Road Bike Vs Tri Bike For Ironman

The biggest purchase you ll make as a triathlete is your bike and not just in terms of money spent.

Road bike vs tri bike for ironman.

The major differences between a triathlon bike and a road bike is the geometry of the frame more specifically the seat tube angle. Tt bikes have only a marginal gain of 17 seconds over a road bike for a 40km distance. A correct bike fit and a tri bike allows you get into a much faster position than a road bike due to it s geometry. The main difference is that the seat angle the yellow line below is at a much steeper angle z than on a road bike.

It can make or break your. Flexibility and strength will determine which bike you use as the relative fatigue of a tt bike is higher than a road bike. My race in a nutshell went quite well. On a tri bike the seat tube is steeper.

The major difference between the triathlon bike and the traditional road bike lies in the geometry of the bicycle frame. The most relaxed handlebar positions make them more comfortable than tri bikes over long distances. The bike is the longest portion of most triathlons in both distance and time. A triathlon bike has a much larger seat tube angle 76 to 78 degrees than that of a road bike 72 degrees for a typical road bike.

Adrienne zimmer april 7 2017. Road bikes are outfitted with drop bars which allow the rider to make use of multiple hand positions to suit sprinting climbing and everything in between. The steeper seat tube angle places you further from the bike allowing you to achieve an aerodynamic stance. The steeper angle of the the tri bike can create a much more aero position.

To begin with let us take a look at the differences between a triathlon bike and a road bike. Road bike frames for competition are usually made from carbon fiber to reduce weight. A 2 4 mile swim 112 mile bike and 26 2 mile run. Generally tri bikes have anywhere from 76 to 78 degree seat tube angle.

Bontrager launch new road wheels for 2018 and feature huge price drops. Specifically i am referring to the seat tube angle. Aeolus comp 5 tlr. The geometry of the frame especially in relation to the seat tube angle forms a stark basis between road and tri bike.

For those of you smart enough to steer clear of such events the breakdown of an ironman is as follows.