Aero bars

zzzzzzzz

Got a lend of a set of clip on aero bars (thanks to blorg) for the time trial in the Gorey this weekend.

Was out on them for the first time this morning. Not 100% confident using them. Not really sure what corners I can take aero and what ones I should get out of them.

Is there that much benefit using them over a 7km time trial given I haven't been training on them or worked on my position at all?

I'm thinking I probably won't bother with them over the weekend - my reason being it's probably better to be less aerodynamic but confident through bends/putting power down/etc.

Any thoughts?

Diarmuid

Wouldn't the savings still be worth it if you just used them on the straights? What's the disadvantage of leaving them on, a bit of extra weight?

zzzzzzzz

Diarmuid wrote: »

Wouldn't the savings still be worth it if you just used them on the straights? What's the disadvantage of leaving them on, a bit of extra weight?

Well what sort of savings would I be looking at? Is there an online calculator anywhere that would help me figure that out?

Wouldn't be concerned about the weight of them - but think they might be a bit of a distraction

niceonetom

In my experiments with them I've found myself to be faster over any distance. The only exception I can imagine would be a course that is exceptionally twisting and technical, or one that is very very steep.

I'd use them, and I'd go out on them this evening to get as used to them as possible.

Best of luck this weekend btw .

niceonetom

I don't have a PM or anything to eliminate other factors but I've found that my usual spins around the Phoenix park are ~3kmph faster on aerobars than without them, that's with approximately the same HR and perceived effort (maybe less PE actually), and I would not be the bravest about staying on them in the turns either. It's a significant advantage.

How long is the TT for Gorey?

blorg

Gorey TT is only 7km but I believe it is quite straight and non-technical. It's a point to point, there isn't even a turn-around. Undulating. The thing is about a TT in a stage race is that every second counts and they can really be decisive. My feeling on them would be to leave them on and use them in the straights. They do make a big difference.

Make sure you don't have them very narrow, those ones I would tend to put out a bit from the stem if possible. Also double check if you can move the pads out further, I think I had them out as far as they will go but they might go out more. You just pull the pad off (it is Velcro attached) and there is an allen key under it for moving the pad mount around.

Home:Ballyhoura

niceonetom wrote: »

How long is the TT for Gorey?

7km I believe...I can't imagine there are many serious bends on the TT route? There usually isn't so I don't think using the aero bars should be a problem!

Edit: Too late, blorg beat me too it! Anyway, see you there (I got in from the waiting list). I'll be on my nice new PX Stealth which I used in race conditions for the first time last night and was very happy with it! Best of luck

zzzzzzzz

Cheers. I'll give them a go.

H:B - did you get a place in the end?

Beasty

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

Well what sort of savings would I be looking at? Is there an online calculator anywhere that would help me figure that out?

Here

zzzzzzzz

Home:Ballyhoura wrote: »

7km I believe...I can't imagine there are many serious bends on the TT route? There usually isn't so I don't think using the aero bars should be a problem!

Edit: Too late, blorg beat me too it! Anyway, see you there (I got in from the waiting list). I'll be on my nice new PX Stealth which I used in race conditions for the first time last night and was very happy with it! Best of luck

Nice one. Good luck.

Chips Lovell

Best of luck to both of you. I'll be looking forward to hearing all about it.

godihatedehills

Aidan, I was going to say make sure you're comfortable, the whole don't use new runners for a marathon and don't try out a new saddle on the WW200 argument but that calculator is suggesting that the bars would make quite a difference.

I tried my new bars on Wednesday and hated them, looks like I'm going to have to try harder to get used to them.

Beasty

godihatedehills wrote: »

I tried my new bars on Wednesday and hated them, looks like I'm going to have to try harder to get used to them.

Maybe you should set up another account:
"Godihatedeaerobars":)

Lumen

el tonto wrote: »

Best of luck to both of you. I'll be looking forward to hearing all about it.

And to Mr Skeffington, who eats TTs for breakfast, or something.

edit: any of you want to borrow my pointy hat?

FrankGrimes

I'm toying with the idea of getting some clip-on aero bars for my PlanetX Carbon SL road bike (handlebars are not carbon, aluminium I think, 31.8mm). Main rationale was that I'll do some 40km TT runs as part of my training plans over the next few months and hey, ya never know, I might race at some point in the future. On the sportives and training rides I do I spend most of my time riding solo so I'd be interested in trying out the aero bars to see if they could give me an advantage in the long flat sections.

I've searched around here but couldn't find any definitive explanation of the different options and types of bends but I thought I'd add to an existing thread rather than create a new one.

Any tips on what to go for (ideally under €200) much appreciated.

mloc123

FrankGrimes wrote: »

I'm toying with the idea of getting some clip-on aero bars for my PlanetX Carbon SL road bike (handlebars are not carbon, aluminium I think, 31.8mm). Main rationale was that I'll do some 40km TT runs as part of my training plans over the next few months and hey, ya never know, I might race at some point in the future. On the sportives and training rides I do I spend most of my time riding solo so I'd be interested in trying out the aero bars to see if they could give me an advantage in the long flat sections.

