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Road/tri vs. TT/tri bike

lenahan10lenahan10
in General Training Discussions
Would love your feedback on an aero bike designed for both road and triathlon use like the Kestrel Talon vs. strictly a TT/tri bike. I like the idea of a road bike especially in the hilly area where I live but will be using the bike mainly for tris.  I currently have a 8yr old specialized transition aluminum TT bike but would like to upgrade.

Comments

  • Jacklyn MooreJacklyn Moore

    I purchased a road/TT bike called the Specialized Alias Comp.  She specially designed for the aero bars but still have the road bars too. A shorter wheel base. She carves corners beautifully. Descends fast. She is designed for HIM distance but i'm going to race her on a 120 mile road race on Sunday. The aero set up is more upright than a full TT bike. Not so aggressive and low. My lower back isn't that flexible yet. The full carbon frame soaks up road chatter really well. The best part is she's really fast! She comes in at 17 pounds. 

    I chose not to go to the full TT bike yet because i'm still not sure i'll ever do a full IM. I like having the ability to use all positions as well. Especially in the wind. I have friends who have the aggressive TT bike and wind drives them nuts. I don't have a problem.

    Hope it helps. 

    Jacklyn

  • William JenksWilliam Jenks
    Totally depends on what you want to do. The "compromise bikes" are great, and you will go faster than you would on a plain road bike, but you would go faster still on a TT bike. It's just a matter of the position and therefore the wind resistance.

    That said, if this is the bike you want, remember it's only a game, and you should do what's most fun. I especially think this is true if triathlon is only a part of what you want to do on a bike and having a road bike and a TT bike is not an option. For the record, I have a very old (like 25 years old...), very mediocre road bike and a pretty nice TT bike.
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