CHOOSING GEAR

* Resist the urge to splurge on high-tech toys. Triathletes tend to love high-tech gear, such as souped-up heart rate monitors and testing -- but it’s not always the best way to go, especially in the beginning, says Robert Hockley, a Playa del Rey-based triathlon coach. “There are good tools, but if you lose that feel for what your body is telling you and rely purely on numbers, that can be very skewed. If you’re going to buy one tool, a heart rate monitor is great, but trust it in conjunction with what you’re feeling.”

* Get a good, but not necessarily a great, bicycle. Almost all athletes and coaches agree that it’s a bad idea to run out and buy the most expensive tri bike available when getting started. “A lot of people buy what the cool kids have, but they don’t have the skills, so it hurts more than it helps,” coach Paul Ruggiero says.

“Almost all triathlons will allow any working bicycle,” says coach Ian Murray, who adds that good used bikes are easy to find. Fit is paramount to a good cycling experience: “You should make sure the seat height is right, and the seat angle and the tilt of the saddle is all appropriate to your body,” he says.

The reach down to the handlebars is important as well. A qualified coach or bike fitter can help size up a bicycle. “An ill-fitting bike can cause injuries, and the more comfortable you are, the more powerful you are.”

-- Jeannine Stein