Clip On Bars

[bisearoet]

I do not, nor do i intend to start anytime soon, do triathlons. However, i expect you guys to be a lot more experienced in this subject, and so i've come here looking for advice. I'm looking to get a cheap clip on aero bar but not sure what i should be looking at. I currently have $50 in gift cards for amazon so i looked there, but my lack of knowledge has kept me from making any real decisions. Basically, i need to know what to look for in a bar. Is there a particular style that would work best? How much would i be looking to spend on something reliable? I want one more for comfort than speed, is this realistic? Any and all advice is appreciated, thank you in advance.

 

[ABNPFDR]

There are pros and cons to aero bars on a road bike.

Generally disdained by true roadies, the "century bar" IMHO offers cyclists, especially distance enthusiasts an alternative position to ride in giving the hands a break. There are many designs out there but Profile Design probably offers the most variety. Personally I like s bend bars, but pick one that you thing will be comfortable.

The downside is it's tough to sometimes get comfortable in the saddle. The position can rotate the pelvis causing pressure on the front.

 

[thepieeatingjay]

It may just be me, but I would get a couple sprint triathlons under your belt with a good road bike before worrying about aero bars.

 

[blastguardgear]

I use a set of Profile Design bars for the occasional TT and used them in a stage race with a TT stage. I think they were $60 and are easy to switch from bike to bike. I don't change my road bike for them so I am not as low as I would like, but they are nice to have and I tend to do better with them.

 

[tarverten]

Due to upper body issues, I frequently utilizing the aerobars on my road bikes, I'm 65. For years I was comfortable using Profile design Air Stryke bars but then a friend gave me his Profile Design T4+ bars and they are even better. You might have to try a number of styles out before finding the best one for you.

Good selection from Amazon but it would be financially better if you had a LBS with a try-it out policy.

 

[Totalarmordestine]

Yes, shorty aerobars designed for road bikes work great! I have a set of Profile Design Jammer GT Aerobars on my road bike and love them. I'm faster with the aerobars and they make my long rides more comfortable.

A few things to remember. You don't want to change your position on the road bike so you need aerobars that will accommodate your current riding set up which is much slacker than a Tri bike set up. That's where Shorty aerobars come into play. They usually have the arm rests positioned between your handle bars and seat. The end of the shorty bars usually don't stick out much farther than the ends of the shift levers. Your hip to leg riding angle remains the same as your current set up and everything is good.

If you pick up aerobars designed for a Triathlon bike, the arm rests are usually at or forward of the handle bars. This set up will not work well with a road bike because it stretches you out way to much making for a uncomfortable, inefficient and twitchy ride. (don't ask my how I know)

I would go for it

 

[shadowsupernature]

I would get one where the pads flip up. That way, if you get tired of riding aero, the pads will flip up and you can put your hands on the bars. It gives you one more option other than the drops.

 

[Brennus]

The first time I bought aerobars I bought these:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dsporting&field-keywords=Bike+Relaxation+handlebar

Lots of sellers offer them. They are cheap and comfortable. I rode with mine fo 4300 miles before crashing and breaking them. These clip ons sit quite high above your handlebars which makes them well suited for a commuter or long distance ride. At the same time you'll get most of the aero benefit of more expensive set ups with these.

As an anecdote, I spent >$400 to upgrade wheels on my road bike. Same 12 mile course, similar wind/weather conditions, 7lbs lower body weight, more expensive wheels...8 seconds faster. I spent $30 on these aerobars...tried them on my road bike...60 to 75 seconds faster over the same 12 mile course. Consistently faster almost every time unless it's really windy.

Even low cost aero bars provide tremendous bang for the buck.

 

[ABNPFDR]

Even low cost aero bars provide tremendous bang for the buck.

Clip on aero bars offer on average a 1.5mph speed increase. It is by far the cheapest speed increase you can buy. For example if you can do a 12 mile sprint triathlon bike course at 18mph it would take 40:00. With aero bars, with the same effort you should gain about 3 minutes.

 

[swampy1970]

I do not, nor do i intend to start anytime soon, do triathlons. However, i expect you guys to be a lot more experienced in this subject, and so i've come here looking for advice. I'm looking to get a cheap clip on aero bar but not sure what i should be looking at. I currently have $50 in gift cards for amazon so i looked there, but my lack of knowledge has kept me from making any real decisions. Basically, i need to know what to look for in a bar. Is there a particular style that would work best? How much would i be looking to spend on something reliable? I want one more for comfort than speed, is this realistic? Any and all advice is appreciated, thank you in advance.

The whole aerobar thing actually started with the RAAM - not triathlons - and were used initially for comfort and not aerodynamics. The aero properties were noted and quickly found favor with the long distance cyclists before triathletes had discovered that cycling and speedo's was possible but not desirable.

If you're maintaining your current road bike position then I'd look at a bar that offers the biggest range of adjustability - include the ability to put the pads closer to you than the handlebars. This will allow you to maintain the same upper body position as riding on the brake lever hoods but will pull the arms in for aero benefits and also give you a very comfy place to rest your elbows.

I dig these:

http://www.profile-design.com/product/aerobars/t3-aluminum/