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Blenheim and Bikes

Hi

I completed my first triathlon yesterday. I did the supersprint at Blenheim. My time was not great, 1 hr 26 mins in total but I was pleased that I finished! The main part that let me down time was the bike section - 43 mins. I used a normal kona mountain bike with mountain bike tyres. I hope to do the London sprint in a couple of months - would it make much difference to my time if I were to purchase a road bike or is it the rider that is likely to be the issue?

Well done to all at Blenheim - I had a really fun day and all were really friendly and supportive.

Comments

  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    Hi

    And well done

    My first Tri was on a Halfords £60 MTB with knobbly tyres, I lopped 10 mins off the bike section with a road bike the following year, the year after that took off another 5mins with a Tri bike. Yes I was fitter but the boys and girls here do not spend hundreds and even thousands on their bikes just for the bling - well perhaps we do - but there is a quantifiable difference.

    Now the big question is - how committed do you want to be?
    An intant and cheap upgrade is to borrow a set of wheels with road tyres.
    Next up would be to buy a road bike; you can spend as litte or as much as you want, I would err on the little side. You will have fun, learn road craft, can go out on rides with a local club all for very little. Sound out your local bike or tri club. or bike shop for second hand bikes.

    But - you will need to know what size you need - clubs or reputable bike shop will advise (go to a few to get an idea).

    Sorry this is a year old but gives a good start:
    http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/gear-news/ ... /3957.html
    Have look through, you honestly do not need to spend a lot. My first and only road bike cost £500, in retrospect I should have gone for the cheaper bike in fact the one recommended by the bike shop as a year later I got a tri bike.

    Favourites to start are Spezialized Allez, Giant Defy, Trek 1.1 all about £500

    These will give a marked improvement and you will learn so much and have a blast, then you may want to look at a tri bike in the future but that depends on your cicumstances and what you want.

    My fellow forumeers will no doubt have other suggestions but I need to go now as I'm taking part in the Woodhall 10K in 2 hrours.

    Good luck
  • Hi
    I too did the supersprint on a tri bike. time of approx 1hr 4 mins.
    Im not fast on the bike but i overtook loads of people on mountain bikes and not many road bikes....
    Also overtook several walking up the hill and they had mb's
  • Race1Race1 Posts: 58
    Obvious suggestions would be Spd pedals and some slick tyres.

    Or go ruin your credit card. That's what I did.
  • I did the Supersprint on a roadbike, did it in 1:01:48

    If your company does the cycle to work scheme, this is the most cost effective way of funding a new bike.

    I got a 2008 bike in November 2008 when the shop had got it's 2009 bikes in and he'd reduced it form £1400 to £1100. When I said I only had £1000 on the C2W scheme he said that was fine.

    As it comes out of gross salary and the government pay the vat, it only cost me around £500 spread over the 12 months. You don't have to go for the full amount. Anything up to £1000

    FBB
  • dhcmdhcm Posts: 67
    There is no doubt that even a basic road bike will give a big improvement over a mountain bike, mainly because of thin/slick racing tyres & lower weight. Reckon on 15-20% faster.
  • diddsdidds Posts: 655
    WRT cycle2work scheme and govt paying the VAT this is only true if your employer is regeistered for VAT themselves.

    In a nutshell, the employer buys the bike and owns it - so they can then in effect save the VAT on it that way.

    they then lease it to you via salary sacrifice, which is (legally) deducted BEFORE PAYE and NICs, effectively saving YOU those on the effectrrive total. At the end of the lease period the employer then sells you the bike for a nominal sum (£50?) to keep everything in line with existing legislation. There is a cap of £1000 on the deal as it otherwise falls foul of other credit legislation but this £1000 can also include equipment e.g. bike £500, helmet, pump and other stuff £200, total £700 all under cycle to work.

    If you are self employed, forget all the hassle and just have a company bike, which can be written off in the first year.

    HTH

    didds
  • SeboSebo Posts: 2
    A road bike will make a useful difference to your bike leg in my experience. As has been said, if you can't afford a new bike then SPD pedals / shoes and slick tyres will make a big difference (as will correctly inflated tyres!)

    I was at Blenheim in the Super Sprint (my first Tri) too, finished with a time of 1hr 8mins. Lovely day for it
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