Triathlon Tips from REI and Jerry

While searching for some good triathlon clothing and gear on the Internet, I found that REI has a couple of good articles about preparing for a triathlon. The URL is http://www.rei.com/triathlon. I have also added this link to the "Links" section to the right. When you go to this URL, scroll down to the "Expert Advice" section. There are some links to articles that give some helpful tips about training and what equipment you need.

Jenny and I also went to the Bountiful Bicycle Shop this weekend to learn more about what to look for in a good road bike. A very nice man named Jerry helped us out. Basically he told us that you can get a pretty good "entry level" road bike between $800 and $1000. Hmmm....a little more than I am willing to spend at the moment. I'll have to save up the next couple of months. Anyway, Jerry said that carbon fiber is the big thing now-a-days because it it much more shock-absorbent than other materials like aluminum. The only probem is that it is very expensive. He did say, however, that even basic road bikes will always come with a carbon fiber fork, and carbon fiber seat post. If you want to shell out more money, you can also get bikes where parts of the frame are carbon fiber.

Another thing to look for is the manufacturer of the components on the bike, such as the brakes, gear shift, pedals, gears, etc. Shimano apparently is a very high quality brand, and has different levels of components depending on your needs (and how much money you're willing to spend). For road bikes, Sora is the lowest quality of Shimano components, followed by Tiagra, 105, Ultegra, and if you really have money to burn, Dura-Ace. Many of the bikes that we looked at that were in the entry level price range had either Tiagra or 105 components. Of course, he also said that you can always upgrade components later if you need.

One of the things he stressed the most with us was that you have the bike professionally fitted and adjusted to your body size. Because you sit on a road bike most of the time you are riding it, a good fit is crucial. He also said that Bountiful Bike Shop will re-adjust your bike, or swap components of a different size for free for the first year. I am hoping that other Bike shops have similar deals.

For pedals he said that I should start with just some basic ones, but that later I would want to upgrade to ones that have locks that will attach to special bike shoes. These allow you to increase the efficieny of your pedalling because you can continually be either pushing down or pulling up on the pedals throughout each rotation. For helmets, he said to just find one that you like and fits well. For the most part the difference in price is just brand and style. He said that the $40 helmets are just as safe as the $200 ones.