PLAYTRI RENTAL FAQ

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Ironman Frequently Asked Questions

Please bring the ORANGE IRONMAN CLAIM TICKET WITH YOUR BIB NUMBER ON IT for the service to begin. We will not be able to serve you without receiving the ORANGE IRONMAN CLAIM TICKET.

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Q.  The price seems high, why is this and why is your rental a good option for me?

A. Our Cost/Logistics: We are moving bikes around the country to each event, setting them up, and maintaining them in between events. It’s very reasonable when you consider the logistics.

Saves You the Hassle: You don’t want to go through the hassle of disassembling, boxing, reassembling, shipping or flying with the bike, then disassembling, boxing, reassembling, boxing and shipping or flying again.

Saves You Money: Flying with a bike can cost $400-600 round trip. Shipping it even two-day can cost $300-500 round trip. If you fly with a bike box, you usually need to rent an SUV or Minivan so you can fit your bike box in the car. Our bikes come tuned up and ready to race so it saves you the cost of a tune up.

No Time Away From Biking: You don’t want to drop your bike off several weeks before the race to work around a transport company’s time frames.

You Can Upgrade: You have a decent bike, but this is a great chance to test out a high-end bike that will improve your race performance over your current bike. The rental fee can be credited towards a future bike purchase at Playtri. Ask us how! 

Things You Can’t Plan For: Your bike doesn’t make the flight, it gets lost in shipping, TSA doesn’t unpack and repack your bike with the same TLC that you did.

Q. How do I know what size fits?
A. We have trained bike fit experts who will assist you in getting the perfect fit. Above is a general guideline to give you a better idea of your size range – if you don’t know. Of course, there are exceptions, and if you aren’t sure, please contact us at ironman@playtri.com at least 4 weeks before your rental is scheduled.

Q. Who will fit me on the bike? How can I be sure that the bike will work for me?
A. At the event, we will have a qualified bike fitter and a certified bike mechanic to make sure that when you leave the PLAYTRI booth, you are ready to race.

Q. Where will I pick up the bike I have reserved for the race?
A. We are the official triathlon store of IRONMAN events and will have a large tent at the IRONMAN Expo Athlete Village with Blue Flags flying above. Come to the service section of the tent and we will get you taken care of.

Q. When can I pick up my bike before the race?
A. Your bike will be available as soon as the expo opens. The online registration you go through will have you mark down a time and day you want to pick up your rental. We recommend scheduling your bike pick up as early as the first day of expo so that you have at least one day to ride and familiarize yourself with the bike. Bike pickup must be completed no later than an hour before bike check in. If you miss your appointment, we will try to fit you in when an opening becomes available. Appointment times are a request and not guaranteed. The appointment times are made in the order in which we receive them. We will do our best to keep the athletes in their original requested time or as close to it as possible.

Q. How do I return the bike after the race?
A. When you pick up your rental bike, return options will be specified before you leave the booth with your bike. We do our best to retrieve the bike while you are out on the run to reduce your post-race responsibilities! There are rare occasions where the athlete will need to bring their rental bike to our tent, so that we can remove all of the athlete's accessories right then. We are set up inside Transition at the Bike Tech Tent provided by IRONMAN. Please go there for any and all questions regarding your rental on the day of the race.

Q. What accessories does the bike come with?
A. These are the only items we provide for the bike. Anything outside of this list must be provided by the athlete. The rental bike comes equipped with:

1x Flat Repair Kit (saddle bag, CO2 inflator, 16g CO2 Cartridge, pair of tire levers, 1 tube) 

1x Standard Bottle Cage for Tri Bikes on the frame (will fit any regular water bottle, bikes that can fit 2 frame bottle cages will have them)

2x Standard Bottle Cages for Road Bikes on the frame (will fit any regular water bottle)

1x Pair of Carbon Race Wheels 

1x Quick fit session and accessory installation. 

