raywood

I just installed my first set of aero bars on a hybrid bike with nearly straight handebars. They were inexpensive -- I just wanted to try the option.

I am tall. Fully extended, on this bike, the aero bars don't seem quite long enough. Preliminary riding suggests I might sometimes want to rest my forearms on the handlebar grips. But there's no padding. I've searched briefly for velcro-attached forearm pads, but I haven't yet found anything quite right.

Any suggestions?

_ForceD_

Happy Feet

Like this

raywood

It's a hybrid, not a road bike. With the aero bars fully extended, I think it would be more comfortable (or at least a useful option) to be able to rest my forearms on the handlegrips. The problem is, they aren't very padded. So I'm wondering if there's some kind of pad to soften things a bit. I was thinking in terms of pads for the forearms rather than for the handlegrips so that I don't lose functionality when I'm hands on the latter.

Re: the photo: unfortunately, the pads that came with the aero bars I bought aren't as far away from the aero bars. They're basically right next to the aero bars. So I can't splay them out further to left and right. But the photo isn't my situation anyway -- my handlebars are pretty much a straight bar, and I'm looking to rest my forearms on the handlegrips.

redlude97

Longer stem? The reason the pads are mounted so narrow is because it's more aero. If you flare out your forearms you kinda defeat the point of using them in the first place

NameTaken

I don't think he cares so much about going faster. It's more a comfort thing.

Trakhak

Some aero bars allow adjustments for lateral positioning of the arm pads. Which aero bars are you using?

raywood

These are Mpedo bars, no apparent model number, from Amazon. Unfortunately, there is no lateral adjustment. And NameTaken is right -- this is about comfort. Resting my forearms out on the handlegrips does seem to lower my head a bit, so there may be some compensation for the winglike posture. But primarily it's about having a more comfortable position. So I'm still interested in forearm pad ideas.

texaspandj

The aero bar attachments you have aren't adjustable. You can buy some that are. They have a clamp on elbow rest. But it seems you'd have to remove your current ones first.

base2 

Why not pipe insulation from the home improvement store?

raywood

Interesting ideas!

The existing elbow pads can be removed from the bars. It seems I might be able to insert an extension that would allow me to position those pads a few inches further out, without interfering with use of the handgrips.

I happen to have a few pieces of pipe insulation lying around. I just tried one. It has a slit lengthwise. Presumably it came that way from the store. Didn't measure the diameter, but it's too small to form an O around the handlegrips. Forms a C instead -- which is probably preferable anyway, for purposes of not interfering with squeezing the brakes all the way down to the handgrip. The foam is maybe not as stiff as one could wish, but it's not soft either. Maybe I could add a second layer, using a larger diameter piece of pipe insulation, zip-tied or hose-clamped onto the handgrips. It might work. My fingers are still long enough to reach the handbrake. I'll have to rig it up and try it out. I'll try to get back here if/when I get it together. Many thanks!