D.A
Striker
How did you get on?Ah yes the old bike conundrum! My very first tri was an enticer (250 swim, 7km bike, 2km run). I did the bike leg on an old hybrid mountain bike that I had lying around. Shortly after that I bought a road bike which cost me $1000 (about £500). This did me well enough to train on and to do my next tri which was another enticer. That was an aluminium frame with carbon forks and a Sora 9 speed groupset. I continued on that bike for a few years but realised that I wanted a better one which I bought in 2014. I had also registered for my first Ironman and half Ironman so realised I needed/wanted a TT bike as well. Basically what I’m saying is that if you plan to continue in triathlon then you will do well to get the best you can afford. I train on my road bike but switch to the TT about two months out from a tri, just to get used to the different position.
As for the swim. Get yourself a wetsuit. And by wetsuit I mean a triathlon wetsuit. The North Sea is cold at the best of times. I have an Orca which suits my swimming style - I swim like a brick. I couldn’t swim more than a hundred metres without blowing out of my arse when I first started. Listen to experienced swimmers and get tips from them. I wish I had taken notice of my dad who was nearly Olympic standard back in the 1960s. He tried to teach me as a kid but kicking a football was more important!
Hope that helps. I just did my last half Ironman on Sunday in Western Australia. It was bloody hot!
I bought a second hand road bike for about 150, lasted me a couple of years before I got a tt bike. I've got the basic orca wetsuit from wiggle, just over 100 quid.i've got my mind set on doing one next year now. just gonna train as usual till xmas, then have a week off, then look at joining the sunderland triathlon club. i think its more of a 'want to prove to myself that i can do it' type of achievement, rather than something that i will get into for the rest of my life. although i said that about the GNR and ended up signing straight up for another half marathon 2 weeks later and beat my time
whats the bike situation like to do an amateur triathlon? am i looking at having to buy a £1000 road racing bike?
the swimming and running i'll be fine with, do at least 1x 10km run per week and swim a mile in the pool once per week - just need get some practice in open water which i imagine will be a shock to the system, but i'll probably start going to the free sea swimming club at Faustos down roker on a sunday morning in the new year
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