exeter triathlon club

The Bike

You don't need to buy an expensive bike for your first race - use whatever you can get your hands on. However make sure it has been serviced and is both safe and roadworthy.

Forget computers, race wheels, aerodynamic water bottles, tri-bars, rear-mounted holders and carbon fiber water cages. All you need is a helmet and a standard water bottle cage to hold one (or two) standard water bottles. Anything else is an expensive experiment; until you become familiar with your riding style and different race situations.

You do need an approved cycling helmet - check the stickers inside the helmet.
You don't need cycling shoes yet- just ride in your running shoes.
Learn to repair a flat tyre and always carry a repair kit or spare inner tube and a pump with you.
Always make sure you have a bottle of water (or sports drink) on your bike when you train and race.

As the cycle section is the longest part of the race you will need to spend most time training on your bike.
When you are confident on the bike, try and fit in a long training ride plus a session of quality speed work each week. A turbo trainer can be useful for quality workouts at home, especially in the winter months. Prepare properly for the race you are doing and make sure that you can cycle the race distance comfortably.

Buying a bike

It's easy to get lured into purchasing a nice bike; they're fast, light, colourful, cool and usually made out of some exotic combination of aluminum, titanium and/or carbon fiber. Resist the temptation, if you have something in your garage that has two wheels, odds are, it can be used for a triathlon.
Contrary to newbie belief, there are several types of bicycles which competitors are allowed to race with:

For those who own mountain bikes try some road/slick tyres; they won't cost very much (compared to a new bike) and they will definitely increase your speed
If possible take off all unnecessary accessories.
Mudguards – racks – locks – bells – reflectors. This will help lighten the bike.

If you don't have any sort of bike, borrow one.

I recommend purchasing a bike at the low end of the scale, say between £350-£500. Most major bike manufacturers sell them within this range. Don’t buy one until you are definite about triathlon.

You shouldn't be purchasing a high-end bike anyway, so the type of bike you purchase isn't a matter of life and death.

Accessories

If you do have extra money and want an effective accessory to improve your cycling, purchase a pair of clipless pedals and cycling shoes (e.g., Carnac, Sidi, etc.,). Shoes will enable you to achieve a more efficient pedal stroke and allow you to pedal in a circular (rather than vertical) motion. These take some getting used to so make sure you practice well before race day.