Nick Bain

I pass these people in the 1.5 zone. and the're all like hammering and sweating and Im thinking what on earth prompted these people into getting these goofy devices?

urbanknight

1) Wannabes
2) Ultra distance riders (not fast, but they need a lot of positions)
3) Triathletes, aka jack of 3 trades but master of none

tagaproject6

Same people as Justin aka as jschristian44?!?!

Velo Gator

I do.

canam73

I have them on one of my bikes. I almost never use them but I enjoy the annoyed looks on the faces of 'real' cyclists that see me.

urbanknight

Yeah, but you're fast.

BrainInAJar

people who don't make enough to buy a TT bike for the 2 TTs a season they do?

That's why I own them anyhow.

Hank244

I love my aerobars and use them all the time.

Velo Gator

I'm already gone and back again.

Runner 1

Honestly I'd like a pair of aerobars just to go faster. The more aerodynamic I can make myself, the faster I go, and the more fun it is to ride. If I could afford an HPV, you can bet I'd get one.

Velo Gator

They have a vaccine now.

Runner 1

Lol -- I literally laughed out loud.

WestCoastDan

I like them for descents far better than the drops. Remarkably faster for me. I have brake levers on mine for just this reason.
+++

Diegomayra

I wish I had aero-clip ons. We have nothing but flats for 35mi. in either direction, I move to a high gear and lean over my drops with forearms down the center and hands clasped.

I'd rock em.

abstractform20

...

jmX

I have them on my road bike and love them. One more hand position to use, and gives me a bit of a speed boost. I can drop my heart rate 5bpm and keep the same speed using them, so they make for a nice recovery position. Normally I'll throw them on for a century ride and then they might stay on my bike for a week or two after just for fun.

Every person I've seen with them appears to be quite fit,and certainly in a position where they'd never care what somebody else might think about their athleticism or their aerobars.

I don't imagine these things appeal to crit racer types, but for people doing lots of 50-200mi rides, time trials, tris, or people who simply get sore hands I could see little reason not to have them.

dissident

haha that's all the reason I need. I got mine for another hand position for numbness however after angling the handlebars so the drops are horizontal, and practicing better form of using the core a bit for support and bending my elbows a bit to reduce vibration, my numbness is virtually gone for at least rides out to 25 miles, gloves or no gloves.. though gloves are a bit more comfortable. It only comes back when I start locking those elbows straight on rough roads.

I took the clip on aerobars off for today.. for now. Put my stock saddle back on for now too.. it works just fine. Think I got the fit tuned in.. no pain or discomfort anywhere at least on rides to 25 miles unless I start getting lazy with form.

I may put them back on once I'm more comfortable with the sharper handling they provide.

kevin_stevens

People who ride around in town during the week, and out on the road on the weekend? People who go on occasional long rides where they want a tighter tuck and more position options? People looking to get into tri, but not yet committed to buying a new bar/bike yet?

Why does it matter? There's all sorts of different groups out there for you to feel superior to. Move on to the next one. How about those people with colored shifter cables? Aren't THOSE freds!?!

:sheesh

KeS

RacerOne

Owning them is not the problem, it's all about the when and where.

AdelaaR

I don't know what you mean by "1.5 zone", nor do I understand how you passing these people has anything to do with the aerobars being good or bad.
If you want to be biased and call them goofy, you are only being ignorant.

On my hybrid I have clip-on aerobars.
I have a very bad back and neck ... 2 hernia's in both ... and so for me it is very difficult to ride more than half an hour when I use normal flat or drop handlebars.
The aerobar gives me a very comfortable position by allowing me to put weight on my elbows instead of on my back and this enables me to ride for more than an hour, sometimes near two.
On top of that the aerobar gives me a speedy position, which is nice as I pass roadies on expensive roadbikes all the time.

RacerOne

Disconnect?

Andy Somnifac 

People who feel they are more comfortable? I used to use a set on long rides because of a hand issue and they alleviated the issue.

Or how about people who just want to go out and ride/exercise and aren't worried about being an elitist and categorizing people?

Mose

I don't think there's a certain single type of person that uses them. I don't. One club I ride with, QVV, is more speed/racing oriented and almost no one rides with them even on our long rides. The other club I occasionally ride with, Seven Hills Wheelmen, is more recreational, slower paced, and maybe a slightly higher average age and I see more of them there.

Other than that, I'm not sure I understand the OP.

MichaelW

They are quite common in windier parts of the Netherlands, on 3-speed granny bikes.

LesterOfPuppets

I had 'em on my MTB with slicks when I lived in Phoenix. My commute was 17.5 miles and unimaginably flat and straight. Clip-ons were cheaper/easier than roadish conversion or simply buying a road bike but they pretty much got the same job done. There's just no way I could ride that far on flats.

I did 80 miles on the MTB last Saturday and was wishing for clip-ons at times.

I also find myself wishing I had them on my road bike when I do centuries and the like.