Triathlon equipment
Encyclopedia
The special needs of triathlon
competitions have led to the development of a whole range of specialized clothing and equipment.
Any artificial propulsion device, e.g. fin
, sock, glove, paddle or flotation device except a wet suit, is prohibited. Snorkels, however, are a gray area. Triathlon Canada, Australia Triathlon, USAT and ITU do not specifically disallow snorkels. British Triathlon does not list snorkels as part of the accepted equipment, thus they are disallowed.
Because most triathlon swim stages are conducted in open waters (lakes, rivers, or oceans) which are often cold, many early races allowed wetsuit
s. However, typical wetsuits manufactured for snorkeling
or water skiing
are not optimal for triathlon, because the sleeves generally restrict the range of motion too much for comfortable stroking during the swim. Modern triathlon wetsuits were invented by Dan Empfield
in 1987 and are customized to the needs of triathletes, and generally incorporate the following features:
In addition, tri wetsuits have a very smooth, but often fragile, surface. This slick surface helps to reduce water friction and allow a faster swim, but it would be easily destroyed by contact with a sandy surfboard. Another advantage of a wetsuit is the added buoyancy. It provides triathletes with a considerable advantage.
Rules vary by event, but typically wetsuits are allowed only if the water temperature is below a specified threshold on the day of the event (e.g. 78 °F, 26°C). Any athlete has the option of wearing another style of swimsuit allowed by the rules at any temperature.
Unfortunately, most triathletes do not have the luxury of an open water swim environment near where they train, and year-round outside training can be difficult in cold climates. Several swim training products have been created to address this issue including ergometers like the Vasa Swim Trainer or compact swimming treadmills like Endless Pools.
Trisuits may also be used for the swim, bike, and run. They are made out of a swimsuit material and usually have some form of chamois.
s are a variant of road-racing bicycle
s, designed primarily to optimize aerodynamics
. Since in most triathlons, cyclists do not draft
as in many other forms of road racing, triathletes can gain a significant advantage by riding a bicycle which reduces wind resistance. The most obvious features of a triathlon bicycle are the handlebars, commonly known as "aero-bars" (see below).
In addition, many components of a triathlon bicycle are designed with an aerodynamic profile: frame tubes
have an oval or teardrop (instead of circular) cross-section; handlebars
may be flat instead of round; wheels
may have fewer spokes, or even be carbon fiber tri-spokes or discs rather than conventional spoked wheels. Lastly, a number of "radical" bicycle frames that are illegal in road cycling are still legal in triathlon, so "nontraditional" frame designs are also common, including Zipp 2001
, Softride, and Kestrel.
Tri bikes generally have a very "aggressive" geometry, meaning steep (close to vertical) tube angles and a low stem and handlebars relative to the saddle. This position helps to improve aerodynamics by lowering the cyclist's torso and creating a smaller overall "drag profile". In addition, many triathletes feel cycling in this position helps preserve the muscles used in running by emphasizing pedaling with non-running muscle groups.
The concept of a tri specific bicycle was pioneered by Ralph Ray and Dan Empfield
in the late 1980s. Tri bikes are generally very similar to time trial bicycle
s used in time trial
races. In 1989, Empfield designed the Quintana Roo
Superform, a triathlon specific bicycle "built from the aerobars back" which provided an aerodynamic advantage as well as more power when in the "aero" position. Empfield's bike had 650c wheels and an 80 degree seat angle which was unique to the period. Many professional triathletes were skeptical of the "steep" design at first but when Ray Browning
rode it at Ironman New Zealand breaking the bike and overall course records and left the bike leg with a 30 minute lead over rival Scott Tinley
, the concepts were here to stay.
designed to reduce the cyclist's wind profile. Triathlon played a key role in the development of cycling with an aero geometry during the 1980s. Aerobars are used in other forms of cycling, such as time trials and some events in track cycling.
Instead of the familiar curved "drop bars" of road bicycles, aerobars are mounted to a set of "pace bars" or "bull-horns". A pair of bars stretches straight forward from the center of these handlebars at the stem of the fork. Padded cups or pads in the middle of the bars support the athlete's elbows and/or forearms while the hands are stretched forward to hold the center bars. This position keeps the rider's elbows in close to the body and lowers his or her torso compared to the usual upright position.
