Hi Tom. Def right call to get TT as inevitable will be faster like Alan has said. I am not a bike person and loads on this forum will know better than me, but for what worth I have a rim brake Giant Trinity which on holding same power during testing using it and an aero road bike was around 1.5-2km per hr quicker. That is huge over long distance. So same power quicker or less power same speed, and it can be more difficult to put power down on TT bike. Good bike fit is needed and it will need adjusting as you adapt. So much easier to run off a TT bike as well subject to the fitter knowing what they are doing. In terms of going road with clip on skis, will not be as fast on flat course, and only really worthwhile if hilly course and even then. I have tried a stupid fast aero road bike with aerobars and still couldn’t match dialled in Tri bike, even with latter having all the liquids and nutrition onboard. Other thing is cost. TT bikes now are stupid money, all disc brake etc. You can get good second hand Rim Trinity for fair price. Obviously is this is for the long haul that is a factor but if it is a one and done before selling it, look at resale values too of whatever you go for. Other issue is do you have LBS who know make you are buying etc so when anything goes wrong, and it will, you are not running around trying to find someone. Good luck and enjoy.

TPV - they are investing heavily in it and it just keeps getting better

Petzl for me

@Dennis Doherty great question. Weight seems to be one of those taboo like issues and should be discussed- not like the backlash that followed from what the winner of tdf femmes said. We are happy to drop a few extra quid on the next model of a bike or components which save x amount of grams or kilos. Some on this forum may have purposely cut weight for taking on hillier or mountainous races, or simply to run quicker where weight, at a certain point, can be a huge advantage. But sure people on here can share experiences of it becoming a fixation or suffering injuries or illness or fatigue from under fuelling which leaves you in a hole you don’t get out of especially if long distance endurance training. Hopefully it just works itself out naturally, and what @Alan Cardwell says as ever is right on point. No point being super light but failing or missing sessions as a result. I for one will not need to worry about a deficit as we approach Christmas….

Think 5 IMs done Lanza Majorca (race now retired) Tallinn (1st year so course now different) St George Utah (think race now retired) Cork (who knows, but don’t think will see that one again)