So, Part III

O.K., the dreaded swim is over and we're now safely cruising along on our high speed aerodynamic velocipede. Wait, wait, lets back up a second. Look at the title above. Yea, I did a bit of plagiarism from Lance Armstrong's book, which, by the way, is a great inspirational read. But I digress. It really isn't so much about the bike as it is about the "engine" (that's you dummy) and picking the right bike, components, etc. Lets deal with the last first.

Simply put, if you're going to do a triathlon, your going to need a bike (duh). And most any bike will do. Yes you can go out and spend more than you would for a decent used car on a new gee whiz flyer but do you really need to? Nope. If you have a bike, great. If not the first thing you must do is determine what size you need and what type bike; i.e., road, mountain, hybrid, tricycle.

Most triathlons allow almost any type of bike (except recumbents) and many tris have a separate class for mountain/fat tire bikes. So if you have one of these and you want to do your first tri on it, go for it. If you need or want a new bike don't go rushing off to your local bike shop since they will want to sell you a bike, any bike and usually the most expensive bike. Do some research first to determine what you need in terms of size and budget.

As far as size is concerned, a good rule of thumb is multiplying your inseam length by 65%. You'll have to convert the number to centimeters since that's the measurement used for most bikes.

There are several internet sites that sell used bikes and bike components. Two that come to mind are news:rec.bicycles.marketplace and www.roadbikerreview.com . Once you determine your size you can shop the used arena for some great values.

Other items of consideration are bike components, frame material and frame geometry. All are fairly lengthy topics that I would be glad to discuss with you privately should you need additional information.

Once you have the bike the next and most important topic is bike fit. If you're not fitted properly cycling can become fairly painful. Fit is also a topic that is fairly lengthy and again I will be glad to help anyone interested in getting fit properly on their bike. If you purchase through your local bike shop they should fit you properly. Unfortunately some shops don't have the expertise especially when it comes to fitting someone competing in triathlons. Tri fit is considerably different from road touring.

O.K., so much for the bike how about the engine. Cycling training is similar to running in that you need to establish a base and then include quality work. While cycling is a bit more technical than running these basic principles are similar. Once your base is established you should include hill training (yea, for us its causeways), tempo rides and intervals. A good reference source for bike training as well as swimming and running is "The Triathlete's Training Bible" by Joel Friel If you're looking towards a sprint tri you should work up to riding 2-3 times/week for approximately 30 - 45 minutes with one ride about 1:30 in length. The :30 - 45 minute rides should include intensity while the long ride focus is endurance.

The last topic is, in my estimation, the most important and that is where to ride and with whom. Florida is not a very bicycle friendly state. Hardly a day goes by when the local newspaper doesn't report a bicycle/automobile mishap and in ALL cases the cyclist is the looser; sadly in many cases fatally. The following are some rules of the road that I live by (literally) and will in some cases save your arse:

1. Ride with traffic - it's Florida law.

2. Obey traffic signals/stop signs. Again Florida law. I know you've seen cyclists blasting through Stop Signs and Red lights. Trust me they're just asking for serious injury. (Roadie Geeks as they are often called!)

3. If you're riding with other people, ride single file. Florida law requires that cyclists do not impede auto traffic.

4. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET-also required in races!

5. If you get into a hissing contest (and you will) with a automobile driver who almost ran into you try and control your emotions and your middle digit. Education is better than altercation. If you think you're pissed off so is the other guy and worst of all, if an argument ensues, he will now hate all cyclists. Just wave and tell him to say hi to his mom!

6. Don't ride at night or under low light conditions unless you are very well illuminated. That means having forward and rear lights not just reflectors.

To avoid #5 above the following areas/routes I have found to be the best so far as limited traffic and having the best scenery for riding. These of course are not all inclusive and I'm sure there are many other areas in the county that from a scenic/safety standpoint, should be included. As a general rule of thumb I try to stay on roads with paved shoulders although some of the routes below are not so endowed:

1. S. Tropical Trail from Pineda to Mathers Bridge. Going north of Pineda is risky during the week but o.k. on Sundays. 10 miles of great time trialing on week days.

2. Rockledge Drive and Indian River Drive. 28 miles round trip and drop dead gorgeous. One of the favorite routes of cyclist and traffic is generally bicycle friendly.

3. Suntree/Viera out to Stadium Road. You can tie this in with #2 above and really have a long ride.

4. Cocoa Beach A1A south to Melbourne Beach. Nice paved shoulder that you can actually take all the way to Ft. Pierce if you're so inclined.

5. N. Tropical Trail north of 528. This eventually connects with Courtney and you can head out to the Space Center.

Last subject, riding with a group. Its fun, the time goes by faster but it can also be hazardous to your health as well as those in your group. I suggest starting with a few (3-4) others that are experienced cyclists and who can teach you the etiquette of group rides. The Space Coast Freewheelers is a local club (www.spacecoastfreewheelers.com) that have groups rides for beginners and touring cyclists. They are always happy to help the newbies. Check their web site for dates, and the locations of their rides which are generally held one or more times each week. For faster group riding, check with Bob's Bicycle Shops for times and locations.