Bike Services That Save You Time And Money

Learn how to save time and money when it comes what is likely your biggest financial investment into the sport of triathlon: your bike.

Written by: Mackenzie Madison

Got Coverage?

Investing in homeowner’s or renter’s insurance can save you thousands if anything happens to your bike, whether it be a crash or theft or, heaven forbid, you ride into the garage with your bike on the roof rack still, either way—it’s covered. It should be noted that, much like car insurance, these other insurance plans have deductibles. Make sure to research your coverage and be prepared to read the fine print. Many companies typically require you to provide evidence of your purchase, so save your receipts and take a snapshot of you and your bike together for proof.

Some health insurance companies will cover bike fits from certified fitters. Certain physiotherapy treatments are covered if they’re in-network or the proper referrals are undertaken. Take a closer look at your healthcare plan to see what your coverage is.

Travel Smarter With Your Bike

When traveling to races or going to training camps, trying to transport your bike can be a nightmare. If you travel at least three to 10 times a year it can end up milking your wallet for as much as $300 for each round trip. There are bike cases that allow you to bypass the airline bike transport fees, such as the Hen House Bicycle Travel Case from Ruster Sports (Rustersports.com). At $495, this case will save you money each year you use it.

Or another option is using TriBike Transport (Tribiketransport.com). According to its company credo, “Our experienced drivers carefully load, secure and pad every bicycle onto our custom bike racking system in one of our trucks and drives to your race. Your bicycle is available for you to pick up at the event a few days before the race.” Meaning: This service can save you the hassle and money of flying with a bike. Round trip service from TriBike costs roughly $290 to most races and even includes property insurance.

Don’t Get Stranded

To help save you time and the frustration of getting lost on a bike ride, Bike Route Toaster (Bikeroutetoaster.com) lets you create your routes online via Google Maps and download them onto your Garmin ensuring you’ll never get lost.

AAA Membership Plus offers bicycle roadside assistance in some states and will even come out to fix a flat. Better World Club (Betterworldclub.com) offers “nationwide emergency roadside assistance. Service for you and your bicycle up to 30 miles annually with a maximum of two service calls per covered member, per year.” For $39.95 a year, this membership price beats calling friends and family begging for a ride and/or supplies.