Tri_Newbie

Hi everyone,
I'm signed up for my first Ironman this year (Santa Rosa) and was hoping for some advice on what bike I should use. I have an old 1988 centurion ironman dave scott expert road bike 12 speed that I am comfortable on and was considering using it. I'm planning to strap some aero bars to it (and any other modifications you recommend) and calling it a day. I'm a medical student on a very tight budget so am hoping to avoid having to purchase another bike (like a cannondale caad 4 or 5) but may consider it if those who are more experienced think otherwise. This IM should be a one and done type of thing for me and I'm not trying to break any records here but also don't want to look like a clown come race day. What are your thoughts?

CliffordK

You don't necessarily need aerobars.

I like narrow tires, but whatever you do, find some good quality tires. Does your bike take 27" or 700c?

Tri_Newbie

I believe the tires I have currently are 700cc, will double check later tonight though and confirm.

Trakhak

For competitive triathletes and bike racers doing time trials, adding clip-on aero bars is a no-brainer. It's probably safe to say that riding your bike with aero bars would be more aerodynamically efficient than riding a $3,000 bike without them.

woodcraft

Clip on aero bars, good tires/tubes, a different saddle might be wanted, and lube everything up well.

Tri_Newbie

I've done enough research to be convinced that aero bars are a worthwhile investment. I find on longer rides that I naturally try to learn forward on my handles since my arms get tired. Currently looking online to see if I can find a good deal on some.

My primary question though is whether I have the blessing from those who are more knowledgeable than I to use the centurion ironman on the race. I've talked to some friends and they've discouraged me from using a bike as old as mine and made from steel and say my money would be well spent investing in a used cannondale caad 4 or 5 or similar aluminum/carbon bike. I've been told I'd be the one "with the oldest bike there" and, if this is true, I want to be sure that I'm not missing some glaring issue as to why others (who also aren't looking to break records) aren't sticking with their more vintage bikes.

woodcraft

I used to take pride in passing folks up the hill on my Schwinn Varsity, so it can be a fun element, plus the name is good.

Tri bikes are often not that light anyway, and there will be time to drink the equipment geeking kool-aid later if you want.

Frame material doesn't really matter in itself. As long as everything is working well, the time difference vs a different bike is probably less

than lowering you riding position by 3/8", or the fitness gained by a couple of training rides.


Getting a nicer/newer road bike is good if you're going to be riding a lot, just not necessary for a single event.

Atlas Shrugged

Age of the bike and components will not be a major hinderance for the ride segment however Aerodynamics and ability to deliver power comfortably for 180km will be the key. Do what you can in that area and have fun.

canklecat

Your Ironman will be fine. I have one, an '89 7-speed, still mostly original. My times/speeds over my usual 20-50 mile workout routes are about the same on that bike as on my later carbon fiber road bikes. There are some slight advantages to the newer, lighter bikes on long climbs, but we don't have many real climbs here.

A more aero purpose-built TT/tri-bike will help a bit but what really matters is your body position and kit -- helmet, snug fitting jersey and shorts, shoes, etc. Getting as long and low as possible without feeling tortured will make the most difference.

If you haven't already settled on aero bars, please avoid the old school Scott aero bars that were popularized by Greg LeMond after winning the '89 Tour de France in a last moment time trial effort. Those old style Scott and similar bars were ergonomically horrible. Nothing will put you off aero bars quicker than the torture of using those things. It was impossible to get the upper arm in the right position, and the forearm rests were too far forward. Yeah, my fastest times on the Ironman were set with that Scott clip-on bar. But it was an awful experience, just painful. I've tried them two or three times over the past couple of years, for a week or so at a time. I couldn't yank those things off the bike fast enough.

If you watch time trials from the early 1990s when more grand tour racers switched to them, you can see huge differences in rider positions. Some cyclists never could get comfortable with aero bars and it showed in their slower times. Even in the early 2000s there were still significant differences in time trial styles. While Floyd Landis is often disregarded today due to the post-Armstrong doping scandal, Floyd was actually a powerful time trialist. His riding position was the best of the bunch in his era. His career just didn't last long enough to get much attention, mostly due to a chronic hip injury that would have shortened his career even without the doping scandal.

