TRIATHLON EQUIPMENT...swim equipment, bicycle indoor training stands, cheap triathlon bikes, and more

It just amazes me to see all the equipment options available to the triathletes of today. When I think back to the early days of Ironman, there sure were limited choices.

It makes sense I suppose because what manufacturer would take a chance on a sport that was so new? For instance how could they possibly know how important aero-bars, titanium, tri-suits, or how important triathlon wetsuits would become?

When I took the plunge(so to speak)and entered Ironman Hawaii in 1984 on a hope and a prayer it was pretty well impossible to find any triathlon equipment here at home in Calgary. As a matter of face it was pretty well impossible to find anywhere in the world.

I bought my very first pair of tri-shorts from a guy from the U.S. who was selling them out of his hotel room in Kona. That was two days before my first Ironman.

TRIATHLON RUN-EQUIPMENT

I remember going into one running store and asking if they had any triathlon shorts and they looked at me like I had an eye in the middle of my forehead.

There simply was no running gear yet manufactured with the Ironman or triathlon in general in mind. So basically it was hit or miss trying to find triathlon gear for racing or training. but today it's far different and there are many choices when it comes to triathlon run equipment.

TRIATHLON SWIM-EQUIPMENT

Wetsuits were another huge problem, especially if you happened to live in a colder climate. Usually it meant doing the majority of swim training in the pool.

The wetsuit hadn't really been invented back in the early 80's and the best you could expect to find in a scuba shop was a "dry suit" that weighed about 200 pounds.

Then of course there was something called the "Farmer-John" suit that some water-skiers wore but they offered pretty much zero protection from the cold.

Today a triathlon wetsuit sale can always be found somewhere and many online stores specialize in triathlon wetsuit reviews and explaining the difference in the different brands of wetsuits and finding quality swim equipment is no longer a problem.

TRIATHLON BIKE-EQUIPMENT

It didn't take all that long to find out about the triathlon bikes on the market back then because like most other triathlon equipment there were none to choose from.

Basically you got yourself a road-bike that weighed about the same as a Volkswagen. Aero-bars? Forget it. There were no aero-bars, clipless pedals, bike computers, titanium, or any other little extras that come with most basic triathlon bikes these days.

Today there are stores full of triathlon-specific cycling gear and a person can spend anywhere for a few hundred dollars for a much used triathlon bike up to thousands of dollars for the best the biking world has to offer. It can be a daunting task to wade through all the bike-equipment choices available today.

TRIATHLON BIKES

There are several things to consider when picking out your first triathlon bike. First of all, most people do not realize the subtle difference between a road bike and a triathlon bike.

They are configured differently and today's "triathlon bikes" are more for straight ahead riding as opposed to a road bike that is much more forgiving when it comes to cornering and over- all maneuverability. A specifically designed triathlon bike might not necessarily be the best choice for the novice triathlete who is new to biking.

TRIATHLON BIKE FIT

While you are in the process of finding yourself a triathlon bike, don't forget about proper bike fit. Regardless of how much you spend on a bike, it's ultimately how well it fits you that might well dictate how well your training and racing goes.

If it costs a bit extra to have a professional fit you properly to the bike of your choice then consider it money well spent. A proper bike fit will do wonders for your your triathlon training, racing and recovery.

CHEAP TRIATHLON BIKES

Cheap triathlon bikes are different things to different people. Cheap does not mean poorly constructed in this case. It means "cost-effective".

Trust me when I say that you can do just as well in a triathlon of any distance with a used triathlon bike as you can with a brand-spanking-new state-of-the-art titanium-framed Italian bike with a name you can't pronounce.

There is an old saying that is powerful and makes a solid point:

"A good carpenter doesn't blame anything on his tools".

So it might be wise to at least consider cheaper triathlon bikes if you are just starting out in triathlon or are on a tight budget.

BICYCLE INDOOR TRAINING STAND

It's not always possible or time-efficient for many people who want to take up triathlon to find time to bike outside. Many city-dwellers have to load up their bikes and head out of the city to somewhere with less traffic to do their bike training.

This does not have to mean that you can't take up the sport. Do what many triathletes choose to do and set up your bike in your home on a wind-trainer and do your bike training when it's most convenient to you.

A bicycle indoor training stand might be the perfect alternative.

LOW BUDGET IRONMAN

Actually, there's so much different triathlon gear for triathletes to choose from these days that I can see where it can be a bit much for the first time triathete/Ironman when it comes to making the right choices.

The best the world has to offer in the lightest, fastest wetsuits, state-of-the-art bikes, and high tech nutrition is at your finger-tips.

Although it can be a bit overwhelming, just do your homework when you're looking to gear-up and be sure to make full use of the internet when searching out your triathlon gear. There's some excellent deals out there and knowledgeable suppliers who will give you great service.

You can get as fancy and expensive as you want. The sky's pretty well the limit if money is no object. However, I will suggest to you some of the the basic gear I would recommend for each discipline. It is up to the individual just how much they are comfortable with spending on their triathlon racing and training gear.

Some of the equipment I mention will be for training--some will be for race day--and some will be for both, but if your triathlon budget is a bit tight, there are always alternative choices.

GIFTS FOR TRIATHLETES

The sport of triathlon is so huge and growing every day by leaps and bounds that pretty well everyone who is not involved in triathlon in some way most likely knows someone who is.

If that's the case then it's always important to know what to buy that person when it comes to Christmas and birthdays. You can't really go wrong by visiting your local triathlon shop. Gifts for triathletes can come in so many forms. They can be anything from a great triathlon book to a new bike computer and everything in between.

GIFTS FOR WOMEN TRIATHLETES

Sometimes the woman triathlete might be interested in a triathlon-related gift that might not appeal to males quite as much. For instance spa treatments or massage therapy as a reward for all that racing and training.

So keep in mind that there are many special gifts for women triathletes to consider.

Swim Equipment

Bike Equipment

Run Equipment

Triathlon Bikes

First Triathlon Bike

Cheap Triathlon Bikes

Ironman Bike Fit

Bicycle Indoor Training Stand

Low Budget Ironman

Gifts For Triathletes

Gifts For Women Triathletes

Triathlon Equipment Back To Ironstruck Home Page

I hope you take the opportunity to have this 7 Part e-Course articles sent to you. You will receive one every three days so you can have a glimpse of what you can expect on your Ironman journey. Besides, it's free and we all know there's just not enough free stuff in the world today.