What We’re Loving This Week: New Bikes, Old Bikes, Brooks Shoes, and FitrWoman

Here at Triathlete, we spend a lot of time doing triathlon stuff. Swimming, biking, running, testing gear, reading books, watching races. And we have opinions about a lot of those things, so we wanted to give you a behind-the-scene look at what we’re actually using in our free time.

These are the things we’re loving this week.

Brooks Ghost 12

This week we ran a story about how triathletes are trailblazers when it comes to gear & tech. Most are willing to try new things, no matter how untested or goofy they may be. I am not one of those triathletes. Before I buy any piece of equipment, I spend hours reading reviews. Once I find something I like, I stick to it (and occasionally upgrade to a newer version). That was the case with my tried and true running shoe: the Nike Vomero. I first purchased them in 2008 after two stress fractures in my feet, and I’ve loved them for over a decade. I wore them for my first Ironman and I wore them to the gym. I’ve probably purchased 20 pairs over the years. Then came the Nike Air Zoom Vomero 14. Nike had dramatically changed my favorite shoe and it no longer worked for me. I bought a pair and wore them out, and then decided it was time for something new. I went to my local running store, did the gait analysis, and then tried on 10 pairs of shoes. That’s how I ended up with the Ghost 12 from Brooks, and I love them. They’re nothing fancy, but they’re a bestseller for a reason—they’re versatile and comfortable. They even come in 24 different colors. I’ve found my new go-to shoe.

– Liz, senior digital editor

FitrWoman app

I’m totally geeking out on the FitrWoman app, which for those who’ve not heard of it before is an app for girls and women to help you sync your training, nutrition, and recovery around your menstrual cycle. It’s super simple to use. You plug the dates of your last period into the app calendar and it gives you info relating to your physiology for the specific phase you’re in, such as “focus on HIIT and strength training now” or “you might find your energy and strength levels rising to a peak this week—take advantage of this by including sessions at maximum effort.” It also warns you when your sleep or mood might be a little funkier (based on hormone levels) and the best sources of fuel for training in any given phase. Added bonus: there are some great recipes on this app, which are simple yet nutritious. I really wish I’d used this when I was still racing professionally and training 30 hours a week! Highly recommend.

– Emma-Kate, managing editor

Cervélo P5

OK, it’s not hard to love a bike that costs (substantially) more than my car, but I just can’t get enough of this thing. As someone who admittedly likes simple, low-tech, works-or-it-doesn’t, the new P5 is a lot more like a tool than a bike. It’s solidly built; it doesn’t have any weird shapes or angles or parts; it just has a perfectly balanced ride that feels more like a road bike than a tri bike. I like blasting 40mph down a hill and knowing it’s solidly underneath me.

– Chris, senior editor

Cannondale CAAD 8

I’m going the opposite direction of Chris. My road bike is not nice; it’s hard to love. I was only able to afford it in college after I won $500 at bingo (true story), which seemed like an ungodly amount of money at the time. But here we are 15 years later and it’s still going strong. Sure, there are pieces held on with zip ties and Scotch tape, but that’s part of what makes it so great. With my TT bike, I worry about every scratch, I don’t like to ride it in the rain. Gravel? No, no. With my road bike, I never worry that I could do any more damage to it than it already has. Mud? Rain? Winter? No problem. And after spending too many hours on the TT bike last week, I was unspeakably happy this week to be back cruising around and exploring in a nice upright position.

-Kelly, editor-in-chief