Aero bars for longer distance.

[Incontinentia Buttocks]

Hello,
I see that a lot of Audax riders have aero bars fitted as it seems to relieve pressure from hands and back and gives a performance gain on long distance.
Do you change the whole bike set up or just adjust your body position?
Many thanks.

 

[S-Express]

Do you change the whole bike set up or just adjust your body position?

That..

 

[raleighnut]

I tried some and couldn't get on with em at all, sold em on pretty quick though.

 

[G3CWI]

I came to the conclusion that the gains were less important to me than feeling safe and comfortable on the bike. Quite fun to try though.

 

[screenman]

Where is Steve Abraham's ? I think he could sleep on his setup

 

[Mugshot]

I find them pretty good, although they can get a bit melty if it's too warm.

 

[Mugshot]

I enjoyed using the more standard aero bars although I did find I had to mess about with them before I could fit them in a position where I could more comfortably use the top of the bars whilst climbing, and even then it wasn't great. The set I used I'd borrowed from someone that couldn't get on with them, I've seriously considered, but not quite got round to getting my own set but I would probably want the type with the flip up pads for the reasons stated above.

Edit: Forgot to mention I didn't change the bike when I was using them, just myself.

 

[screenman]

Where is Steve Abraham's ? I think he could sleep on his setup

 

[Cuchilo]

@frank9755 Has his set up pretty well .

 

[LocalLad]

I find them pretty good, although they can get a bit melty if it's too warm.
View attachment 145641

I think this is my favorite cc post ever

 

[themosquitoking]

I find them pretty good, although they can get a bit melty if it's too warm.
View attachment 145641

Did you go out and do this just for this post? If so,

 

[frank9755]

Where is Steve Abraham's ? I think he could sleep on his setup

That is one of the problems - it's a lot easier to nod off on a long ride if you go on the aerobars.

 

[screenman]

That is one of the problems - it's a lot easier to nod off on a long ride if you go on the aerobars.

I would hope that you would get off befors things got that bad. Personally on my old time trial bike the position was very comfortable, that said I was never into long rides so about 100 would have been my max distance.

 

[frank9755]

Hello,
I see that a lot of Audax riders have aero bars fitted as it seems to relieve pressure from hands and back and gives a performance gain on long distance.
Do you change the whole bike set up or just adjust your body position?
Many thanks.

It's always a bit of a compromise as the two positions are different. Generally I'd say don't mess with your main position but work on flexibility so that you can use the aerobars without adjustment. However, this means your hip angle will be very tight when on the aerobars. I've got a seatpost that has two positions (Redshift), so I can get something more like a TT position on the aerobars without ruining my drop-bar position, but I don't always use it as it's not always comfortable. A lot of people, such as Steve Abraham, get round the tight hip angle by having their aerobars very high which sort of defeats the point, or minimises the benefit.

Best way to start is to put them on, without otherwise changing your position, and use them for short periods only to begin with, then gradually extending the time you spend on them.

 

[frank9755]

I would hope that you would get off befors things got that bad. Personally on my old time trial bike the position was very comfortable, that said I was never into long rides so about 100 would have been my max distance.

I've never had a problem on hundreds, 12s or 24s but I became aware of it during the Transcontinental. When you are very tired, the prone position is just a bit more sleepy. Apparently Wilko cited it as a problem when he did his LEJoG record ride.