VegasJen

Flattering, but I'm not all that. I did a lot of weights when I was younger. Doesn't help I come from big stock to begin with. But I'm old now. I try to stay as fit as I can, but my free weight limit is about 15 pounds.

A350driver

I’m usually at least 2mph faster on my time trial bike than on my road bike even though my road bike is 3lbs lighter at 17lb vs 20lbs for my TT bike, riding the same routes. It’s the much better aerodynamic body position with lowered head and shoulders plus the bike frame itself is flat and skinny, and the aero wheels help too. All that aero stuff costs money no doubt but you might get lucky and find a used TT bike cheap on EBay or such.

beng1

You don't look that low or that aero on that bike at all to me.

A350driver

I think I was about to round a tight left turn where the photographer was standing when that picture was taken so I wasn’t as tucked in as usual. My point is, the TT bike itself is much more aerodynamic than a road bike, and it allows you to get your body down lower, out of the wind. When I ride my TT bike I’m usually going at least 2mph faster over the same routes I ride on my road bike. (22-25mph on the TT bike vs 20 on my road bike) with the same amount of effort.

beng1

The biggest factor in bicycle speed is the rider, followed by the rider getting horizontal on the bike, and a distant third is having specially shaped bicycle parts and clothing. You do not need a "TT" bike to get horizontal, riders of standard road bikes have been doing this the last century by simply having a properly sized bike so that they can put the seat up high enough in relation to the handlebars to get their body into a horizontal position. You would be able to go 22mph or faster on your "road" bike if you adjusted it's riding position, or if it were properly sized to allow you to get into a good position. 1973 Huffy Scout ten-speed:

Koyote

That bike is too small for you.

A350driver

And that’s why the professional riders all ride their road bikes in a time trial, right?

Oh wait….they all ride TT bikes because of the better aerodynamics.

I can easily go 22 and have sprinted to 33 on my road bike (flat road, no tailwind) but it’s a lot -easier- for me to go 22-33+ on my TT bike, same roads, same rider.

tempocyclist

You don't "need" one of course, but it makes it a damn sight easier, and dare I say it more comfortable to hold over longer distances!

I can get very horizontal and super aero on my road bike, but it doesn't hold a candle to my TT bike.

beng1

Pssssssst, This thread was not started by a pro, it was started by someone who can average 18mph who wants to go 20mph, and dumping thousands into a "TT" bike purchase when they can just tweak their riding position and a few other minor things for zero investment, makes something called "sense". Look it up..........

beng1

8% of 18 is 1.44 and 12% of 18 is 2.16, so just with an improvement in riding position, which is 100% free, a rider could go from 18mph to 19.44mph-20.16mph for FREE. . Any cyclist with any experience riding while being timed, or with a speedometer on their bike knows this. And the faster you go, the more important it becomes. So just like in the Wizard of Oz, you had the ability to go 20mph all along Dorothy, you just have to adjust your riding position.

I just did a 12-mile TT at an average speed of coincidentally, 19.4xmph on the yellow Huffy ten-speed wearing cut-off jeans and a cotton t-shirt, flat pedals and sneakers, and the only reason I got that speed was by riding with my body as low as possible. If I keep training and have no health setbacks, next year I will do it in 20.4 mph, and it will be at zero cost to me except for the time training and getting used to riding in an "aero" position, not because I dumped cash into a lot of fashionable and trendy bicycles, clothing and other parts.

Branko D

If you want to average 20+ mph over a triathlon on a road bike without clip-on aerobars, you're looking at 200W of output over flat-ish terrain. This is going to take training, but should be doable for most people with training on a reasonable road bike with reasonable bike clothing, at least on shorter distance triathlons. Doing that over a half-IM or full IM distance is more demanding, and a TT / Tri bike will pay dividends there; the two IMs I did on a normal road bike without clip-ons I averaged 33,7 km/hr and 33 km/hr on 200W and 199W average, respectively; the guys doing the same power on TT bikes who are of my approximate size were about 2 km/hr faster at the same races. If you find you really enjoy triathlon and want to do a lot of it, it's worth considering - there's no prize for using inferior gear and they can be found on the used market in good condition - if you just do the occasional triathlon for fun amongst other things, though, a road bike is entirely fine.

A set of clip on aerobars are a cheap way to split the difference between a road bike and a TT bike (which are, however, only allowed in non-draft legal triathlon, and where I am all triathlons shorter than half and full IM are draft legal), but you might have to adjust the fit to the point it becomes uncomfortable to use without them. I personally find a TT bike to be much more comfortable than a road bike with clip-on aerobars, which is why I don't put them on my road bike (which I also ride granfondos and such with, where you can't have clip-ons obviously, and I don't want to mess around with fit when I'm changing configurations). I find I need to have my handlebars higher to comfortably use clip-on aerobars.

Staying within the realm of "normal road bike", some things do help get more speed out of the same power; position adjustments are a good one, although they aren't entirely "free", because you're constrained by comfort - inch the position ever so lower until it becomes uncomfortable on a long ride (100km+) then inch it up a bit from there. Revisit it in time as you get more used to the position, but you'll find everyone has a limit to the position where they can perform in. Extreme positions are useful for descending, but being bent over silly is going to do you no good if you can't produce power in the position. Narrower handlebars also slightly help but can cost a bit and it's a bit of a faff to change them. Top shelf tires also help and don't cost very much over cheaper versions - don't grab winter tires or a pair of gatorskins or something. If you want a low cost (relatively) improvement, buy a good and properly sized trisuit; properly sized means you can just about zip it up - this avoids any loose fabric, wrinkles, and so on. I'm a big fan of Castelli's trisuits; at 179-180cm and 73kg I wear a size S. It stretches a bit when I put it on, but is supremely comfortable, wicks well, the pocket arrangement is great. The little things do add up to measurable differences, and don't cost very much.

Oh, and do buy proper cycling shoes and pedals and learn to ride with them; they won't improve steady state power, but they'll improve your sprint and sub 1 minute efforts, they'll improve your comfort when you find a good pair of shoes, the control is better, they're just worth it. They last an awfully long time; the cleats not so much, but if you avoid walking much on them or dragging them on the floor, they last fairly long, too. I ride my gravel / commute bike with flats because it's more convenient around town, but if I'm going to ride 100K+ I'm putting on my cycling shoes.