The brake levers are mounted on the side horns; the rider will hold these instead of the center bars when braking or maneuvering is required. Often the shifters
for the derailleur gears
are mounted at the tips of the aero bars allowing the athlete to change gear ratios without compromising their aerodynamic position.
Riding with aerobars is facilitated by adopting a steep seat-tube angle, often referred to as an "aggressive" geometry. The forward nature of this positioning is not as easy to control as traditional seat tube angle and upright position. Maneuverability is compromised for an aerodynamic body position when a bike is fitted with low aerobars.
The International Triathlon Union
regulates the size of aerobars used in competition for draft-legal races. Triathlons allowing drafting
promote cycling as a group on the cycle leg of the triathlon, allowing athletes to compete with a very aggressive geometry compromises safety as maneuverability is reduced. Professional triathletes competing in these races use "shorty" aerobars mounted on traditional drop handlebars.
used in racing, with automatic binding cleats (clipless) that snap the cyclist's feet to the pedals
. Tri shoes are often optimized for this approach: they may be padded to allow comfortable use without socks, have holes to allow water from the swim to drain easily, and have only one or two velcro
straps for ease of fastening rather than the three straps, laces, or ratcheting buckles found on modern road racing shoes. It is not uncommon for the Velcro straps used to close from the outside of the foot inwards, this non-traditional configuration keeps the opened straps away from the chain and bicycles, preventing the possibility of entangling them if pedaling with unstrapped shoes early or late in the race.
Many competitive triathletes choose to leave their shoes clipped onto the pedals for the entire duration of the race in order to save time during transitions. This means the athlete is jumping onto the bicycle with wet, bare feet after the swim, and will pedal up to a reasonable speed, with his or her feet sitting on top of the shoes, before pausing to slip the feet inside the shoes and fasten them. Likewise, the athlete will pull his or her feet out of the shoes while coasting up to the bike-run transition area and run barefoot into the transition corral rather than attempt to run on the awkward metal cycling cleats.
As with everything else, triathletes often strive to make their water bottles as aerodynamic as possible, and often to reduce the need to reach for a water bottle - which may interrupt pedaling and slow the racer down. Triathletes have tried placing water bottles in unusual locations, such as in a bracket behind the saddle, on the theory that the bottles are shielded from the wind by the body. However, a recent wind-tunnel study by Triathlete Magazine discovered that this approach is actually counterproductive because it interrupts the laminar flow
of air down the athlete's curved back. A 2003, wind tunnel study by Dan Empfield found that the best configuration was a single water bottle on the bike's downtube (it smoothed airflow to the seat tube and rear wheel). This caused less drag than having no waterbottle at all. The most drag was 2 water bottles; one on the down tube and one on the seat tube.
A number of products have been created to satisfy triathlete's demands for aerodynamic hydration systems. Examples include the Aerodrink system by Profile Design, an aero bottle that hangs from the handlebars with a straw so the athlete can drink without using his hands; and the Neverreach system, a teardrop-shaped reservoir mounted behind the seat with a tube running up to the handlebars.
exist for racing bicycles. Some (such as wheels with an aerodynamic ring, flat spokes, and fewer spokes than the traditional 32) are legal for use in most cycling events, while others such as carbon-fiber tri-spokes (wheels with only three large, rigid spokes) generally are only legal in triathlons and time-trials. Typically wheels that are lighter are preferred and, although this is an obvious consideration, it is not the only one. Higher profile wheels (larger rim) are conducive to laminar flow of air past them more so than traditional thin rimmed wheels.
Solid disc wheels are used as well, though in outdoor settings these are generally not used on the front wheel because they are difficult to handle in crosswinds. Disc wheels provide a significant aerodynamic advantage when mounted on the rear wheel improving laminar flow over the rear half of the bike. Recent developments in technology have given rise to disc wheels with a dimpled surface like a golf ball, also in the name of aerodynamics. Disc wheels are not permitted at the Ironman World Championships in Kona Hawaii, as large crosswinds are not uncommon and present an unsafe situation to athletes.
Some triathlon bikes use 650c wheels (a nominal diameter of 65 centimeters) rather than the conventional 700c wheels used on nearly all road bikes. The smaller wheels weigh less, have a smaller cross-sectional area (reducing wind resistance), and reduce the overall wind resistance of the bicycle by bringing the frame and cyclist closer to the ground. A potential drawback is that the smaller diameter means a higher curvature at the tire's
contact patch
, which increases rolling resistance
. Which effect is more prominent depends on the cyclist and the windiness and steepness of the course.
which run inside the bicycle frame, and components of all sorts made from carbon fiber composite rather than steel or aluminum, in order to save weight.
