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Bikers - What's the difference between a tri-bike and a regular road bike?

F

FortFunFoSho

Golden Member
Going to be doing a trathlon this summer and need to purchase a bike. Can anyone elaborate on why I should by a tr-bike over just a regular road bike?

Any past experience?

I plan to ride the road bike after the actul triathlon. And at this point I am not planning to do a bunch of these triathlons.
 
Originally posted by: FortFunFoSho
Going to be doing a trathlon this summer and need to purchase a bike. Can anyone elaborate on why I should by a tr-bike over just a regular road bike?

Any past experience?

I plan to ride the road bike after the actul triathlon. And at this point I am not planning to do a bunch of these triathlons.
Click to expand...
The biggest thing is that a tri-bike has a steeper seat angle. This puts the rider further forward on the bike which makes riding in the aero bars much easier and efficient.

They'll usually have some extra "aero" features as well, but this isn't nearly as big a deal since the rider produces most of the drag.
 
At any rate, if you don't plan to do much in the way of Triathlons, the best bet is to just put some clip-on aero bars on your road bike and call it a day.
 
I'd say start off on a normal road bike for your first tri. I'm 'planning' to do a tri this year if my job calms down and I can train. I bought a Giant OCR road bike off eBay to do it since I may only do one.
 
A tri-bike generally has a longer top tube and more relaxed angles (I'm wrong) (of the seat tube and head tube). A few other minor possible differences:

* Road bikes can have a higher bottom backet clearance (sometimes).
* Tri-bikes often have longer crank arms (that's equipment though and not the actual frame).
* Tri-bikes usually have a bigger max gear
* Tri bars of course are obvious.
* Mass start road race bikes can not use the same type of aero wheels as Tri-bikes, so wheels are frequently different (easy to spot of course).
 
Originally posted by: tomywishbone
A tri-bike generally has a longer top tube and more relaxed angles (of the seat tube and head tube).
Click to expand...

Uh, no. Seat tube is steeper, head angle may be shallower for more stability while on the aero bars.
 
Originally posted by: Fausto
Originally posted by: tomywishbone
A tri-bike generally has a longer top tube and more relaxed angles (of the seat tube and head tube).
Click to expand...

Uh, no. Seat tube is steeper, head angle may be shallower for more stability while on the aero bars.
Click to expand...


True! My fault. Where's my 2nd cup of coffee? 🙂
 
Tri will also generally have smaller wheels. 650c tri v. 700c road.

A tri bike is pretty specialized. Unless you're doing a lot of tri's, I'd go with a road bike.
 
Originally posted by: Fausto
Originally posted by: Dirigible
Tri will also generally have smaller wheels. 650c tri v. 700c road.
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Not always. Guys seem to go back and forth on the merits of 650c wheelsets.
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Shows ya how much I pay attention to tri stuff. 😛

That's it. I'm only answering mountain bike questions from now on.
 
the difference in geometry (on top of getting you more aero) is to put the rider at an angle that makes the riding motions more similar to a runner's motion making it an easier to train and transition between running and riding.
 
Originally posted by: slikmunks
the difference in geometry (on top of getting you more aero) is to put the rider at an angle that makes the riding motions more similar to a runner's motion making it an easier to train and transition between running and riding.
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This is somewhat true, but you'll note that even dedicated road pros have adopted the same forward position now. In addition to allowing you to get your back flat (crucial for being truly aero), it opens up the angle between torso and legs so you're not pounding your knees into your chest 90 times a minute.

This is why I finally built a dedicated TT bike; I got sick of having to "convert" my road bike every other weekend and then having it not be comfortable at all after all the work.
 
Originally posted by: Dirigible
Originally posted by: Fausto
Originally posted by: Dirigible
Tri will also generally have smaller wheels. 650c tri v. 700c road.
Click to expand...
Not always. Guys seem to go back and forth on the merits of 650c wheelsets.
Click to expand...


Shows ya how much I pay attention to tri stuff. 😛

That's it. I'm only answering mountain bike questions from now on.
Click to expand...
:laugh:

One upshot to buying a 650c bike: you can get aero wheels for cheap on Ebay since there's so little demand for them.
 
Tri bikes are a little more aero. As in they are made so that you are mainly on your aero bars most of the time. It is a very small difference in the geometry of the frame.

No huge difference, but I would suggest just going to a bike store and trying a few bikes out.
 
