5 reasons why you should get a triathlon bike

If you don’t have a triathlon bike, 2025 might be the year to think about getting one. It’s not necessary for you to have a triathlon bike (anything on two wheels will do for your training and racing), but if you’re in the sport long enough, you might hit a point where you feel like it’s time to add one to your arsenal. Not sure if a tri bike is right for you? Here are five reasons to consider buying one.

You’re looking to upgrade

If you’re new to triathlon and need to buy your first bike, don’t get a triathlon bike right away. You’ll probably love triathlon, but for all you know, you could hate it. If you get a tri bike now and don’t enjoy racing, you’ll be stuck with a bike that you can only use for solo rides (most training groups won’t be too keen on you brining a triathlon bike into their peloton).

However, if you already have a road bike and you’re looking to take that next step as a triathlete, now is the perfect time to get a tri bike. You’re comfortable on two wheels, you have plenty of experience riding, and you’re ready to get a bit more aero.

You’re getting passed on the bike

Maybe you’re fed up with so many people passing you on the ride in races. They’re all flying by you in their aero positions while you’re fighting to keep up on your road bike. If you feel like you’re missing out on the age group podium because of your bike, it might be time to switch things up. You’ll be shocked at how much faster and efficient you are on the bike next race when you’re on a tri frame.

You’re going long

If you plan to go long distance (70.3 or longer) for a race this season, a tri bike will save you so much time and energy. There’s nothing wrong with riding a non-triathlon bike in any type of race, but if you’re doing a full Ironman, you’re going to want to get through that 180-kilometre bike as quickly as possible. An easy way to get free speed and cut your bike split down considerably is to get a tri bike.

You can keep your road bike

Just because you’re getting a triathlon bike doesn’t mean you have to forfeit your road bike. You’ll want your road bike for group and easy solo rides. You’ll still be a road bike person, but now you’ll be a tri-cyclist, too.

You’ll have a dedicated race bike

You’ll use your triathlon bike in training, but not nearly as much as your road bike. This will mean that you’ll essentially have a race bike in your garage just waiting to be used. You can keep it set up for races so that it is ready to go with minimal (or no) adjustments necessary as you prepare for a race the day before.