. This allows them to pre-set the tension of the laces but then to pull on the shoes without stopping to tie the laces. This saves a few seconds of time during the bike-to-run transition.
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
competitions have led to the development of a whole range of specialized clothing and equipment.
Triathlon-specific swim equipment
Typical equipment for a swim includes a cap, goggles and a swimsuit and/or wetsuit. Usually, participants must wear a swim cap provided by the event. For safety reasons, the swim caps are generally brightly colored for high visibility. The colors may categorize swimmers by event (e.g. Olympic, Sprint) or by heat.Any artificial propulsion device, e.g. fin
Swimfin
Swimfins, swim fins, fins or flippers are worn on the foot or leg and made from finlike rubber or plastic, to aid movement through the water in water sports activities such as swimming, bodyboarding, bodysurfing, kneeboarding, riverboarding, and various types of underwater diving.Scuba divers use...
, sock, glove, paddle or flotation device except a wet suit, is prohibited. Snorkels, however, are a gray area. Triathlon Canada, Australia Triathlon, USAT and ITU do not specifically disallow snorkels. British Triathlon does not list snorkels as part of the accepted equipment, thus they are disallowed.
Because most triathlon swim stages are conducted in open waters (lakes, rivers, or oceans) which are often cold, many early races allowed wetsuit
Wetsuit
A wetsuit is a garment, usually made of foamed neoprene, which is worn by surfers, divers, windsurfers, canoeists, and others engaged in water sports, providing thermal insulation, abrasion resistance and buoyancy. The insulation properties depend on bubbles of gas enclosed within the material,...
s. However, typical wetsuits manufactured for snorkeling
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn...
or water skiing
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
are not optimal for triathlon, because the sleeves generally restrict the range of motion too much for comfortable stroking during the swim. Modern triathlon wetsuits were invented by Dan Empfield
Dan Empfield
Dan Empfield is an entrepreneur in the world of multisport, inventor of the 'triathlon wetsuit' in 1987, and the "tri-specific racing bike" in 1989. The original designs were manufactured by the Quintana Roo company, which he founded in 1987....
in 1987 and are customized to the needs of triathletes, and generally incorporate the following features:
- Thinner and/or more pliable rubber near the shoulders, sleeveless versions are also available.
- Long zippers and sometimes wrist/ankle zippers to facilitate quick removal during transition.
In addition, tri wetsuits have a very smooth, but often fragile, surface. This slick surface helps to reduce water friction and allow a faster swim, but it would be easily destroyed by contact with a sandy surfboard. Another advantage of a wetsuit is the added buoyancy. It provides triathletes with a considerable advantage.
Rules vary by event, but typically wetsuits are allowed only if the water temperature is below a specified threshold on the day of the event (e.g. 78 °F, 26°C). Any athlete has the option of wearing another style of swimsuit allowed by the rules at any temperature.
Unfortunately, most triathletes do not have the luxury of an open water swim environment near where they train, and year-round outside training can be difficult in cold climates. Several swim training products have been created to address this issue including ergometers like the Vasa Swim Trainer or compact swimming treadmills like Endless Pools.
Trisuits may also be used for the swim, bike, and run. They are made out of a swimsuit material and usually have some form of chamois.
Triathlon bicycles
Triathlon bicycleBicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
s are a variant of road-racing bicycle
Racing bicycle
A racing bicycle, also known as a road bike, is a bicycle designed for competitive road cycling, a sport governed by according to the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale...
s, designed primarily to optimize aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
. Since in most triathlons, cyclists do not draft
Drafting (racing)
Drafting or slipstreaming is a technique where two vehicles or other moving objects are caused to align in a close group reducing the overall effect of drag due to exploiting the lead object's slipstream...
as in many other forms of road racing, triathletes can gain a significant advantage by riding a bicycle which reduces wind resistance. The most obvious features of a triathlon bicycle are the handlebars, commonly known as "aero-bars" (see below).
