Hendricks97

I plan on doing a lot of long distance riding this summer including 4 centuries and it got me thinking about aero bars. I would think that any additional change of positions would be a good thing. I tried to get into the aero position while on the trainer tonight and realized I have an issue that prevents me from getting down on the front of the saddle like that. Is there a way to prevent that from getting in the way? or are Aeros even worth the hassle?

wkg

Aero bars are for fools.

Only allowed on time trial bikes for use specifically in time trials.

oldbobcat

If you're considering aero bars to help you ride faster, then by all means work with a fitter and pursue using them. If it's just for trying to make yourself more comfortable on the bike, like eating with your elbows on the table, then by all means work with a fitter to find out why your hands are getting too tired to hold a handlebar.

LesterOfPuppets

If these centuries are straight and flat and you won't be doing much pacelining then I'd go aero, but otherwise, no. Sounds like aero might not even work for you, though.

When I had a 17.5 mile straight pool table commute I loved my aero bars. Don't have much use for them around here.

AdelaaR

If you have no idea what you're talking about, it is often best to remain silent.

Hendricks97

Not trying to go faster, nor am I uncomfortable so far, its just my body has ADD and gets bored in the same position for long periods and Im trying to think proactively.
Im not sure about the routes yet.

My main question was, for guys, what do you do with your junk when in that position? Thats what was preventing me from keeping that position when I tried it.

AdelaaR

I ride on aerobars both on my TT bike with a very aggressive position and on my hybrid with a more relaxed aero position.
Basicly I ride on my aerobars about 90% of the time all year long.
Ignore everyone telling you that they don't handle well on descents or inclines or winding roads ... those comments surely come from people that aren't completely accustomed to their aerobars yet.
Obviously in tight turns or on very steep hills you don't want to be in your aerobars, but once you get used to it you can quickly switch to your basebar and back.
Aerobars are simply the most comfortable way to bike ever, once you get used to them, of course.
Especially for long century rides I wouldn't want anything else ... the comfort for back, neck, shoulders, elbows and especially wrists is simply unsurpassable.
Did I mention you have to get used to them already? Oh ... I did

AdelaaR

Your aerobar position shouldn't necessarily be lower than your drops position.
On my TT bike my aero position is as low as a typical racer in drops, but on my hybrid the aerobar position is just a bit lower than most people on their tops.
You want the aerobar to be more comfortable and also more aero, but there's no need to get too low if your body can't take it.

merlinextraligh

To the OP, this is very much a minority view.

I think most road cyclists do find aerobars to not handle well on descents, climbs and winding roads. Moreover, the vast majority of road cyclists find them to be inappropriate for riding a century in a group setting. If you put them on you only want to use them riding solo, which will limit their utility.

Also most people find that aerobars (at least aerobars set up in a truly aero position) are not very comfortable. And if you want to get the aerobars dialed in, it tends to alter your fit when not in the aerobars.

You also need to consider that riding with aerobars in an aero position will tend to limit your vision riding in traffic on open roads.

IMHO, aerobars are best reserved for time trials, triathlons, and training for such.

Some people do like them for road riding, and as long as you don't use them around others that's fine. But I think you'll find the majority of road riders don't.

And FWIW, I'm fairly well accustomed to riding with aerobars, having done so since 1990, and having won a few time trials.

brn2run

If most of your riding is done in groups, you won't have much use for aerobars.
I have them on my road bike because every ride I take, I ride as if
it is a time trial and I can't afford more than 1 bike and I never ride in a group.

I don't see anything wrong with using them during solo centuries but then
I'm not a style wanker either.
I just like to ride bikes.

climber7

oh, he's just following The Rules...


to the OP: if you'll be doing a lot of your long-distance riding solo, then it's up to you. but if you'll be doing group rides, don't use aero bars. they don't handle as well and you can't reach the brakes while you're aero. also, to second what merlin said, it's pretty unlikely that you can set up the bike to be comfortable both on the drop bars and on the aero bars.

and as for your "issue," that's not really surprising. it's partly why there are saddles specifically designed for tris/TTs. you could try a different saddle, or try tilting your saddle forward a little or something...but again, that may not be as comfortable when you're not in the aero bars.

dstrong 

I've used them in the past but have only put them back on my bike once in the past two years. I originally bought them as I was training up for my first century and found that on that century, I rode on the aero bars about 70% of the time...they were the most comfortable, long distance position I could find. The course was mostly flat and straight. I found my set on CL locally and paid about $50 for the clip-on AirStrykes (?). My only complaint is that they rattle a lot when you're not on 'em.

laserfj

Saddle with a cutout, or one that just fits very well in that position.

