RobbieTunes

I pulled one out of a '76 VW van. Got some odd looks until they saw the keg. At a triathlon. I PR'd. Overall winner rode an unpainted Brew steel bike. Yes, we drank. We smiled and practiced our game. I thought of making him an honorary Ironman, until he told me "I have one, Miami Vice." Bond set.

RobbieTunes

Or pulling this off the rack of your Audi A8, as a certain Apple exec does.....

seypat

Those were the days. People had fun AND competed hard. And sat around afterwards shooting the $hit and having a party. Nowadays, the fun is gone except for the old timers.

seypat

Smoking! I'm glad you posted that pic. Ther is a set of tri bars similar to those on my CL for $20. I was thinking about getting them for the loaner IM. How are the barcons mounted? It looks like a box that attaches to the bars.

seypat

These are available. Is that ok for a starter tri bike? Is that a decent price for triangle connected bars?

https://richmond.craigslist.org/bop/...926540698.html

texaspandj

The original tri bar-end shifters were gripshift like I use. Back then whatever the pros had that's what you wanted. However some of those same pros were component sponsored (usually Shimano) and eventually had to use their brand shifters. So then came bar end shifters specifically made for aero bars and also the attachments like those used there. So naturally age groupers started using them. Then when 9, 10 speeds came into favor that essentially was the nail on the coffin for the gripshift. I absolutely love the gripshift, probably for the same type reasons I enjoy the Ironman in triathlons; they're different, old school, and a heap of fun passing the latest.
Not only do I use the original gripshifts, I also use the original aerobars. However, one of the drawbacks (besides never being allowed in club rides, which may not be a bad thing) is when you stand to climb, you are forced to put your hands in the drops position. It's easier to stand and be on the hoods on regular road bars as it seems to open your chest up a bit. So perhaps we should add the bull horn TT bars another reason for the downtube shifter attachment becoming more prevalent.
Btw I'm near the end of reading Ironwar. The story of Dave Scott's and Mark Allens epic '89 Ironman battle. Most of the stuff is already common knowledge but with more details. And then of course filled with embellishments, assumptions and speculation. Reportedly both Dave and Mark filed a lawsuit for defamation against the writer. Idk. My son let me borrow the book. There are a few things that I know for a fact are not correct. Also some things were taking directly from the ABC broadcast of the event, I know because I have it on Tape.
Regardless I'm gonna watch it now , MAN what an Amazing performance. We're talking close to 27 mph on the 112 mile bike (no drafting), followed by sub 6 min miles on the marathon. 30 years later and those marathon times are still in the top 10 of all time Ironman marathons.

texaspandj

Well if they're novice cyclist, I'd just leave the road bars. However if they're experienced cyclist but new triathlons, then those will work. The trick is, the wider the elbow rest the more control or comfort you'll have.

seypat

Thanks for the info.

RobbieTunes

Those Profile Design bars pictured are drilled at the apex to mount the shifter tab. You just move the shifters up to the bars. You could also get that mount to put on the triangular bars that Tex rides.

What I consider one of the best studies on aero vs. road, etc, was a simple test, done with 5 riders, on 5 courses, on 2 bikes. They found the drops and the aero of that era (as in Tex's and mine) were not that different for efficiency, but changing position was the real bugaboo. At that time, all shifters were downtube, so the act of shifting from road drops was an obstacle, as was braking from the aero bars. In the test, they pretty much cancelled each other out. You stayed in the drops, or stayed on the aeros, pretty much a wash. In the early days of STI (OK, 9sp days), I rode tri's on road bikes, in the drops 100% of the time, as I could brake and shift without changing position. Once I learned to carry momentum properly, glancing up once in a while, I PR'd on numerous occasions, and never had a problem competing with the guys on aeros.

As aero positions changed to drop the chest out of the equation, that position became something road bars simply could not really compete with, about the same time as the 10-sp era came in.

Scott, Allen, Pigg, people don't realize how much they changed cycling, because they were on TV with the latest positions, gear, etc, that was relatable to Joe the Plumber in his first triathlon. Not a lot of folks watched the TdF in those days.

In 1986, a friend of mine saw a set of aerobars for the first time. He had another friend make some out of aluminum stock tubing, and he simply bolted them to his road bars. No arm rests, no shifter mounts, no grips. He left the DT shifters alone as well as the brake levers. Won the NC TT Championship 86 and 87. The market moved so fast, by 88 every single competitor had some kind of aftermarket aerobars. By the way, he trained directly out of Dave Scott's book. Except for nutrition, alcohol, and social life. In that way, he broke most of the "rules."

seypat

So, I've been riding barcons this whole time not even knowing about the aero benefits? Was that friend the one I met at the Fiesta? Who combined with the other friend to take 1st or 2nd in the relay?
BTW, they still don't have a date up yet for the 2020 Richmond run/bike relay. If that doesn't materialize, and you decide to do the Fiesta, I will roll down and do it also. You can stick it to the Tri-Credibles and show them who's the boss.

seypat

If you're looking for another VW van, this one was for sale in the area. It could still be around.

seypat

I'd probably wait till the Buzz hits the showroom.

https://www.vw.com/electric-concepts/section/id-buzz/

seypat

Tough SOB with just the bare bars. You'd think people would have went with something like basketball elbow pads to give their arms some comfort. Move them wherever they were needed. Toss them in 2nd transition. Maybe that cancelled out the aero benefit.

