I have about a billion questions.

christynek

But I'll try to only ask a couple for now! First off, my first tri is more of just a fitness goal for me. I've always wanted to do one and this seemed like a good step in putting all my work on something measurable.

1. Do I have to buy a triathlon suit? Or whatever they are called. If not, what do you wear coming straight from water to biking?

2. I was looking at pictures and EVERY person has the super road bikes with the curved handle bars! Is this some rule unknown to me?! I have just a hybrid gary fisher, thin tires, with normal straight handle bars. I feel so inferior.

asciom16

Check http://www.usatriathlon.org/ (if you're from the US) for the official rules regarding bikes. As for tri-suits I don't think you need one unless you're a hardcore triathlete. I'm running my first triathlon in August so I'm pretty much in the same boat. I think I'm just going to wear a regular swim suit and throw quick drying running clothes over it for the bike and the run

dmkoenig

You don't need to invest thousands of dollars, or anything really in triathlon-specific equipment, especially if you are starting out doing Sprint length triathlons. Over time, if you enjoy the experience and it is something you want to continue then it might become important to you to invest in tri-specific equipment, but you can do a Sprint tri on a "regular" bike. The rules are more safety related rather than anything tri-specific, like havng plugs at the ends of the handlebars. I have seen people ride mountain bikes and other non-racing bikes; very few people trying the sport out for the first time are interested in investing thousands of dollars on something they may end up not liking. So don't get intimidated by all those fancy bikes and gear, it's just not necessary.

jchite84

A "regular" bike is fine, as long as you plug the handlebars. Drop bars and aero bars make you more aerodynamic, but will only provide minimal benefit for the cost for a beginner. Though, you can also get clip on aero bars which will attach to the top of your straight bars, on amazon you'll still spend 50-100 dollars, and they take a lot of practice to get used to, it changes the way the bike turns and how stable you feel on the bike.

For shorter distances a lot of people wear the same clothes for the whole race, since you don't want to get naked in the middle of a parking lot in front of 200 people (probably). So, you want something that will be tight fitting and that will prevent skin on skin contact - Maybe some spandex shorts? A lot of people don't recommend biking shorts since the butt pads will get water logged and heavy. I've also read that girls will sometimes wear a bikini top and then throw on a spandex tank top with a built in bra for the cycling and running portions. Also, as an FYI, the trisuits are actually not allowed if the air/water is going to be too warm. They are great for cooler water - to keep you warm, and they provide a little bit of flotation support, which is helpful if you don't have enough body fat to effectively keep yourself from sinking like a stone (I've never had this problem, but some folks do).

Good luck - hope this helps. I'll be doing my first sprint distance tri this summer also!

Drudoo

Wetsuits are not allowed in warm water, not tri suits.

scott091501

Tri suit or tri top/bottom are well worth the investment IMO. I have female friends that will race sprints and Olympics in one piece bathing suits too.

You don't need a road bike for a sprint. I see folks out there on hybrids, cruisers, whatever. Make sure the bar ends are plugged and you should be good to go. If down the road you decide to pursue this seriously than you can look at road/tri bikes.

christynek

Thanks so much for all the answers! OK, so if I do not get a tri-suit, I could just wear a one piece swim suit, and throw on a pair of quick dry shorts before the bike? Because I am totally OK with that.

scott091501

I'd wait until after the bike, chaffing, but I'm not a girl so.......... The girls I know who go with the swimsuit just rock it for all 3 disciplines.

khlesnick

I'm a little late to the thread but I'm getting ready for my first olympic distance and I also have about a million questions.

For the sprints I just wore a sports bra under a swimsuit, then put on tri shorts and a light top for the bike/run. For my olympic it looks like I'll need a wet suit, which is a whole new thing so I'm trying to figure out what to wear.

Also, with the longer distance I feel like I'll need some fuel in the middle. Are gels the best option? I tried them once and really didn't enjoy the feeling, but it seems like the way to go. I'm not much of a biker and really have to slow down a lot just to drink water while riding, so thats something I need to work on.

My race is in just a couple weeks and I'm getting really really nervous! I'll probably be back with lots more questions

valmaebel

I'll be honest, I hate gels. They taste funny and make me feel funky. But that's just me. I actually love the GU chomps. They're gummies and I'll eat one every thirty to forty five minutes.

As for the original question...as everyone has already mentioned, you don't need a fancy bike. But I also wanted to make sure you know that there are plenty of people at sprint triathlons using all varieties of bikes. So you won't stick out as a newbie or something. . Have fun!

Canuck_TriFit

A great site is www.beginnertriathlete.com to answer some of your questions.

There's nothing wrong with hybrid or mountain bikes for triathlons. I've seen hundreds of people use them in all the tri's I've done. As well as all kinds of different swimming apparel from wetsuits to tri suits to bathing suits in the water. Wetsuits give a feeling of security and buoyancy in the water and can keep you a lot warmer in colder water. They are not allowed in warm water swims though. They can be rented as well so you don't have to invest in one.

My first triathlon I had a cheap 50 dollar wet suit with a bathing suit underneath that I put shorts on over top when I took off the wetsuit. To me it helped as the water was cold and was my first open water race that I ended up getting a panic attack in the water. The wetsuit helped me just float without any exertion needed. For the bike portion I drove a hybrid bike that I borrowed from a friend. All this worked fine.

Now that I'm addicted to triathlons I've invested in better equipment over time. It's not something that's needed right away.

Gels, chews and drinks should be tried when you're training to see what works for you. What works from some people doesn't work for others. Some can give you queasy feelings. Try different ones out when you're training. The longer the distance the triathlon is the more you need to understand replenishing your fuel and when to do it.

Good Luck.

adjoseph8

I did my first tri last summer and managed to do alright without anything too fancy.

I wore a one piece swimsuit, then for the bike I threw on a pair of running shorts and a tank top (with my race number attached). My bike is a hybrid trek which worked just fine.

I’d definitely say to try some things out during training to make sure it will work for you… I did a short swim and bike set in the clothes I planned on wearing for the race to be sure that: a) I wasn’t completely uncomfortable b) I could actually get the shorts and tank on quickly in a wet bathing suit.

FatSlowTriathlete

If it is any length just "throwing on quick dry shorts" over a bathing suit for the bike will cost you. Not only in time, but you will chaffe, and chaffe bad. Find an inexpensive tri kit. Doesn't have to be a tri suit, but a top and bottom will make you much more comfortable, and you will want the chamois even on a short sprint. A tri suit is legal ... no matter the temperature ... only wetsuits are illegal if the water temp is over 84 degrees (76-84 you can wear them but are inelligible for awards).

I have only been doing this a couple of years ... if interested to see how I progressed through the same things you are facing you can go to me blog and skim to the beginning. It's amazing how fast you can progress!

www.fatslowtriathlete.com

valmaebel

Also, I got the triathletes training bible and it has some really good information in there without having to hire a training coach. It's a great way to start out and get you headed in the right direction for training,

I also second the idea of testing things out (especially fuel) before race day. Everyone is different so it's best to see how your body will react before the actual race.