Entering OS...pros/cons of using roadie instead of tri bike

kurshing

 So, I am entering the OS really early this year (tomorrow) because I am going to do all 20 weeks and then the full 20 week IM plan leading up to IM Texas...which is 40 weeks from tomorrow.  As an aside, I am going to try taking the testing weeks as pretty much test-only weeks to see if I can't get through all 20 weeks without feeling like I got hit by a mack truck...and, the first week of the 20 week plan will be testing, so, coming off of OS, I am just going to forgo that week and make the IM plan a 19 week plan.  BUT, that isn't why I am posting (just throwing it out there for context).

I recently purchased a road bike and am having a blast on it.  I have two group rides that are hammer-fests that I am going to utilize as long as possible (depends on rain and when winter shows up this year).   So, that will take the place of my OS Tues/Thurs rides, and will be PLENTY of intensity and intervals.  However, I am kind of pumped about using my new road bike...

So, here is the question...is there any reason I should NOT be using my road bike during the OS?  

I HAVE noticed it is really hard to run off this thing...so, those Tues bricks will prove to be tough.  Also, I will probably stick mostly with the tri bike on the weekends so I keep my legs used to it.

Will all of the fitness gains on the road bike transfer over to the tri bike?  (During the winter months, I will stay on my tri bike on the trainer.)

Thoughts?  Thanks ahead of time!

(Yes, I am having fun being a roadie at the moment...and it has been fun to not having a training plan loaded up...this is the first time in over 2 years since I have started triathlon that I have been going 'freelance' on the training!)

Trent Prough

Have fun on the road bike. A looooooong time till you really need to be transitioning to the tri bike to get ready for the feel needed in I'm training. All the fitness will transfer over easy when needed. Just a couple weeks back on tri bike usually and you are ready.

Coach Patrick

x2 What Trent said. I was road bike for 6 months, and transitioned to my tri bike 8 weeks before Placid. The hardest part about road bike in the OS is that the numbers don't transition directly to your tri bike come the season. So you need to be ready for some humility as the numbers drop a bit...but I say it's worth it!

tuckerm

Damn Stephen you really like those 20 week training plans. If it were me I'd just hammer the bike for another month or so to try to get that FTP up really high before starting a October OS. Then hitting a 12 week IM plan in prep for TX. But the 20wk plan served you well for CDA this year.....

William Jenks

Trent and Patrick-

What advantage do you see with using the road bike? Just more comfortable riding? If it's not that, why?

Thanks,
Wm

PS My road bike is >20 years old, so it doesn't even fit my power tap wheel... I oggle the nice road bikes these days, but I haven't had the heart to plead for one...

kurshing

@William - it just has a different feel...softer ride (though still stiff), great handling, and it work my hamstrings and lower back which I think will really help me. The main reason, though, is that it is far superior in group riding situations. The group I ride with has between 40-60 people, 5-6 local cycling teams are represented, and there are three sprint points that create great interval opportunities...I pull on one and sprint on two, but will probably become a dedicated lead out on two of them so I can get some form of my OS inserted into the rides.

So, yeah (concerning the road bike), just better application for the riding I am doing...

Coach Rich

In my opinion, you should ride the bike that you enjoy riding the most, will keep you motivated to ride hard/often, and can put out the most watts on. For me, that's my road bike. I then transition that road bike power to the tri bike.

mgraffeo

William, for me it's a combination of liking the change of pace (I'm on the tri bike only from about May to September), needing to mentally justify having 2 bikes, and enjoying the ability to hop into a group situation easily. I've never had a problem going back and forth between the two positionally, others MMV...

Nate Parady

For some reason I am so much more comfortable on my road bike when hooked up to the trainer versus my Tri bike. Just the opposit when outside. I plan on doing my OS on my road bike for comfort sake. no need adding to the suffer factor during the OS.

Scott Alexander

Just like everything else, learning and adapting to run off the road bike takes time.

Personally, I'd always choose a road bike for the OS, and for riding in general - it's just so much more fun!

mancona

Personally, I mount the TT bike on the trainer after my last race of the year and it stays there until I'm in race prep the next year. I then leave my road bike setup and ready to ride outside so any time in the off season, out season, or early season I can ride the road bike outside.

Unless I'm in race prep, I find that I ride the road bike significantly more outside as I just have more fun and feel safer on it.

Gordon Cherwoniak

Stephen,

I'd agree ride what you like best.  I would agree that you should stick with one bike as coach p stated the watts maybe different so when you come to the weekend tri bike ride you might have real trouble holding the watts.  IIRC coach p had around 10 watt difference so not insignificant.  When you get to the IM plan or 12 weeks out use the tri bike almost exclusively, just factor in time for a test or use the alternative method in the wiki.

Here a couple other thoughts/comments that you did not ask for.

Like Tucker I'd question the 20 week IM plan.  Why are you considering 20 weeks or 19?   Having said that here's what I'm debating for Lake Placid next year.  21 week OS, with a 1 week break for a family vacation.  This will be sometime between weeks 9-14 most likely so a good break to recovery while in a hot destination over the winter.  I mention the week off because of your comment "see if I can't get through all 20 weeks without feeling like I got hit by a mack truck".  Additionally the group rides may have you putting in more work than the OS all the more reason just to go out and hammer them now then start the OS later.

From there I have a 2 week transition scheduled but depending upon the above week off I may only need 1.  That will leave me with 14 weeks for IM plan.  I found last time that the transition to the volume was a little tough for me so an extra 2-3 weeks to follow a plan will should be good. 

Gordon

William Jenks

Interesting remarks. Thanks. I love my TT bike, with the exception that visibility is so limited in that position compared to the road bikes. Maybe I'll win the lottery and get a more modern road bike in the next couple years. :-)