Duathlon/Triathlon Clothing

Bambaata

Hi all, i'll be doing my first duathlon soon after doing a few sprint tri's the previous two years but have decided i need to buy some proper clothing/runners for it. I have gotten myself a new bike and thus with that i got nice padded shorts with those smashing straps ;-) my question is do people generally run in that too or what do is best for running and cycling. i also got myself the lovely leg tights things but id imagine they ain't needed cos its not mad distance. Also do people generally wear the clip shoes that ain't so easy to run in!!? I have a pair but remember the triathlon i did had a quite steep hill to and from the transition area and i cold see something like that being quite tricky!!

So any thoughts on what would be good? Are those shorts decent for running and do people change from runners to clips to runners for the run again? Also if they are ok for running are they ok for under the swimsuit for triathlons?

Thanks

tunney

Unless its Ironman distance racing people don't cycle in full on cycling shorts. You can't run in the cycling shorts - the paddle will get in the way and the straps will affect your posture.

Tri-specific shorts are generally used - strapless lycra shorts with a mini-insert for a tiny bit of padding. Doesn't do much. Tghe thing to remember that the harder you are cycling (i.e. at race pace) the less pressure there is on the sensitive areas.

People do cycle in proper cycling shoes as the loss in power from toe-clips and runners is substantial. Although some people do your pyro platforms for duathlons, but not at the beginner level.

If you are female you can either swim, cycle and run in a swimsuit, a trisuit or a two piece trisuit.

daymobrew

For the short duathlons that I do (Phoenix Park or Titanic in Belfast) I wear a pair of lightly padded cycling shorts. I generally use my clipless shoes. My runners have Lock Laces so are quick to change in and out of. Sometimes I use toe clips and keep my runners on.

The bib shorts might work for you - if you find the padding rubbing against your legs then get something different.

You can get an idea of the variety of people and their gear who did the Phoenix Park July 2007 duathlon at the 3dTri club's Flickr pages.

Bambaata

Thanks for the responses! I did the Wheelworx Duathlin on Saturday there. I ran in the padded shorts and found it fine but the run was only 3.2km. I think i'll get slightly padded ones for longer ones possibly. Now to find an inexpensive swimsuit!! Hadn't realised they were so expensive! Where can some cheapy ones be found?