Question Should triathletes be allowed on bikes?

[Cookster15]

There are always some triathletes who are superb bike riders, however they are very much in the minority. So many of them come from running and swimming backgrounds NOT cycling (esp in AUS - where it seems a surf lifesaving background is popular) so they are learning the bike at a later age and don't give it the same focus as the swim and run.

As the bike leg often has a drafting component (legal or not) the swim and run are the money legs. So while triathletes are often FAST bike riders, they aren't necessarily GOOD bike riders. They often lack handling skills, are unconfident in bunches and can be overly reliant on aerobars.

The best way I can think of improving the average skill of triathletes is to make the bike the final leg, not the transition leg.

Thanks for the sensible reply - I agree with most of this except for the possible solution. In a Tri the run leg is placed last as when you bonk running you usually won't hurt yourself or anyone else (you walk). When you bonk swimming you can drown and when you bonk on the bike your chances of crashing rapidly rise. The longer into a Triathlon (or bike race), the closer you are to bonking.

Insurance is usually one of the highest costs of organising both Triathlons or Bike races. I suggest the order of Tri legs is linked to reducing the risk of harm to the competitors which in turn should reduce the insurance premium and therefore entry and license fees.

What is my solution? I don't have one except to treat Triathletes as another racing challenge. Through tolerating their apparent idioacy you allow them to acquire the required handling skills quicker ... result, everyone's happy.

 

[Boeing]

they should not allow arm warmers with sleeveless jerseys. I am still searching for an explanation for this odd Tri Guy or Gal phenomenon. Although I gotta admit it is kind of a hot kinky look on the right gal.

 

[gustienordic]

fixie hipsters...are they "real" bike riders , or just posers

This post was from awhile ago, I like the fixie and want to get one...

It has the world champ bands on it. of course I am not a poser because I also have a road bike and I cycle quite a bit (not as much as I would like because I also rollerski lots). But the majority of hipster cyclists are posers!!

If you try to be hipster by buying a fixie then you are a poser. If you are a cyclist who unfortunately happens to like a nice fixie bike because its classy and end up looking like a hipster, then its a different story

 

[usedtobefast]

This post was from awhile ago, I like the fixie and want to get one...

It has the world champ bands on it. of course I am not a poser because I also have a road bike and I cycle quite a bit (not as much as I would like because I also rollerski lots). But the majority of hipster cyclists are posers!!

If you try to be hipster by buying a fixie then you are a poser. If you are a cyclist who unfortunately happens to like a nice fixie bike because its classy and end up looking like a hipster, then its a different story

don't' be a poser, just be a rider

 

[ElChingon]

they should not allow arm warmers with sleeveless jerseys. I am still searching for an explanation for this odd Tri Guy or Gal phenomenon. Although I gotta admit it is kind of a hot kinky look on the right gal.

I have to say it gets a pass if its a gal (certain, gals), just like the tri-kini (sports bra top and bikini bottom, forget what the tri commune calls it). Exceptions to every rule

 

[MarkvW]

There are always some triathletes who are superb bike riders, however they are very much in the minority. So many of them come from running and swimming backgrounds NOT cycling (esp in AUS - where it seems a surf lifesaving background is popular) so they are learning the bike at a later age and don't give it the same focus as the swim and run.

As the bike leg often has a drafting component (legal or not) the swim and run are the money legs. So while triathletes are often FAST bike riders, they aren't necessarily GOOD bike riders. They often lack handling skills, are unconfident in bunches and can be overly reliant on aerobars.

The best way I can think of improving the average skill of triathletes is to make the bike the final leg, not the transition leg.

Maybe the best way of improving the average skill of triathletes is to make the swimming leg the final leg.

 

[Boeing]

This post was from awhile ago, I like the fixie and want to get one...

It has the world champ bands on it. of course I am not a poser because I also have a road bike and I cycle quite a bit (not as much as I would like because I also rollerski lots). But the majority of hipster cyclists are posers!!

If you try to be hipster by buying a fixie then you are a poser. If you are a cyclist who unfortunately happens to like a nice fixie bike because its classy and end up looking like a hipster, then its a different story

that thing is sick I want

yea they are real riders. more than some club tool telling everyone how fit he is yelling rider up all the damn time

 

[FitSsikS]

Case in point:

The Men's Olympic Triathlon hit a speed bump today........

Canada's Whitfield crashes out.

Video seems to show that a speed bump (or hump) caused the crash.

 

[FitSsikS]

Video seems to show that a speed bump (or hump) caused the crash.

Apparently the speed bump made his wet feet slip off the top of his cycling shoes.

He hadn't put them on yet....

