Choosing Your First Triathlon Bike

Trying your first tri? So many different bikes and so much confusion. Here is where to begin and what to choose — without overspending on day one.

The bike you start on should match where you are today, not where you hope to be in two years. Ride within your budget, learn the skills, and upgrade when the bike — not the bank balance — becomes the thing holding you back.

Where to begin, by level

• Absolute newbie to cycling — roll with a commuter upgraded with road tyres. Cheap, familiar, and enough to learn on.
• Comfortable with drop handlebars, on a budget — step into the bike leg on an aluminium road frame.
• Budget for something speedy, but want just one bike — go for a carbon aero road frame.
• A genuine need for speed — enter the speed beast: the tri bike.

We teach you about bikes, bikes and more bikes — the components, the fit, the size… one baby step at a time.

At camp, the bike leg is led by Ankush Sharma and supported by Naveen Raj. We start with fit and handling, not gear lust — because confidence and control matter far more than the frame under you.

Adapted from our Instagram — watch the full breakdown.