I am interested in doing a triathlon, but completely CLUELESS about a bike. I would like the cheapest possible, so I can try it out before buying a better bike someday. Also what are stems and clips? Any help would be great.
If you plan on entering a triathlon (or even doing your practicing) on roads and sidewalks, look for either a road bike or a hybrid / commuter style. These tend to be lighter, with larger wheel diameters, and narrower tires. All three add up to higher speed for the same amount of effort on your part.
If the race course (or your practice routes) are predominantly off-road, go with a mountain bike. You can even get an extra set of tires (without the annoying knobs) that you can use for harder road surfaces.
The "right" bike for you will be one that you’re comfortable on and comfortable using on a regular basis. This means going out and trying several different manufacturers and styles – they’re not anywhere near all the same! A good bike shop (which deals more-or-less solely in bicycles and maybe some other sports gear … not a Walmart or chain sports store like Academy Sports) will see that you get one that fits your riding style and body type. Don’t be afraid to ask questions … they can’t read your mind! And don’t let them push you into doing something you have misgivings about (like spending more than your budget) … if they’re doing that, they’re not the store for you.
To answer your last bit:
A "stem" is the piece that connects your handlebars to the front fork. It usually has a slight L shape to it, and both the fork and handlebar apss through roughly circular openings (at right angles to each other) on both ends of the stem piece. Bolts and/or nuts are used to tighten the assembly keep things together.
"Clips" can refer to the cages that some riders use to keep their feet on the pedals (and, if the material of the cage is tough enough, to allow them to pull up on the cage and thereby increase their overall pedal power). These mean you can wear standard sneakers or even sandals, sinc ethere’s no special pedal required. Another possibility is actually more correctly termed "clipless". These are special pedals that are deisgned to latch onto a set of metal cleats that are attached to sole of your shoe (usually a special bike shoe). These are lighter than standard pedals (with or without cages), and have the same benefit of having you be able to pull up and increase pedal power.
Talk to your bike guys … they should let you try a set out (even if it’s only in the parking lot), to see if one style or the other suits you better. And remember – you have the final say, because you’re the customer!
February 25th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
You may want to think about doiing a custom job on the bike. Start with a light-weight sturdy frame and build from there. That way you can always upgrade your wheels, tires, brakes, seat, etc.
I’m not sure what stems and clips are.
References :
http://www.schwinnbike.com/index.php
February 25th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
For starters, there are many different bike manufacturers out there and not all frames fit everyone. My best piece of advice is to search out a competent bike fitter in your area who will determine your proper frame size based on your height, weight and experience level. If you browse around on the "fitwerx" site that I listed below, you’ll get an idea of how much is involved and how important the proper frame size is to your overall comfort and performance.
With that said, you really don’t need a "highend" machine to get your feet wet in triathlon. Find a sprint distance race in your area, borrow or rent a bike from someone(even a mountain bike will do) and do some training. You might want to even consider doing a duathlon first(run-bike-run) so you don’t have the added stress of the swim for your first multisport race.
Check out the first two websites that I listed below-they are chock full of information and they both cater to the "newbie" or first-timer.
Good luck!!
Whoops, I forgot the last few questions……..A stem attaches to the front steering fork(holds the front wheel) and holds your handlebars in place. When you say clips, I have to guess a little here by what you’re referring to because there are "clipless" pedal systems where you’re attached to the pedals with cleats and special pedals and then there are toeclips-you can wear regular sneakers with toeclips-they’re hard plastic cages with straps that hold the front part of your foot to the pedal. Hope this helps and doesn’t further confuse you…….
References :
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com
http://www.trinewbies.com
http://www.fitwerx.com
http://www.sbrshop.com
February 25th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
If you plan on entering a triathlon (or even doing your practicing) on roads and sidewalks, look for either a road bike or a hybrid / commuter style. These tend to be lighter, with larger wheel diameters, and narrower tires. All three add up to higher speed for the same amount of effort on your part.
If the race course (or your practice routes) are predominantly off-road, go with a mountain bike. You can even get an extra set of tires (without the annoying knobs) that you can use for harder road surfaces.
The "right" bike for you will be one that you’re comfortable on and comfortable using on a regular basis. This means going out and trying several different manufacturers and styles – they’re not anywhere near all the same! A good bike shop (which deals more-or-less solely in bicycles and maybe some other sports gear … not a Walmart or chain sports store like Academy Sports) will see that you get one that fits your riding style and body type. Don’t be afraid to ask questions … they can’t read your mind! And don’t let them push you into doing something you have misgivings about (like spending more than your budget) … if they’re doing that, they’re not the store for you.
To answer your last bit:
A "stem" is the piece that connects your handlebars to the front fork. It usually has a slight L shape to it, and both the fork and handlebar apss through roughly circular openings (at right angles to each other) on both ends of the stem piece. Bolts and/or nuts are used to tighten the assembly keep things together.
"Clips" can refer to the cages that some riders use to keep their feet on the pedals (and, if the material of the cage is tough enough, to allow them to pull up on the cage and thereby increase their overall pedal power). These mean you can wear standard sneakers or even sandals, sinc ethere’s no special pedal required. Another possibility is actually more correctly termed "clipless". These are special pedals that are deisgned to latch onto a set of metal cleats that are attached to sole of your shoe (usually a special bike shoe). These are lighter than standard pedals (with or without cages), and have the same benefit of having you be able to pull up and increase pedal power.
Talk to your bike guys … they should let you try a set out (even if it’s only in the parking lot), to see if one style or the other suits you better. And remember – you have the final say, because you’re the customer!
References :