Check out a newer style Profile clip-on aero bar. Huge difference in fit, comfort and bike control. These are a bit pricey new but often available cheaply used. Lots of people try out triathlons and TT/tri-bikes, but lose interest after a few races. So this stuff tends to have lower resale prices. I have a set of Profile Design aero bars salvaged from a 10-year-old Trek TT bike with cracked frame (bad weld, not wrecked). It was worth it just to salvage the components for another bike build.

I don't have the Profile Design aero bars on a bike at the moment, but they will go on another bike build soon, full time. These have the 10-speed Dura Ace bar-end shifters too.

Also, study the recent stage 3 time trial at the Vuelta a San Juan in Argentina, won easily by the young Remco Evenepoel. Here's a highlights clip, but check out the full length video on the GCN Racing channel to compare styles. This particular competition didn't allow specialized time trial bikes, so it offers an interesting comparison to the way time trials and triathlons were raced up until the mid-1980s. Check out Remco's use of the invisible aero bars, or "puppy paws" style, forearms draped across the bar top, forearms parallel with the ground. His confidence, comfort and balance in that position for extended times made a huge difference in that race.

koolerb

Buy the old Cannodale and you'll still have the oldest bike there. I don't think swapping one old bike for another is going to help. That Centurion is probably a good quality bike. Do the aero-bar upgrade and ride it. Buy a newer bike when you have the budget.

Kabuki12

Steel bikes give a great ride. My newest bike is a 1982 Medici Pro Strava and is very nimble and as quick as I need yet still comfortable on longer rides. I run 700x25c Bontrager Race Lite tires and they are as thin as I like. I find any thinner and it beats me up on longer rides. In my area the roads are not that good so most of my bikes are running 28c or wider. This Medici will be my Eroica California bike. Enjoy the ride and do the best you can, the steel bike will be fine.

texaspandj

You'll be fine on that Centurion Ironman however you should put some aerobars on it. If you have the funds you could get some vintage racing tubular wheels and be done.
Here's my 1986 Ironman in training mode. I put on my racing wheels and it's ready to fly. I plan on competing in 1 to 3 triathlons this year and Do Not consider my bike a handicap...at all.

Built specifically for Triathlons.

Seattle Forrest

You don't need a new bike to do an Ironman. But if it's bothering you, you can rent one for the day.

big john

Go for a training ride with those friends and see if you are at a huge disadvantage. If you drop them they may change their tune. I'm sure you've heard it's the rider not the bike. People go fast on older steel bikes.
If you become a competitive tri guy you'll figure out what you need but for now it's supposed to be fun, right?

Maelochs

Comfort is probably more important than a few grams of weight when it comes to sustained power output. Get the aero bars and ride the bike you know you like.

People will always give you crap about your gear unless it is identical to theirs.

Some people really seem to believe that the very best riders are best because of their shoes or water bottles. Some say it's their work ethics. You make the call you like best.

And,a s others have said .... if you really like triathlons, eventually you will want a serious ti bike .... so save you money for that.

Russ Roth

A newer, purpose built bike that's fit to you will get you there faster, if you really have a budget like I did in college you won't buy any bike faster unless you get lucky on Craigslist. If I was really worried about speed I'd spend the cash on aerobars, clothing, and tires as others have said. If I really had some money to spend a nicer, newer set of wheels would be next on the list, set up with a 7sp cassette it'll work fine if you have Shimano. If your 6sp is friction I'd just make it a 9sp cassette and chain and enjoy the extra gears.
At the very least get a mechanically minded friend to help and pull apart and grease the hubs, bb and take out the der pulleys and clean and grease them. The last isn't part of a tune up and is often ignored but can have a lot of drag you don't notice until they're cleaned and greased.

StanSeven

Yes, aero bars are very important. If I were you, I would get them asap and start training using them. It takes a while to get used to them, but more importantly, you need time to get your muscles adapted. They put you in a different position.

radom

Your bike will work. I'd sweat the small stuff instead of taking on a whole new bike. Make sure tires/tire pressures are dialed, spokes tensioned properly, shifting/brake cables are in great shape, brakes are aligned properly and chain/cassette are ready for it. Also train yourself how to fix mechanical issues on the fly, having an older bike things can go wrong but practically everything on it can be fixed, which is a pretty nice advantage over all the fancy DI2 guys that forgot to charge their bike the night before. But most importantly get your fit is dialed in and put a ton of miles onto the setup with tri bars, emphasis on staying in aero position as long as possible, even when eating/drinking. The last thing you'll want to do is show up and ride 112 miles on a setup that your body isn't completely trained for and then expect yourself to be able to run a marathon well after. Spoken with experience here, I rode a slightly too aggressive setup at an Ironman a few years ago and hit a pothole wrong with 20 to go and destroyed my lower back then blacked out in transition. I made it through but was way too memorable.

