The biggest gains on the bike are going to come from off-season training. Strength training, especially during the off-season, is going to be a major component of speed during the race season. I think my coach is great about emphasizing the importance of strength training. Speed sets and hill training throughout the year are also going to provide a huge boost. Or even more fun- speed sets up hills. The major PRs are going to come from training.
With brand new triathletes, I always recommend being conservative with expenses. Don't spend thousands of dollars on a bike until you know that you like the sport. Once you fall in love with the sport, which is easy to do, then you can start spending the money. I think it's important, especially for someone in my position as a student, to balance spending with training and overall goals. Yes, spending more money can save some time here and there in a race. If you are at a point where seconds and minutes are going to make the difference with age-group and overall standings, that is the time to think about extra gear.
I've been slowly building with the bike over the past several years. This was my weakest area for me for most of my triathlon career, but it is now my strength. When I did my very first sprint distance triathlon, I borrowed a bike from one of my dad's friends. I didn't even own a bike at the time. I had so much fun and eventually saved to get a hybrid for other sprint distance races. Prior to my first Olympic distance, I bought my first road bike (a Fuji Roubaix). I even did my first Ironman on my Roubaix. Having a TT bike is better for Olympic and Ironman distances, but the point is, it can be done with spending less. It was at this point that I knew (and my parents knew) that I needed to get a tri bike to start seriously improving. They helped me with my Cannondale Slice, and it has been a major contributing factor to my improvement over the past two years (thank you, parents).
TT bikes are going to not only save time on a race by providing an aerodynamic profile, but they are inherently designed to help save your legs for the run. Spending extra on lighter components is also going to help a bit. Getting an aero helmet is probably going to be the cheapest way to save a little extra time. I borrowed one last year (thank you, Heather!), and I am definitely planning on getting one for this season. I think it would also help to get a good bike fitting (there's a PT in the area who does this) to help maximize efficiency and comfort on the bike. I have not yet done that, but again it is planned for this year. Having race wheels will definitely help with some time, and I'd love to have some, but those are still not in my budget.
I get my bike tuned up about a month before my first race of the year and again if I have another huge race (if there is a lot of time between the first race and big race). This gives enough time to replace any components that need to be replaced, and enough time to make sure that everything still feels good in case any adjustments need to be made. I also clean every inch of my bike the day before each race to get all of the extra gunk of and make sure it is in working order.
Happy riding! And as always, feel free to ask any questions. :)
