With all the gear available, there is so much information we could cover here. I'm generally going to focus on basic equipment, training, and the bike portion of the race.
Great resource for how-tos is Global Cycling Network channel on YouTube.
If you are confused by the terminology, see a diagram of terms here.
Equipment:
- Bike -- You can ride any kind of bike, but a road bike is a great "first bike" option.
- Helmet -- Either a road helmet or an aero helmet, but make sure it has the safety sticker. US races will not accept the European stickers, so consider that if you are buying a helmet here.
- Pedals -- You can use platform (regular) pedals or clipless pedals. The pedals will come with the required cleats, but make sure your shoes have the right attachment holes.
- Spare kit -- I put mine in a small bag that goes under my seat. Include a multitool, tube, CO2 gun, tire levers.
- Shoes -- There are road shoes, tri shoes, MTB shoes. Tri shoes will be easiest to get on and off.
- Bottles -- You'll want to have a bottle cage or two for water bottles while you are training. There are also bottles that go between the aerobars.
- Trainer/rollers -- These are great for indoor training during the winter. Make sure that you have a fan and lots of towels and water.
- Pump -- It is helpful to have a floor pump with a gauge. Make sure it will fit your tire valves!
The components (parts) of the bike is usually the major determinant of price. There are three basic brands: Shimano, SRAM, and Campognolo. I would avoid Campognolo because of the limited availability in the US.
Ironman has a good article about buying a bike.
Once you have a bike, get the bike fitted at the shop. You can get a pretty good position on your own as well.
Remember that almost everything is adjustable/changable. You can change the stem to modify your fit on the bike, as well as change out the individual components, like getting a new rear cassette that will be easier on hilly terrain. With bikes, you always need to be mindful of compatibility of parts!
Road bike tire types -- 700x23 is most common
Tire pressure -- look on tire, go for higher when dry, lower when wet, and check before every ride
Practice changing a flat tire at home. Or as the Brits call it, a puncture. Check out a demo here. It is much easier in the comfort of your living room than when on the side of the road.
Clothing - you can carry lots of stuff in bike jersey pockets, bike shorts or tri shorts, socks optional
TRAINING
Pre-ride check: tires, brakes, inspect the chain.
Don’t wear headphones!
Cadence -- This refers to the RPMs that you spin the pedals. At the two extremes are "mashers" (a very low cadence) and "spinners" (a very high cadence). Because you will have to run later, aim for about 90 RPM. Use the gears of your bike to change the level of effort required, but on climbs, it is acceptable to use a lower cadence (60-70). Some bike computers will tell you this data.
If you use HR, it will be lower than when you run.
The terrain will also dictate your body position
- For flat terrain, either put your hands on the hoods for comfort, or on the drops for speed.
- When climbing, put your hands on the bar tops and sit back to better use your glutes.
- For max speed while descending, put your hands on the drops and get low.
- If the terrain is very rough (like potholes or cobble sections), put your pedals at 3 and 9 o'clock, get slightly out of the saddle and use your legs and arms like shock absorbers.
Finding places to ride
- Map My Ride has some searchable routes, but isn't as popular in Europe. This is good for planning a route and figuring out the distance, as well as researching a course.
- My new favorite is the Hesse Bike Route planner. (Click on "radroutenplanner" on the upper left side.)
- There are also some good options on WikiLoc. This has good running trails as well.
- You can ride on the road. I have found German drivers to be very courteous, but make sure you are properly signalling your turns, obeying traffic laws, and wearing clothing that makes you visible.
- If you are going to ride on the bike paths, you will want to verify that they are paved.
It is worthwhile to occasionally do a brick workout, by running a short distance after finishing your ride. 20 minutes should suffice. The goal is to get an appreciation for how your legs are going to feel and then understand that after a short period you'll be fine.
After your ride, wipe down your bike and chain. Make sure to re-lube the chain as well. Do not use a high pressure washer or WD-40. I have found that Simple Green and Dawn soap both work well.
RACE:
During the race, the bike leg is your best chance to take in food. Your HR will be lower and allow your body to better process the calories. This is most important at races longer than three hours. Below that, you won't need to eat that much assuming that you had a good breakfast.
To rack your bike in T1 before the race, use the nose of the saddle to hang it on the bar. In T2, it will be much faster to use the brake levers.
Do not ride your bike in transition!
You cannot mount your bike until after the mount line, must dismount before the dismount line
Do not litter/abandon equipment. Usually you can discard trash at the aid stations.
It is important to always keep right and let people pass on the left. If you need to alert the rider ahead of you that you are passing, say “on your left” or “von links.”
Drafting (riding in the slipstream of another rider) is illegal in almost all triathlons. The size of the draft zone will vary -- so make sure you know what it is. For the HIM in Berlin, the draft zone was 2m x 10m and the time limit was 30 seconds. The draft zone starts at the front wheel of the person in the lead. The trail rider has a limited time to move to this point, after which, the passed rider must drop back to outside the draft zone. If I have completely confused you, this USAT video explains it well, but note the different "dimensions" involved.
When you are being passed and have to slow down, that is a good time for food/water.
Next class: Running
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