What Type of Bike to Get for a Triathlon

tribikeThere are a number of really important considerations to make when it comes to preparing yourself for your triathlon. Fitness and strength are two of the most important factors that are going to influence your performance as a triathlete, but the next important area where improvements are capable of being made is your triathlon equipment. You are obviously going to complete your race a lot faster when you have a bicycle that is specialized for your triathlon. If you want to go faster and move further, no matter what your level of expertise is, a triathlon specific type of bicycle is going to benefit you significantly.

When it comes to money, you need to understand that a triathlon bike is going to require a larger investment from you. In general on average, the power that is produced in order to pedal a bike on a flat road will involve 60 percent worth of rider drag. This is a place where you can gain some truly awesome performance gains. If you are really serious about performing in a triathlon, then you are going to need to choose the right type of equipment, which should be the best and the most efficient and effective equipment that you can possibly afford for the purpose of your triathlon cycling needs.

Road bikes or road bicycles are typically going to be designed to allow for comfort for cyclists that want to compete over longer distances. The triathlon bicycle on the other hand is generally designed to suit other distances that are relatively shorter in nature, meaning that comfort is capable of being compromised in exchange for an increase in speed. This is one of the most fundamental differences that exists between bikes intended for triathlons and those that are intended for the road.

The shorter that the distance of the triathlon is, the more aerodynamics and weight will come into play. For a sprint triathlon, for example, or a 20k, comfort is going to be far less of a factor than if you are dealing with an Ironman which is significantly longer in terms of distance. When it comes to an Ironman triathlon, comfort is going to become significantly more important to offering you continual high quality performance over a longer period of time.

When you are looking for a bicycle to serve your triathlon needs, you should be considering the distances that you are going to be competing for and then correlate this number with the budget that you think you have available for this purpose. It is highly recommended that you consider purchasing a used bike for your triathlon needs if your budget is tight. You can choose a higher quality bike and buy it used, and get it for a much better deal. If you scrimp on a new bike you may end up with a bad choice, and a bike that simply is not meeting your needs on the course.

Photo Credits: jimmyharris

Originally posted 2009-09-03 03:46:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Cycling Glossary

cyclingA good part of understanding your triathlon training and performance is having a grasp on the lingo. Here is a guide to cycling terms that you should know in order to get the most out of your experience.

Aero Bar – An aero bar is a type of handlebar that juts forward to increase aerodynamics by allowing the rider to assume a lower profile.

Attack - An attack is a tactic to pass another rider, or a group of riders with an abrupt burst of speed, it can also be used as a verb, meaning to try to make an attack.

Biff - In cycling terms, the word biff is used in order to describe a crash.

Block - Blocking is a method of breaking up a chase through slowing down the cadence of the pace line. This can be performed by a single ride or by a group of riders working together. This action is generally used as a way to protect the position of a teammate that is in the lead.

Bonk - The term bonk refers to the state of exhaustion that can be caused by a lack of food while doing a particularly long stretch worth of bike riding.

Break Away – A break away is when a rider makes a successful attack and pulls ahead of the main group.

Bridge - Bridging is the action of leaving one group of riders to catch up to another group of riders farther ahead.

Bunny-Hop - Bunny-hopping refers to jumping over an obstacle with the bike without dismounting.

Cadence – Cadence is the rate at which a cyclist is pedaling, this is measured in revolutions per minute (RPM) of one of the two cyclist’s feet.

Chain suck - Chain suck is the unfortunate occurrence when the bike chain manages to get jammed in between the chain stay and the rear wheel.

Chase - A chase is an effort, most often by a group of cyclists, to catch up with another group of riders that is ahead of them. Often, the group being chased is making a breakaway.

Chasers - Chasers are cyclists that are actively involved in a chase or chases.

Circuit – Like a lap in track racing, a circuit is one trip around a track that will be run through more than one time during a road race.

Circuit race - A circuit race is a race with multiple laps, known as circuits, in which the course is at least two miles long.

Cleat - A cleat is an attachment on the soles of specialized cycling shoes that connect the shoes to the pedals using an opening in the pedal.

Criterium - A criterium is a race held on a track of a mile or less in length with multiple laps.

Cross Country – A cross-country bike race is a type of mountain bike race that crosses over jeep roads, trails and other types of difficult terrain, requiring that the bicyclists competing have a certain level of skill in order to participate.

Photo Credits: /charlene

Originally posted 2009-10-26 03:16:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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