 for members. All will help you get a good fit and have a range of tri-specific models to choose from. You can find more limited ranges of tri-specific bikes at both Bike Park (Covent Garden) and Evans (throughout London).
A tri-specific bike will be designed for racing and will offer aerodynamic features and push you into a aerodynamic position over the tribars. Do you need a tri bike? No! Any road bike can be used for triathlon and you will see a lot more of these racked in transition than tri or time trial specific bikes. This opens up your choice markedly. All the above mentioned shops can give you good advice although the success of Evans in particular means that you should be careful that your assistant knows their stuff when it comes to road bikes. For detailed information about how to choose a bike, see our Bike Buying Guide.
Cycling Weekly magazine is the best source of quality second hand bikes. In addition to the general condition The Triathlete’s UK website also has a large classified section for all triathlon equipment. When buying second hand bikes you are not just interested in how chipped the paint might be but also what replacement parts might be imminent e.g. if the chain is worn you may find yourself with a £60-£80 bill to replace the chainset (rear/front cogs and chain). When you buy new you can also haggle to replace stems and saddles to ensure a good fit; having to replace these on a second hand bike may add to the hidden cost which you need to factor into your budget. For detailed information about how to choose a bike, see our Bike Buying Guide.
Do I fix punctures myself?
Yes, you are not allowed outside assistance. Some people give up if they puncture but you can replace an inner tube within a couple of minutes with practice and that's not too much to stop me feeling competitive. Relish the rest and tell yourself how strong you will be when you set off again. I carry one spare tube, tyre levers and a compressed gas pump taped to my seat post. I prepare both tubes by removing caps and rings to save fumbling in the heat of the moment. If using a gas pump, one canister is exactly what you need to inflate the tyre to full pressure so don't hold back (check the canister though as some are bigger than others). Remember to check the tyre for glass/thorns before replacing it. Always, always check your tyre for embedded glass before starting your race and have a penknife on hand to remove it.
How do I buy a bike that fits me?
Many of the better bike shops offer a fitting service, the charge for which is refunded after buying a bike from them. You should also ask advice from the sales assistant. If however the only get you to stand over the top tube and declare the bike "fitted" if there are a couple of inches to spare then this assistant doesn't have the knowledege to help you. You are also interested in how far forward you have to reach to hold the handlebars – too far and your kneck and shoulders will suffer, too little and you will find yourself hunched and find it difficult to get into an aero position without your back hurting.
As a (very rough) rule of thumb, with your finger tips on the flat part of the bar, your elbow should touch the end of your saddle. If you are disproportionally sized you are going to have more trouble finding the ideal bike, but it is worth looking around and taking some advice. Some alterations can be made by moving the saddle forward and swapping the stem but try to get these changes included in the cost of the bike. If buying second hand these changes may very quickly make the purchase less of a bargain. If you are very short, the shape and size of the frame is limited by the size of the wheels so if you are struggling to find a bikethat fits then consider getting one with 650 rather than 700c sized wheels which will allow a smaller frame but this option will limit your choice and push up the price.
How do I set up my bike for optimum racing position?
A huge topic with a range of answers as individual as you are. For starters, can you bend your body into the 'ideal' and hold it there for 40km? The one universal piece of advice is don't try anything new on race day. A tri-specific bike setup will position you well over the bottom bracket in order to push you into an aerodynamic position on your aerobars and to put your body in a position where the use of your legs resembles that of the run; pushing vertically downward from the hip. The maximum power you can transfer to your pedals is supposed to be greater because it is similar to standing out of the saddle This is obviously very extreme if you never train in this position. Both from the point of view of comfort and allowing you smooth pedalling.
There is a further school of thought that dictates that the more reclined position used by road racers offers a more efficient transfer of power and you will find the elite divided on how extreme the position they adopt is. Generally though, you are looking to hold a flat back position for 40km without hunching over the bars and without getting back ache. Holding this position needs both on and off the bike training. To avoid back ache, make sure the pelvis is tilted forward and angling the saddle very slightly downward may help you do this. An aero position may well bring you forward on the bike so you may also want to slide the saddle slightly forward on it's rails and this movement may also require you to raise the saddle height so that the leg at it most fully extended still has a slight bend. Your reach can be controlled by both the extension of your tri bars and by the length of your stem. 
How hard should you give of your max on the first two events? How much energy should be saved for the run?
Because different muscle groups are used for the three events, you can afford to race each part harder than if the whole race was any single discipline, however an accurate answer to this question depends on how well trained you are and how you define "of your max". For example, the elite are only running very slightly slower than a straight 10km race but are you well enough trained on the bike to have it cause minimal fatigue for the run?
The majority of your standard distance race will be hovering around your lactate threshold so knock a couple of beats off the average heart rate you have when racing a 10km and that will be about right but only testing can tell you what the corresponding heart rate for this is for each different discipline. Is buying an expensive heart rate monitor and paying for testing the only way to tell? No, experience tells me that I can afford to go flat out on the bike as long as it's not too hilly and I ease up slightly towards the end to bring my heart rate down before starting the run. I know that the run feels awkward at the start but I also know that despite this I am still running faster than it feels and as long as I can control my breathing, I am not going too fast.
This is what tri racing is all about – by all means get scientific about it but there is no substitute for experience and mental preparation. If you are interested in lactate and max power testing Brian Welsh can advise you.
How much should I drink and when should I eat during the race?
This is such a personal thing that any advice can only be generalised but above all, find out what works in advance, make your plan and stick to it. Once you are racing it is easy to forget to drink and eat but in a couple of hours of racing possibly having sweated in a wet suit, you definitely need to drink. On the bike you have plenty of time to drink and eat, make sure you use it.
My standard distance plan involves drinking in the half hour before the start. Once on the bike I eat a gel and start drinking while I spin to get my legs into cycling shape. About 20 minutes before the end of the bike I eat another gel and by the end of the bike I will have put away 750ml to 1litre of isotonic energy drink. Gels are easier to digest and sit less heavily in the stomach than bars but they do take a bit of getting used to and you must drink after eating them. Drinks points should be provided in transition and on the run but find out where they are before starting. See also the article on Long Distance Food by Michael Hanreck and The Science of Ironman Nutrition by Dr Jeff Shilt.
Should I wear socks on the run?
Putting on socks definitely costs you time, but will you get blisters without them? Putting talcum powder in your shoes can help as can a smear of Vaseline on the soles of your feet, top of your toes and this will be quicker than putting on socks. If you change shoes between bike and run it is better to put your socks on after the bike when your feet will have dried making socks easier to put on. Don't wait for race day to find out what works.
You can't use Vaseline because petroleum based lubricants will rot your wetsuit or the rubber grips on the legs of your cycling shorts. KY jelly or baby oil are better alternatives. A blob of lubricant under the saddle of your bike makes a good emergency supply. On nipples you can use micropore tape (from chemists) which will not come off in the water. Don't forget that you can get chaffing around the neck of your wet suit. People variously swear by baby oil, KY jelly or cocoa butter.Aura-Soma is a self-selective, non intrusive system, reflecting the soul through the language of colour and