We have a fellow reader that needs your help!
I don’t know if you can help me. I love the tri. The problem? I’m 40, lives in MN, married & have 7 kids who only has time for 1 tri/yr. Today I did my 4th one. I only have 1/2 hr day to work out, but have done it every day consistently for the past 2 years. I am looking for a broken in tri bike mid-level? Places to find one? What should I look for/stay away from? Your favorite makes & models? Any advice would be extremely helpful.
Thanks!
Pete
Cliffs Response:
Hey Pete,
First, thanks for following the site. Second, kudos on your training. Having 7 kids and still managing to find the time the race is excellent time management!
You’re looking for a mid-range secondhand tri bike? Now I’m assuming you want a triathlon specific bike. If you do, Cervelo is by far the best bang for your buck. From my experience they have the best components, most aero frame (for the money) and are easily adjustable.
Finding a used one is tough because I find a lot of people hold on to their bikes. That being said there are always people looking to trade up to a new ride. For a search I would begin with Ebay. Also, Craigslist is another good option (you can post a wanted ad). When all else fails, call some local shops as they will always know what is around the city. Bike retailers may even have old stock they wish to liquidate which means you get a nice discount.
Now, back to the bikes. If you want to go cheap ($700-1000), look for a P2 dual. It’s an aluminum frame but as I said the specs on it are quite good. Next in line would be the the P2SL which is a little more pricey ($1000-1300). You upgrade components and you get a rear wheel cut out which helps reduce drag. Take another step up and you can get a new P1 (2009-10) which will go for $1500-1800. If you still have money to spend then there lots of options.
The cheapest way to go is to buy a road bike and put on some aero bars. From your comment you probably already know this or have a bike with them already on. If you have a bike without aero bars, look into getting a pair of Syntace bars. They run for about 100 bucks and are good all round bar.
Hope this helps!
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