One-Stop Triathlon Shops

Published June 3, 2013 04:18PM

This article was originally published in the March/April 2013 issue of Inside Triathlon magazine.

Gone are the days of bouncing from running store to bike shop for all of your triathlon needs. Triathlon-specific retailers have taken multisport to the next level, offering high-end perks like bike fit studios, metabolic testing and high-tech recovery products. Here are three stores that are doing it right.

PlayTri (Dallas and McKinney, Texas)

As one of only four USAT-certified training centers in the country, PlayTri features a full metabolic testing center, CompuTrainer and strength training classes, plus a tri club, coaching and junior programs. Want to jump into a local race? You can rent a wetsuit, tri bike or race wheels for the weekend.

“Our staff are all triathlon coaches, so they are educated in not just the product, but how that product can help you reach your triathlon goals,” says PlayTri president Staci Brode.

PlayTri also has a few cool tools, including an Endless Pool, an AlterG anti-gravity treadmill and the Millennium Ice Cryosauna—a hot-to-cold-to-hot chamber designed to increase blood flow for quicker recovery. Playtri.com

Pacific Swim Bike Run (Stamford, Conn.)

“We understand that triathlon is a community, but we like to think of it more as a family,” says PSBR owner Julie Gabay. Whether it’s dropping off a bike at someone’s house or offering one-on-one shopping appointments, the staff at PSBR is dedicated to service. (During Hurricane Sandy, the store served as a makeshift shelter for those affected to shower or to sleep with heat.)

The 7,500-square-foot renovated factory has a full gym, 13-person CompuTrainer studio and brand-new locker rooms, just a few of the perks offered to the PSBR multisport teams. You can also rent race wheels, a power meter, a bike box and wetsuit. Want to upgrade your bike? An in-house mechanic will assess the value as part of the shop’s trade up and consignment program. Pacificsbr.com

TriSports (Tucson, Ariz.)

Online superstore Trisports.com boasts environmentally friendly features: The store is solar-powered, uses 100 percent of its landscaping water from a water harvesting system and has carpet tiles made from recycled material. If you’re in town visiting, you can rent from the fleet of road and tri bike rentals, which include Cervélo, Felt and Guru models. The product selection is unparalleled with a well-stocked distribution center connected to the facility. Trisports.com

“Like” us on Facebook to get the first look at our photo shoots, take part in lively debates and connect with your fellow triathletes.