Get outfitted for your first triathlon. The right way.

No. Many athletes start with a road bike set up with clip-on aerobars and a fitted aero position. It covers Sprint and Olympic races and 70.3 preparation while remaining a useful road bike.

It is a road bike with a conventional drop handlebar plus clip-on aero extensions. You can ride normally on the hoods and drops, then move into an aero position on the extensions for triathlon training and racing.

Both use the same drop-bar + aerobar approach and are fit and built around the rider. The Mechanical build keeps shifting at the road brake/shift levers, uses a Zipp cockpit and aerobars, and is our lower-cost entry point, with complete builds around $3,000. The Di2 build adds electronic shifting, uses a Vision and Profile Design cockpit, and allows shifting from the aero extensions where configured, with complete builds around $3,700. Prices are approximate before tax and final configuration depends on fit, cockpit dimensions, parts selected, and installation.

The RS7 comes with an integrated one-piece cockpit. Replacing it with a separate stem and road handlebar (Zipp on the Mechanical build, Vision on the Di2 build) lets us mount compatible clip-on aerobars and set reach and cockpit dimensions around your position.

Yes. We can convert the cockpit and add clip-on aerobars at any point. Planning the cockpit at the time of purchase usually means the stem and bar are chosen around your aero position from the start.

Yes. The RS7 is a carbon road bike first. It remains useful for group rides, climbing, and long training days, with the aero extensions available when you want them.

For many athletes, yes. A road bike with a properly fitted aero position is a practical setup for 70.3 preparation. Whether it is the right long-term choice depends on your fit, goals, and how much of your riding is triathlon-specific.

Yes, for many riders. Long-course training depends on a position you can hold for hours, so the fit matters more than the bike category. We will talk through whether this build or a dedicated triathlon bike suits your goals.

When your budget reaches dedicated-tri-bike territory, or when triathlon is clearly your primary riding, a dedicated triathlon bike may be the better answer. The RS7 build is for riders who want a lower entry price and one bike for road and triathlon.

Ideally before we finalize the cockpit, so the stem, bar, and extensions are chosen around your position. If you already own the bike, we can fit and refine the system afterward.

We help you choose the bike, fit it to you, build it around your race goals, and keep it running. Fitting, the cockpit conversion, aerobar setup, Di2 configuration, and ongoing service happen in our Chicago shop, and the components and trainers we recommend are ones we install, fit, and support ourselves.

Yes. A Wahoo KICKR CORE 2, KICKR, or another appropriate smart trainer is optional and not part of the bike build. Add it now or whenever you want to train indoors.

For most first-time triathletes we recommend a clincher tire with a lightweight TPU tube: it is fast, light, and quick to fix at the roadside. Tubeless, with sealant instead of a tube, is worth considering once you train a lot and want fewer flats. It needs tubeless-compatible rims, so we confirm your wheels first.

No. A multisport watch records the whole race, swim, bike, and run, with transitions, so it can be your only device for a first triathlon. A bike computer adds a larger screen on the bars for power and navigation, and is worth adding as your training grows.

It depends on the distance. One bottle usually covers a Sprint and two an Olympic. For 70.3 and full distance, most athletes carry front hydration plus rear bottles and refill at aid stations.

A spare tube, two tire levers, and a CO2 or a small electric inflator, usually in a seat pack under the saddle. If you run tubeless, still carry a spare tube as a backup. We will show you how to change a tube on your own wheels before race day.