In addition, many components of a triathlon bicycle are designed with an aerodynamic profile: frame tubes
Bicycle frame
A bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, on to which wheels and other components are fitted. The modern and most common frame design for an upright bicycle is based on the safety bicycle, and consists of two triangles, a main triangle and a paired rear triangle...
have an oval or teardrop (instead of circular) cross-section; handlebars
Bicycle handlebar
Bicycle handlebar or often bicycle handlebars refers to the steering mechanism for bicycles; the equivalent of a steering wheel. Besides steering, handlebars also often support a portion of the rider's weight, depending on their riding position, and provide a convenient mounting place for brake...
may be flat instead of round; wheels
Bicycle wheel
A bicycle wheel is a wheel, most commonly a wire wheel, designed for bicycle. A pair is often called a wheelset, especially in the context of ready built "off the shelf" performance-oriented wheels....
may have fewer spokes, or even be carbon fiber tri-spokes or discs rather than conventional spoked wheels. Lastly, a number of "radical" bicycle frames that are illegal in road cycling are still legal in triathlon, so "nontraditional" frame designs are also common, including Zipp 2001
Zipp 2001
Zipp 2001 and 3001 were a line of bicycle frames, now discontinued, made by the Zipp company. While they have been out of production for 7 years, they are still considered one of the fastest time trial frames ever made, and still have a cult following within triathlon, where they remain...
, Softride, and Kestrel.
Tri bikes generally have a very "aggressive" geometry, meaning steep (close to vertical) tube angles and a low stem and handlebars relative to the saddle. This position helps to improve aerodynamics by lowering the cyclist's torso and creating a smaller overall "drag profile". In addition, many triathletes feel cycling in this position helps preserve the muscles used in running by emphasizing pedaling with non-running muscle groups.
The concept of a tri specific bicycle was pioneered by Ralph Ray and Dan Empfield
Dan Empfield
Dan Empfield is an entrepreneur in the world of multisport, inventor of the 'triathlon wetsuit' in 1987, and the "tri-specific racing bike" in 1989. The original designs were manufactured by the Quintana Roo company, which he founded in 1987....
in the late 1980s. Tri bikes are generally very similar to time trial bicycle
Time trial bicycle
A time trial bicycle is a racing bicycle designed for use in an individual or team time trials raced on roads. Special time trial bikes also exist for use in a velodrome....
s used in time trial
Individual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
races. In 1989, Empfield designed the Quintana Roo
Quintana Roo (company)
Quintana Roo is a company that produces products for triathlon, primarily bicycles and wetsuits. The company was founded in 1987 by Dan Empfield of Ironman fame and is owned by the American Bicycle Group, LLC...
Superform, a triathlon specific bicycle "built from the aerobars back" which provided an aerodynamic advantage as well as more power when in the "aero" position. Empfield's bike had 650c wheels and an 80 degree seat angle which was unique to the period. Many professional triathletes were skeptical of the "steep" design at first but when Ray Browning
Ray Browning
Ray Browning is a fitness expert, biomechanist and former professional triathlete. He focuses on motivating and educating people to live healthly and active lifestyles....
rode it at Ironman New Zealand breaking the bike and overall course records and left the bike leg with a 30 minute lead over rival Scott Tinley
Scott Tinley
Scott Tinley is a former professional triathlete and two-time winner of the Hawaii Ironman endurance race. In the eighties Tinley dominated the sport ot triathlon together with Mark Allen, Dave Scott and Scott Molina. Tinley was inducted into the Ironman Hall of Fame in 1996.Now retired, Scott is...
, the concepts were here to stay.
Aerobars
Aerobars, also commonly referred to as "tri-bars," are handlebarsBicycle handlebar
Bicycle handlebar or often bicycle handlebars refers to the steering mechanism for bicycles; the equivalent of a steering wheel. Besides steering, handlebars also often support a portion of the rider's weight, depending on their riding position, and provide a convenient mounting place for brake...
designed to reduce the cyclist's wind profile. Triathlon played a key role in the development of cycling with an aero geometry during the 1980s. Aerobars are used in other forms of cycling, such as time trials and some events in track cycling.
Instead of the familiar curved "drop bars" of road bicycles, aerobars are mounted to a set of "pace bars" or "bull-horns". A pair of bars stretches straight forward from the center of these handlebars at the stem of the fork. Padded cups or pads in the middle of the bars support the athlete's elbows and/or forearms while the hands are stretched forward to hold the center bars. This position keeps the rider's elbows in close to the body and lowers his or her torso compared to the usual upright position.
