SeraphimF

Mostly posting here because this seems to be the subforum where headwinds are most discussed.

My bike's top tube is slightly long, and I also happen to like riding in an upright position, so I've just gotten some Wald "touring" (North Road style) bars. Although I think this will make biking generally more pleasant, I'm worried about the lack of headwind possibilities. Even with straight MTB bars, I can angle my bar ends so that they stretch my body out and make me significantly more aerodynamic. I realize aero bars would look extremely goofy on what is basically a hybrid converted to a cruiser (North roads, wald baskets) but aside from this aspect, has anybody tried this or anything like it? Are there any other options? I'd be into the idea of just mounting drops below the north roads but I'm not particularly mechanically handy and never understood how that worked.

bikemig 

Check out the velo orange crazy bars

https://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...crazy-bar.html

ThermionicScott 

That's a good idea, @bikemig.

Maybe I'd ride my old 3-speed more if I had a good aero position for it. I've tried holding onto the brake levers while crouching down, and it wasn't completely satisfactory.

SeraphimF

Ideal, thank you!

acantor

I've had aero bars on my touring bikes for over 20 years. The postural variety they allow make them indispensable to me.

Function over form!

fietsbob

Trekking figure8 bend bars offer a bend over into a Headwind far reach

and a sit up in a comfortable near reach, + the climbing bar end like, positions on the sides and in-between as well

Images, https://www.google.com/search?q=Trek...ing+handlebars

here is one adding aero bars & arm pads..

Happy Feet

My trekking/aero bars

hilltowner

+1

BobbyG

I put aero bars on my MTB based commuter for extra hand positions. It helps alot in the wind. (I also have inboard bar-ends.)

SeraphimF

What's with the insane stem??

I'm most likely going to go for the velo orange bars because they seem aerodynamic enough for me, but can anyone recommend any cheap (doubtful, but under or around $50) aero bars? If such things exist. (I'd be mounting them to wald handlebars that cost $12 so I both can't, and don't want, to get too fancy).

hilltowner

Softride suspension stem from the 90s. It was not the original but is what the bike (Bridgestone MB-1) was spec'ed with. That picture was taken part way into a ride on Quebec 389 which is a pretty heinous gravel road between Labrador City and Baie-Comeau, Que. The stem was worth having on that ride.

Motorists can buy t-shirts at the Lab City visitor's center that proclaim "I survived the 389!" It's actually on the bucket list for many of the adventure touring motorcyclists riding bikes like the BMW GS series.

hilltowner

These might fit the bill: Lopez Aero Bars Haven't tried 'em but there are reviews you can read. Amazon often has deals like this.

acantor

If you find, as I do, that aerobars increase riding pleasure, then don't be concerned about their price. They are durable enough to last years, even decades.

I have bought Air Strykes twice, for two bikes: my first set in 1994, and my second set in 2004. Both are in great shape. I have needed to replace the pins/springs every six to ten years. Other than that, zero maintenance. The older set is now 21 years old -- I think I paid $100, so that works out to less than $5 per year.

fietsbob

When in Holland I noted they simply leaned on their arms on the bars of their Old Bikes when confronted with a Headwind..

To Lower their Torso to reduce wind resistance..

Brian25

I have a bike with north roads. I put some foam grips on the inbound of the where the brake levers are and really love it. It gives the ability to bend the elbows and makes it possible to lower one's torso, and are able to get better power from the glutes.

Western Flyer 

.I use aero clip-ons on my touring bike and like them so much I put a set on my 20 inch folder. It took some fiddling to work out the details. To start with my touring bike is a CX frame. I already had added a steering tube extension but switch the spacers to bring the drops up another 15mm. This brought the aeros up to a level I can pedal with for hours in comfort. It of course raises the drops which put me more upright when climbing which is nice. It also raises the drop position a bit, which since adding the clip-ons I use mostly for descents and if there is any speed decrease on the downhills it is not noticeable.

A technique for riding on the aeros with blustery headwinds is to ride with one arm on the aero and the other outboard near a brake (I learn it from none other the once great and now discredited Lance Armstrong.). I feel this is even more practical for clip-ons with drop bars. That’s LA himself in the picture in his last legal race trying to qualify for the World Ironman Championships in Kona, Hawai`i. The headwinds were officially clocked at 35 mph, notice the angle of the escort motorcycles.

From my picture you’ll see I use barend shifters instead of integrated brake/shifters (brifters). I didn’t start that way but when the brifters gave up the ghost I made the switch. One thing with aeros is they works best at in a narrow gear range at relatively high rpms. Nothing outrageous but maybe 70 to 80 revs for me. You can’t mash tall gears in the aero position. I find this means shifting frequently to adjust to road conditions. Most touring bikes have wide gearing gaps which means not only shifting but often double shifting both front and back derailleurs to maintain the proper cadence. Having the shifter on the aero ends makes shifting secondnature.


When you are on the top bar it's really no harder shifting than reaching for the brifters or barends on the drops, or if you are as old as me - reaching for downtube shifters. The way I have the aeros set up I can shift both shifters with either hand with the other hand anywhere on the drops. Something impossible with brifters, barends or thumbies. (I think some e-shifters can shift front and back with one hand.)

So there are my arguments for but it’s gets more complicated. I went from a 90mm to an 120mm stem which I find more aero and more comfortable on long days riding into headwinds. But this means rotating my pelvis further forward which necessitated a change in saddles both for performance and protecting tender areas. I tried a number of saddles and wound up liking the SMP Hybrid. It cradles the pelvis providing a stable and comfortable platform for everything from an aero position to very upright while descending steep single track. Works for me anyhow.

Then there are the brakes. With the longer stem I very seldom ride out on the hoods. The only time I spend much time on the hoods is out of the saddle when climbing. This also means I seldom brake from the hoods. The primary brakes are really secondary for me. Most of my braking is done with the CX levers. They are truly a joy on long steep descents especially on dirt roads and single tracks. This brings up the spring loaded arm rests which are pretty much a must for the CX levers. In certain conditions I brake with one arm on the drops and the other still on the aero but more often I reach for one of the CX levers.

I wonder why more touring cyclist haven’t added clip-ons. You get one to two KPH at no increase in effort! They take all the pressure off the hands and wrists and even give my shoulders a bit of a change of pace.

One thing of concern for me while touring was where to put a handlebar bag? I finally hacked a Cascade Design Seal Pak, which fit perfectly between the clip-ons and was noticeably more aero than my previous bag.

The last photo is of my new Dahon MU which I am shaking down for a potential tour in Northern Spain. I am currently living on the Big Island of Hawai`i and when the tradewinds get serious and they do a lot of the time, the clip-on make riding the MU doable.

So that’s my long and winded answer to your simple straight forward question.

Happy Feet

Funny you should mention that. I just did a training ride the other day that involved some long downhill runs and ran them with one hand in the aeros and one on the brake. Works great.

Lorinloewe

Hi i know its a few years later. I was just curious how you can use your shifters and brakes like that