You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I have a triathlon wetsuit, now looking to speed up my transitions a wee bit. I’m only doing fun unofficial DIY triathlons at the moment (Transition in the boot of a car), but would like to be quicker in prep for competition.
I have tri shorts, do they cut the mustard under a wetsuit with a good tri jersey? Or am I better off committing to buying a skinsuit? I have just seen some good deals on at the moment.
I have never kept any clothing on for the swim and bike, I’ve only ever got fully changed after the swim which takes up a lot of time.
Also, sleeveless or short sleeve jersey? Thanks .
All in one trisuit every time.
Trisuit is better than separates. IMO. One with sleeves would be nicer if it's chilly.
Also elastic lock laces for speedy trainer putting onness!
Trisuit every time unless maybe full IM distance.
I found talc in trainers helps. Avoid socks if its a shorter run - amazing how long it takes to wrestle socks onto sweaty/wet feet if you're knackered!
Okay, so three votes for full suit over the separates. Can you get into more details or give more reasons? I’m a total tech clothing geek for general cycling and outdoor gear, but tri stuff is pretty new to me. Cheers
For me its about comfort-same reason as wearing bib shorts on the bike everything is held in place so less chafing or flapping about. Also consider though if you are likely to need the loo depending on distance, that is a faff in a full suit that will cost you time, assuming your racing for a faster time.
All in one tri suit will stay in place under the wet suit and will out super quickly on the bike
Separates can ride up or the shorts can sag down which then chafes. Sleeved suits are better than sleeveless to avoid under arm chafe. And they look less “90s euro”... unless that’s the look you’re going for! Also a bit warmer which is a plus
Feel free to chop off bits of the wetsuit at ankles and wrists - makes it quicker to get off, especially if you have a Garmin etc on your wrist
If you're wearing everything under your wetsuit, then a one-piece trisuit vs separate shorts/top isn't going to make any difference to your transition time. But a trisuit will be a bit more aero on the bike and you're less likely to end up giving yourself a wedgie and/or getting a cold back.
TBH if you've already got separates and you're just getting into it I'd stick with those for now, they'll be more than fine.
Trisuit every time unless maybe full IM distance.
They're fine for that distance, too. Note that long distance trisuits have the zip on the front, short distance on the back. This makes a huge difference if you need to go for a wee 🙂
Mine's got long sleeves, mainly as I'm very fair and it's a bit less skin to get burnt on LD events. Sleeveless are also available, that's up to you. They won't make that much difference on the temperature front as the lycra is pretty thin.
How does where the zip is make a difference when having a pee during a race 😀
tri-suit every time for me and like people said long sleeved. More aero on bike, more sun protection and less chafing.
Sprint distance no socks is a real time saver as people have said. Also practice, practice, practice.
Oh and walk the entry exit from transition and look for landmarks you can use to find your spot. It would not be the first time someone went down the wrong row and thought someone must have stolen their bike 😀
I've never been able to find a short sleeved trisuit that fits particularly well so I tend to use separates. I don't think it makes a whole lot of difference, but +1 on practicing the transition. On the first try I did, a mate spent 8 minutes in T1 struggling a) to find his bike b) to get his wetsuit off and c) to find the way out... think about how much training it would take to knock 6 or 7 minutes off your moving time!
How does where the zip is make a difference when having a pee during a race
I was talking about during training, obvs 😀
And yeah, practice is the big thing. Make sure you've got everything laid out correctly: glasses in the helmet (and wear them under the straps, to avoid them flying off when you get into T2 and take the helmet off), one sock (if wearing socks!) in each bike shoe, bike gels in a bento box on the bike, running gels either in the belt or in your running shoes, etc. Make sure you're clear on the route into and out of transition both for T1 and T2, and where your stuff is in relation to this.
For me its about comfort-same reason as wearing bib shorts on the bike everything is held in place so less chafing or flapping about. Also consider though if you are likely to need the loo depending on distance, that is a faff in a full suit that will cost you time, assuming your racing for a faster time.
This.
I use a full sleeveless tri suit. definitely not flattering for my frame, but means that its all in place and doesn't move about under the wetsuit, or when on the bike or when running.
The sleeveless part is a bit chilly when first on the bike, but by the time I'm running in the sun i'm thankful for the breeze.
Separates are supposedly better for longer distances and I ca testify the full suit is a pain when needing a toilet stop, but that depends on your pace/ distance. for the fast times I would like to get I stick with the full suit rather than sepereates. I found the shorts too uncomfortable
When doing your runs in a race do you prefer long sleeve tops or vests or short sleeves?
I used separates on 2 IMs, gave me more flexibility if I wanted to switch to proper running shorts for the last section. No problem with separates moving around under wetsuit. The shorts had small pockets on the side which made for easier gel stashing.
For shorter distances, I'd go for a 1 piece suit
Never underestimate the difficulty in visiting a portaloo mid race... Trying to wriggle out of a super aero 1 piece suit on the run leg whilst contending with gelly-belly, in a cubicle that isn't exactly box fresh is a memory of my 1st IM that will never leave me. What goes down and touches the floor must then go back on.
After that I've been a 2 piece guy all the way.
Joking aside, if you're racing a sprint then I can see the appeal of the marginal gains from 1 pieces / super tight aero suits. For anything longer there are far more variables that you can control so do what fits best and is most comfortable. No point being uncomfortable on the run and losing time just for a 20 sec gain on a 3 hr bike course.
Also important is the organisation of all your stuff. Think about what you use and when to arrange everything in order. Also what you do with stuff after use, if it's all organised and logical it's quicker.
And make a longer zip cord for your wetsuit to make sure you can grab it easily when you get out of the water. That messed me up for a minute in T1 on my first triathlon.
Anothe vote for a tri-suit by the way. I went with sleveless because it got bought for me, but it was comfortable enough for the ride and the run and, like some people have said above, I went sockless for the run. I knew my shoes though and was happy with that decision. Normally I would use socks.