So, what’s the best bike that you can buy for triathlon, money no object?

The answer may surprise you because it isn’t a make, or a model or even a particular style of bike.

The answer is, quite simply, the one that fits you properly.

There is a long-held belief among cyclists that the bike contributes just a fifth (20%) to the result - you, the rider, are responsible for the remaining 80%. Or, to put it another way, as Lance Armstrong said - it’s not about the bike...

Set your limits first

The number one priority when buying a bike, be it your first, second or 35th is that you set a budget for the amount that you are comfortable spending. Note that this is a priority for you, we already established that by buying a bike that’s correctly fitted you’ll be buying the best possible bike so now we are just haggling over how much it is going to cost you! Remember, especially for your first bike, that the cost of the bike itself will not generally include such essential items as pedals, a helmet, bike shoes (or, indeed, any bike clothing at all...), spares and essentials such as a bottle cage, pump, saddlebag for an innertube, patches, tyre levers and tools plus optional extras like a computer or lights or any security devices. Even basic items here will add close to £100 to the cost and it is all too easy to double or treble this figure. And you’ll notice that we haven’t even mentioned tribars yet, let alone race wheels or hydration systems or...

Set a budget and stick to it - and make sure that the sales person understands that this figure represents your starting investment in the sport. They know you’ll soon be back for more, much more, so don’t be afraid to haggle. If they won’t discount the bike ask for a discount off the accessories. Ask how much the local tri club gets as a discount (typically 5-10%) and see if it makes sense to join up - you might even save the cost of the membership. See if the shop does a loyalty scheme - like a supermarket rewards card - where you get a percentage rebate or, if you like the shop but not their prices, ask if they’ll price match a competitor. Don’t expect a retail outlet to price match an online store though, at this stage of the game you need personal attention to ensure you get that properly fitted bike.

Paying to be fitted up

The cost of fitting a bike varies as to the method used: bikefitting is a common online service used in the UK and that will set you back about £35 although this should be rebated against the cost of the bike or frame you buy - it’s as much a safeguard for the shop as it is for you because they definitely don’t need the hassle of selling you a bike that you’ll want to bring back. Other fitting systems exist such as Bike Fit (similar to bikefitting), the Serotta system and the Seven system - the latter two are more aimed at custom building a bespoke frame for you rather than establishing the parameters so that you can be fitted onto a manufacturers standard frameset. However, all fitting system end up with a set of numbers that are derived from your biomechanical data which is taken by measuring you on or with a special jig. Do expect to be poked and prodded a bit and do expect to wear bike shorts as the one thing they all need is an accurate inside leg measurement!

The data will usually produce two diagrams; one is the ‘theoretically ideal bicycle frame’ for you and the type of cycling you want to do while the other is a fitting diagram that will be used to set up the complete bicycle. Please note carefully that all these diagrams are derived from huge numbers of measurements and assumptions about certain types of cycling: a general use road bike frame will calculate differently to a time trial frame which, in turn, will be radically different to a touring design. Regardless of the technology used, these are all heuristic designs (based on "rules of thumb") and then tested against tens of thousands of subjects. If you are biometrically normal it will be spot on but if you are at the edges of the normality curve then expect (and demand) a more personal fitting session once the bike is actually ready.

Every bike manufacturer produces their frames to stock sizes; typically these will run in 1cm or 2cm steps from 49cm through to 60cm or bigger. Because each maker uses different geometries (frame angles) in their designs there are always differences between both models and makers in terms of the actual dimensions. Studying geometry tables is a sure-fire way to getting a splitting headache so do expect the sales person to explain why a 56cm Trek, for example, would fit you while a 56cm Specialized wouldn’t - they are only notionally the "same size"... If you have been unlucky enough to be sold a bike on the basis of its "standover" height (the fact that when you straddled the crossbar you didn’t neuter yourself) then do be prepared for a nasty shock as you could be riding a bike size that suits your legs but not your torso.

Women ride bikes too

Women get a special note at this point as there are now more and more bikes becoming available in female sizes. A few years ago women were often either forced to fit on man-sized frames or they were directed towards smaller 26 inch (also known as 650c) wheeled bikes to get around some of the issues of the differences between male and female proportions. Today, with mainstream builders like Trek and Specialized producing whole ranges of bikes designed for women you have never had so much choice. That said, please do remember the original starting point of this article - the bike has to fit properly. It is quite possible that, for those of you who are not extremely petite, there will be a choice between a mans frame and a womans frame - you need to select the one that is the best fit for you, irrespective of the label that’s attached.

Any bike shop worthy of the name should be prepared to make some adjustments to a stock bike for you. You may need the stem (that’s the bit that connects the bars to the fork) changed to get the fit right or the bars themselves may be too wide/narrow for a comfortable position. In the base of a ‘boxed’ bike - that’s one that comes complete with all its parts - then there will be limits on what you can change before the shop expects you to contribute to it. In fact, bars and stems are probably as far as it goes in most cases although women should always try for a female saddle - they are different. If, however, you have chosen the route of having a bike built up for you from the frame and forks (what they will call the frameset) then you can select any part of the bike from a seemingly endless selection of parts. But that’s for the next instalment!

Taking delivery

Assuming that the fit has been done and a model selected which fits the budget and suits your needs/desires/gender/colour choice, the day will come when the bike is ready for collection. If this is your first bike you should expect to be told about gear changing, taking a wheel out to repair a puncture and how to clip in and out of the pedals. They should also explain about basic maintenance and lubrication - and they should try to sell you some tools and/or lubricants and accessories if you didn’t include them originally. The bike should come with a pile of paperwork including instructions for any accessories plus any warranties and these do form part of the sale so remember to take them with you. Legally the bike should also have reflectors and a ‘noise maker’ fitted but you can opt to remove them at your own risk once you’ve taken delivery.

During the haggling over the price the sales person may have "thrown in" a complimentary safety check/fitting assessment or similar and it’s a good idea to book up for that before you take the bike away. At some point in the early days of ownership cables will stretch or gears slip or you may have questions about your position while riding and this check point is the time to get those addressed. Remember, they want you back to buy all the clothes, accessories and energy food and, while you’re waiting for the shop mechanic to sort the dodgy gear change out, you’ll be like a kid in a sweetshop so you might as well make a diary date out of it!

What's next

The next instalment will look at the fundamental components of a bike and see how you go about selecting them when you build a bike from scratch.