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Tri bike or road bike while training in-season

Mark StovallMark Stovall
in General Training Discussions

I picked up my first tri bike this April and have been riding it exclusively since then.  I knew there was a comfort curve to climb early on as you get used to the new body position.  But once you have gotten over the sore neck and also accepted the fact that you can't wear biking shorts on a tri bike (), do you start splitting up your training time between a road bike and your tri bike?  Outdoor rides on my tri are fine but I really don't like riding it on a computrainer much at all.  And long rides are more comfortable for me on a road bike.  I was thinking about doing my Saturday rides on the tri and the Sunday rides on the road bike.  I was curious what others do.  A friend of mine told me that he only rides his tri bike on race day but I feel like that is not a good idea.  What say you?

Comments

  • Keith WickKeith Wick
    how far out from your race are you? if your within 12 weeks, I'd say ride the tri bike. there are going to be differences in power between your tri bike and road bike (if using power). if you have to ride the roadie, then do this for the shorter rides. the more you can get used to hammering the sat & sun. rides on the tri-bike, the better you'll feel on race day.
  • DocHoffartDocHoffart
    I spoke with Chris Lieto's bike fitter on Friday last and he advised me to ride my tribike no more than 2x per week. He says that Chris will only ride up to 2x a week on the tri bike. Road bikes handle better and generally are a safer ride. Spend lots of time in the drops to approximate the neck position and muscle usage was his advice. For me, it's just easier on the nether regions to ride the road bike.

    vince
  • Tom GlynnTom Glynn
    After my I'M is over I typically put the tri bike away and use the road bike most of the time. It's just more fun.
  • Chris GChris G

    When is your race?  how long is it?  Ride the tri bike until it is more comfortable than the roadie and then it will not matter any more.  If you just got it a couple of months ago I would bet that you have more adapting to it to do.  I am betting that Lieto rides more than we do.

  • Mark StovallMark Stovall
    @Keith - My race is Ironman Louisville on August 29th. And I have noticed the difference in power you are talking about. My ftp is 15W lower on my tri than the roadie. I was only slightly scared emotionally after that experience. But much worse off physically after that first ride as I was not prepared for the effect on my privates. ouch.

    @Chris - I would say that for rides up to 50 miles or so I am every bit as comfortable on the tri as I am on the roadie. After that it is not as much fun to ride. I feel totally acclimated in terms of my neck. I never struggled with back issues at all on either bike. My nether region is a different story. While it has certainly become more tolerable, the discomfort is still there. The first 30 - 50 miles or so are great but then it gets more and more uncomfortable. My longest ride to date on the tri is 85 miles. Do you ultimately adjust down there or is more of a situation that you just have to manage through? It was a big help when I learned not to wear regular bike shorts on the tri. The sensation (if you can call it a sensation, more like a symptom I think) I get is the feeling you have a few hours after having been kicked in the privates. A deep, dull ache. It is actually a big improvement over my initial experience. I originally had a koobi saddle. I decided after a month that I would most likely be successful at the first self administered sex change operation if I stayed with it. And during a 3 hour ride no less. I switched to a Cobb and am much happier. btw Chris, I am ashamed to admit it but when I look at your tag line I get ftp envy. During a computrainer session I tried to hold over 300 watts to see how long I could do it. It wasn't pretty. Maybe next year!
  • Keith WickKeith Wick
    if the main issue with the tri-bike is the saddle and "regions", then you can either play with the tilt or buy the "region saver" saddle---the Adamo. This seat is the best thing i've ever tri-ed.
  • daisymackdaisymack
    The road bike will always be more comfortable, period, and your regions will always complain to some degree after 3-4+ hours. Keep experimenting with different saddles and fit until you find something that won't castrate you.

    I have a Cobb too and I really like it. I find that the first ten minutes on the Sunday ride are really, really painful but then my regions shut up.
  • Chris GChris G

     @ Mark - there is some badness with either your saddle or your fit.  You need to be able to ride the tri bike all day without anything feeling like you got kicked in the crotch.  Just that being a sensation you are familiar with may be a far larger problem but I digress.  I have a Cobb saddle on my new bike as I wanted to see what all the hype was about.  I was always really comfy on my old non cutout fancy saddle FWIW.  The Cobb saddle is non what I would call comfy but it never had actually gotten really uncomfortable either.  Certainly less pressure where you do not want it but a different feeling having the weight supported by the bones.  That includes when I rode it 160 miles in 20 hours in LP.   I have never been comfortable wearing regular bike shorts on my tri bike, tri shorts are much better for the angles.  

    As for the watts, I have a lot of KG working for me as well...

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