Starting Triathlon on a Mountain Bike?
Mithra
Posts: 2
in General Chat
Ok, this could well be a very stupid question so if it is I apologise . I tried searching but couldn't seem to find anything.
I'm interested in starting triathlon when I go back to uni this year, however do not have a road bike of any description. I do however have a fairly new mountain bike (hardtail). Whilst I know obviously I would hardly be competitive in an actual race, would it be sensible at all to do it on a mountain bike? I assume switching tyres to road ones would be a necessity at least. I don't want to buy a road bike and then find I don't really get into triathlon and have wasted my money .
I'm interested in starting triathlon when I go back to uni this year, however do not have a road bike of any description. I do however have a fairly new mountain bike (hardtail). Whilst I know obviously I would hardly be competitive in an actual race, would it be sensible at all to do it on a mountain bike? I assume switching tyres to road ones would be a necessity at least. I don't want to buy a road bike and then find I don't really get into triathlon and have wasted my money .
0
Comments
You are right about changing the tyres but you dont have to, there's no law about it. I would however think about makeing thiose front shocks as hard as possible.
You will love triathlon and wont a road bike soon.
(cue Conehead.....)
I am still trundling round on my hybrid, procrastinating about which brand to buy and when to buy it and what colour, and what wheels and which groupset etc etc.
In time you may develop the carbon lust ... still waiting Conehead ... but for now an MTB is plenty fine with no or minimal expenditure.
Oh yes and wlecome to the made world of triathlon
Get a cheap road bike - you'll save at least 15 mins faster over a sprint distance. Who really wants to run the risk of coming last.
Don't do it.
I dropped the bars as low as they could go, flipped the bullhorn extensions onto the wrong sides so they acted like drops, stuck the seat up to road-bike altitude and fitted some 'street' tyres to it.
I was shit.
Now I've got a carbon bling bike with a proper triathlon pointy front end on it and everything.
I'm still shit. Only now I can't blame the bike.
Get on your bike, get out there and cock it up properly. We all screw it up in some way at every single race. It's the only way to learn. Your mountain bike is fine.... you score 99% just by giving it a go. The other 1% is a bonus.
*EDIT* Just noticed a previous response... if your choice is 'Do triathlon on a MTB' versus 'Do not do triathlon because I only have a MTB' then go with option 1 and screw everybody else.
So really don't worry about doing your 1st few on a MTB and only consider spending seriuos money if you get into it and just one tip I can give...........remember where you left your bike because no matter how good your times are spending nearly 10 minutes looking for your bike after your swim isn't fun....or nearly missing the whole experience because of the same reason even before the race had started!!!!.....but these are the things you learn 1st time round and I'll hopefully not repeat this school boy error on Saturday!!!!
Good luck
Just got a call yetserday from a friend whose son did his first tri on an MTB and asked if it was OK for his son to ring me and chat about how to progress - said he's seen a Boardman ... Ah so it goes ... get the chequebook out!
You'll be suprised how many MTB's thewre are at Tri's.
Try Wilkinson (yes - Wilkinson) for your 26" slicks and inner tubes.
They're certainly cheapest for gear and brake cables and do a few tyres.
Pat...