best kids triathlon bike image
Jake Foste
We go biking one day, running the next, and swimming the third (ages 7 - 11). Any good routines for the swimming portion. We do "workouts" (no extreme) in the water for halt an hour then play games in the water or on the field.
Answer
Light gymnastics by the pool side before going in (stretching exercises and such). Then lengths in the pool from a few per day, to more, progressively.
Light gymnastics by the pool side before going in (stretching exercises and such). Then lengths in the pool from a few per day, to more, progressively.
Need to know more about buying a bike for riding my first triathlon?
jessica ju
I'm doing a short course (10.6 mile) biking in my first triathlon in Sept. What kind of bike should I look at getting? How do you even go about getting "fitted" for a bike? I am not wanting to go all out - just want to get a decent bike that I can also use to ride with my kids - so that it has some flexibility.
Answer
You don't need a TT or "tri" bike for fun competitions on short courses. Any drop bar road bike that fits you well would be more than acceptable. The fact that you mention you "just want to get a decent bike that [you] can also use to ride with [your] kids" is even more reason to stick with a basic road bike.
All of the main brands (including others not as common such as KHS, Jamis, and Marin) offer road bikes from entry level to race-ready. "Not wanting to go all out" can mean different things to different household budgets. But, it stands to reason that you might be interested in something slightly better than entry level...but not pro level.
You'll probably be in the market for a bike with an aluminum frame. They offer great performance without the higher cost of carbon models. I'd definitely get one with a carbon fork for the better ride qualities, and such forks are common to most all models. Some aluminum frames feature some carbon parts, such as carbon seatstays. Opinions vary as to how much these "mixed" carbon/aluminum frames improve the ride over full carbon frames, but the cost difference isn't extreme in either case.
For reliable, long term performance, a bike equipped with Shimano Tiagra shifters would be good. Shimano 105 would be better if you'll be doing numerous events or plan to log lots of miles over time. Lower end road bikes typically come with Shimano 2200 or Sora shifters. These are very basic, and they don't operate as smoothly (or last as long) as higher level shifters. A bike with Tiagra shifters will typically come with a Tiagra front derailleur and 105 rear derailleur with a 9-sp cassette. You'll find that some of the better Tiagra/105 equipped bikes come with a Shimano Hollowtech 2pc crank. These feature sealed external bearing bottom brackets and excellent performance.
So what about brands? It's not that important to shop solely by brand. Most bikes within a general price range will have components of similar grade, and all of the quality mfrs offer comparable warranties. Visit each local shop and see what they offer. Take note of the customer service and personal attention you receive. Test ride some bikes. Tell them about any physical issues you may have, such as flexibility. Make sure they're clear on how you'll be using the bike, and give them the chance to make recommendations for you. While some are certainly better than others, most of the staff in the shops are great guys that enjoy riding. The better staff members will understand fitting issues and help you get dialed in when you're ready to select your ride.
For starters, several models you might take a look at:
Cannondale CAAD9-5
Trek 2.1
Specialized Allez Sport
Jamis Ventura Race
Giant Defy 1
Scott Speedster S40 or S30 (?)
Each of these has carbon forks and are similarly spec'd with Tiagra or 105 components. Each runs about $1300. Maybe that's more than you want to spend, and I understand. But even a very basic road bike will run near $900. Something at the level of any of those I list will actually be worth far, far more than the extra $400 initial outlay. I don't tell anyone how to spend their money, but you need to know that spending a few extra dollars can mean a drastic difference in performance, reliability, and enjoyment.
Good luck, happy shopping and fun riding...to you.
You don't need a TT or "tri" bike for fun competitions on short courses. Any drop bar road bike that fits you well would be more than acceptable. The fact that you mention you "just want to get a decent bike that [you] can also use to ride with [your] kids" is even more reason to stick with a basic road bike.
All of the main brands (including others not as common such as KHS, Jamis, and Marin) offer road bikes from entry level to race-ready. "Not wanting to go all out" can mean different things to different household budgets. But, it stands to reason that you might be interested in something slightly better than entry level...but not pro level.
You'll probably be in the market for a bike with an aluminum frame. They offer great performance without the higher cost of carbon models. I'd definitely get one with a carbon fork for the better ride qualities, and such forks are common to most all models. Some aluminum frames feature some carbon parts, such as carbon seatstays. Opinions vary as to how much these "mixed" carbon/aluminum frames improve the ride over full carbon frames, but the cost difference isn't extreme in either case.
For reliable, long term performance, a bike equipped with Shimano Tiagra shifters would be good. Shimano 105 would be better if you'll be doing numerous events or plan to log lots of miles over time. Lower end road bikes typically come with Shimano 2200 or Sora shifters. These are very basic, and they don't operate as smoothly (or last as long) as higher level shifters. A bike with Tiagra shifters will typically come with a Tiagra front derailleur and 105 rear derailleur with a 9-sp cassette. You'll find that some of the better Tiagra/105 equipped bikes come with a Shimano Hollowtech 2pc crank. These feature sealed external bearing bottom brackets and excellent performance.
So what about brands? It's not that important to shop solely by brand. Most bikes within a general price range will have components of similar grade, and all of the quality mfrs offer comparable warranties. Visit each local shop and see what they offer. Take note of the customer service and personal attention you receive. Test ride some bikes. Tell them about any physical issues you may have, such as flexibility. Make sure they're clear on how you'll be using the bike, and give them the chance to make recommendations for you. While some are certainly better than others, most of the staff in the shops are great guys that enjoy riding. The better staff members will understand fitting issues and help you get dialed in when you're ready to select your ride.
For starters, several models you might take a look at:
Cannondale CAAD9-5
Trek 2.1
Specialized Allez Sport
Jamis Ventura Race
Giant Defy 1
Scott Speedster S40 or S30 (?)
Each of these has carbon forks and are similarly spec'd with Tiagra or 105 components. Each runs about $1300. Maybe that's more than you want to spend, and I understand. But even a very basic road bike will run near $900. Something at the level of any of those I list will actually be worth far, far more than the extra $400 initial outlay. I don't tell anyone how to spend their money, but you need to know that spending a few extra dollars can mean a drastic difference in performance, reliability, and enjoyment.
Good luck, happy shopping and fun riding...to you.
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