Your opinions please: Aero Bars

lefthooker

Hi all,
My first post here & I'm looking for wisdom & guidance.

Recently I got back into cycling(much to the amusement of friends) to fight the fat. So I got me a hybrid cos its more suitable for the roads here. Lately I've become fed up of the upright position especially when I'm on long flat sections so I got thinking bout Aero bars, the clip on type .Are there many here using them & what's ur opinion.

Following on, anybody selling a set or could recommend a good bike shop who stock a few styles.

Thanx in advance,
Lefty

abcdggs

lefthooker wrote: »

Hi all,
My first post here & I'm looking for wisdom & guidance.

Recently I got back into cycling(much to the amusement of friends) to fight the fat. So I got me a hybrid cos its more suitable for the roads here. Lately I've become fed up of the upright position especially when I'm on long flat sections so I got thinking bout Aero bars, the clip on type .Are there many here using them & what's ur opinion.

Following on, anybody selling a set or could recommend a good bike shop who stock a few styles.

Thanx in advance,
Lefty

Aero bars on your hybrid?

penexpers

abcdggs wrote: »

Aero bars on your hybrid?

I've seen Aero bars on hybrids before.

But I would recommend drop bars over aero bars. Aero bars have limited uses (imo).

niceonetom

Putting aerobars on a hybrid might seem odd at first but in a way it makes a lot of sense. It's like getting a diet coke with a supersize big-mac meal.

Converting a hybrid to drops is a bit expensive but you can get a set of clip-ons for €50. They will certainly make you faster into a headwind too. I say go for it. Just don't be too reluctant to get up off them and get your hands near the brakes.

lefthooker

abcdggs wrote: »

Aero bars on your hybrid?

Exactly what niceonetom has said. By right I'd like a race/road bike but A) a good used one is rare to come across & my ass is too boney for the roads. So a hybrid wit bars wud give best of both. I think;)

lefthooker

Been looking on chainreactioncycling.com & there's plenty of styles I'd like at what seem reasonable prices. Has anybody dealt wit them before? Are there any good Irish sites?

cdaly_

I started out with a flat-bar hybrid and added a set of Profile Century. EUR55 from Cyclesuperstore in Dublin, GBP46 from chainreactioncycles in Belfast. Nice starter bars though they do sit up fairly high above the handlebars. My next set will mount lower I reckon. Chainreaction cycles have been pretty good to deal with for me though delivery can be slow at times. For that price difference you'd be as well buying locally though.

I found them very handy on my commute but, because I'm commuting in city traffic, I added a pair of auxiliary brake levers so I have brakes to hand on the aerobars too.



Mind you, I have since done a conversion to dropped bars...

lefthooker

Nice setup cdaly. Kinda like what I have in mind for my own. Take a while to graduate to drop bars tho.

Lumen

lefthooker wrote: »

Exactly what niceonetom has said. By right I'd like a race/road bike but A) a good used one is rare to come across & my ass is too boney for the roads. So a hybrid wit bars wud give best of both. I think;)

Not sure what you mean by "my ass is too boney for the roads". Tyre width?

Drop bars are not really about aerodynamics, more a combination of control, ergonomic hand positions and access to the brakes and gears whilst being reasonably aero.

Things you can't do on aerobars:

- Brake or change gear (unless you have bar end shifters)
- Descend or corner fast & safe
- Ride in a group

I'm not saying don't fit them to your hybrid - they may give you more speed/comfort on the flat - but there's a reason road bikes come with drop bars. They're better.

ckeego

Hi there..
I have these for sale...

40 euro and they are yours. 140 new in CSS, but I got them off RobFowl and they don't fit my OS 31.8mm bar.

As new. Basically unused and new pads.

As they are 26 diameter, they should fit your MTB perfectly.

Andrew33

Lovely out of the fridge.

badgerpm

cdaly_ wrote: »

I started out with a flat-bar hybrid and added a set of Profile Century. EUR55 from Cyclesuperstore in Dublin, GBP46 from chainreactioncycles in Belfast. Nice starter bars though they do sit up fairly high above the handlebars. My next set will mount lower I reckon. Chainreaction cycles have been pretty good to deal with for me though delivery can be slow at times. For that price difference you'd be as well buying locally though.

I found them very handy on my commute but, because I'm commuting in city traffic, I added a pair of auxiliary brake levers so I have brakes to hand on the aerobars too.



Mind you, I have since done a conversion to dropped bars...

