I've officially decided it's time to start saving for a new bike. Yippie! I opened up another savings account with ING Direct so I can keep my special bike money separate from my regular savings. I'm automatically depositing a certain amount of money each month. Hopefully by next spring I'll have enough for a new bike!
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| I love ING Direct** |
Now, the big question. Which bike?! I currently have a 2008 entry level aluminum Trek (1.2). There are so many to brands, styles and types to choose from. So far I know that I want a carbon bike but other than that I have no idea. I'm especially torn between a road bike and a tri bike. Right now I don't feel that I have the comfort or the bike skills to ride a tri bike. However, a new carbon bike is a big investment and I wouldn't want to buy a road bike now and then want a tri bike a year later. Does anyone have any suggestions? For those of you with tri bikes, how did you make the transition? Is there anyone out there who was hesitant about switching to a tri bike?
** This post is not meant to be an ad for ING. However, I love ING Direct. I've banked with them for years and had a great experience. The accounts are simple to setup and the online banking is the most user friendly I've seen. If anyone is interested in signing up I can send you a referral. If you deposit $250 you get a $25 bonus and I get $10. Just email me at kristagager@gmail.com.
** This post is not meant to be an ad for ING. However, I love ING Direct. I've banked with them for years and had a great experience. The accounts are simple to setup and the online banking is the most user friendly I've seen. If anyone is interested in signing up I can send you a referral. If you deposit $250 you get a $25 bonus and I get $10. Just email me at kristagager@gmail.com.
7 comments:
Awesome! I love ING Direct.
How far are you planning to ride or race this new Tri Bike? My opinion on carbon vs aluminum is this: Carbon is always nicer, but if you aren't racing longer than 30 miles on it, stick with Aluminum because it is cheaper but also you don't feel the effects of an aluminum frame on the body on a 30 miler vs racing 56 miles.
Now if you are thinking long term and you want to bump up the HIM distance one day, then I would plunk down on a carbon frame now.
You can always go used! People use a frame for a season then sell it.
Just being in the aero position on a tri specific frame is going to do wonders for you!
I love ING too! I only wish they still had the interest rates when I opened the account a couple years ago. Damn economy. :)
I'm saving for a tri bike myself. I have a carbon Fuji CCR3 and really like it. It is fast and comfortable. But like Jon mentioned, I am looking to get into the full aero positioning of a tri bike for the longer distances.
This is hilarious, I saw your new post, I started my ING account for a tri bike last week too!! I think I am going with the carbon....good luck with your savings too!!
Here was my thinking when I got my bikes. I started with a road bike and put clip-on aero bars on it when I first started doing tris. I love my road bike and loved having the aero bars on it for my tris. I thought about getting a tri bike after I did my first Half Ironman. I didn't want to get a tri bike if I knew I'd only be doing sprints or olympics. So, after my HIM I knew I wanted to do more and may eventually do an IM! So, I saved for a tri bike and waited for the sales. I got mine in early fall when the new year's bikes were being released and last year's models were going on clearance! It made a huge difference in price!
My biggest advice: test ride the bikes before you buy! They fit so differently it's amazing! Make sure you get one that you are comfortable on!
I have a carbon roadie with clip ons, and I think it will last me for another couple of years. Part of the reason is that I like to have a decent enough road bike for training and long bunch rides (...not that I actually DO them). But that's partly because the roads here are HORRIBLE, and aluminium is just SO PAINFUL on them. If you have OK roads, and your Trek has a carbon front fork/etc it's still going to be fine for those things.
The deal the husb and I have is that I can add a tri bike if I do IM, and he can add one if he qualifies on his roadie for Worlds :)
You've gotten a lot of really good advice and I'll add my two cents. I love my road bike, but really want a tri bike for next season too. I also know that when I do group rides, tri bikes are not allowed. I would get a tri bike, keep your road bike and if you have any "change" left over, you might find and even better used road bike than the one you have on Craigslist (especially in the winter you can find some good deals). I bought my bike which is valued at $1500 for $600 on craigslist. The owner had just gotten a new Cervelo and they had too many bikes, plus it was February, all this equals a good deal. FWIW.
The first nice bike I purchased when I started doing more tris is an aluminum road bike and after a year or so
I added clip-on aerobars. In hind sight, I should have just put my money towards a triathlon bike and skip buying the road bike. The clip-on aero bars really bothered my back (especially during the half distance) and once I got a triathlon bike I couldn't believe the difference!!! My triathlon bike is aluminum with carbon forks and I thought it was a big difference compared to straight aluminum. I have never ridden a carbon bike so I can't speak to that. Also, make sure you pay attention to the type of components the bike has. My entry level road bike had shimano tiagra which were pretty crappy and I couldn't believe what a difference in shifting when I moved up to shimano ultegra on my tri bike. Good luck with shopping for your new bike!
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