Moment Bicycles, the innovator and sponsor of the San Diego Triathlon Classic, is gearing up for the 10th annual event on Sept. 8.
Founded in May 2007, Moment Bicycles, which since has expanded from Rosecrans Street into Liberty Station, formed Moment Sporting Events in 2009 to stage high-quality triathlon and other countywide road-racing events.
“We have Olympic- and Sprint-distance options for the race,” said J.T. Lyons, owner of Moment Bicycles, which is the official training, maintenance and rental supplier to athletes participating in the race.
Engineer-turned-cycling entrepreneur, Lyons, operator of the all-purpose bike shop at 2816 Historic Decatur Road, Suite 135, said the Tri Classic Olympic distance involves a 1,500-meter swim, 25-mile bike, and a 10K run. The sprint is a 750-meter swim, 17-mile bike and 5k run.
Lyons said there are as many as 1,000 competitors in Tri Classic who are sent off in “waves” according to age and gender.
The cycling entrepreneur said the classic is a fun, local event promoting health and fitness. He added that adults afterward can sample local craft brews and pizza in the beer/mimosa oasis. Lyons said one thing not many people know is that triathlon is a homegrown sport.
“Triathlon was invented here in San Diego — San Diego started the sport,” Lyons said.
The first modern swim/bike/run event to be called a triathlon was held at Mission Bay on Sept. 25, 1974. The race was conceived and directed by Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan, members of the San Diego Track Club, which sponsored it.
Lyons started the Tri Classic a decade ago because “there were no Olympic triathlons in San Diego, though we had a bunch of triathlons, we wanted something a little bit better. A little more scenic. It was reason enough to put one on ourselves.”
The SD Tri Classic is also perfectly suited to Moment Bicycles and its customers. “Our primary niche is bicycles for cycling enthusiasts and triathlon bikes and gear,” said Lyons. “We want to help people meet their goal of racing in, and finishing, a triathlon.”
Moment Bicycles in Liberty Station has everything to serve cycling aficionados whatever their needs.
“We started out as a specialty store just doing triathlon and road-specific cycling,” Lyons said. “But now we cater to everyone, road, mountain, triathlon and family bikes and gear.”
Visit sandiegotriathlonclassic.com for more information.