Originally posted by: Fausto
Originally posted by: slikmunks
fausto:

between riding the roadie and the TT, is the roadie a little more balanced than the TT?
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"Balanced" in what respect? Handling?
Click to expand...

yeah, in handling and ride... trying to figure out the benefits to a road bike over a TT, and if there aren't too many, why people don't just go w/ TT bikes in general... other than a road bike's more upright seating geometry...
 
Tri bikes are all about aero advantage, road bikes are about balanced performance. A tri bike is basically a compromise between a road bike and a time trial bike.

IMO, unless you are ONLY into tri, and are expecting to be VERY competetive, you are better off getting a road bike. As others have mentioned, you can always get a clip on bar. With a road bike, you will also be able to train with a group of roadies and not get kicked out for not being able to hold the line.
 
More detail:

Road bikes are more comfortable (tri bikes stages are usually much shorter than road races). In part because of the geomerty, in part because of more options for hand position (and therefore body position) on a road bar.
 
Originally posted by: slikmunks
Originally posted by: Fausto
Originally posted by: slikmunks
fausto:

between riding the roadie and the TT, is the roadie a little more balanced than the TT?
Click to expand...
"Balanced" in what respect? Handling?
Click to expand...

yeah, in handling and ride... trying to figure out the benefits to a road bike over a TT, and if there aren't too many, why people don't just go w/ TT bikes in general... other than a road bike's more upright seating geometry...
Click to expand...
The problem with tri bikes is that they don't turn very well thanks to the geometry and generally being nose-heavy. Also, having your weight forward like that all the time is hard on your neck, shoulders, and crotch. If most of your riding will be general road riding, go for the road bike. The only guys I know who are on a tri bike all the time are semi-pro triathletes.
 
Originally posted by: Fausto
Originally posted by: slikmunks
Originally posted by: Fausto
Originally posted by: slikmunks
fausto:

between riding the roadie and the TT, is the roadie a little more balanced than the TT?
Click to expand...
"Balanced" in what respect? Handling?
Click to expand...

yeah, in handling and ride... trying to figure out the benefits to a road bike over a TT, and if there aren't too many, why people don't just go w/ TT bikes in general... other than a road bike's more upright seating geometry...
Click to expand...
The problem with tri bikes is that they don't turn very well thanks to the geometry and generally being nose-heavy. Also, having your weight forward like that all the time is hard on your neck, shoulders, and crotch. If most of your riding will be general road riding, go for the road bike. The only guys I know who are on a tri bike all the time are semi-pro triathletes.
Click to expand...

Yeah, tri bikes don't turn well. Even watching the pros ride them it always looks like they have difficulty getting them to turn.
 
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: Fausto
Originally posted by: slikmunks
Originally posted by: Fausto
Originally posted by: slikmunks
fausto:

between riding the roadie and the TT, is the roadie a little more balanced than the TT?
Click to expand...
"Balanced" in what respect? Handling?
Click to expand...

yeah, in handling and ride... trying to figure out the benefits to a road bike over a TT, and if there aren't too many, why people don't just go w/ TT bikes in general... other than a road bike's more upright seating geometry...
Click to expand...
The problem with tri bikes is that they don't turn very well thanks to the geometry and generally being nose-heavy. Also, having your weight forward like that all the time is hard on your neck, shoulders, and crotch. If most of your riding will be general road riding, go for the road bike. The only guys I know who are on a tri bike all the time are semi-pro triathletes.
Click to expand...

Yeah, tri bikes don't turn well. Even watching the pros ride them it always looks like they have difficulty getting them to turn.
Click to expand...
Yep. Riding one daily would annoy the hell out of me, personally.
 
In general, as you decrease the angle between the torso and the thigh, peak power output will drop. If you can imagine rotating the rider forward around the hip point, you can get an idea of how the geometry of the bike would change to accomodate him, keeping this thigh-torso geometry constant.

- steeper seat angle
- shorter head tube (one of the original drivers for the 650cc front wheel)
- more aerodynamic profiles (arguably more for marketing benefit)

Alot of these same fundamentals apply to the time trial bike, but typically there is a higher need for stability and control on a time trial course over a triathlon course. Even more so in a team time trial event.

Edit: Of course if your name happens to be Graham Obree or Chris Boardman, then none of the conventional rules apply.
 
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