Choosing a bike, especially if you’re new to triathlons, is extremely important. Finding a bike that fits you and your skill level will help maximize your training and help you feel comfortable out on the roads. There are many resources and people who can answer your questions and help you find a bike that’s right for you. Art’s Cyclery in San Luis Obispo is a great place to start as well as reaching out to other team members, coaches, etc. Listed below are the primary types of bikes used by triathletes and a description of each one:
Road Bikes
There are many varieties of road bikes that come in all shapes, sizes, prices and materials, but overall, they are the best option for beginner cyclists and triathletes. Road bikes are stable, comfortable and easy to maneuver. They’re great for long rides, climbing, steering, etc., and are therefore very versatile. Below are a few examples of different road bikes, from the lower to the higher end of the price range:
Specialized Allez E5 (male)
· Popular beginners road bike
· Frame: Aluminum, Carbon FACT fork
· Price: Approximately $700
· 8 – speed shifting
Link: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/allez-e5/115176
Specialized Amira Comp (female)
· Frame: FACT 9r Carbon
· Price: Approximately $2000
· Competitive women’s geometry
· *lighter weight than the Allez due to Carbon
frame vs. aluminum
Link: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/amira-sport/115251
Specialized Tarmac Comp Disc (male)
· Frame: FACT 10r Carbon
· Price: Approximately $3000
· Disc Brake system (useful for biking in
the rain)
Link:https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/tarmac-comp-disc/118207
Road bikes come with all different levels of components and pricing and your experience with the sport can help you determine how much you want to invest in your road bike. From aluminum to carbon frames, from rim brakes to disc brakes, from $500-$10,000; there are endless options!
Triathlon Bikes
Whereas road bikes are ideal for all around training, triathlon bikes were created with a different geometry that puts the rider into a more aerodynamic position as they lean further forward. Triathlon bikes are ideal for racing because they also require less power from your quads and therefore, will make your transition into the run portion of the race a bit easier. Because of the particular positioning on a triathlon bike, they are not as ideal or efficient for climbing as road bikes are. Overall, a tri bike is a good investment for someone looking to upgrade to a faster racing bike.
Specialized Shiv Sport (male & female)
· Frame: FACT 10r Carbon
· Price: $2200
· Fueselage Integrated Aero Hydration
System
· Specialized Shiv Alloy Aerobars
Link: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/triathlon/shiv-sport/118402
Now that you have a bike, there is a variety of gear you’ll want to start collecting that will be essential to your biking success and comfort! You will need to purchase a starter pack when you get your bike. This includes:
· Water bottle cages
· Handheld pump
· Saddlebag
· Tire Levers
While you’re out on a ride, you could be miles away from campus or home so you want to make sure you’re prepared for any unexpected inconveniences, i.e. flat tires! Every time you go for a ride make sure you have:
· Two full water bottles
· Helmet!!
· At least one extra tube (make sure it’s the right size for your tires)
· Tire levers
· Pump
· Snacks
If you have these items, you are set to ride!!
Clothing
Having the right clothing will make your ride much more comfortable, too. Below is a list of some of the basics:
· Cycling shorts/bib shorts (padded!!)
· Cycling jersey: short or long sleeves
· Cycling shoes or cleats
· Gloves
During the winter months, you’ll want to be sure you have warm layers, too, including: leg and arm warmers, windbreakers, long sleeved jerseys, wool cycling socks, toe covers, winter cycling gloves, head warmers, etc.! Wearing whatever makes you the most comfortable is important to make your ride as enjoyable as possible. With the right gear, you can cycle in all temperatures. Check out the Voler outlets in Grover Beach for some sweet deals on bike clothes.
Keep your bike running smoothly!
Clean and lube it
How to clean your Drivetrain
Possibly the most important, and most forgotten, way to take care of your bike is to clean your drivetrain. The main things that you will need to focus on are your crankset, cassette, derailleurs, and chain.
1. Crankset
Your crankset is the component that connects your pedals to your chain. They make it so that your power in your legs get translated into forward motion on your bike. Usually your crankset won’t need too much work. When you clean your chain, wipe off the teeth on each cog to get rid of any residue.
2. Cassette
The cassette is the component that changes the gear ratio so that you can pedal efficiently. This makes it so that you can spin up steep hills and not spin out down steep downhills. Since it is a moving part, it gets dirty and needs to be clean. You want to get rid of all the dirt and grit and apply a lubricant. So how is it done?
1. Grab lube and rags (I use cut up t-shirts)
2. Take off your back wheel. Check this out.
3. Put lube all over your cassette.
4. Start “flossing” your cassette. You should do something like this.
5. Wipe off any excess lube.
6. Put your wheel back on.
3. Derailleurs
Keeping your derailleurs clean in the best shape possible will help you shift faster and easier on your bike. It is a fairly complex mechanism, so keeping it clean will keep any issues from occurring. Here’s how to clean it:
1. Grab some rags, lube, and toothbrush.
2. Use the rags and toothbrush to remove dirt and grit from the derailleurs
a. Make sure you clean off the cogs. They are usually covered in grit.
