Tri/Duathalon transitions how do they work?

[jackh707]

I know there is dedicated thread but please help... first duathlon for me in about a month.

I have no idea about things like where you put your bike, what to wear, and how to transition? Do I just wear road cycling bib shorts and lycra and run in it?

thans

[Vladimir]

Bike goes on a rack (usually). Get out of your wetsuit, fling a top on if needed, stick helmet on, get riding. Loosen show straps as you come back in, fling helmet off, don shoes (I use flexi laces); if its not far, I don't wear socks; they take ages to put on wet feet!

Run to finish, fall over, become hooked.

[anonymous-user]

jackh707 said:

I know there is dedicated thread but please help... first duathlon for me in about a month.

I have no idea about things like where you put your bike, what to wear, and how to transition? Do I just wear road cycling bib shorts and lycra and run in it?

thans

you will rack your bike before the race, most people try to get as close to the entry point as possible to save pushing the bike through the transition area, the quicker you get rid of the bike, the quicker you are running through the transition and out. i'm not that competitive so stick it near the back and out of peoples way. Its also less crowded so you can find your slot when the faster guys are back and have racked up their bike.

remember you cant take off your helmet whilst touching the bike, some places are sticklers for this rule, other places arent so bad. this might give you a good idea of how the transition works at castle combe events. http://www.dbmax.co.uk/images/TransitionMap.pdf you bike in and out of the same way although its split into two lanes with cones.

as for what you wear, it depends on the length of the race but i find running in bibs far more comfortable than riding in running shorts and the flapping really annoys me so i wear a cycle jersey too. some people wear tri suits but i prefer the thicker pads on cycle shorts and i'm not paying for a tri suit i'll only wear a few times a year!

I assume you are wearing spd/clipless shoes, some people like to clip them in to the bike then rack it, i personally didnt get on with this method at all and just leave the shoes next to the bike ready. the idea being the shoes are open and you can jump on the bike and into the shoes at the same time, velcro them down and you're off, think dukes of hazzard style!... there is nothing worse than faffing with the velcro straps though as you teeter along out of transition so practice it first...

if you are pushing hard on the bike leg, you wont feel your legs for the first 500m of the second run, its a very strange sensation but they are there, just keep going. take on some fluid about 1km before the 2nd run leg too and a gel or something at the same time if you want to, it gives it time to settle before the run.

good luck

[Vladimir]

Yep the post ride "jelly legs" is very odd. Literally feels like you can't even walk, let alone run!

Highly recommend a number belt having wasted ages faffing with safety pins and number paper flappage.

[mondeoman]

^^^ wot vlad sed

Did a ride then a run yesterday, and trying to run for the first 2-3 mins was the weirdest feeling. Local triathlon shop also said that number belts are a great idea, save a lot of phaffin around.

[Jacobyte]

Get some decent tri shorts (I don't like onesie trisuits they're too much like a leotard and go up your crack whilst wedging your tackle apart), you can use them for normal running and swimming and cycle training. You can then layer as necessary in transition.

Always ensure your helmet is on and fastened if you are in contact with your bike.

I did a team duathlon in October and halfway through the second 5k run I looked at my teammate - he still had his helmet on .

[Fourmotion]

I wear a trisuit up to half ironman distance, they're so comfortable and hassle free. Nothing to faff around with in transition (it helps to have no shame). I can't run in bib shorts, they ride up too much and the padding feels too cumbersome. I've never have a problem with the minimal padding in the trisuits (up to about 100km), but to be honest that probably says a little bit too much about my under carriage!

Depending on the rules number belts can't be worn under your wetsuits, so make sure you stick it in your helmet in transition so you don't forget to put it on. (same with calf guards if you're wearing them).

I tend not to wear socks up to 10km, just elastic laces for easy on during T2.

I attach my bike shoes to the bike for 2 reasons:

1 - transitions can be vast, and running/walking with my shoes on is a nightmare - bare foot all the way
2 - you do them up whilst coasting, which is a small time saver over kneeling in the transition

Check out the transition early if you can. Placement can be important, but most races now have seperate entry / exit, and you will be pushing you bike an equal amount to everyone else, it will just vary whether that's at T1 or T2.

Don't panic. You don't have to rush anything.

[anonymous-user]

Fourmotion said:

Don't panic. You don't have to rush anything.

From experience, you can lose a lot more time than you can gain in a transition by trying to rush so staying calm is the best piece of advice to remember as well as being the most obvious!

[IroningMan]

My transition times would make a strong man cry, but I would add that it's a good idea to practice the process first, so you have an idea of how long it can take and what can go wrong; it's also a good idea to make sure you have a clear understanding of the rules - and especially where the mount/dismount lines are; and it's a bad idea to try something for the first time in a race.

If it's a duathlon then you also need to give some thought as to how you need to leave your running shoes/laces ready for the second run - don't just chuck them...

Oh, and you'd be amazed at how long it can take to put cycling gloves on to wet/sweaty hands - either wear them for the whole event or do without them altogether.

[Vladimir]

pablo said:

From experience, you can lose a lot more time than you can gain in a transition by trying to rush so staying calm is the best piece of advice to remember as well as being the most obvious!

Agreed - on my first tri, I wasted AGED trying to get socks on after the swim. On the third I got tangled up in my rubbishly applied (with safety pins!) number bit and ended up with it flapping throughout the whole ride. And it holed my top badly - DOH!