**Power meter probably not realistic on a tight budget but a cheap cadence sensor would be a smart investment just to keep a good rhythm and keep yourself from pushing too big of a gear.

**Lastly, enjoy working your way through the field, you'll be passing people on $10k+ setups and feel awesome.

balrog687

+1 to aero bars, cleats and probably new tires.

I would add a proper bikefit, so you don't get injured. check competitive cyclist for a DIY bike fit with very good instructions.

mstateglfr 

If the IM is in good mechanical condition, then of course you can use it and you probably should use it since you are comfortable on it.
112mi of riding with downtube shifters isnt what I would consider to be fun, but if you like em- more power to ya.

As already mentioned- give yourself time to train with the aero bars as it puts you in a different position(which is nice for muscle fatigue) and your muscles will be asked to perform a bit differently in that new position.
A Centurion IronMan with a drivetrain in good condition and quality tires will be perfect for your training and one time IM race.

Enjoy the experience.

texaspandj

One of my guilty pleasures is passing riders on their Latest, Greatest, and Lightest bike available.
Last season, my last race was a Half Ironman. And after a disastrous swim I was well behind the field. But because of a proper setup and Great bike I passed hundreds on my Centurion Ironman (only one rider passed me). Admittedly my Centurion Ironman was a Carbon. At least it was 31 years old.

Here's last seasons bike. This year I'll be on my '86 Centurion Ironman which is steel.

aliasfox

I love Santa Rosa - I've done Levi's Gran Fondo there the past few years, and got married not too far away in Sonoma.

If I found the right course map, it looks like the Santa Rosa Ironman bike portion takes place in the valley between Santa Rosa and Healdsburg, which if I recall, is relatively flat. In which case, I would parrot what others have said - make sure the bike is in good working order (maybe a tune up), aero bars, aero helmet, snug cycling gear, and you won't be at a major disadvantage unless you go up to a very aero bike like a Madone on aero wheels. A round-tube alloy or carbon bike on shallow wheels will be lighter, but unlikely to make a huge difference from an aero perspective. Unless you're heading further west into the mountains, weight's not going to be a huge detractor once you get up to speed.

Of course, if your bike has sticky gears, hubs, and weighs 30lbs+ naked without aerobars or water, then maybe worth considering something else. If everything's rolling smoothly, you might surprise yourself... and a few others! Good luck!

Cyclist0108

My kid is in a similar situation, and we are considering this: https://redshiftsports.com/aero

These are good-quality quick-release aero bars and a seatpost that has a switch between normal and aero positions. I don't have firsthand experience with this product, but I do with other Redshift products (suspension seatpost and stem), and they are of extremely high quality. Best of luck with your training (both medical and tri.)

Hermes

Word. Plus

Older vintage bikes have deeper drop handlebars that puts the top of the handlebar just below the height of the saddle. Adding clip on aerobars on top of the handlebar probably will not result in a great aero position. Aero bikes designed for aerobars offer a lower plus more rotated forward riding position that is more aerodynamic. It is the riding position and posture that is more important than the bike. Although a modern bike will be more aerodynamic and faster than an older vintage bike.

Strength and adaptation in the aero position is what yields results. Make every pedal stroke count. If the pedal force varies during the race due to lack of practice or feeling uncomfortable on the bike, then the time increases. It does not take much reduction in pedal force to negate the benefit of aero gains.

The flip side is that if one has a great aero position on the bike, that advantage is always present independent how one feels on the bike. There is the tradeoff.

If you use your current bike then get clip on bars that mount under the handlebar and try to get as low as you can. Keep the arms close together and practice in the position a lot. If you get a new bike, you will also have to practice a lot AND if you have the flexibility to get an excellent position on a new bike, that will require even more practice to generate the pedal force on the bike after the swim. Good luck

big john

That depends on how the bike is set up. I used to run 4 inches of saddle to bar drop on my old quill stem bikes. Now I can't tolerate that and run less than 2 inches on my more modern threadless stem bikes. I get your point that deep drop bars can allow a higher bar-top position, but I just felt like arguing a little. I would encourage anyone seeking knowledge on aero positioning to heed your words, obviously.