Really though, don't use aero bars around other riders. Should be fine if you're riding alone.

Hendricks97

I thought the cutout only relieves the pressure on the perineal bloodflow in the normal position, it doesnt give enough room for your stuff to not be blocking your body from getting lower.

dstrong 

Ah. When my bars are on the bike, I slide the saddle forward a bit, lower it a bit and if I still feel pressure, tilt the nose just a smidge. Bits and smidges usually works for me.

roflmao147

Its better to remain silent, and allow people to think you are stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Jsiegs

You'll have to get really lucky to keep the bike set up the way you have it, just slap some aerobars on there and be comfortable in that position. you've noted one problem - the saddle. Tri/TT saddles are different because you sit on them very differently. Another is the position - the set back and height of the saddle and reach to the bars will change a lot. TT/Tri bikes are a lot shorter reach due to leaning on your arms near the elbow vs extending your arms. When you put aero bars on a road bike, you need to slam the saddle all the way forward - and probably get a set forward post - and raise the seat. This is so that when you get into the aero bars, you can keep a good hip angle. If you don't move it forward, you'll be too stretched out, crush your sensitive bits (with any saddle), close your hip angle way off and be uncomfortable in your arms. If you make the changes necessary to be comfortable in the aero position (even a less aggressive one) you'll be uncomfortable in the road position (and the bike won't ride as well since your weight is distributed so far forward) because you're set to put all your weight on your upper body (which is bad if it's on your hands/wrists). You'll also open the hip angle up and ride sitting way up.

So you can set the bike up (more or less) to be ridden one way or the other, but trying to both will be a compromise which will probably leave neither position particularly good.

Triguy

I think that for the most part I agree with your sentiments. Aerobars are not as stable for descending, though I've ridden over 40mph on descents in mine. I don't ride them in a group unless all riders are riding aero and we space out appropriately. On my Tri bike, my vision is a smidge more limited.

What I don't agree with and think is a complete fallacy, is that aerobars are uncomfortable. First off, it's a sweeping generalization and secondly, it's one that I think is the opposite of the truth if one were going to make a sweeping generalization about aerobars. RAAM riders, age group Ultra-Ironman riders, age group Ironman riders by and large choose aerobars not because of the aerodynamics (though it is a positive benefit), they choose them because they are comfortable when set up correctly.

This is not to confuse time trial/triathlon positioning with aero bar use. My triathlon position, though I can ride it for 5 hours, is not as comfortable in the general everyday riding sense as my road bike position. Though, my road bike with aero bars would likely trump both but I don't feel the need for aero bars on my road bike.

LesterOfPuppets

I find aerobars to be the utmost in comfort also. Back and neck feel so nice when I do long steady rides on them.

AdelaaR

This is true, as you say, for the vast majority of road cyclists ... mainly because the vast majority of road cyclists isn't at all accustomed to their aerobars ... and this in turn is mainly because they haven't got them.
I use my aerobars on group rides in tight packs and have never heard anyone complain about my handling or anything else.
Note that experienced cyclists participate in team time trials, closely packed together, without any problems.
Practice makes perfect.

AdelaaR

They shouldn't be doing that. Either they're crappy or broken or maybe you should tighten them or something like that.

Propofol

If they're Profile Airstrykes, it's probably the flip-down armrests that are rattling. That's normal for those bars.

blcknspo0ln

What a bunch of bike weenies on here. When I rode my last century, I was comfortable for most of the ride, but fatigue (I don't care what you say, riding for 5+ hours will fatigue most any body part) set in and I found myself resting on my elbows intermittently just to change posture. Yes, I understand bike fit, aero position, stability, handling blah blah blah; but truth be told I was WISHING I had stopped listening to the cycle groupies and just went with what was comfortable because in the end it was me who had to ride the century and it was MY comfort. Anyway,OP, if your concern is just for shifting around for comfort as you said -- get the aerobars, just get some light ones because lugging an extra 4-600g isn't fun for 100 miles

Fox Farm

Good points that you make there. BTW, I have used my Syntace C2 aero bars on my Merlin, but it was only for when I was riding by myself. Actually, I found that I saw up the road better while in the aero position than when I was riding in the drops. They do provide comfort and alternative hand positions, and for while riding by myself, they were fine. My average speed did increase a little bit but it was really just for fun and for my own amusement. They were clip ons and of course, my Merlin did not have a TT bike geometry so my position was compromised some.