How to buy your first bike for cycling or triathlon.

Once you get hooked on cycling or triathlon, it’s time for your first big bike purchase. Here are five things I wish I knew that would have saved me a lot of time and money when I was starting out!

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1. Get a Bike Fit First.

No really you should. This is actually the most important thing and worth the financial outlay. I can also add my personal story which gives my advice a bit more weight.

Long, long ago (nine years ago!), in a land far away (Play It Again Sports in Roswell), I, too, thought a bike fit was unnecessary. I found a bargain used bike better suited for a 6-foot man (I’m 5’6″) and got to work!

A week later, I found myself in a parking lot meeting a dude from Craigslist who had a “great deal” on a bike. That one didn’t work out so well, either.

Ultimately, I went through four, yes FOUR, bikes in the first two years of my triathlon journey. I spent tons of extra money buying special accessories to make my bike work, much more than I would have if I started with a good fit!

If you’re going to buy a bike, look into getting a fit first from a tri shop or bike shop. Many times, if you end up purchasing a bike from that store, then they’ll deduct your fit fee.

We have a great shop in our area, Podium Multisport, that sells road and tri bikes and delivers on great fits.

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Related: How to start cycling from scratch

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2. Buy a Bike Based on Features.

This seems obvious yet, like car shopping, many people make bike purchasing decisions based on appearance or brand perception.  I can’t count the number of times that I have seen a new athlete post a question like “is such and such a reputable bike brand?” The most important bike feature is fit.

After your initial fit, your fitter should give you a list of bike brands with measurements and geometry suited for your body. A sign of a reputable fitter is there should be both brands they sell and those they don’t on that list!

Beyond a good fit, there are a slew of features such as components, ability to make fit modifications, and ease of maintenance. All of these merit consideration prior to something like color scheme entering the mix.

The good news is that with the availability of bikes, you should be able to find something that meets your needs and looks great!  

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Related: What’s the deal with cycling cadence?

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3. Don’t Necessarily Start With a Road Bike.

Common advice for budding triathletes includes starting out with a road bike. The logic is sound and includes reasons such as a road bike is more versatile, you will use it forever, and you can still ride it if you quit triathlon. But I say it depends on the individual.

Some people train awhile and sign up for a season of triathlons prior to ever getting started. If this describes you and you have competitive aspirations, you might as well give yourself every advantage from the start.

And if you buy a tri bike instead of a road bike, there’s a free speed advantage to the tune of one to two mph!

One more thing on this topic: Some say that a fast bike is only for “serious” athletes. I would argue the opposite. If your desire is to get to the run leg faster, even if it’s just to get it over with, then you can benefit from a fast bike!

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Related: The ultimate guide to training for your first triathlon.

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4. Keep Searching for the One!

Like the search for the perfect saddle, the search for the perfect bike could take months or years, and you may deal with some lemons along the way. Once I started getting good advice, my bike selections got progressively better till I found my perfect bike, the Felt IA, which I dubbed Bikey.

He’s speedy, good looking, and he makes me super aero for all the free speed you can buy. He even works (harder) when I’m not in perfect shape. With Bikey in tow, I’m a heck of a lot faster than I would be otherwise even when I’m not setting PRs!

5. Getting Refit.

Yes, we covered this, but the thing about a fit is it doesn’t last forever. Our strength and flexibility changes over time as do the types of races we are targeting.

It’s important to head in for a refit periodically. I would recommend getting a refit once per year to make sure you’re in your best position whatever your goals may be.

Do you have tips I forgot for how to buy your first bike? What’s the worst mistake you made buying your first bike? Let me know in the comments!

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• Ultimate Guide: How to start cycling
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• Top 4 worst new runner mistakes
• How does Garmin race predictor work?
• The real deal on getting back in shape after baby