Triathlon bikes in india

[TOMCAT]

Hello people!

I am looking for some serious suggestions on a good triathlon bike
which i can buy here in bangalore. I have been through all sites
(BOTS, Wheelsports, BSA, Firefox and so on). I dont think I need a hi-
fi one that is gonna cost 20k plus.

Any direction would really be appreciated!

Thanks a ton all!

[Yogesh N. Rao]

You hoping to find a good triathlon bike for < 20k (I am assuming INR20k and not USD20k)? I would like to be the Prime Minister of this country. Our hopes have the same probability of coming true.

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[Georg Leuzinger]

dear Tomcat,
you obviously have not owned and ridden a good roadbike regularly yet. for a beginner a triathlon bike is no different at all from a roadbike.
just buy the one you like most form merida or Trek and start riding. you ride it regularly for at least one year and cover 5000km + and rethink things again only then!!!!
 start riding now , that is the important thing, start riding on anything that you can afford and feel comfortable with in all ways!
happy riding, cheers georg

[rushi]

Georg is a bubbling stream of biking wisdom..

On Dec 9, 11:07 pm, Georg Leuzinger <gk.l...@gmail.com> wrote:
> dear Tomcat,
> you obviously have not owned and ridden a good roadbike regularly yet. for a
> beginner a triathlon bike is no different at all from a roadbike.
> just buy the one you like most form merida or Trek and start riding. you
> ride it regularly for at least one year and cover 5000km + and rethink
> things again only then!!!!
>  start riding now , that is the important thing, start riding on anything
> that you can afford and feel comfortable with in all ways!
> happy riding, cheers georg
>
> On Wed, Dec 9, 2009 at 10:45 PM, Yogesh N. Rao <yna...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > You hoping to find a good triathlon bike for < 20k (I am assuming INR20k
> > and not USD20k)? I would like to be the Prime Minister of this country. Our
> > hopes have the same probability of coming true.
>

> > On Wed, Dec 9, 2009 at 7:14 PM, TOMCAT <tomcat...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> Hello people!
>
> >> I am looking for some serious suggestions on a good triathlon bike
> >> which i can buy here in bangalore. I have been through all sites
> >> (BOTS, Wheelsports, BSA, Firefox and so on). I dont think I need a hi-
> >> fi one that is gonna cost 20k plus.
>
> >> Any direction would really be appreciated!
>
> >> Thanks a ton all!
>
> >> --
> >> biking conversations on the world famous "Bangalore Bikers Club" :)
>
> >> are you a part of the bicycle racing scene?

> >> Visitwww.bangalorebicyclechampionships.comfor more details

[Yogesh N. Rao]

Georg, thanks for the calm response.

Tomcat, I am normally not sarcastic. I think my sarcasm was spawned by not being able to buy that 1.8 lac Triathlon bicycle at Track and Trail.

[Mark D. Anderson]

Tomcat, to expand on what Georg said, if you are going to have only one nice
bike, and certainly if you are a beginner, it has to be a road bike, even
if triathlon is your goal.

That is because you have to be comfortable to put in all the training time
you'll need -- not to mention being able to easily see where you are going!).
You won't be comfortable on a dedicated triathlon bike, because of its
forward position (tip of bike saddle close to bottom bracket) and using
aero bars instead of normal bars.

Keep in mind that you can put "clip-on" aero bars on a road bike if you
want. You can even get a reversible seatpost and move your seat forward.
But actually I'd advise doing your first triathlon (if it is your first)
on a normal road bike, without aero bars. That is because if you try to
get too aero, you actually won't go any faster because:
- your hip flexors will give out after just a few km from pulling your
legs over the top up to your chest
- you'll be unstable in the aero bars, so you'll lose a lot of time
with unnecessary braking
- you'll be nervous in the aero position, so you won't relax and breathe
deeply, also sapping your energy
Keep in mind also, that you'll be doing all this after you've gotten a bunch
of water up your nose in the swim phase :)
So you really don't want to be racing in an aero position until it is second
nature to you, which it won't be for a few years.

Oh, and lastly, it is tempting to obsess over bike purchases. I know, I've
done it myself. But by *far* the most important thing is that the bike fits
you. That is one of the benefits of a good bike shop (or a good bike club :)).