At the time of pick-up, we will install any accessories you want to add (pedals, computer mount, additional hydration units, etc.) …

Q. What if I really, really like my current saddle? Can I bring that one along? Do you have different saddle choices?
A. Unfortunately, we do not have other saddles to offer you if you do not like the one on our bike. If you are unsure, it is best to err on the side of caution. In which case we would STRONGLY recommend bringing the saddle you train on to help avoid potential issues.

Q. Will I have different options for gearing the bike? Can I change the cassette?
A. We will not change out componentry*, chains, or cassettes for any event. No exceptions will be made.

*Componentry being- aerobars, armrests, cranks, chain rings, stems, wheels, tires, etc…

Q. Will a hydration system be provided on the bike?
A. Each bike will come equipped with at least one bottle cage*** that mount to the frame. The cage will hold any standard water bottle. Please note that bikes sized small and extra small will not hold 24-ounce bottles.

***There may be some bikes that are capable of carrying 2 bottle cages to the frame of the bike.

Q. Will you be providing front and/or rear hydration mounts? or Can I bring my own hydration system to be mounted on the bike?
A. No, this is something the athlete will need to provide as everyone has their own preference of hydration mounts. Yes, you can bring your own as long as it can easily be attached to the front aero bars or the saddle. The current hydration systems by brands like XLAB, Profile Design and Speedfil are easy to add to your bikes.

Q. Does the bike come with a bike computer or mounting system?
A. No, we do not include a computer on the bike. Most athletes are using the more sophisticated GPS-enabled systems in the marketplace. We can assist you with basic mounting of yours if necessary.

Q. Will I have a choice of color on the bike?
A. Unfortunately we can only offer the bikes that we’ve made available.

Q. Can I choose how to setup my rental bike? What if I want certain wheels on? or certain gear shifters? A. As much as we would love to be able to give you exactly what you requested, unfortunately, this is not possible. Due to logistical difficulties once the season begins, we no longer allow our athletes to choose which bike model/brand they get or the componentry that comes on it. Our athletes are only able to choose the bike level and bike size. Bikes listed on the main page are good examples of what to expect for that bike level.

Q. What if something happens to the bike?
A. You are ultimately responsible for the bike from the time you pick it up until the time you return it. If the bike is lost, stolen or damaged, you are responsible for the repair or replacement of the bike, wheels or parts that are missing or damaged. We have a Damage Waiver to help offset costs should something happen to the bike while in your care.

Q. What insurance do you offer for the rental bike? Do you have anything to help with damage protection?
A. We now offer our Damage Waiver, which is NOT INSURANCE, but a way to help offset costs should something happen to the bike while in your possession. We offer 3 different levels. The Damage Waiver is not a mandatory purchase to be able to rent from us, but we STRONGLY recommended it. The Damage Waiver must be purchased before leaving the Playtri Tent with the bike for it to apply to your rental.

Level 1 Damage Waiver - Costs $150 and will cover up to $1500 worth of damage. Athlete is responsible for the remaining balance.

Level 2 Damage Waiver - Costs $100 and will cover up to $1000 worth of damage. Athlete is responsible for the remaining balance.

Level 3 Damage Waiver - Costs $75 and will cover up to $750 worth of damage. Athlete is responsible for the remaining balance.

Q. Can I add my own race wheels to the bike?
A. No, each of our rentals will come with Carbon Fiber Race Wheels. No exceptions will be made.

Q, Will you have race wheels available for the bike I reserve?
A. All rentals come with comparable carbon race wheels.

Q. Will you have pedals?
A. The bike will not come with pedals. You will need to bring your own (Flat pedals or Clipless/Clip-In pedals). We recommend bringing the pedals you train on. We will have clipless pedals available for purchase at our shop in the IRONMAN Village.

Q. Will there be bottle cages on the bike?
A. Yes, each bike will come equipped with at least one bottle cage*** that mount to the frame. The cage will hold any standard water bottle. Please note that bikes sized small and extra small will not hold 24-ounce bottles.

***There may be some bikes that are capable of carrying 2 bottle cages to the frame of the bike.

Q. Can I bring some of my own components to be put on the bike?
A. No, we will not have time to swap out components. Power Meter Pedals are acceptable. No other exceptions will be made.

