points you need for racks &c.

From what you say, I think getting a bike that can tour is probably more important than getting a fast triathlon specialised bike, so I'd focus on that.

(You'll get round the bike leg of your tri on a tourer (not fast, but you'll get round) but you won't be able to carry touring gear on a tri bike).

 

[johnny bicycle]

Thanks man,

Yeah I am definitely not in the market for a tri-bike as those seem to be for the die hard triathloners. From what I hear, many people do triathlons on tour bikes. So how do I narrow this down. What should I be looking at in a tour bike? And is that Giant TCX2, a performance x-road competition bike, a better option than a tour bike?

 

[John the Monkey]

That Giant is a cyclo-cross bike.

Cyclocross is a specialism of its own, involving racing bikes on courses that are usually off road, with obstacles to carry the bike over or negotiate while on the bike. Cross bikes are being pushed by a lot of manufacturers as "Do it all" bikes. (Winter commuters, light tourers, for racing cross itself). As a result, cross bikes vary a lot, from proper racing bikes with tight geometry (remember, they're only being ridden for the duration of the race, not on a day long basis) and no attachments for bottles or racks, through to more relaxed geometries with rack & mudguard braze ons. They also tend to have higher bottom brackets, to allow clearance when off road.

A tourer will generally, by comparison, have a longer wheelbase (giving you more space between your heels and you panniers, reducing the risk of the two conflicting), rack mounts on the rear and front, (usually separate from the mudguard mounts). It will also have a lower bottom bracket (the bit the pedals & chainrings attach to) and more attachment points for bottle cages.

You probably need to think about the tour you're going to do, and what you want from the bike you're going to do it on.

 

[jay clock]

I am in to both triathlons and touring in a big way and yes, the bikes are quite different. However if you HAD to manage with one bike (and a fair bit of compromise) then the one suggested is not a bad start. I am assuming in this that the triathlon will be just "get round and finish" rather than leading the pack. We get people doing triathlons on mtbs and even one person I have seen with a basket on the front.

For touring you need to be able to mount a rack, and to have a strong enough bike/rear wheel to carry the weight. Road bikes also often have limited clearance which measn you heel would hit the pannier. That Giant is a cyclo-cross bike designed for off road racing, but would be ok. One weakness is the lack of mounting poiints for the rack.

I have a 2 yr old Trek 1.2 which does have mountings for a rack. Something like that would do ok for both tri and touring.

Having said all that the best option would be a proper touring bike and a road bike for the triathlons. You do not need a dedicated tri bike unless you are really into it. 80% of the people in my club just use a standard road bike with aerobars

 

[johnny bicycle]

Thanks guys,

A huge help in helping me narrow dowm my focus. So that Trek 1.2 is a road bike that can be converted into a light touring bike? That sounds like something that may be up my alley. Are there any other road bikes that are easily converted into touring bikes? Or Touring bikes that can be somewhat converted in to something that kind of resembles a road bike?

Thanks for all the help. It seems that my initial goal of getting a bike that will work for both touring and fun paced triathlons may not be feasible. So I have started to consider the options of just getting a road bike and either: A. Doing a credit card tour or B. sucking it up and getting a proper touring bike after the triathlon and before the tour. However, with money on my mind, I won't give up just yet on finding a bike good for both. Especially with me being overseas, and a chance that I will only be around for another year and a half (Bringing two bikes home with everything else may be difficult).

Cheers again!

 

[andyhunter]

get an aero bike depending on how much you want to spend i.e. buy a road bike for touring and have clip on aero bars if the handlebars are not made of carbon or else just swap handlebars and wheels each time if you buy a triatholon bike. as you say your only doing two a year then no point buying a triatholon bike, stick to a road for touring and training and buy parts over time for triatholon such as better wheels, and proper handlebars etc. you could then later down the line buy a proper triatholon bike and have the other spare as a training bike. as i have a mixture of road racing and mtb racing and road/mtb training bikes and all the different spare parts as it comes in handy for encountering problems and making sure the race bikes are in great nick and ready to rock and roll and the training bikes take all the battering

 

[jay clock]

So that Trek 1.2 is a road bike that can be converted into a light touring bike? That sounds like something that may be up my alley. Are there any other road bikes that are easily converted into touring bikes? Or Touring bikes that can be somewhat converted in to something that kind of resembles a road bike?

The Trek 1.2 I have would be ok with small panniers at a push. It might be a problem getting full size panniers on the rear.

If you have to buy only ONE bike I would start by looking here http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebw...ID=18343&f_SortOrderID=1&f_bct=c003155c018343

Any of these will tour happily and whilst not very light will happily get you round a triathlon. If you get serious (you probably will!) then you will want a lighter more aerodynamic machine.

Any of those from EBC will also resell in seconds for a good percentage of what you paid....