My Tri Training: Using Your Own Bike

Based on the tips videos I watched for triathlon newbies like myself (Ref this blog post here), I should use my current bike and not spend a few hundred/thousand bucks on a new one. Nooo problem there.

I've got a decent road/mountain bike, maybe a little heavy, but I'm not 100% worried about it at the moment. I just need to get some aero bars. The problem for me are the very curvy/up-right handlebars. Thinking I need to get some that are flat.

After doing some research I figured out the following:

• The neck I current have requires handlebars with a diameter of 25.4

• Based on the width of my shoulders (18in), I should get bars that are a max of 24 inches long (shoulder width + 4-6 inches).

I did some shopping on ebay and picked up a pair for $15. Slightly worried about the cheap price, but I'm willing to give em a shot during my training. If you're lost on converting mm to inches like I was, google is your friend. By the way, 580mm = 24.8 inches

• XLC Comp Mountain Bike Flat Handlebar, 6 Degree, 580mm, 25.4, Black

Additionally, I went out and got myself a helmet. I thought about picking one up online, but opted to try a few on and see what I liked. I liked the look and the design of this helmet made by Zefal. Other contenders were Schwinn and Bell, but I liked the fit of this one. Also has good airflow and it's got that Dragon Ball Z vibe.

For those who've never seen Dragon Ball Z. Meet my buddy Goku.