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What do you do with your hands in the invisible aerobars position?

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

What do you do with your hands in the invisible aerobars position?

Old 01-28-19, 11:08 AM
  #1  
Elvo
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What do you do with your hands in the invisible aerobars position?

I recently discovered this position a few weeks ago and it lets me go faster and drop half an HR zone too - but I have no idea what to do with my hands.

I've tried letting my hands dangle (too much pressure on forearms), pointing my fingers straight like superman (fingers got tired), and keeping them in a fist (seems to be less painful than others). I've also tried a bunch of finger combinations like thumbs up, pointy finger, middle finger, west side, shocker, live long and prosper, drinking wine with pinky sticking out, etc but it just resulted in tired fingers.

Is there something I'm missing?
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Old 01-28-19, 11:24 AM
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Steamer
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I suspect most folks just deal with those problems. Its not a position that they use for long. If you want to use that position for a significant period of time, why not use actual shorty type aero bars? More comfort and more control than the imaginary method. I am assuming you are not racing and such shorty aero bars are a reasonable option.
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Old 01-28-19, 11:43 AM
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Looking casual is key.
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Old 01-28-19, 11:56 AM
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Is there something I'm missing?
Actual aerobars. But that aside, I either let my hands dangle or loosely interlock fingers. like @Steamer said, not a position to stay in for long; I do it mostly to give my back a change of position....
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Old 01-28-19, 11:59 AM
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I don't do quite the same position.

But, I will grab the bulbous tops of my brake hoods, and rest the forearms across the tops of the bars.
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Old 01-28-19, 12:05 PM
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Campag4life
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On safe roads, I sometimes pull in front of the group in that position for the reasons you ascribe OP...can get my back flatter.

What I do personally is hand jive:


I don't want to take credit for inventing the position but unlike you, I discovered this position before I even rode 2 wheelers. I used to get in this position to beat other toddlers on the sidewalk on their tricycles.
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Old 01-28-19, 12:26 PM
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Wave
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Old 01-28-19, 12:45 PM
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Okay I didn't realize it was a position you're supposed to stay in all day. I only use it when I am very certain about upcoming pavement/traffic conditions such as bike paths. I guess I'll keep experimenting and just change positions when it gets too uncomfortable.
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Old 01-28-19, 12:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Elvo
Okay I didn't realize it was a position you're supposed to stay in all day. I only use it when I am very certain about upcoming pavement/traffic conditions such as bike paths. I guess I'll keep experimenting and just change positions when it gets too uncomfortable.
If you find yourself in that position a lot, you can consider swapping your bars for something with a flatter and wider top, like these EC90s-



Would spread the forearm-supported weight around a bigger area.
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Old 01-28-19, 01:05 PM
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I lightly interlace my fingers. Not a full on "here is the church, here is the steeple" but just enough so they're not dangling.
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Old 01-28-19, 01:13 PM
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I tuck my thumbs under my out front mounted computer, helps with bumps and sweaty forearms sliding on my bare carbon tops.
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Old 01-28-19, 01:22 PM
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Old 01-28-19, 01:57 PM
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Originally Posted by cycledogg
Wave
Dang! You beat me to it!

Maybe card tricks?
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Old 01-28-19, 02:07 PM
  #14  
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Originally Posted by woodcraft
Looking casual is key.
Casually aero...
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Old 01-28-19, 02:34 PM
  #15  
Elvo
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Originally Posted by Dan333SP
If you find yourself in that position a lot, you can consider swapping your bars for something with a flatter and wider top, like these EC90s-



Would spread the forearm-supported weight around a bigger area.
That's a good idea but I have a gravel specific flared drop setup which I need for descending on dirt. The bars I use have an oversized "flat area" like the 3T Ergonova's but it isn't as wide as the ones found on the aero drop bars. Not sure if aero flared dirt drops are out yet...
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Old 01-28-19, 10:12 PM
  #16  
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I flop my wrists across the padded bar tape and play invisible bongos. At 100 bpm.

Then I have a heart attack when I forget about that 2" curb-like seam across the time trial route.
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Old 01-29-19, 10:14 AM
  #17  
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Hand position? Praying. Praying you don't have to use your brakes.

I use IAB extensively and am very comfortable with the position, but won't interlock my fingers.
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Old 01-29-19, 10:38 AM
  #18  
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Or .......

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