 

[BroDeal]

Things I learned from Slowtwitch:

"So i know that shifting is worse with a stetched chain, but how much power and speed is lost ? I have probably over 1100 miles on current chain and am a heavy shifter/ peddler. Am I losing speed ? "

LOL. You cannot make this stuff up.

 

[BroDeal]

I LOLed at this post on Velocipede Salon because it sums up the true triathlon experience:

"My wife (who is not really a cyclist) was at an event in Central NH over the weekend to watch a friend. She said that the transition was chaos.
The friend, who is in her 50's and rode a mountain bike with skinny tires, beat guys with Cervelos and aero helmets.
Aero helmets."

 

[MarkvW]

From the perspective of a cycle tourist (solidly in the dork category), watching racing cyclists demean triathletes is kind of like watching dweebs insult geeks.

 

[Hawkwood]

Things I learned from Slowtwitch:

"So i know that shifting is worse with a stetched chain, but how much power and speed is lost ? I have probably over 1100 miles on current chain and am a heavy shifter/ peddler. Am I losing speed ? "

LOL. You cannot make this stuff up.

My example recently was talking to a triathlete about the speed of the Tour timetrials, she said they must have special gear ratios to allow them to go that fast which we can't get.

 

[9000ft]

From the perspective of a cycle tourist (solidly in the dork category), watching racing cyclists demean triathletes is kind of like watching dweebs insult geeks.

Naw, most of the posters here hate everyone equally. To the real cycling fans here racers are either unexciting with no panache or dopers. Recreational cyclists are either Fred's (beneath contempt), posers/wannabes (almost as beneath contempt) or fatty's (the worst of all if your fitness and body fat % isn't where it should be. Definitely don't wear a kit if you're over 7% BF, but wait, if you wear casual cycling attire you're a Fred)

Not too many people measure up to what a real cyclist or bike racer should be to the real cycling fans here. (Maybe Greg Lemond but only because he's an antagonist to Lance Armstrong). The posts are quite often amusing and fascinating for the shear pathology though.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Naw, most of the posters here hate everyone equally. To the real cycling fans here racers are either unexciting with no panache or dopers. Recreational cyclists are either Fred's (beneath contempt), posers/wannabes (almost as beneath contempt) or fatty's (the worst of all if your fitness and body fat % isn't where it should be. Definitely don't wear a kit if you're over 7% BF, but wait, if you wear casual cycling attire you're a Fred)

Not too many people measure up to what a real cyclist or bike racer should be to the real cycling fans here. (Maybe Greg Lemond but only because he's an antagonist to Lance Armstrong). The posts are quite often amusing and fascinating for the shear pathology though.

Just because you keep repeating this sort of nonsense on different threads does not make it so.

Back to the subject - I do not know what type of cyclist they were but I was out for a ride when I came across a rider in distress. He informed me that one of his cleats had come loose - so I pulled out my mini tools and helped secure the exceedingly worn grey Keo cleat.
As I was tightening it he said "I don't know what happened, I only have them 2 years".

 

[blutto]

Naw, most of the posters here hate everyone equally. To the real cycling fans here racers are either unexciting with no panache or dopers. Recreational cyclists are either Fred's (beneath contempt), posers/wannabes (almost as beneath contempt) or fatty's (the worst of all if your fitness and body fat % isn't where it should be. Definitely don't wear a kit if you're over 7% BF, but wait, if you wear casual cycling attire you're a Fred)

Not too many people measure up to what a real cyclist or bike racer should be to the real cycling fans here. (Maybe Greg Lemond but only because he's an antagonist to Lance Armstrong). The posts are quite often amusing and fascinating for the shear pathology though.

...congrats, your post was bang on....

Cheers

blutto

 

[gustienordic]

Naw, most of the posters here hate everyone equally. To the real cycling fans here racers are either unexciting with no panache or dopers. Recreational cyclists are either Fred's (beneath contempt), posers/wannabes (almost as beneath contempt) or fatty's (the worst of all if your fitness and body fat % isn't where it should be. Definitely don't wear a kit if you're over 7% BF, but wait, if you wear casual cycling attire you're a Fred)

Not too many people measure up to what a real cyclist or bike racer should be to the real cycling fans here. (Maybe Greg Lemond but only because he's an antagonist to Lance Armstrong). The posts are quite often amusing and fascinating for the shear pathology though.

Hmm, you seem upset about something we are not all ryo. The people here are really not all that bad.

 

[kurtinsc]

I aspire to be considered a triathelete.

I still view myself as a swimmer who occasionally rides a bike and runs some in a race because open water pure-swimming races aren't exactly easy to find.

I didn't realize there was this cyclist elitism toward others riding bikes while doing other sports.

I guess it makes sense though. I enjoy the look on people's faces when the overweight, middle aged guy is one of the first few out of the swim leg on a tri. I imagine they get an equal struggle seeing me huffing and puffing to pull my big gut up an incline on the bike or waddle through the run leg.

