the art of riding a tri-bike

[allegretto]

took out my new Cervelo P2C yesterday and can say that shifters and brakes being 10" apart of different bars is quite a challenge at speed. steering on aeros is fun too!

if some misinformed person(s) were to come close at 20-30 faster in their minivan as i was shifting position i'm not sure i wouldn't have a bad rash!

these bikes must be great on a closed course or deserted road, but are quite a handful in traffic.

Di2 would help gobs with its ability to give you both shifters, but that's muy dinero. is there a special technique you tri-guys use?

[Kevan]

and bring that thing to a club ride.

[csm]

I was in lake placid last week and there were a bunch of Ironman competitors out on the rds. gave them LOTS of room.

[MilanoTom]

and bring that thing to a club ride.

One of the local shops had a notice saying that they're not allowed on their group rides.

Tom

[regularguy412]

It also means you should spend a LOT of time riding it.

Remember the Bbox Boys in the TdF doing a little CX during the TTT? If I had to guess, I'd say they didn't spend a lot of time on those bikes.

Mike in AR:beer:

[John M]

is there a special technique you tri-guys use?


It just takes practice. Handling is never as good with tri/TT bars or steep seat angle geometry, but with practice you can still be safe. If you need to shift/brake a lot (such as in city traffic, really hilly terrain, or on a group ride), ride your road bike.

[beungood]

There are several groups here who have the same prohibition.

[paulrad9]

One of the local shops had a notice saying that they're not allowed on their group rides.

Tom

I've never been in a club that allowed them. They're bikes for loners, rebels....people who you don't want to get mixed up with. If Pee-Wee knew about them, he would have owned one

[Ti Designs]

Learn how to ride - it's advice that never gets old.

If you happen to ride a tri bike, learn how to ride a tri bike. If you got into a formula 1 car today, you would have a damn hard time keeping it under control. Maybe we should ban F1 cars... For that matter, old people keep driving their cars into stores and buildings, let's ban cars. On second thought, let's not blame the bike, no electronic shifting isn't going to cure your handling problems, LEARN HOW TO RIDE!!!

I'm just a novice at this riding thing, but there are a few people around here who know how to handle a tri bike. I'm more worried about the sketchy riders with super deep section rims.

[csm]

kinda of a huge leap from tri bike to f1 car.

[MilanoTom]

Learn how to ride - it's advice that never gets old.

If you happen to ride a tri bike, learn how to ride a tri bike. If you got into a formula 1 car today, you would have a damn hard time keeping it under control. Maybe we should ban F1 cars... For that matter, old people keep driving their cars into stores and buildings, let's ban cars. On second thought, let's not blame the bike, no electronic shifting isn't going to cure your handling problems, LEARN HOW TO RIDE!!!

I'm just a novice at this riding thing, but there are a few people around here who know how to handle a tri bike. I'm more worried about the sketchy riders with super deep section rims.

What about sketchy riders on tri bikes with super deep section rims?

[paczki]

Maybe we should ban F1 cars...

I for one think banning F1 cars on group rides is a good idea. I have to say I'm surprised that you think we should allow them.

[allegretto]

well here is one of my cars, do you think they'll let me in the Chicago Crit?

if they do, i bet i'll win!!!

Ti Designs; i think you're right of course. just wanted to know if there were tricks though

as with skiing or auto racing, it's all about mileage ;)

[gearguywb]

IMHO tri bikes are ok on group rides.....but stay on the hoods! I have seen far too many crashes by guys riding in a goup setting, stretched out, and not having the quick, absolute control of the front of the bike. In two cases the guys on tri bikes hit the front wheel of the person they were drafting resulting in ugly crashes that took down a bunch of people.

[caleb]

these bikes must be great on a closed course or deserted road, but are quite a handful in traffic.

I never intentionally ride my tri bike in town. Make a b-line for the open roads.

[TC Johnson]

Perhaps the three bike length rule in tri is as much to keep us away from eachother and crashing as for the aero benefits.

Riding this past Sunday in the NJ State Tri, there were a lot of competitors who were clearly in the early stages of their tri careers (namely, still riding their mountain bikes). Trying to safely manoever past them while in the aero bars was a study in focus and clearly communicating your presence.

I can't imagine intentionally using my tri bike in a group ride. You need both hands on the bars and fully in control to be sure you don't taste asphault.

TC

[deechee]

ugh what does group riding have anything to do with the OP?

It sounds like you're not too comfortable in aero, so the main thing is to ride in it. As TiDesigns said, you have to ride it more. Its the same as the first time you ride a bike, you have to practice technique. A parking lot, do low speed cornering, leaning drills etc. Get used to cornering in aero, and manoeuvering by shifting your body weight rather than using your arms. Yes, I'm more comfortable on my road bike, but the weather/traffic conditions/road won't change my mind as to which bike to ride. I can ride both bikes comfortably anywhere. That said, in the city I'm on the bullhorns, hands on the brakes. Its pretty easy to shift with one hand; you'll get the hang of it. Shifting downhill is a bit annoying, but you'll get he hang of it.

The bike is properly designed for more of your weight being over the front wheel - so believe in it; you won't get blown off by a truck driving by, just keep pedaling and you'll soon blow off most people.

[djg]

Well, I'm not a tri guy -- I've never done a triathlon in my life -- but I've noticed that there's a pretty steep learning curve with a tt setup (in some ways, the different saddle position takes more getting used to than the bars). My first five minutes with the elbows on the pads and the hands on the extensions seemed pretty sketchy, but leading with the elbows (instead of grabbing at the end of the extension with a single hand first) helped with an initial hurdle, and just riding it a bit a few days in a row helped tremendously with handling, riding a line, etc. First I did a few minutes in a parking lot. Then a few solo rides away from traffic (car and bike). It's just not a setup that's suitable to crit or psuedo-crit riding, or group rides that feature tight fast packs and sometimes forget that they are not races, but it just doesn't take a ton of time to get comfortable riding a decent line, cornering at a decent speed, etc. And if you get out of the tuck and get your hands wide, it's more or less just a tight stiff bike, which means that you've got a perfectly good default position if you run into a bit of traffic.

[Acotts]

Why cant you control your bike while on the horns? It shouldn't be that different from your road bike. Just a little more forward on your seat.

The whole triathletes are unsafe in a pack is BS bike snobbery. Tri bikes are no less dangerous than riding with a person with down tube shifters.

Sh*tty, stupid bikers are unsafe. It doesn't matter what you ride or what sport you prefer.

[edit: this is not directed at the op. This is directed at folks who feel justified to paint all triathletes as sketchy cyclist.]

[Bob Ross]

If you got into a formula 1 car today, you would have a damn hard time keeping it under control. Maybe we should ban F1 cars... For that matter, old people keep driving their cars into stores and buildings, let's ban cars.

Yeah, but you never hear about old people driving Formula 1 cars into stores and buildings. So the solution is simple: Require old people to drive Formula 1 cars.

[jvp]

The TT stages of the TDF have all the crashes, of course they are going full tilt the whole way. Didn't the giro winner use his road bike for the TT?

[djg]

Yeah, but you never hear about old people driving Formula 1 cars into stores and buildings. So the solution is simple: Require old people to drive Formula 1 cars.

On crowded MUTs.

That will cut down on the roller bladers.