Required Equipment:

• Helmets: this is the most important piece of bike equipment. The helmet must be CPSC certified, but there is no perfect way to know how good a helmet will be in a crash. New South Wales and Virgina Tech are generally recognized as having the most complete helmet safety testing systems. As a part of the UCD Triathlon team, you are likely investing tens of thousands of dollars into your brain as you pursue your degree, so we encourage you to not cut corners on a helmet. The Specialized Align II is the most popular helmet on our team and can be purchased for $65 at the time of writing.

• Bike**: this is the most expensive piece of triathlon equipment. High quality new bikes can typically be found for around $2,000, but it is generally better to buy used from Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace where high quality bikes can be found for around $500-1000. Triathlon/time trial specific bikes are faster in a straight line, but these are harder to handle and not great for riding with a team. Everyone should start out with regular road bike.

  • Fit is the most important thing about a bike and you should check the size guide of the respective brand before buying. The same size can fit different ways for different much like with running shoes.

  • The groupset (see table below) is the shifters, derailleurs, gears, and other components that allow you to pedal. This is the next most important part of a bike and determines how easy and smooth shifting will be. Shimano is the most common groupset and sets the standard for everything, but Sram is a large competitor. The only difference between most S-tier and B-tier groupsets is a small amount of weight and it is almost never worth it to pay extra for an S- or A-tier groupset if a cheaper option for B-tier is available. Newer Shimano C- and D-tier groupsets are nearly indistinguishable from Shimano 105, but they have fewer gears than B- through S-tier groupsets (rarely an issue). Di2 and AXS is Shimano and Sram’s respective designations for electronic groupsets, which is marginally better but typically not worth paying extra for. B-tier groupsets are ideal for most people.

  • Frame material is less important. Carbon frames are often marginally lighter and more aerodynamic, while aluminum frames are more damage resistant and cheaper. Carbon is the preferred material for most people but usually not worth paying extra for.

Recommended Equipment:

• Lights: while they do not prevent accidents, some drivers may have poor vision, be distracted, or are otherwise not driving carefully. A bike with a flashing light is a lot more visible than a bike without one, even during the day. Lights can be found on Amazon or in bike stores for ~$15 and rarely need to be replaces. Remember to keep them charged!

• Pedals, cleats, and shoes: the two main types are road and mountain bike (MTB) pedals. Road pedals provide a wider platform to push on and are slightly more comfortable, while MTB pedals are more versatile and easier to walk in. Road pedals and cleats can be distinguished by the 3-bolt hole design and MTB cleats have a 2-bolt hole design. Be sure that your shoes have the correct number of holes in the bottom; many shoes have both a 2- and 3-hole design that allows you to use both types of pedals with the same shoe.

• Aero bars**: these can make it more comfortable to hold a more aero position and typically increases speeds by ~1 mph

** We have loaners that team members can borrow