When you are first getting involved in multisports, you will have to spend a lot of money to get all the right kit. For example, you may need a good quality wet suit, for keeping warm and aiding buoyancy in the swim section. For the run, a good pair of running shoes is crucial, both for comfort and performance.
However, the costs incurred getting kitted up for the bike ride by far outweigh all the other equipment costs. You will need to make the decision what kind of bike to buy, and although you can use any kind of bike on these events, if you stick to your regular road bike that you may have owned for years, then you shouldn’t be surprised if everyone else overtakes you during the race.
Because the prices of triathlon bikes vary so much, it is worth investigating buying a new one. With a wide price range, it is just a matter of choosing something which fits into your budget. Here are a few possibilities:
Giant Defy – not strictly a tri bike, but if you are just getting into the sport, a decent road bike will serve you well, and the Giant Defy will only cost you roughly$800 new, putting it at the more affordable end of the range.
Focus Variado – this is a high quality bike, with a higher ticket price and far better spec, featuring aero bars and wind-cheating tubing. It usually costs around $1500 but in most places it retails at discount prices, especially if you look for the previous year’s model. If you don’t want the aggressive racing aero bars, you can opt for the cheaper Focus Variado Expert, rather than the Tria, and you will get all the benefits, but with regular drop handlebars. Or you could go for the plain Focus Variado road bike, which is very affordable, but has lower specifications.
Cervelo P4 – with bikes, there is essentially no maximum price; and usually you pay more for less bike, as you are always looking to minimize weight. The Cervelo P4 is a professional time trial and tri bike, with a sticker price around $3500. As a beginner you probably wouldn’t want to spend this much on your first tri bike, but if you have an interest in Cervelo bikes, you should find that earlier incarnations such as the P1 are much cheaper, and you can find one for under $2000.