The brake levers are mounted on the side horns; the rider will hold these instead of the center bars when braking or maneuvering is required. Often the shifters
Shifter (bicycle part)
A bicycle shifter or gear control or gear levers is a component used to control the gearing mechanisms and select the desired gear ratio. Typically, they operate either a derailleur mechanism or an internal hub gear mechanism. In either case, the control is operated by moving a cable that connects...
for the derailleur gears
Derailleur gears
Derailleur gears are a variable-ratio transmission system commonly used on bicycles, consisting of a chain, multiple sprockets of different sizes, and a mechanism to move the chain from one sprocket to another...
are mounted at the tips of the aero bars allowing the athlete to change gear ratios without compromising their aerodynamic position.
Riding with aerobars is facilitated by adopting a steep seat-tube angle, often referred to as an "aggressive" geometry. The forward nature of this positioning is not as easy to control as traditional seat tube angle and upright position. Maneuverability is compromised for an aerodynamic body position when a bike is fitted with low aerobars.
The International Triathlon Union
International Triathlon Union
The International Triathlon Union or ITU is the international governing body for the multi-sport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and other nonstandard variations...
regulates the size of aerobars used in competition for draft-legal races. Triathlons allowing drafting
Drafting (racing)
Drafting or slipstreaming is a technique where two vehicles or other moving objects are caused to align in a close group reducing the overall effect of drag due to exploiting the lead object's slipstream...
promote cycling as a group on the cycle leg of the triathlon, allowing athletes to compete with a very aggressive geometry compromises safety as maneuverability is reduced. Professional triathletes competing in these races use "shorty" aerobars mounted on traditional drop handlebars.
Triathlon shoes
Triathlon shoes are similar to other forms of cycling shoeCycling shoe
Cycling shoes are shoes purpose-built for cycling. There are a variety of designs depending on the type and intensity of the cycling for which they are intended. Key features include rigidity, for more-efficient transfer of power from the cyclist to the pedals, weight, a method of attaching the...
used in racing, with automatic binding cleats (clipless) that snap the cyclist's feet to the pedals
Bicycle pedal
A bicycle pedal is the part of a bicycle that the rider pushes with their foot to propel the bicycle. It provides the connection between the cyclist's foot or shoe and the crank allowing the leg to turn the bottom bracket spindle and propel the bicycle's wheels...
. Tri shoes are often optimized for this approach: they may be padded to allow comfortable use without socks, have holes to allow water from the swim to drain easily, and have only one or two velcro
Velcro
Velcro is the brand name of the first commercially marketed fabric hook-and-loop fastener, invented in 1948 by the Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral...
straps for ease of fastening rather than the three straps, laces, or ratcheting buckles found on modern road racing shoes. It is not uncommon for the Velcro straps used to close from the outside of the foot inwards, this non-traditional configuration keeps the opened straps away from the chain and bicycles, preventing the possibility of entangling them if pedaling with unstrapped shoes early or late in the race.
Many competitive triathletes choose to leave their shoes clipped onto the pedals for the entire duration of the race in order to save time during transitions. This means the athlete is jumping onto the bicycle with wet, bare feet after the swim, and will pedal up to a reasonable speed, with his or her feet sitting on top of the shoes, before pausing to slip the feet inside the shoes and fasten them. Likewise, the athlete will pull his or her feet out of the shoes while coasting up to the bike-run transition area and run barefoot into the transition corral rather than attempt to run on the awkward metal cycling cleats.
Hydration systems
Laminar flow
Laminar flow, sometimes known as streamline flow, occurs when a fluid flows in parallel layers, with no disruption between the layers. At low velocities the fluid tends to flow without lateral mixing, and adjacent layers slide past one another like playing cards. There are no cross currents...
of air down the athlete's curved back. A 2003, wind tunnel study by Dan Empfield found that the best configuration was a single water bottle on the bike's downtube (it smoothed airflow to the seat tube and rear wheel). This caused less drag than having no waterbottle at all. The most drag was 2 water bottles; one on the down tube and one on the seat tube.
A number of products have been created to satisfy triathlete's demands for aerodynamic hydration systems. Examples include the Aerodrink system by Profile Design, an aero bottle that hangs from the handlebars with a straw so the athlete can drink without using his hands; and the Neverreach system, a teardrop-shaped reservoir mounted behind the seat with a tube running up to the handlebars.
