Looking for a good set of aero bars

[BikeDemon]

I'm riding a Cannondale CAAD10 4 with stock handlebars, and am looking for a set of aero bars that will mount on them. I ride alone mostly, so please don't turn this into a discussion on safety in group riding. What I am looking for specifically is this:

1. Comfort on longer rides. Comfort is more important to me than the ultimate in aerodynamics. I will not be doing time trials or triathalons.

2. Something I don't have to modify to fit on my current handlebars.

3. Light weight - I know I am not that concerned about aerodynamics, but lighter is still better.

4. Something that is adjustable to my size - I am 6'4" and ride a 63cm frame. Not sure if that matters.

I ride mainly flat roads in NW Ohio, but it does get windy and I find myself in the drops position quite a bit, but it's hard on my hands and shoulders.

Any suggestions for manufacturer/model would be appreciated, along with specific pertinent feedback.

Cheers!

 

[swampy1970]

I have a set of these and I really like them:

http://www.rei.com/product/738100/profile-t2-s-bend-aero-bar

They have shims to work on 26 or 31.8mm bars and you can place the armrests behind the regular handlbar - which is good if you have a fairly stretched out road bike position. The S bend actually works a little better than I expected it too - it allows you to sit a little higher up if you grab the bottom of the 's' bend which is great for rolling a big gear over when you come to a slight hill.

You can set bar width and armrest width seperately - which can be a plus.

I haven't used them for time trialing, although I have put in some big efforts on them. I've been using them recently in long brevet rides - the last being a 400km (~250 mile) event.



As you can see I run the pads many inches behind the regular bars. It allows me to put the base bars where I want them for climbing and group riding (a position you'd likely have when riding on your brake hoods) and still have the pads resting about 2/3 the way down my forearm - closer to my elbow than my wrist.

 

[BikeDemon]

Thanks Swampy - I was looking over the Profile lineup, and the ones that looked like they would meet my needs were the T1 or T3, or the Jammer GT - all of them have more of a neutral grip, which would work best for my wrists, and the elbow pads can be adjusted to sit behind the regular handle bar, which is also a must.
The only concern I have is in the length of the overall extension, particularly on the JammerGT - I have fairly long forearms.

 

[maydog]

I have aerobars on one of my long distance bikes. They are Vuelta XRP; I bought them at bikeisland a few years back. I think they are a good addition, but I do miss the loss of real estate on the regular handlebars. The elbow pads are in the way of using most of the top horizontal part of the bar. I am used to it now, but if I were to do it again, I would probably go with a set that have spring loaded elbow pads. When not in use, they fold up out of the way of the handlebar.

I know one older gentleman who rides mega miles and uses the profile design airstrike style bars which have the flip up arm brackets/pads. He likes them.

I too am 6'4" and I have a set of Jammer GT bars sitting in a box in my garage. I had them on my mountain bike for years. Depending on your frame geometery and stem length, they could be a bit short. I had them at maximum extension on my MTB. They would not be my first pick if I were areobar shopping today.

I also have profile T2's on my time trial bike and like those.

 

[alienator]

I'm riding a Cannondale CAAD10 4 with stock handlebars, and am looking for a set of aero bars that will mount on them. I ride alone mostly, so please don't turn this into a discussion on safety in group riding. What I am looking for specifically is this:
1. Comfort on longer rides. Comfort is more important to me than the ultimate in aerodynamics. I will not be doing time trials or triathalons.
2. Something I don't have to modify to fit on my current handlebars.
3. Light weight - I know I am not that concerned about aerodynamics, but lighter is still better.
4. Something that is adjustable to my size - I am 6'4" and ride a 63cm frame. Not sure if that matters.
I ride mainly flat roads in NW Ohio, but it does get windy and I find myself in the drops position quite a bit, but it's hard on my hands and shoulders.
Any suggestions for manufacturer/model would be appreciated, along with specific pertinent feedback.
Cheers!

Given the difficulty you encounter when in the drops for extended time, you might want to consider optimizing your fit before moving on to aero bars. Whether you do the optimizing or someone else (like an LBS) does, it will likely improve your comfort over all. You might find that with an improved fit, you can stay in the drops comfortably. Also, another thing to consider is riding with your hands on the hoods and your forearms resting on the bars behind the hoods. See the image below (of Roger de Vlaeminck long befofre he took to telling Tom Boonen how Tom had it easy since there was no one in his races to challenge him). It's said that Fabian Cancellara is faster in this position than he is when he is in the drops. I find the position really comfortable.

 

[BikeDemon]

Alienator - thank you for the response - I'll give that a try. Thanks for the photo - his wrists don't look very comfortable cranked downward like that, but who knows... It will at least give me an impression of what it might feel like, albeit a bit lower, since the elbow pads on most aero bars are raised up a bit above the bar.
BTW, I don't feel uncomfortable riding on the hoods or in the drops to where I think there is a fitting issue, I think I'm just a bit lazy when it comes to riding into a headwind and feel that I could focus more on my power if I was settled into the position aero bars offer. Purely speculative at this point, but would like to try it since it's not that expensive of a accessory (unless I get woody doody carbon ones...).