3. Lube the moving parts
4. Chains
Your chain is arguably the most important part of your bike, and the easiest to get dirty. I use Rock “N” Roll to lube my chain, but any bike lube will work. Make sure that you read the instructions for whatever lube you have. Here’s a good guide from Rock “N” Roll’s website about lube. Here’s how I do it:
1. Flip your bike over or put it on a trainer.
2. Apply lube to the chain
a. Apply lube to both contact points between each link
3. Apply more lube
b. You’ll need a bunch
4. You should have a lot of grit and dirt coming out of the chain.
c. Clean off your chain with a rag by rubbing back and forth (like you’re uh… hand pumping your tire) on the chain while slowly turning the pedal. Clean the top and bottom of the chain and clean the sides of your chain.
5. Add some more lube and shift gears so that your crank and cassette get lubed.
6. Wipe off excess lube.
How to clean your frame and components
Your beautiful bike will inevitably not be as beautiful after a few rides. Your bike will start to look sad and unloved if you don’t clean the dirt and grit off of it. Not only that, but a clean bike will protect the paint and components. Cleaning your bike is simple and needs some TLC. Here’s a list of things to do to clean for your whole bike (you don’t have to clean every part at once):
1. Grab some rags, and a pail of soapy water (dish soap is ok).
2. Start with a dry rag to get the dry dirt off, and use a wet soapy rag to clean any resilient grit.
3. Take off your front and back wheels
a. Wipe dirt off the spokes and rims
4. Wipe off your entire frame
a. A good way to clean everything is to clean it up-side-down and right-side-up so that you have two points of view.
b. Don’t forget about tough-to-get-at areas, such as the part of the frame that’s in between your bottom bracket and wheel.
5. Clean off the cables, brake pads, dropouts, that hole on your fork, and anything else that appears dirty.
6. Dry off the bike if you got it wet
7. Show it off at practice.
Tips
1. Don’t Use WD-40 to lube your bike. It’s a solvent so it will actually attract more dirt than without it. You can use it to degrease your bike, but if you clean your bike regularly, you should never really need to do that; bike lube works just fine.
2. After a rainy day, wipe down your chain and bike to avoid corrosion.
3. Don’t use high-pressurized water to clean your bike. You might mess up the bearings.
4. Don’t be cheap with your rags and lube. You will probably need a lot to get rid of the grit and if you don’t, you might not get it all. If you don’t use clean rags, you will just be putting dirt back on your bike.
5. Follow the instructions of your lube. Some will let you leave lube on there, some will tell you to rub as much off as possible.
6. When you clean your chain, really rub it down hard. If it can withstand your insane power, it can withstand you cleaning it.
7. Cleaning your bike takes practice and is easier if you don’t put it off. Keep that bike clean!
Derailleurs
Your derailleurs allow you to change your gears so that you can pedal efficiently, so if they aren’t working, riding your bike isn’t as fun. There’s a lot going on so I’ll break it down to the rear and front derailleurs. I find that YouTube videos are really good at explaining this.
Front derailleur adjustments:
1. Sometimes, your front derailleur will make a grinding noise. You can fix it by adjusting the position of the derailleur. Also if your chain keeps falling off of your crank, then you will need to adjust the limit screws. Both issues are addressed in this video.
a. If you can’t figure it out, keep trying or ask a friend. Also bike shops can do this pretty quickly.
Rear derailleur adjustments:
1. If you notice that your chain keeps skipping in between gears, or not shifting very quickly, then you probably need to adjust your cable tension. Usually you can use the barrel adjusters to fix the problems but you may need to mess with the whole thing to make it work.
a. Art’s Cyclery puts out a bunch of useful and educational videos on bikes. I recommend checking them out so you can better understand your bike. Here’s one for the rear derailleur.
b. Don’t mess around with stuff you don’t really understand because you might spend hours trying to fix it. Start with the barrel adjusters to see if that fixes the problem.
Saddle position
Your saddle position has to be in the goldilocks position to be efficient at cycling. There’s a lot that goes into your saddle position.
1. If your saddle height is too high, you will reach too far for your pedals and not be able to put out as much power. If it’s too low, you won’t be able to extend your legs fully and lose power.
2. If you saddle it too far back or forward, you may not be getting the most efficient torque on your crank and lose power. It will also be uncomfortable and make long rides painful.
3. It may take a serious bike fitting to get it right, but this should be enough to start.
4. If you are having problems straightening it, check this out.
Handlebars
Your handlebars keep you upright and hold your shifters. They need to be in the right position to avoid lower back pain or looking like you’re riding a beach cruiser. Here’s some things you can do:
1. Lower the stem
a. This will create a more aggressive riding position, which is ideal for racing.
2. Make the handlebars parallel to the ground
a. This is a bit of personal preference, but if your handlebars are at a 45° angle, they definitely should be adjusted.
3. Consider new bar tape
a. If your bar tape is ripped up or your cables are all over the place, consider getting it rewrapped.
Brakes
Your brakes need to stop you quickly and reliably when you need it. So make sure that you inspect them to ensure that they are working properly.
1. Check that they are engaged.
a. After you take your wheel off, you might forget to engage the brakes.
b.
The picture above shows the brake quick release in the open position. Flip the tab down to close it.
2. Make sure the cable tension is right.
a. Use your barrel adjusters to move your brakes as close to the wheel without touching. This way you can stop quickly.
3. Make sure the brakes are easy to engage
a. Usually you can just move brakes with a bit of force from your hands. Make sure they aren’t accidentally rubbing against your wheel.
Wheels
Your wheels are the two points that keep you up and off of the hard road beneath. You want to make sure they are working well to have a good ride.
1. Fill them with air before every ride.
a. Check the side of the tire to see what the recommended tire pressure is.