Wheels
A vast array of low-weight and/or aerodynamic wheelsBicycle wheel
A bicycle wheel is a wheel, most commonly a wire wheel, designed for bicycle. A pair is often called a wheelset, especially in the context of ready built "off the shelf" performance-oriented wheels....
exist for racing bicycles. Some (such as wheels with an aerodynamic ring, flat spokes, and fewer spokes than the traditional 32) are legal for use in most cycling events, while others such as carbon-fiber tri-spokes (wheels with only three large, rigid spokes) generally are only legal in triathlons and time-trials. Typically wheels that are lighter are preferred and, although this is an obvious consideration, it is not the only one. Higher profile wheels (larger rim) are conducive to laminar flow of air past them more so than traditional thin rimmed wheels.
Solid disc wheels are used as well, though in outdoor settings these are generally not used on the front wheel because they are difficult to handle in crosswinds. Disc wheels provide a significant aerodynamic advantage when mounted on the rear wheel improving laminar flow over the rear half of the bike. Recent developments in technology have given rise to disc wheels with a dimpled surface like a golf ball, also in the name of aerodynamics. Disc wheels are not permitted at the Ironman World Championships in Kona Hawaii, as large crosswinds are not uncommon and present an unsafe situation to athletes.
Some triathlon bikes use 650c wheels (a nominal diameter of 65 centimeters) rather than the conventional 700c wheels used on nearly all road bikes. The smaller wheels weigh less, have a smaller cross-sectional area (reducing wind resistance), and reduce the overall wind resistance of the bicycle by bringing the frame and cyclist closer to the ground. A potential drawback is that the smaller diameter means a higher curvature at the tire's
Bicycle tire
A bicycle tire is a tire that fits on the wheel of a bicycle, unicycle, tricycle, quadracycle, bicycle trailer, or trailer bike. They may also be used on wheelchairs and handcycles, especially for racing...
contact patch
Contact patch
Contact patch is the portion of a vehicle's tire that is in actual contact with the road surface. It is most commonly used in the discussion of pneumatic tires, , where the term is strictly used to describe the portion of the tire’s tread that touches the road surface...
, which increases rolling resistance
Rolling resistance
Rolling resistance, sometimes called rolling friction or rolling drag, is the resistance that occurs when a round object such as a ball or tire rolls on a flat surface, in steady velocity straight line motion. It is caused mainly by the deformation of the object, the deformation of the surface, or...
. Which effect is more prominent depends on the cyclist and the windiness and steepness of the course.
Other components
Many triathletes can be quite fixated with improving the aerodynamics and lowering the weight of their bicycles. As a result, the triathlon industry has developed a whole host of components which improve myriad characteristics of the bicycle. Examples include chainrings which have no holes or gaps (increasing aerodynamics a minuscule amount at the cost of a few grams of weight), brake and shifter cablesBowden cable
A Bowden cable is a type of flexible cable used to transmit mechanical force or energy by the movement of an inner cable relative to a hollow outer cable housing...
which run inside the bicycle frame, and components of all sorts made from carbon fiber composite rather than steel or aluminum, in order to save weight.
Elastic shoelaces
Triathletes often lace their running shoes with elastic shoelacesShoelaces
Shoelaces, which are also called shoe-strings, shoe laces, or boot laces, are a system commonly used to secure shoes, boots and other footwear. They typically consist of a pair of strings or cords, one for each shoe, finished off at both ends with stiff sections, known as aglets...
. This allows them to pre-set the tension of the laces but then to pull on the shoes without stopping to tie the laces. This saves a few seconds of time during the bike-to-run transition.
Holes in sole of shoe
Shoes with holes in the bottom allow water to drain out so that they do not become saturated and heavy, which can happen in long races like Iron-Man and Half-Iron-Man and can become very painful and annoying. Triathlon running stages are generally held later on the day compared to running races, creating a hotter temperature. Certain triathlon specific brand shoes already have holes in them for drainage.Socks
Socks are avoided, especially on shorter races, to give faster transitions, as they are not legal in swimming. If they are used they should be fast to put on. Not using socks can cause abrasion which might be painful.External links
- Equipment Checklist - Raceday Equipment Checklist