*Componentry being- aerobars, armrests, cranks, chain rings, stems, wheels, tires, etc…

Q. I rented a Level 3 Road Bike. Can I bring my clip-on aerobars and have you install them?
A. Yes, we will be happy to install your clip-on aerobars on our Level 3 Road bikes. Athletes must provide them as we do not have any to rent. We will also have some available for sale in our tent.

Q. Will your Level 1 and Level 2 Tri Bikes have aerobars on them already? Or will I need to supply my own?
A. Yes, all our Level 1 and Level 2 Tri Bikes have aerobars built in already. There will be no need to bring your own.

Q. Will there be someone available to help me install my pedals when I pick up my bike?
A. Yes, we will have a certified bike mechanic available onsite at all events.

Q. Should I bring my own bike tools in case something goes wrong during the race?
A. You will not need to bring any mechanical tools. If you wish to have a multi-tool, you can bring one with you or we will have some for purchase in our Playtri Tent.

Q. What is the full process of the bike rental?
A. It will work like this: You will fill out our online reservation form. When we are 1-2 weeks out from the event, we will send out our pre-race information email with more details on picking up your rental. 

On race week, you will pick up your bike from the PLAYTRI tent that will be located in the Ironman Expo Athlete Village during expo hours at your predetermined appointment time. Our professional bike fitter will fit you to the bike and make any necessary adjustments and install your accessories. Once the bike fit is complete, you are then responsible for the bike. We recommend taking the bike out for a ride and return to the tent if you find your fit or bike needs tweaking. We will also have our mechanics in transition on race morning to help with any last-minute fit/bike adjustments. They can be found under the “BIKE TECH” Tent inside transition on race day morning. Once you are happy with your fit, you will leave with the bike, and you are responsible for checking the bike in at your bike check-in time. Unfortunately, we will not be able to hang on to your rental until the bike check in time.

On Race Day, when you rack the bike and head for the run, our mechanics will go and retrieve the bike. We will help remove pedals and other personal items from your rental. All of your items will be put in a bag with your bib number on it and hung back in your spot in transition. A picture will be taken as proof that the items were placed in your transition spot. In the event that the bike is still in your transition spot, please see one of our mechanics, they will be located in Transition at the Bike Tech Tent provided by IRONMAN, to see how to proceed further.

Q. How far in advance do I need to reserve a bike?
A. We are taking reservations now. If you have made the decision to rent a bike for your race, reserving now guarantees you a bike for that race. We have a large selection of rentals, but it is best to reserve as soon as you are able to guarantee the bike level and size you want. If you are booking within 30 days of the event, please contact ironman@playtri.com to confirm your rental is logistically able to make it to the event.

Q. I booked a Service/Rental, but don’t see any confirmation for it?
A. Once the reservation or purchase has been made, you will receive an immediate purchase confirmation from RunSignUp. This confirms your reservation was placed and will show up on our side of things. We will send out our pre-race information email 1-2 weeks before the event with more details for your rental or service booked.

Q. Will someone be able to give me information where to ride if I am coming from out of town?
A. Great question, we’re not experts of each locale. We do know a lot of people who can guide you in the right direction. Visit us at the expo booth for more information.

Q. Is there a specific length of time the bike can be rented out?
A. Yes, the bike can be picked up as early as the first day of expo and must be returned to your transition spot before you go out on the run. In the event you DNS/DNF you must leave the bike in your transition spot or if the event is canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. Our mechanics in Transition at the Bike Tech Tent will collect the bike.

Q. I need help. I can’t decide which bike to reserve. How can you help?
A. Please email us at: ironman@playtri.com and provide us with the best way to contact you. A PLAYTRI expert will call or email you to help guide you to the bike that makes the most sense for your race-day needs.

Q. What is your refund policy? A. Once a reservation is made and paid for, there are no refunds. The Rider can reschedule their reservation to another event that Playtri participates in if Playtri is notified at least 4 weeks (28 days) before the original event date the rental was booked for.

Q. What if the race is cancelled or rescheduled?                                                                                                                                                    A.  Please refer to the rental waiver.