Australian Triathlete - 01.08.2018

88 | AustrAliAn triAthlete

MORE DOLLARS DOESN’T

MEAN MORE SPEED

text by sam betten | photogrAphy by rebecca ohlweIn

a manufacturer of a product are universal

for all athletes in all situations. What I

mean by this is that a $3,500+ carbon

disc wheel in ‘theory’ will save you X

amount of time and watts over a 40km

TT, but this is only applicable under the

ideal circumstances with a certain type of

rider ability. For example: if there is a

cross-wind, which has the ability to make

a rider feel unstable while riding with a

rear disc wheel, then he/she will not be

able to stay on the aero bars due to the

G

enerally speaking, most

triathletes have an obsession

with the equipment that they

use and are always on the

hunt for that magical new set of tyres,

race wheels, that new wetsuit (insert any

multitude of triathlon equipment here)

that will make them go that much faster.

If I am honest, as a professional triathlete

this is something that I am also guilty of

as well. I am always trying to refine the

equipment that I use and find the best

products that I can, as I understand the

difference that this can potentially make

regarding my performance on race day.

While it’s not a bad thing to be obsessing

over the latest and greatest pieces of

triathlon tech, what many people fail to

realise is the bigger picture. What I mean

by this is that some of the fastest and best

equipment can, in fact, make you slower.

Let me explain.

One of the biggest misconceptions is

that the claimed time or watts saved from

Making smarter Equipment Choices