Let me start off with this disclaimer: I know that bikes are expensive and your money is precious & doesn't come easy. I couldn't agree more!
As a "Tri Guy," I know a lot of riders who only possess a tri (TT) bike, because that is their primary purpose in riding. They complete in local races, are part of a tri club, and most only train with other triathletes. Their tri- (TT) bikes have extension bars, no drops, 11-25 (maybe 28) cassettes and usually on the heavier side of the road bike category. All of these features work perfectly for racing triathlon, but they are not the best option for other types of riding, like hill climbing, casual treks and group rides. (In fact, a lot group rides specifically BAN tri- (TT) bikes from participating due to group safety, but more on this below).
So, the question should be asked: Do triathletes also need a road bike?
The obvious answer is NO, but for most people, I think the should be YES. Having a road bike in addition to a triathlon bike makes a lot of sense and opens up even greater opportunities to ride, train, and have more fun on a bike.
Road Bikes are Lighter, More Compliant (smoother ride), and offer greater Safety out on the road.
Tri- (TT) bikes are built for one thing: linear speed. Since most triathlon races take place on relatively flat courses, closed to traffic, designers of tri-bikes build them with this information in mind. The frames are ultra-stiff so that there is very little loss of power transfer throughout the bike. The tubes of the frame are thicker and wider to offer a greater aerodynamic advantage. The gearing is compact because, again, the goal is speed on flat terrain. And, perhaps, most important of all, the cockpit (handlebars) of a triathlon bike are designed to stretch the rider into a very low-profile position. Road bikes, on the other hand, are built for a variety of terrain and distances.
Riding on bike designed with weight, wide-gearing, and compliance in mind is amazing. I bought my Argon-18 117 triathlon bike because it felt like my road bike, but I knew the two were not the same and neither could replace the other. I'd choose my Trek Emonda any day over my triathlon bike for any road ride. It's built for the road, whereas, my tri bike is built for triathlon/time-trail (TT) racing. It's that simple. But, comfort is only a very small part of the WHY behind my choice.
Road bikes are significantly safer bikes to ride on the road. The low profile and positioning on a triathlon bike makes the bike and rider far more prone to a traffic incident. Cars cannot see the bike/rider, and often the rider cannot see the cars out of their peripheral vision (shoulders get in the way when riding the extension bars). Additionally, the brakes on a tri-bike are not on the extension bars, where most riders ride. This means a significant delay and change in body posture to apply the brakes. And in an accident, every nano-second counts!
If you can only afford one bike, should you get a Tri bike or a road bike? That's your choice to make, but I would argue that your 'only bike' should be the most adaptive bike. Tri-bikes do one thing extremely well, but road bikes can do a lot of things easily and safely.
If you are looking for your first bike, or maybe thinking about getting a second bike, please consider getting a dedicated road bike. And for the value and performance, I would also suggest checking out Argon-18's GALLIUM. It's a Swiss-Army knife of bikes. Lightweight, compliant, and an incredible value. Plus, it's sexy and comes with a disc-brake option (I love disc!).
Whatever bike you choose, please consider the Big Picture and what your specific and long-terms goals are. Bikes are expensive. Invest wisely and be safe while having fun!
As a "Tri Guy," I know a lot of riders who only possess a tri (TT) bike, because that is their primary purpose in riding. They complete in local races, are part of a tri club, and most only train with other triathletes. Their tri- (TT) bikes have extension bars, no drops, 11-25 (maybe 28) cassettes and usually on the heavier side of the road bike category. All of these features work perfectly for racing triathlon, but they are not the best option for other types of riding, like hill climbing, casual treks and group rides. (In fact, a lot group rides specifically BAN tri- (TT) bikes from participating due to group safety, but more on this below).So, the question should be asked: Do triathletes also need a road bike?
The obvious answer is NO, but for most people, I think the should be YES. Having a road bike in addition to a triathlon bike makes a lot of sense and opens up even greater opportunities to ride, train, and have more fun on a bike.
Road Bikes are Lighter, More Compliant (smoother ride), and offer greater Safety out on the road.
Tri- (TT) bikes are built for one thing: linear speed. Since most triathlon races take place on relatively flat courses, closed to traffic, designers of tri-bikes build them with this information in mind. The frames are ultra-stiff so that there is very little loss of power transfer throughout the bike. The tubes of the frame are thicker and wider to offer a greater aerodynamic advantage. The gearing is compact because, again, the goal is speed on flat terrain. And, perhaps, most important of all, the cockpit (handlebars) of a triathlon bike are designed to stretch the rider into a very low-profile position. Road bikes, on the other hand, are built for a variety of terrain and distances.
Riding on bike designed with weight, wide-gearing, and compliance in mind is amazing. I bought my Argon-18 117 triathlon bike because it felt like my road bike, but I knew the two were not the same and neither could replace the other. I'd choose my Trek Emonda any day over my triathlon bike for any road ride. It's built for the road, whereas, my tri bike is built for triathlon/time-trail (TT) racing. It's that simple. But, comfort is only a very small part of the WHY behind my choice.
Road bikes are significantly safer bikes to ride on the road. The low profile and positioning on a triathlon bike makes the bike and rider far more prone to a traffic incident. Cars cannot see the bike/rider, and often the rider cannot see the cars out of their peripheral vision (shoulders get in the way when riding the extension bars). Additionally, the brakes on a tri-bike are not on the extension bars, where most riders ride. This means a significant delay and change in body posture to apply the brakes. And in an accident, every nano-second counts!
If you can only afford one bike, should you get a Tri bike or a road bike? That's your choice to make, but I would argue that your 'only bike' should be the most adaptive bike. Tri-bikes do one thing extremely well, but road bikes can do a lot of things easily and safely.
If you are looking for your first bike, or maybe thinking about getting a second bike, please consider getting a dedicated road bike. And for the value and performance, I would also suggest checking out Argon-18's GALLIUM. It's a Swiss-Army knife of bikes. Lightweight, compliant, and an incredible value. Plus, it's sexy and comes with a disc-brake option (I love disc!).Whatever bike you choose, please consider the Big Picture and what your specific and long-terms goals are. Bikes are expensive. Invest wisely and be safe while having fun!
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