Airlie Beach Triathlon 2026: Course Guide and TT Bike Upgrades

The Airlie Beach Triathlon returns to the Whitsundays on 25 and 26 July 2026, with the flagship Standard Distance and Sprint Triathlon racing from Airlie Beach Lagoon on Sunday morning.

With a fast multi-lap bike course, repeated U-turns and plenty of time spent in the aero position, your bike setup needs to be clean, secure and easy to use. This is where the right TT computer mount, aero-extension shifter mounts, triathlon saddle, lightweight wheels and race-ready accessories can make the bike easier to race.

Airlie Beach Triathlon race distances

Standard Distance Triathlon: 1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run. The Standard Distance race is listed as a National Qualifier.

Sprint Triathlon: 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run.

5:00am–6:00am: Sunday registration

5:00am–6:15am: Transition open

6:15am: Race briefing

6:30am: Standard Distance professional men

6:35am: Standard Distance professional women

6:40am: Standard Distance age group start

7:00am: Sprint Distance age group start

The Standard Distance bike course includes repeated turnarounds, accelerations and returns to the aero position. A computer that is difficult to read, loose accessories, awkward shifter placement or poor front-end organisation will interrupt your rhythm on every lap.

1. Put your computer where you can actually read it

Your computer position matters when you are trying to hold a stable aero position. Looking down between your arms or lifting your head repeatedly costs concentration and breaks your rhythm.

The 76 Projects TT Modular Computer Mount 3.0 positions a Garmin or Wahoo between the aero extensions and gives you three-way adjustment. Standard brackets cover 50–90mm centre-to-centre extension spacing, with extra-wide and right-angle bracket options available for more specialised bars.

For narrow cockpits or a screen that sits too low between your forearms, look at the 76 Projects Tower TT Mount. It raises the computer above the arms, making the screen easier to see without burying it inside the cockpit.

2. Use the right mount for specialist aero extensions

Not every TT cockpit accepts a conventional two-sided mount. Extension shape, width and hand position can make a standard computer mount awkward or impossible to fit properly.

The 76 Projects One-Sided TT Computer Mount is a specialist solution for compatible Vision TFE and Profile Design ASC aero extensions.

The 76 Projects Ultra Distance TT Mount is designed for wider extension spacing and riders using a compatible Garmin external battery pack. For a Standard or Sprint triathlon without external battery requirements, the standard TT Mount 3.0 will usually be the cleaner choice.

3. Move the shifters to where your hands already are

Aero-extension shifter mounts let you place satellite or wireless shifters around your actual hand position rather than accepting wherever the cockpit manufacturer left room.

Choose the 76 Projects SRAM Aero-Extension Shifter Mounts for compatible SRAM controls.

Choose the 76 Projects Shimano Aero-Extension Shifter Mounts for compatible Shimano satellite shifters.

4. Add lights or cameras without rebuilding the cockpit

The modular 76 Projects TT system can carry more than a bike computer. Its removable modules let you add compatible lights or cameras while keeping the front end organised.

Shop the 76 Projects Light and Camera Modules for GoPro-style devices, Exposure Trace lights and compatible band-mounted lights.

5. Use a saddle built for a forward triathlon position

A standard road saddle can feel narrow and unsupportive when you rotate forward and load the front of the saddle in the aero bars.

The Gelu P-Series Carbon Saddle is the TT and triathlon-focused saddle in the Gelu range. Its 54mm front support gives you a wider platform where a forward-position rider actually sits.

The P3 starts from approximately 60g, while the stronger P1 is approximately 70g. Both are handmade in Portugal and can be personalised with colours, names and design details. Gelu saddles are made to order, so this is an upgrade for your wider race program rather than an untested last-minute change.

6. Clean up the rear of the bike

Rear lights, radar units and cameras often end up strapped awkwardly around aero seatposts or hanging below saddle bags.

The 76 Projects Saddle Rail Mount positions compatible Garmin Varia units, lights or cameras securely beneath the saddle. It fits round and oval rails up to 7x10mm and weighs 32g including fasteners.

7. Take unnecessary weight out of the wheels

The Airlie Beach Standard bike course requires four accelerations out of each major turnaround. Reducing wheel and tyre-system weight gives the bike a sharper response every time speed drops and you need to build it again.

The Revoloop Race and Race Ultra TPU Tubes weigh approximately 39g and 25g respectively. Compared with conventional butyl tubes, they can remove substantial rotating weight while also taking up very little space in a race-day spares kit.

TPU tubes need a careful installation. Fit them correctly, test them in training and avoid making your first TPU ride the Airlie Beach Triathlon itself.

The Schmolke TLO 50 TLR Disc Wheelset gives you a 50mm-deep carbon wheelset from just 940g with Extralite or NONPLUS hubs.

The new 32.5mm-wide rim, 25mm internal width and carbon spokes combine modern tyre support with an exceptionally low wheelset weight. For a triathlon bike, that means you are not choosing between deep aero wheels and a light bike. The TLO 50 gives you both.

This is the major Airlie Beach Triathlon bike upgrade for riders who want a faster race setup now and a genuinely better bike for every event that follows.

8. Save weight without compromising bottle access

Bottle cages are small components, but triathlon bikes often carry more than one. Heavy cages and awkward bottle retention add weight without giving you anything useful in return.

The handmade carbon Alpitude Superleggero Bottle Cage weighs approximately 9g. It gives you secure bottle storage with almost none of the weight found in a conventional cage.

Shop TT computer mounts, shifter mounts, triathlon saddles, carbon wheels, TPU tubes and lightweight race components selected for serious triathlon bikes.

Need help choosing the correct mount? Send us a photo of your cockpit and the distance between your aero extensions, or call Martin on 0447 443 229.