Sprint Tri Bike Question

[meltoine]

First off - hi! I lurk occasionally, but post on MMM and MF. 

I recently decided to sign up for my first sprint tri in September. I have only ever done open water swim races - no running/cycling races, though I do jog 3-4 days per week. I have access to a pool for training, but I don't have a bike. I don't really see cycling or tris becoming a regular thing for me, I just think it would be fun to do it once, so I don't want to shell out major money on a bike right now. How bad of a plan (and why) is it to train mainly on a stationary bike at the gym and rent a road bike a few times and for race day?

also of concern is that I can't rely on MH for childcare while I train since his schedule is hectic and changes constantly. If I train on the stationary bike at the gym, I can use the family room like I do when I run on the treadmill. 

Thoughts?

[sadlebred]

I think you'd be better of picking up a cheap hybrid or 700C road bike and selling it afterwards. That way you can train on the bike. You will also need a helmet.

[Susie]

If your only goal is to finish, yeah, you can do most of your training indoors if that is what works for childcare. I am averse to spin bikes because I always wind up with pain somewhere because they can't be fitted as well as my bike is, so I ride my own bike on a trainer. But for a one-and-done sprint tri, that's more than you need (or probably want) to spend.

I admit though that I don't necessarily understand the mindset of being taken enough with the idea of a sprint tri to do it out of the blue, but not taken enough to want to own a bike of some kind. You don't need a particular kind of bike to do a sprint tri, but doing a tri without owning a bike at all seems weird to me.

You will definitely need a helmet, like sadlebred sad. You won't be allowed to race without one, and with good reason. Wear it whenever you ride outside!

[sadlebred]

My LBS charges about $50/day to rent a road bike. You do that 5-6 times for training and racing, and it's almost $300. For about $400 you could buy a cheap hybrid or for about $700 you could buy an entry level road bike.

[patches31709]

One thing to consider: Have you ridden an actual bike in a while? I know the first time I got on a bike as an adult, it was a road bike, and my god it was a little scary. I could do it, but it took a few rides before I was comfortable enough to do things like grab a water bottle; things like that. I can't imagine training on a stationary bike where balance isn't an issue and then just hopping on a road bike. It could just be me and my terrible balancing abilities, but I would think you would want to ride an actual bike outside a few times before the race.

[meltoine]

There's a local bike shop here that offers unlimited rentals for $65/month, including helmet. I was thinking of doing this for the month before the race and doing as many training rides on it as I can get childcare for.

As for the mindset - I'd never heard of a sprint tri until someone mentioned it the other day. I looked it up, and given that I can do the swim no problem, and the run with a little work, I thought it would be fun to do it just to say I did. I don't really have the inclination to spend time training for anything outside of the workouts I already do, mostly because of the childcare issue. I just don't have the opportunity to go ride a bike regularly (unless I take a trailer with the kids, which I don't want to do). My only goal is to finish, just to say I did. I was just curious if it was at all possible to train on the stationary bike with a few outdoor rides thrown in for good measure.

Thanks for sharing your info and expertise. I will keep an eye out for inexpensive used bikes, but I think in the meantime I will start working with the stationary bike. I have until the beginning of August to register for the race and still get the lower price for registering "early" so if its onto going well or I don't feel confident ill scrap the plan. Thanks again!

[kams]

I think fitness-wise you'll be perfectly fine!

My only concern is bike handling and safety - for you and for you vs other cyclists. So, I think that's a great rental price, and if you can get outside at least once a week for an hour for a while before the race, that would be good. As PPs mentioned, road bikes are more aggressive and scarier than a cruiser or hybrids or the bikes we rode as kids. It just takes some getting used to.

I understand how hard it is to get out for bike rides with kids and a traveling husband - I deal with that, too.