The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Triathlon Bike

Triathlon is the answer for those who don’t consider one sport enough. Consisting of a swim, bike and buy used road bikes near me run raced over a variety of distances, triathlons provide a substantial challenge of endurance, strength and mental toughness. The bike component of a triathlon makes up a considerable part of every event, approximately 60% of the race regardless of the chosen distance. As a result, triathlon specific bikes with different cockpit set-ups, different geometry, advanced aerodynamics and innovative storage solutions are highly sought-after.

We’ve put together this buyer’s guide to help explain what a triathlon bike is, how it differs from road and time trial bikes, the key features to look out for, and most importantly, how to choose the right one for you.

Triathlon formats explained
Before we jump into the specifics of a triathlon bike, it’s important to know the different type of event formats and distances as they will influence your decision making. Depending on the format and distance of the event, it could take anywhere from under an hour to over 15 hours to complete, which includes anywhere from half an hour on the bike, to well over six hours in the saddle.

Triathlon bikes vs Time Trial bikes vs Road bikes
Time trial bikes are bound by UCI regulations (cycling’s governing body) with an extensive list of controls and standards that manufacturers have to meet before a bike is given approval to race. A brief outline of some of these standards is below.

Time trial frames: UCI legal bike frames needs to take on a triangular shape, with no greater than a 3:1 tube profile ratio, which means a tube can’t be more than three times deeper than it is wide. The bike can be no lighter than 6.8kg and there are many specifications regarding rider position outlined below.

Saddle position: Saddles must measure between 24-30cm with the tip of the saddle 5cm behind the vertical line of the bottom bracket spindle, and at no greater angle than +/- 9 degrees.

TT extensions: The TimeTrial handlebar extensions cannot extend further than 75cm from the vertical line of the bottom bracket spindle, including accessories which could be an extended shifter for example. There are some exceptions for ‘morphological’ reasons (due to the size and limbs of the rider) whereby a rider who is excessively short or tall, is allowed extra distance but only after seeking approval from the UCI. For example, riders 190cm or taller can move their TT extensions a further 10cm forward, out to a maximum of 85cm from the vertical line of the bottom bracket spindle.

Aerodynamic restrictions: No additional fairings or pieces with the aim of improving aerodynamics are allowed, and no modifications can be made to the frame. Water bottles are only allowable on the down tubes and cannot be integrated into the frame for aerodynamic gains. There are even restrictions on the size of the water bottles riders can use in a UCI sanctioned time trial.

As triathlon events are not bound by these standards, manufacturers have no limits placed upon them in the creative process. As such, we often see triathlon bikes without seat tubes; saddles and TT bar extensions positioned well forward; tube profiles in excess of the 3:1 ratio; fairings located in various positions on the frame to improve aerodynamics; and plenty of modifications to the frame including hydration, nutrition and accessory storage.