What is a triathlon?
Triathlon is a multi-discipline sport consisting of swimming, cycling and running. The swimming section could take place in a swimming pool, lake or the sea; cycling could be on public roads or in a closed-off section of road in the grounds of a stately home or bike park; similarly, the run could be on public roads or paths or in private grounds.
There are variations of triathlon called duathlon, which is run-bike-run, and aquathlon, which is usually a swim followed by a run, as well as a number of other forms of the sport. The UK governing body, British Triathlon, oversees races for various adult age categories up to the 80+ banding and even “Tri Stars” (aged 8 to 14), youth and junior (aged 15 to 19) races.
What are the triathlon distances?
Generally, triathlons range from super sprint triathlons up to Ironman triathlons. The distances for each category are below.
| Swim | Bike | Run | |
| Super sprint triathlon | 500m | 10km | 2.5km |
| Sprint triathlon | 750m | 20km | 5km |
| Standard / Olympic distance triathlon | 1.5km | 40km | 10km |
| 70.3/middle/half-Ironman distance | 1.9km | 90km | 21.9km |
| Ironman triathlon | 3.9km | 180km | 42km (marathon) |
Why should I take part in a triathlon?
People start doing triathlons for different reasons. Often, they’re already interested in running, swimming or cycling and they want to push themselves further. It could also be that you want to mix it up a bit to keep things interesting – competing in a sport with three disciplines certainly does that!
Triathlon races in the South East
There’s a full calendar of events across the region every year. In Kent, there’s the Channel Triathlon which starts off in the English Channel in Folkestone. There are also several races per year in the lake, grounds and surrounding roads of Hever Castle, as well as others in Herne Bay, Deal, Laybourne Lakes and Gravesend’s Cyclopark. The best place to look is the events section of the British Triathlon website.
A great way to get a taste for Tri is by going to a training session run by your local club, the two biggest local clubs to us are:
Clubs often run a local calendar of separate running, swimming and cycling events to allow you to hone your individual skills before race day. Talking to clubmates is a great way to get first-hand advice on training, technique, equipment and entering competitions.
What is a triathlon bike?
The riding section of a triathlon requires a bike that’s very aerodynamic and puts the rider in an aero position to slice through the air. A dedicated Triathlon or TT bike will usually be lightweight, but the main focus is on aerodynamics. The bike will feature aerofoil-shaped tubing and an upright seat post to push the rider forward into a more aggressive and aerodynamic body position, optimised for power output. One of the most noticeable features is the cockpit set-up, with the standard road drop bars replaced with aero bars or “tri bars”, these bars bring the riders arms together and narrow their profile into a more aero shape. The wheels will be lightweight and will often be deep section or even have a solid disc rear wheel. Triathlon bikes are designed and built for speed in a straight line so they can feel less agile when it comes to cornering and climbing.
Triathlon bikes from ACTIV Cycles
Trek Speed Concept
This is an all-out speed machine for people who are looking for the best bike for triathlon or time trial racing as it’s a premium machine that’s solely for this kind of riding. It has a super-aerodynamic, lightweight carbon frame and ergonomic design for a streamlined riding position. Put simply, it’s the fastest bike Trek have ever tested in a wind tunnel and is 6 minutes faster over an Ironman distance than the previous Speed Concept. The range runs from the entry-level model at £4,600 up to the SLR 9 (with Shimano Dura-Ace) and the SLR 9 AXS, which both cost £13,400.
Trek Madone
Madone is Trek’s road bike that’s built for speed, with the latest generation having the distinctive IsoFlow frame design that combines aerodynamics with comfort in a distinctive seat tube design. It has a carbon frame with race geometry throughout the range. Madone is a great choice if you want a bike that’ll do the business in triathlons with the addition of some clip on bars, but is happy in standard road bike races or smashing out the miles on your local roads. The range starts at the Madone SL 6 at £4,800 and runs to the SLR 9 AXS Gen 7 at £14,500.
Any bike with modifications
In reality, you can ride any bike on a triathlon and we’ve even seen someone compete on a Shopper! If you’re less serious about racing or you’re just starting out, you could easily ride something like a Trek Emonda or Cervelo Caledonia and apply a few modifications.
Such as:
- Detachable tri bars
- Deep section wheels, such as these from Zipp
- Extra storage for water and food, like this Bontrager top tube bag
If you’re thinking of entering a triathlon any would like some advice on bikes and training, pop in to see us in our Ashford or Folkestone store.