Cdaly, if you wouldn't mind, could yuo tell me the total cost of your switch to drop bars (if you can remember)? I'm thinking of doing the same thing and want a rounabout figure. Thanks a million.

littleredspot

badgerpm wrote: »

Cdaly, if you wouldn't mind, could yuo tell me the total cost of your switch to drop bars (if you can remember)? I'm thinking of doing the same thing and want a rounabout figure. Thanks a million.

And was it worth it? (I'm thinking of doing it too)

tunney

Lumen wrote: »

Drop bars are not really about aerodynamics, more a combination of control, ergonomic hand positions and access to the brakes and gears whilst being reasonably aero.

I'd argue drops are about two things. Lower centre of gravity and aero.

The aero impact is huge -

"Output required to sustain 45kph.

'Normal' road bike with hands on hoods: 465 Watts
Same bike, hands down on the drops: 406 watts
Same bike, Easton Aeroforce aero bars: 369 Watts
Same bike Triathlon position (5.5 cm lower bar, saddle forwards): 360 Watts
"

Lumen

tunney wrote: »

I'd argue drops are about two things. Lower centre of gravity and aero.

I think we're comparing a road bike with drops to a hybrid with aerobars.

doozerie

Another factor to consider is how a hybrid with aero bars will handle while in the aero position (assuming that the saddle and handlebar heights allow a reasonable aero position to be achieved in the first place, which is possibly a large assumption).

Personally, I'd look instead at getting a less upright position without the use of aero bars - that could mean fitting a longer stem and/or a seatpost with greater setback, lowering the handlebars maybe, etc.

cdaly_

badgerpm wrote: »

Cdaly, if you wouldn't mind, could yuo tell me the total cost of your switch to drop bars (if you can remember)? I'm thinking of doing the same thing and want a rounabout figure. Thanks a million.

I reckon it cost me around EUR100 but the only thing I bought new was the bar tape and I did all the work myself. Shifters are the most expensive bit and it certainly wouldn't be financially viable to use new parts or to pay for it to be done.

Here's my thread on the subject

littleredspot wrote: »

And was it worth it? (I'm thinking of doing it too)

Yep.

Lumen wrote: »

I think we're comparing a road bike with drops to a hybrid with aerobars.

I reckon I was at least as aero on the hybrid as on the drops. The tucked in position on the aerobars certainly feels faster than the same body/head height but wider arm spread on the drops.

doozerie wrote: »

Another factor to consider is how a hybrid with aero bars will handle while in the aero position (assuming that the saddle and handlebar heights allow a reasonable aero position to be achieved in the first place, which is possibly a large assumption).

This is an interesting one. I reckon handling on the aerobars has remained the same with flat or dropped bars. Handling is a bit poorer on aerobars than on either of the other bars but, with a bit of experience, it's no problem.

OTOH, my FCR has a fairly long (170mm) head tube so I'm limited in how low I can get the bars. At this stage I have my stem as low as it will go on the steerer and flipped to point horizontal (it came tilted upwards from the shop). If I want to get lower I'll have to change the frame (or bike)...

lefthooker

Think I need to clarify a bit on my original query.
I've no designs on being Cancellara or the likes its just I find myself lying forward onto the bars to get a lower position whenever I can. Its not really about speed & I usually cycle alone for a bit of piece. I was wondering about aero bars for comfort &/or control

cdaly_

I use the aerobars as a bit of an armchair at times.

Control is poorer, you have to be ready to reach for the normal grips for sudden manouvres like dodging wayward children on the cycle track...

lefthooker

cdaly_ wrote: »

I use the aerobars as a bit of an armchair at times.

Control is poorer, you have to be ready to reach for the normal grips for sudden manouvres like dodging wayward children on the cycle track...

Armchair??? Great minds think alike etc....

Do u think you'd have better control if u had two piece adjustable bars set slightly wider. The only things I need to dodge is the occasional young 1 out walkin r bugs bunny. Maybe I cud fit a lamp & gun rack too:D

cdaly_

You won't get any better control with the bars separated. Basically what you're doing is steering with your elbows. Try resting your elbows/forearms on your existing bars and see what sort of control you have then. It'll be a bit better on the aerobars...

ThisRegard

I saw the most un-Euro thing this morning. A guy cycling an MTB, but one of those ones that are almost like a chopper in that the forks seem very high therefore the body position is also up high, like a high nelly, on aero bars.

Lumen

ThisRegard wrote: »

I saw the most un-Euro thing this morning. A guy cycling an MTB, but one of those ones that are almost like a chopper in that the forks seem very high therefore the body position is also up high, like a high nelly, on aero bars.

DH bike? Wait, aero bars?

niceonetom

This should surprise no one, but I think blorg may have experimented with aerobars on his mountain bike.