Cycle Tourist

I'm from the vintage and classic side of things so I'm probably out of step a bit but has anyone fitted tri bars? I've read on some particularly good sections of road and used the hoods for my forearms and the frame of the handlebar bag to steady my hands. Now, I'm not advacating reading and riding but a comfy position while piling up miles has always been my thing. I've almost never seen them. Do they make steering too wonky or not useful enough to warrant the extra weight? Or does everyone use them and carefully not told me about it.😡

stardognine

I’ve never tried it, but then I haven’t really been touring very long, compared to some folks. The thought has definitely crossed my mind, at least to the point that I’m curious to try it sometime. 🤔

Steve B.

I’ve seen them on flat bar touring bikes. Some folks like using them as it’s an alternative arm and upper body position.

Design dependent, especially the models that are a U shape, can block access to an h-bar bag unless you get creative with the bag mount. I had a set of “almost aero bars” that were individual clip on bars with no elbow pads, just protrusions to grab onto, cannot find them, might have been Profile. They could be mounted more to the side on the bars.

In practice they don’t have any practical advantage in making you faster unless your a good bit over 15 mph and how many touring bikes are doing that regularly ?. OTOH, they are nice when you’ve got a few days of headwinds !

Steve0000

I used them on one tour and found them quite useful in offering an extra position to relieve pressure on the rear. No problems with stability. I then bought a handlebar bag so couldn't fit both on the handlebars.

COYS

There is a good article on cyclingabout.com from December 2019 re aero bars and bike touring/packing. Sorry I can't link as don't have 10 posts yet.

I can't see anything wrong with trying some clip-ons to give you another hand position on longer rides.

Tourist in MSN

On an unladen bike I have on rare occasion put my forearms on the bars to get a more aero position in a headwind. I specifically remember doing that one day for a long stretch with a strong headwind on a van supported trip in Europe where the tour group provided flat bar bikes to us, thus did not have drop bars for a more aero position.

But my touring bikes have drop bars, that is adequate for me. And when riding with a loaded bike with weight in the front panniers and handlebar bag, not sure how safe using a time trial setup would be. Sometimes you want to be able to quickly steer around some broken glass or break in the pavement or deal with a gusty side wind or something else.

If you are credit card touring with no luggage weight on the fork and you are used to using a time trial setup, maybe it would work for you on good roads.

djb

short answer--nope, tourers dont use them, that's why you don't see them.
but hey, go for it and see how you like them.

Trakhak

If you have no problem with the nerves in your hands (I do), clip-on TT bars aren't necessary, but I like them for all kinds of riding.

I generally ride with my right hand on a brake lever and my left arm on the TT bar. In 25-years-plus of using TT bars, I've never encountered a situation where using them led to loss of control of the bike.

boomhauer

Mounting just the forearm pads and resting my hands on the handlebar bag has worked well for me on at least 4 tours. I've got very sensitive hands (from nerve damage and now arthritis) and ride in mostly an upright position. There wasn't any loss of control. Once, I used front panniers and it was incredibly stable. I didn't use them to be aero. I could care less about about going fast. It was just a way to take all the pressure off my hands.

Happy Feet

I have used them but more for high mileage rides. Have a thing called thoracic outlet syndrome (sort of the same effect as carpal tunnel syndrome) that numbs out my hands easily.
Under the bars I kept my tent in a HB roll so that worked.
Recently I bought a HB bag so the aeros came off, but with a mounting extender, the bag could be mounted lower if I wanted. Or on a front rack like a rando bag (not possible for this bike though).





A cheap pair on trekking bars



And a DIY idea

Tourist in MSN

Is that a Champaign cork as a stem cap?

stardognine

I like the idea of putting them on trekking bars. 👍 I would’ve been unsure if they’d fit, but apparently they do. 🤔😉

Happy Feet

Why, so it is. I must have been reading BQ when I put that thing together

djb

fricken hipster

Happy Feet

Who.. me?


Over many years of training in the Pyrenese I have at last perfected the technique of creating hand hewn bar end plugs from cork. It was either that or learn to make Italian leather cycling shoes in Vienna.

Only the best vintage cork is used. Once the tape is wrapped and tucked, the cork is run home with a wooden mallet (made from Yew wood according to the monks) and carved slightly convex with a knife, a folding Opinel should be used.
Then a wood screw is inserted into the cork to expand it against the inside diameter of the bar end. Brass screws are best.
The final product may be preserved with French Shellac if desired. This is usually done at the same time as treating the natural twine binding the bar tape near the stem.

Here we see the handle bar gods smiling down upon my efforts

djb

I dont own, but have used an Opinel in the past!
and it always makes me smile when I see "flare" effects available, and how we tried our darndest to avoid any , lens hoods, gobos, you name it...
what was the name of that filter company that used to make all those special effects filters, mostly kinda hokey? star effect blah blah blah

Happy Feet

Keep it up and we'll be seeing you in Chelsea boots before too long.

Tourist in MSN

I could not remember the story, so I had to do a google search to find it.
https://fixedgearbath.wordpress.com/...n-your-saddle/

And in the photo at that link above, I am quite confident that the seatpost shown is a decades old Campy seatpost.

I use corks on several bikes to hold my spare spokes inside the seatpost. When they dry out, I need to wrap some electrical tape around them to make them fit in the seatpost tighter. I had to switch to an artificial (plastic) cork in my rando bike, that did not shrink over time.

Happy Feet

Good read.

If it keeps going, this may turn out to be one of the best thread hijacks this month!

stardognine

Ha! Now I need to find a cork, to hang somewhere on my bike. 😁👍

djb

I am not ashamed to say, but I had to do a Google search for Chelsea boots, I've never heard of them. Recognize the images of them, but am rather clueless...

MarcusT

An ex gave me, english horse riding boots as a b-day present with the hope that I take up the sport. Never happened, but now, I can call the boots; Chelsea and I'm in like flint.
Do I wear them with my touring bike or my hybrid?

Happy Feet

Either, so long as you have a red flannel shirt.

djb

On a side note to tri bars and a side note to Chelsea, a number of members of my family have watched the Hillary Clinton documentary and found it very interesting.

Carbonfiberboy 

Actually, this has come up before, and there were several riders who posted photos of their touring rigs with clip-ons. The only issue is that it doesn't work with a standard bar bag with a zipper top. That's not a huge loss because it means that ordinary road bikes with the usual trail will handle well as tourers, no heavy bag to deal with. Along that same line, with modern camping gear there's no need for the old 4 pannier setup. A more streamlined setup + clip-ons makes those long upwind days more bearable. In terms of wind resistance, I don't notice only rear panniers all that much, and now one doesn't even need those.

There are many different styles of touring. I'm not one of those who bring along aluminum camp chairs, but I know many people do. Different folks, different focus.