I've searched around here but couldn't find any definitive explanation of the different options and types of bends but I thought I'd add to an existing thread rather than create a new one.

Any tips on what to go for (ideally under €200) much appreciated.

On bends... J for comfort, S for aero

cdaly_

FrankGrimes wrote: »

hey, ya never know, I might race at some point in the future.

Just be aware that aerobars are illegal for racing so don't get dependent on them if you plan to race. TTs OTOH are no problem.

Beasty

There was another thread here that went into the pros and cons of the different types of bars

kennyb3

IIRC there is some issue re fitting some clip ons to handlebars size wise, i ve a defy 4 and am looking for a set of clip ons, does anyone know which ones exactly fit and which dont?

ednwireland

why do i keep seeing this and thinking



gonna have to go out and get one now (you just ruined my diet)

cdaly_

kennyb3 wrote: »

IIRC there is some issue re fitting some clip ons to handlebars size wise, i ve a defy 4 and am looking for a set of clip ons, does anyone know which ones exactly fit and which dont?

Basically there are two different handlebar sizes. 26.4mm and 31.something. Some clip-ons will come with shims so they'll fit both. You just need to know which handlebars you have and look for that size when shopping for the clip-ons.

FrankGrimes

My bars are 31.8mm and most extensions seem to work with that (and use rubber shims inside the clamp to also work with 26mm bars). Some aerobars list the compatible handlebars as 31.6 or 31.7mm, but I'm guessing that works with 31.8mm also.

Thanks for the link Beasty - based on that thread I might go for J-bend ones (ones that point up a bit towards the end) cos I do have a bit of discomfort getting into the drops so S-bend might be a bridge too far for the moment.

I doubt I'll spend this much on it (though I do have a birthday coming up ), but these seem like the right style as they're mounted under the handlebars and come up a little towards the end. This Profile Stryke ones look like they come up too much at the end so that the ends are almost vertical - doesn't look very aero.

kennyb3

I ve a giant defy 4, anyone know if it would be 26 or 31.7mm bars (not changed since purchase)

07Lapierre

kennyb3 wrote: »

I ve a giant defy 4, anyone know if it would be 26 or 31.7mm bars (not changed since purchase)

26 accourding to Cyclesuperstore

ten speed racer

And this is another thread on the same topic.

In the end, I went for S-bends. I've found them comfortable so far, and I was able to stay on the aero bars for all of a 40 km TT (apart from corners).

FrankGrimes

I got the Oval A910 clip-on bars as a birthday gift and they've now arrived so I'm going to play around with them this week. Will look to do a couple of interval sessions on the turbo to get used to them and then do a 40km TT route on Friday.

They're a lovely piece of kit but clearly way heavier than the approx. 200g advertised: the bars may be that weight but with the clip-blocks included they're more like 600g. That's not really an issue for me but I don't like false claims like that.

Seems the general guidance is to have the pads under the forearms, not the elbows and I'll see if I'm more comfortable with the barends beinf far away or nearer (which I can see being less aero). Given that I never cycle in the drops and I have the hoods tilted up a bit, this is gonna be a big change so it'll take some time to get used to. But I want to see if I can break the hour mark so will persevere with it.

Next step is to get an aero helmet. I thought I had read recently about new ones without the long tail tip (i.e. same front but shorter at the back) being more aero but I don't see many options like that on the main online stores. Is something like this Giro TT Helmet what people generally go for?

Browsing the web suggests if you have round bars (which my road bike does), it's more aero to have a bottle on the seatpost tube than none at all, and is also best not to have any bottle on the downtube. Interestingly, it seems it's ill-advised to have bottles behind the seat, so can't understand why some people buy those seat bottle holders. Also interesting were claims that not wearing gloves saves as much as an aero front wheel would. I have some cheap lycra overshoes which seem like a no brainer to have. Any other Dos/Don'ts or disagreement with these tips?

My target is to see how close I can get to the hour mark for the 40km TT route out in Batterstown. Have only done it once this year and came in at a little over 1:07. Hoping the right gear knocks off a minute or maybe two, and then we'll see how close I can get from there.

Murph100

Given the fact that most of the Peleton wore gloves in the TDF TT's and that Spartacus wears them half the time, I'd be a little bit skeptical about that claim.

Also, I definitely would not go without gloves whilst getting used to aero bars !

There is always the option of 'aero' gloves like Castelli.

PBK also have their superb black skinsuits back in stock, that will definitely help.

FrankGrimes wrote: »

I got the [URL="http://www.probikekit.com Also interesting were claims that not wearing gloves saves as much as an aero front wheel would. I have some cheap lycra overshoes which seem like a no brainer to have. Any other Dos/Don'ts or disagreement with these tips?

Quigs Snr

If anyone is looking for integrated Aero Bars by the way, I am going to sell my Carbon Profile X 1.5 integrated bar and stem combo (Ski Bends).

Frank, if you are starting off the Giro Advantage is probably a good helmet. Fits a bit tight so make sure you try it on, but the shorter tail works better than most if you put your head down like most TT beginners including myself tend to do.