-mda

[Georg Leuzinger]

thanks mark,
this was a detailed and substantiated answer to this issue of thriathlon bikes for not yet experienced roadies.
funny, i have never been tempted to ride a triathlon aero bike, and that is probably my back ground of being a tourer since childhood. travelling by bike was important for me, luggage carrying capacity( i use to build my own simple carriers for light luggage for my road bikes, other than the standard panniers which i found too big and heavy.
the driving force was to experience landscape , see all day long how the scenery moves by with wind in the hair. as i was a endurance and moutaineer type clearly hill climbing became a passion and those were the only races i participated.
only with BBC this april i got a taste of my first TT and added with more with the bangalore duathlon around the same time .
and this is why i ride moultons since 20 years, good comfort with best luggage capabilities at high speeds on bad roads.
Mark, where do you live and wherre do you triathlon? have we met in bangalore? curious...!
Georg

--

[Georg Leuzinger]

hi murthy,
i guess you checked the company web page     www.moultonbicylces.co.uk
lets have a ride together once  on Moultons!
my new one had an accident, will have the bottom bracket repaired only next year, but in feb we can moultoneer with 2 Moultons of road bike character.
one is my known dark grey AM 7, now newly transformed into AM 9, my latest ferrari baby is the blue double pylon 18 speed which I rode so far only once to nandi and immediately bettered my time...!but on the way home suffered a bracket failure. ther is some turn around time now  to get this fixed!
see you! Georg

On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 10:01 AM, knmurthy <knmurt...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello Georg,
I am interested in buying a Moulton Can you give me more information
on the same
Thanks
Murthy

[Mark D. Anderson]

> Mark, where do you live and wherre do you triathlon? have we met in
> bangalore? curious...!
> Georg

I live in California right now, but will be living in Mysore in less than
a year, so thought I'd get a head start by joining this mailing list so
that I could familiarize with other addicts ahead of time :)

My interest in cycling actually started with triathlon, but I discovered
that my cycling was stronger than my swimming or running, and so
eventually went to mostly just cycling.
I did just one triathlon last year -- and even at just the international distance,
it felt more like a survival event than a competition. I had lost all running
fitness. It is very difficult (some would say impossible) to get fit enough
at all 3 sports to be competitive and still have a job and/or a personal life.

I guess there will be an international distance tri in Goa in a few months:
http://www.indiatriathlon.com/faqs.htm

-mda

[Sudhir P]

Wow Mark... U r hardcore.... checking out the biking scene at the place, ~a year before you get there!

-sud

-mda

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[Georg Leuzinger]

thanks for the  feed back Mark,
looking forward to get good inspiration and competition for all of us  riders and  the young leisure and sport cycling  scene here. so  when do you come, for whom will you work, single or with how many wheels in the family ? just curious!
Georg

[Mark D. Anderson]

Hi -

> when do you come, for whom will you work, single or with how many wheels in the family ?

(to introduce myself)

My wife is Indian (born in Andhra but left with family at age 5).
She is an MD and will be taking a sabbatical from the university to write
a book. I'm a computer engineer consultant and can fortunately work
wherever there is an internet connection :) I work from home mostly right now.

We are figuring next fall.

We are thinking of Mysore because it has a decent climate (like Bangalore) but
isn't as big and as congested. We wanted a city/town in South India with good
weather, that is calm, affordable (since we will both be relatively without
income for the year), yet with the necessities of daily life such as broadband
internet :).
I also wanted to make sure I could continue cycling, hence my discovery of
the BBC.

When I was a single guy, I rode every day and did regular triathlons. But then
I got married and moved to San Francisco and have not been as "hard core"
since then. I'm gradually getting back into shape again now, but it is hard,
and demoralizing to see the effects of age :(.

My wife and I have a tandem, and she has a road bike.
Due to some thefts and to housecleaning, I'm down to only 3 bicycles now -
a carbon road bike, a "beater" city bike, and an old rusty TT/triathlon bike.

I don't know what if any I'll bring.
My carbon bike is the usual impractical pure road bike -- only narrow tires,
etc. I'm guessing a cyclocross bike or touring bike would be more suitable --
How rough are the roads west (to Coorg) or east (to Nilgiris) from Mysore?

If you say the roads are clean enough, I'm thinking of bringing a "pure" road
bike, and then acquire some cheap mtb (with a long seatpost) while there, to
complement it. The other strategy is to bring a single "do it all" cross/tour bike
and change tires when appropriate.

