Buying a bike

I wouldn't get a triple ring if I were you. Once you get reasonably fit, you won't need the
smallest ring.

"Sam" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi there, I'm completely new to road biking and would like to compete in triathlons

in

Quoted message said:

the next year. I have narrowed my search down to two models and would appreciate any feedback on
them. One is a Giant OCR 3, 2004 model priced at $NZ1150 (about $US720)

(although

Quoted message said:

the shop said they're willing to negotiate on price) and the other is an Avanti Triplo Comp, 2003
model priced at $NZ999 (about $US630). As a beginner I'm really unsure about what specs are
relevant but they can be found here - Giant:

giant-bicycles.com030.000.000.aspOpen ↗
kesection=8786&range=39&model=9739

Quoted message said:

Avanti: avanti.co.nzbikes detail.aspOpen ↗ Thanks very much for any advice you
have - it's like entering a new world where people don't speak English! Kind Regards Sam.

In article said:

Hi there, I'm completely new to road biking and would like to compete in triathlons in the next
year. I have narrowed my search down to two models and would appreciate any feedback on them. One
is a Giant OCR 3, 2004 model priced at $NZ1150 (about $US720) (although the shop said they're
willing to negotiate on price) and the other is an Avanti Triplo Comp, 2003 model priced at $NZ999
(about $US630). As a beginner I'm really unsure about what specs are relevant but they can be
found here - Giant: giant-bicycles.com030.000.000.aspOpen ↗
ountry=&lYear=2004&bikesection=8786&range=39&model=9739 Avanti:
avanti.co.nzbikes detail.aspOpen ↗ Thanks very much for any advice you have -
it's like entering a new world where people don't speak English! Kind Regards Sam.

If you only own one bike, it should be a road bike. Other than that, bike fit is FAR more important
than price. Be sure to get a long test ride.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Then it was every other day. . . ."

- Homer J. Simpson

Rivermist said:

I wouldn't get a triple ring if I were you. Once you get reasonably fit, you won't need the
smallest ring.

That's an amazing blanket statement. This issue depends entirely on where a person lives and races.
I live in Ohio and do just fine without a triple ring. I have a friend who lives in Colorado near
Telluride and appreciates having a triple very much.

John

In article DJTtb.169670$275.521691@attbi_s53 said:

I wouldn't get a triple ring if I were you. Once you get reasonably fit, you won't need the
smallest ring.

Well, after doing my first IM, I think I'm "reasonably fit," but I can't imagine how painful the
hills at IM Wisc. would have been without the triple ring. There were a lot of people walking up
those hills on the second lap, but I managed all the hills just fine.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Then it was every other day. . . ."

- Homer J. Simpson

I thought that it was kind of a blanket statement, but I didn't realize it was an amazing blanket
statement. Cool. Thanks for pointing that out.

You are right though. I live in the rather hilly Atlanta area. If I were in Telurride I would
probably have a triple as well.

"John Hardt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Rivermist said:

I wouldn't get a triple ring if I were you. Once you get reasonably

fit,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

you won't need the smallest ring.

That's an amazing blanket statement. This issue depends entirely on where

a

Quoted message said:

person lives and races. I live in Ohio and do just fine without a triple ring. I have a friend who
lives in Colorado near Telluride and

appreciates

Quoted message said:

having a triple very much.

John

Harold Buck said:

In article DJTtb.169670$275.521691@attbi_s53 said:

I wouldn't get a triple ring if I were you. Once you get reasonably fit, you won't need the
smallest ring.

Well, after doing my first IM, I think I'm "reasonably fit," but I can't imagine how painful the
hills at IM Wisc. would have been without the triple ring. There were a lot of people walking up
those hills on the second lap, but I managed all the hills just fine.

?!? I don't know exactly what the course is for the race but I've ridden all over the Madison area
and there are hardly any inclines that even qualify as hills. I live at the top of one of the
biggest hills around and it is hardly anything. Granted, after a century the definition of hill
can change...

In article said:

Quoted message said:

Well, after doing my first IM, I think I'm "reasonably fit," but I can't imagine how painful the
hills at IM Wisc. would have been without the triple ring. There were a lot of people walking up
those hills on the second lap, but I managed all the hills just fine.

?!? I don't know exactly what the course is for the race but I've ridden all over the Madison area
and there are hardly any inclines that even qualify as hills. I live at the top of one of the
biggest hills around and it is hardly anything. Granted, after a century the definition of hill
can change...

That's because it's Ironman WISCONSIN, not Ironman Madison. The bike course goes well outside
Madison. Here's the course profile:

ironmanwisconsin.combike.htmlOpen ↗

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Then it was every other day. . . ."

- Homer J. Simpson

Harold Buck said:

In article said:

Quoted message said:

Well, after doing my first IM, I think I'm "reasonably fit," but I can't imagine how painful the
hills at IM Wisc. would have been without the triple ring. There were a lot of people walking up
those hills on the second lap, but I managed all the hills just fine.

?!? I don't know exactly what the course is for the race but I've ridden all over the Madison area
and there are hardly any inclines that even qualify as hills. I live at the top of one of the
biggest hills around and it is hardly anything. Granted, after a century the definition of hill
can change...

That's because it's Ironman WISCONSIN, not Ironman Madison. The bike course goes well outside
Madison. Here's the course profile:

ironmanwisconsin.combike.htmlOpen ↗

Exactly, it's not all that hilly. Not to say there aren't any hills, but it isn't that bad. Compare
it to the other courses, it's right about in the middle as far as hillyness goes. I've ridden on
almost every piece of that course at one time or another and never touched a little ring (well,
except on a tandem recumbent once, but that's a little different).

kantspel <[email hidden]> wrote in news:bpe1bk$72h$1 @grandcanyon.binc.net:

Quoted message said:

Compare it to the other courses, it's right about in the middle as far as hillyness goes.

What other Ironman courses did you have in mind? I've always heard it described as one of the
hilliest iromans you can do. Or are you comparing it to cycling courses?

Tom Henderson said:

kantspel <[email hidden]> wrote in news:bpe1bk$72h$1 @grandcanyon.binc.net:

Quoted message said:

Compare it to the other courses, it's right about in the middle as far as hillyness goes.

What other Ironman courses did you have in mind? I've always heard it described as one of the
hilliest iromans you can do. Or are you comparing it to cycling courses?

Placid and Canada, I think, are the hilliest. I think Madison has a lot of rolling hills, but the
two forementioned have big climbs with big elevation changes.

- chris

In article said:

Tom Henderson said:

kantspel <[email hidden]> wrote in news:bpe1bk$72h$1 @grandcanyon.binc.net:

Quoted message said:

Compare it to the other courses, it's right about in the middle as far as hillyness goes.

What other Ironman courses did you have in mind? I've always heard it described as one of the
hilliest iromans you can do. Or are you comparing it to cycling courses?

Placid and Canada, I think, are the hilliest. I think Madison has a lot of rolling hills, but the
two forementioned have big climbs with big elevation changes.

The hills at IM Moo are not really "rolling." There's little opportunity to keep your momentum from
one downhill to the next uphill. It doesn't have any long, long climbs like Lake Placid, but it has
plenty of shorter hills to beat you up.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Then it was every other day. . . ."

- Homer J. Simpson