 

[9000ft]

Hmm, you seem upset about something we are not all ryo. The people here are really not all that bad.

HA! Yeah, there are a lot of good folks who post here, but there are also a lot of folks who fit the M.O. from my post to a tee.

Anyway, there are a lot of people into triathlons who are very competent cyclists. There are lots of folks who are into triathlons who are mediocre or poor cyclists. There are lot's of people who call themselves cyclists who fall somewhere in those three categories. There are lot' of people who are very accomplished cyclists who can't run or swim, worth a s**t. So what? Who cares? Why can't people be glad that others are out enjoying themselves getting some exercise under their own power and have to constantly denigrate those who don't measure up?
I love the sport of cycling, on road, off road, cross, whatever, but I'll tell you, while there are many, many good folks in cycling, the sport harbors some of the biggest holier than thou snobs of anything I've ever been involved with.

 

[Cookster15]

.....while there are many, many good folks in cycling, the sport harbors some of the biggest holier than thou snobs of anything I've ever been involved with.

Very well said. Perhaps since road cycling has been around the longest it developed snobbery when other 'competing' forms of the sport developed? I was a Triathlete with a strong bike leg who did quite well when I moved into road racing albeit at Masters level. I liked to let long time roadies know my background as perhaps it went some small way to dispelling the notion that Triathletes were not worthy of respect. Triathlete's with no idea about road racing Etiquette / tactics etc are no different to anyone new to the sport.

 

[Cookster15]

I LOLed at this post on Velocipede Salon because it sums up the true triathlon experience:

"My wife (who is not really a cyclist) was at an event in Central NH over the weekend to watch a friend. She said that the transition was chaos.
The friend, who is in her 50's and rode a mountain bike with skinny tires, beat guys with Cervelos and aero helmets.
Aero helmets."

A Triathlon is hundreds of experiences rolled into one. The 'experience' of the top 10% of finishers or even that obvously exceptionally fit woman in her 50's is totally different to the 'experience' of the cashed up overweight businessman who just wants to add Triathlon onto his list of life's achievements.

Somehow I don't think you'll need to worry about fat businessmen with Cervelos and aero helmets crashing into you at the next road race or group training ride. But they sure help keep your local or online bike shop in business

 

[BroDeal]

Naw, most of the posters here hate everyone equally. To the real cycling fans here racers are either unexciting with no panache or dopers. Recreational cyclists are either Fred's (beneath contempt), posers/wannabes (almost as beneath contempt) or fatty's (the worst of all if your fitness and body fat % isn't where it should be. Definitely don't wear a kit if you're over 7% BF, but wait, if you wear casual cycling attire you're a Fred)

Not too many people measure up to what a real cyclist or bike racer should be to the real cycling fans here. (Maybe Greg Lemond but only because he's an antagonist to Lance Armstrong). The posts are quite often amusing and fascinating for the shear pathology though.

Uh-oh. It looks like several of 900ft's oxes other than Armstrong have been gored. Triathletes. Fat "athletes." Freds. Wannabes. People who are unable enjoy snarky posts on Internet forums. "Oh, woe is me. When does it end? When does it end?"

 

[gustienordic]

The mentality is similar to runners who look at weekend warriors (the people who do road races but don't actually run) with disdain. So its not a unique cycling snob thing.

 

[BroDeal]

The mentality is similar to runners who look at weekend warriors (the people who do road races but don't actually run) with disdain. So its not a unique cycling snob thing.

It is much better than that. The weekend warriors that do 5K and 10K charity runs, even the occasional five hour marathon, do not pretend that they are serious, hardcore racers. They are not paying a coach to analyze power files, kitted up on the bike like Canceralla, and turning in 16mph bike legs while getting passed by old ladies on comfort bikes.

When was the last time you met a recreational runner whose goal was to finish a charity run so he could get a tattoo?

 

[9000ft]

It is much better than that. The weekend warriors that do 5K and 10K charity runs, even the occasional five hour marathon, do not pretend that they are serious, hardcore racers. They are not paying a coach to analyze power files, kitted up on the bike like Canceralla, and turning in 16mph bike legs while getting passed by old ladies on comfort bikes.

When was the last time you met a recreational runner whose goal was to finish a charity run so he could get a tattoo?

Why do you care what anyone does for enjoyment Bro? Why do you care what they wear or how they spend their money? Unfortunately it seems, not everyone is up to your standards

Speaking for myself, I'm glad that there are people out getting some exercise rather than sitting in front of the boob tube with a beer and bag of Ruffles nearby. I don't care what they want or need to get themselves in the space to better their fitness as long as it doesn't effect the public safety (at least any more than what we see as a normal course of the activity)