A factor is that I'm 6'3" and need a 60cm bike (roughly), and I suspect that
I'm several sizes larger than anything a bike shop even in Bangalore is likely
to carry? So I'm expecting I'll need to bring something.
My wife is less serious and anyway is "standard" Indian size :)

-mda

[Sudhir P]

You wont get a roadbike for ur size here (unless they ship it from the US again!).... But getting a 21" frame MTB is not that hard (in bangalore).... I'd suggest u get ur all-carbon 'pure road' bike.... there's enough road to keep u busy (although im not sure of the exact routes you've asked).... The highways are seldom beautiful.... But Georg here, is the local expert on non-highway roadbike-friendly routes. Of course, wider tires of a touring bike are always a safer bet with those roads too.... There are many nice trails however, and a decent entry level MTB would be a worthy investment, but something you can buy after getting here, and resell it before you leave (but a 21" frame might not be as quick-selling as the 'standard' sizes.)

-sud

-mda

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biking conversations on the world famous "Bangalore Bikers Club" :)

are you a part of the bicycle racing scene?
Visit www.bangalorebicyclechampionships.com for more details

[Sameer Shisodia]

Mr. Anderson,

(Sorry, could not resist that).

The Mysore - Coorg, Mysore - Hassan stretches are very scenic, and great surface for roadbikes.

The last bit to Madikeri is being repaired now, but a good run to Kushalnagara is already a treat, despite being a highway. 

You could always take the bike upto Gudalur and ride upto Ooty - that stretch - either route - is again very good tarmac and one hell of a nice climb. Kalhatti with its hairpins etc is quite challengin as well. I daresay you will not run out of good places for a while.

The MTB will surely open up a lot many options, tho. Inside Coorg, BR Hills, and lots many more.

Rgds,

Sameer

On Mon, Dec 14, 2009 at 11:28 AM, Sudhir P <sudhirp...@gmail.com> wrote:

enough road to keep u busy (although im not sure of the exact routes you've asked).... The highways are seldom beautiful.... But Georg here, is the local expert on non-highway roadbike-friendly routes. 

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[Mark D. Anderson]

Thanks to everyone for their advice; sounds like a pure road bike will get good use there!

On Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:33:38 +0530, "Sameer Shisodia" <get.s...@gmail.com> said:
> The MTB will surely open up a lot many options, tho. Inside Coorg, BR
> Hills,
> and lots many more.

They allow mountain biking in the BR Hills? I thought that whole place was one
big wildlife preserve?

-mda

[UT_bhai]

Hello guys...  i am amazed to be in communication with you...
Firstly, I am a good athlete. My personal best in Half marathon is 1hr 32mins... I am 21years old.... "decent time" right?? :D

I need your help guys... i have always had a dream of triathlons.

I have been riding cycles since childhood. once a month i use to do 40km cycling in 2013.. almost daily 6km... but my cycle got stolen...

Now i am serious for triathlons. i red the other posts.... but still... should i buy a regular MTB of 6/7/8k or i should go for a thin triathlon bike...

i do not see value in FireFox, it is more of a brand then of real use.... I want to start cycle training...

i have not been cycling for about 2years as my cycle is stolen. now i will invest on a cycle... I Aim to train for 3-4 or 5years and I AIM TO BECOME THE BEST...

I have a decent half marathon time of about 1 and half hour... I am excited passionate and serious... what bike or which type of cycle/bike should i buy?

THANKS.
from UT_bhai

[Pradeep Naidu]

 regular MTB of 6/7/8k .....for triathlons?????!!!! and you are already planning to do triathlons.

I suggest, you know the sport little more and you can figure out a bit on the equipment you need to use. 

Later post here to discuss on which TT bike would fit your budget?

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[Opendro]

Mark, that is a lot of useful information you have inserted into a simple bike question reply.

But, I see that TOMCAT isn't a newbie in biking. His history of biking posts dates back before me : https://groups.google.com/forum/#!profile/bangalore-bikers/APn2wQdqrW4mR7_cyS5DdReui-f5K-93F7BGNORxt4pCMAxb-EEsg_IjmsqQdvKyk-Arj5nnaVyg

May be, he is just another stingy guy like me ;) TOMCAT, at that price, buy a roadbike that can be setup into a tri in the manner Mark described in this post. Else, I'm afraid, you will have to spend much more.

[Adithya B M]

Opendro, This thread is more than 4 years old.

UT_bhai, You should start a new thread for your questions. It is not in good form to raise old threads, especially if you cant add anything to them.

[Opendro]

Oops! Pradeep bumped up the thread and I didn't read the time stamp. I should have guessed when I saw Sudhir.