Edit: I forgot to mention some good news for you. I found out this past weekend that my wife's, stepmother's, nephew works at the Richmond Times dispatch now. He should be able to get us a copy of your letter that is/was on display there.

texaspandj

The benefits of the aero bars in TT or triathlon vs road bars is proven in every TDF TT (well except moutain stages). The aerobars essentially made TT funny bikes obsolete. The theory behind the funny bikes was to put you in a low aerodynamic position by way of smaller front wheel and bull horn bars (basically keeping you in the drops position). It works, however the aerobars work Better.
The proven theory behind the original Scott DH bars was the same applied in Down Hill skiing (hence the DH). Once downhill skiers couldn't get any lower they figured out putting their hands in front of their face and bringing their elbows in closer, increase their speed, period.
That same advantage applied to first triathletes then cyclist a few years later. The aero bars put you in a position that creates a wedge allowing you to slice thru the wind. Other benefits were noted and used by triathletes and some of those benefits apply to all cyclist as well. For example, allowing you work harder at a lower heart rate, and allowing for better recovery.
I cite Boone Lennon, John Cobbs, and L.A. for their extensive research and race proven results.
One last thing in '89 Dave Scott was still using DT shifters with aerobars but I suspect because of his Shimano sponsorship and also because in a 112 mile TT it isn't as Important. Dave Scott also was one of the first pros approached about using the aerobars. However, he felt the were to squirrelly and didn't see the benefits. A few months later he was passed by everyone using g aerobars and got on board as has every Professional cyclist in non mountainous Time Trials.
Think about it, with @RobbieTunes national class runners lungs, he would have passed everybody drop bars or not. But as long as you can get as comfortable on aerobars as road bars in Time Trials and all things being equal you will go faster with aerobars●

RobbieTunes

On the phone, it looked like the same color as mine, but on the PC, it's a lot lighter. Mine was the green you find in baby diapers.

RobbieTunes

Super cool

texaspandj

I was in the self seed line for a rolling start in the triathlon and started talking to a guy next to me. He said it was his first triathlon and was nervous about the swim portion. However he was pretty confident about the bike and run. He asked about my predicted swim time and when I told him he said me too.
We talked all the way to the swim. Turns out he was from a small town an hour away and decided to cross this off his bucket list. I wished him luck and figured I'd never see him again.
After I finished and was having some post race recovery refreshments I went to get one more drink from the hospitality tent. I turned into the tent and almost ran into Him! I was happy to see him safe and sound. I asked about his race. He said everything went really well but wish he could have ran faster but due to his weight gain he couldn't. I looked at him and said Dude you're thin. He explained that he was on testosterone replacement therapy and it made him gain weight. I said I thought it made your gain muscle. He responded yeah but you get a gut. But I didn't see a gut and would gladly have his as he had pushed out 7 min miles on the run course. I introduced him to my wife, talked to him a bit more then wished him good luck in his training.
Later, while waiting for the awards ceremony I started talking to a guy sitting next to me. He was pretty fit and with shaved legs. He told me he was a retired track coach and was here for his daughter. We talked a while and said he would be here next year. He asked what age group I was in and it turned the same as his. He was really cool.
I think the camaderie in triathlon is still there but you gotta Wade thru smart phones, watts, strata, power meters and the like to find someone like me-a dinosaur. Who doesn't use any of that but goes as hard as he can on that given day then can enjoy the atmosphere afterwards.
I know You shouldn't be dissapointed if you give your best effort on "that day".
STILL, i know I can go f?"%+in faster on the BIKE.

texaspandj

I thought I pmd you about the deluxe armrest by profile. I just need a better pic.
Sending you my email too if you need that.

Classtime 

My daughter and her boyfriend are visiting and he needed a bike for a. Triathlon in Long Beach. A couple tweaks and my MV fit him. He said that he passed many ugly bikes and got lots of "NiceBike"s.

texaspandj

Dang! That is Nice.
What do you use for polish?
I never wax my bikes but I have used a carnauba wax...once, on my Carbon Ironman.

Classtime 

00 steel wool to remove the oxidation and then some #7 polishing compound. I don't think that I have waxed them.

markwesti

It's a little hard to sell your Comp TA with ads like this next door . And there is that stem .

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/...939203656.html

markwesti

OK I admit it , I get confused . 650-700-622 . So this comes along .

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/...924520563.html



Sheldon to the rescue .

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html

RobbieTunes

That's pretty nice, but not THE nicest example, and it's not original, but not bad at all.
Price is high, but that's asking. Sounds like someone could get themselves a nice 54cm SL frameset,
and either put it back or soup it up. I'm not knocking it, would love to have it.

Non-OEM:
Saddle (That Rolls is nicer than the suede Volare)
Pedals (kind of a wash)
Brake levers (very hard to find Universal AER's these days)
Rims (probably better than the Fiamme Hard Silver-they go out of round after 1 hard ride)
Seat post (27.0, and that's an upgrade there, unless you prefer the OEM fluted Gipiemme)


I have a poster for the sale of this, after they knocked the price down.
A restoration matching the poster is underway.

markwesti

BOLO .....

https://santabarbara.craigslist.org/...938710901.html