Aero bars, on-bike fuel storage, running shoes for 21 km off the saddle — which gear actually makes a difference at half distance.
"Do I need a full time-trial bike for the half distance, or is my regular road bike enough?" Honest answer: a TT bike isn't mandatory, but aerodynamics genuinely start to matter at this distance. With 90 km of riding — usually 2.5 to 3.5 hours straight — every percentage point of drag adds up to minutes. At a 20 km sprint-distance bike leg it's barely worth the effort; at half distance it clearly is.
The second big difference from sprint or Olympic distance: you have to eat and drink en route, not just at the start. Over a 4.5–7 hour race, one water bottle isn't enough — you need a system that lets you take in carbs and fluid without breaking your riding position.
And the run math changes too: after 90 km on the bike come 21.1 km on legs that are already partly fatigued — shoes that still fit well at the last kilometer matter more than shoes that feel most comfortable in the store.
You don't need a €5,000 TT bike. Aero bars on your existing road bike plus a trained, sustained aero position often beat expensive gear ridden with bad posture. Practice the position in training, not for the first time on race day — otherwise you won't hold it for 90 km.
Set up your bottle and gel system so you can grab carbs without leaving your handlebar position. At target values of 60–90 g of carbs per hour, a single bottle is nowhere near enough — calculate realistically how many gels, bars, or concentrated bottles you can mount on the frame.
Test your race shoes in at least one long brick run (running right off the bike) of 60–90 minutes. A shoe that fits perfectly at kilometer 2 can rub on swollen, tired feet at kilometer 18 — that's something you want to know beforehand, not during the race.
Less is more: everything you need in transition should be within reach and rehearsed. Every second spent digging through a bag is time you don't get back — and over a multi-hour race, every minute still counts in the end.
Use at least one training race or a simulated race session to test your complete setup — bike, fueling, shoes — at real race pace. New gear on race day is the biggest avoidable risk at this distance.
An aero setup you've never held in training costs you stability and control on race day — especially in wind or corners. Practice the aero position first on calm, low-traffic roads.
Also check your entire bike setup before every race (brakes, tire pressure, quick releases) — over 90 km, small equipment faults add up to real risk. And test every fueling product beforehand in training, never for the first time in the race — new food is one of the most common causes of gut trouble on course.
Mark carb amounts directly on the frame or bottle (with a waterproof marker) so you don't have to do math mid-race about how much you've already had. A simple trick that fully prevents you from forgetting your fueling in the chaos of racing.
And a trick experienced finishers use: lay out your transition gear exactly the way you rehearsed it in training — same order, same side. Muscle memory beats thinking when your heart rate is high and your head is empty.
No, not necessarily. Aero bars on your road bike plus a trained aero position often beat expensive gear ridden without practice. A TT bike only starts to pay off once you race several half distances a year.
Plan for 60–90 g of carbs per hour across the whole bike leg — usually several bottles or gels depending on race duration. Check beforehand whether the course offers aid stations so you carry less yourself.
Ideally shoes you've already tested in at least one brick run of 60–90 minutes. More important than the shoe's weight is how it feels on tired, slightly swollen feet at kilometer 15–20.
At the latest two to three weeks before the race, never during race or taper week itself. That leaves enough time to react if problems show up (hot spots, intolerances).
Half-Distance Triathlon: Bike Pacing for 90 km