220Triathlon Edição 334

TRI CLINIC

106

WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM

FEBRUARY 2017

PERFORMANCE

Involved in triathlon for 25 years,

qualified remedial massage and

anatomy specialist

KEVIN JAMES

works as a sports therapist with both

age-groupers and elites, including

the GB Triathlon Team.

INJURY

Freelance writer

NIK COOK

an experienced competitive

multisporter who has run the

Marathon des Sables, won the

2010 6633 Arctic Ultra and

competed for Team GB in duathlon.

BIKE CARE

RENEE MCGREGOR

is a registered

dietician and sports nutritionist,

and author of the bestselling book

Training Food

. She works with elite

competitors and athletes across

various sports.

MARK KLEANTHOUS

is an athlete

and coach who has completed

more than 460 triathlons, including

38 Ironman events, plus many

other races including the Marathon

des Sables.

BIKE CHOICE

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

THISMONTH:

TT vs road

››

Bike cleaning

››

Quad pain

››

Fat vs carbs

››

Tri clubs

NUTRITION

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The aero advantages of a tri bike are

negligable when climbing but, if you

can, do a test ride to check its suitability

I’m targeting my first

Ironman this coming July

on a fairly hilly course. Should I

stick to a road bike or change to

a tri bike? I’ll only be able to

purchase a tri bike six months

before the event.

PAUL GALLAGHER, EMAIL

Firstly, you need to consider if

a triathlon bike is suitable for

you on the specific Ironman course

you’re racing.

The majority of pro triathletes

find that time-trial bikes are difficult

to handle due to the geometry, but

they nearly always choose one

because the positives far outweigh

the negatives, by limiting their

weaknesses to allow them to go

faster over 180km compared to a

road bike. There are advantages

and disadvantages to using a tri

bike, which vary depending on what

type of rider you are.

When cycling uphill you’ll benefit

from a lighter road bike, as the

geometry allows you a more

comfortable and efficient ride. The

aerodynamic advantages of a tri

bike are negligible when climbing

and you may be forced to utilise the

quadriceps more, which can hinder

your run performance. A time-trial

bike is more aerodynamic but you

will be in a more uncomfortable

position, which puts considerable

pressure on your neck, shoulders,

arms and groin, and although you

may get used to this position it can

still result in discomfort.

If you struggle on the hills and

don’t have solid descending skills

then I’d almost always recommend

a road bike. The only exception is if

you’re a particularly strong cyclist

on the flats with otherwise fairly

good bike handling skills.

A tri bike will generally be 1-2.5kg

heavier than a road bike, so if your

Ironman bike route is hilly then

use your roadie, because the extra

weight of a tri bike may take a lot

more out of you for the marathon.

Another thing to consider is

gastro-intestinal issues: ask any of

the best iron-distance triathletes

and coaches what’s the hardest and

most challenging bike workout that

can lead to digestive problems, they

will almost always tell you it’s a long

ride in the TT position.

For gradients of less than 4%,

the aerodynamic benefits can

outweigh the disadvantages of the

extra weight on a tri bike. See if

you can go for a test ride on a tri

bike before buying, and decide if

it’s right for you. If you’re still

undecided then I recommend you

check out your Ironman course on

both bikes. If this isn’t possible

then ride over similar terrain, and

observe how much you gain or

lose on each bike. If you’re serious

about the race and want to

improve thereafter rather than

just complete it, I’d recommend

buying a tri bike.

Most triathletes benefit from

using a tri bike, providing they’re

properly fitted, complete key,

long bike sessions on it and

practise running off it straight

after riding. Do your research

and consider the area where you

train, and make sure you choose

the correct frame size and get a

good bike fit.

WHICHBIKE ISBEST?

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