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RobertPaulson 01-05-23 05:05 AM


Originally Posted by m@tty (Post 22373067)

just got a pair of the short reach narrow agro sprint bars - very nice, already it makes a small difference to my f200 time but now I need a longer stem!

carpediemracing 01-09-23 10:33 PM


Originally Posted by RobertPaulson (Post 22758650)
just got a pair of the short reach narrow agro sprint bars - very nice, already it makes a small difference to my f200 time but now I need a longer stem!

Can you post a picture?

Also, in a different line of thought, do you think if a narrow stem is used, there is a chance of putting aero bars on it?

I'm interested in both the sprint bar but also a drop base bar.

Dfarlow 01-10-23 10:38 AM


Originally Posted by RobertPaulson (Post 22758650)
just got a pair of the short reach narrow agro sprint bars - very nice, already it makes a small difference to my f200 time but now I need a longer stem!

I currently have the Look Aero Track bars (370w / 83r / 117d) and am looking to go more narrow as well. This is what I'm considering so would like to get more feedback on your Agro bars.

1. VeloFlyer Agro Sprint Bars (310w / 85r / 90d) - on backorder til next Apr/May
2. VeloBike Sprint Bars (300w / 85r / 115d)
3. WX-R Carbon Sprint (300w / 85r / 120d)
4. Carrmato - DontStopPedaling (330w / 83r / 117d)

The Agro's drop would likely require the greatest bike adjustment, likely requiring removal of 20-25mm in spacers. But I really like how they are flared out seemingly contributing to a more natural/comfortable hand position, IMO.

RobertPaulson 01-10-23 10:54 AM


Originally Posted by carpediemracing (Post 22763858)
Can you post a picture?

Also, in a different line of thought, do you think if a narrow stem is used, there is a chance of putting aero bars on it?

I'm interested in both the sprint bar but also a drop base bar.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...84f4dcbc4a.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...83cb8549fe.jpg

RobertPaulson 01-10-23 10:59 AM


Originally Posted by carpediemracing (Post 22763858)
Can you post a picture?

Also, in a different line of thought, do you think if a narrow stem is used, there is a chance of putting aero bars on it?

I'm interested in both the sprint bar but also a drop base bar.

just get a second hand base bar, idk what supply is like in America but plenty around pretty cheap in the UK (seems like the TT scene has collapsed) - as long as its inside your body I can't see there is much advantage going narrower with the base bar but would think you just give away watts out of the gate with the loss of leverage (and probably the lower height with something like this)

RobertPaulson 01-10-23 11:06 AM


Originally Posted by Dfarlow (Post 22764167)
I currently have the Look Aero Track bars (370w / 83r / 117d) and am looking to go more narrow as well. This is what I'm considering so would like to get more feedback on your Agro bars.

1. VeloFlyer Agro Sprint Bars (310w / 85r / 90d) - on backorder til next Apr/May
2. VeloBike Sprint Bars (300w / 85r / 115d)
3. WX-R Carbon Sprint (300w / 85r / 120d)
4. Carrmato - DontStopPedaling (330w / 83r / 117d)

The Agro's drop would likely require the greatest bike adjustment, likely requiring removal of 20-25mm in spacers. But I really like how they are flared out seemingly contributing to a more natural/comfortable hand position, IMO.

These are the 310width and 85r. I did think about the 115r but the flat section of the drops is the same length on the 85 and the 115 (I would have waited for the 115r if the flat on the drops was longer but as it stood I just took what was there in stock). I was running dolan 30cms but felt the extra drop was costing me power so tried these out as an awesome christmas present from my wife! I really like them, bottom of the drops is wider than the dolans and the full aero 'thumbs up' section is narrower so better all around as far as I can make out (yes, its pretty marginal stuff - maybe 1rpm/0.5kph I think on a f200 running 128", not really run enough efforts on it yet to be sure thats real. need to stretch out the cockpit now).

I'm at an event on sat and one of the guys who is supposed to be coming runs the wx-r's, I'll try and get a photo of them side by side if he is (and I remember).

The 115r 310w are in stock now if you are not already at maximum uci reach?

carpediemracing 01-10-23 04:35 PM


Originally Posted by RobertPaulson (Post 22764193)
just get a second hand base bar, idk what supply is like in America but plenty around pretty cheap in the UK (seems like the TT scene has collapsed) - as long as its inside your body I can't see there is much advantage going narrower with the base bar but would think you just give away watts out of the gate with the loss of leverage (and probably the lower height with something like this)

I haven't tried a standing start with a flatter base bar but if I wanted to replicate the height of my drops (or the drop of my drops) I'd need a much lower base bar. Hence the appeal of a non-TT bar that has a pretty open "drop" where it's easy to move the hands up and forward. Like that short lived 3T base bar that has rearward pointing "base bar hooks", versus forward facing ones.

Bonus would be if I could use the same "base bars" for normal mass start racing.

I was looking at the Profile Svet V or whatever their deep drop one is. The other option is to use my road stem which has 3 cm drop, and some marginally shallow drop base bar.

Honestly I have no idea how close I am to UCI limits up front. I know my saddle is close, and I also know that my preferred drops might be too low. On the road bike my drops are next to the tire. I'm not a big guy so I don't qualify for morphological exceptions but I suspect that I will be well within the limits, even if I stretch things out.

RobertPaulson 01-11-23 04:44 AM


Originally Posted by carpediemracing (Post 22764714)
I haven't tried a standing start with a flatter base bar but if I wanted to replicate the height of my drops (or the drop of my drops) I'd need a much lower base bar. Hence the appeal of a non-TT bar that has a pretty open "drop" where it's easy to move the hands up and forward. Like that short lived 3T base bar that has rearward pointing "base bar hooks", versus forward facing ones.

Bonus would be if I could use the same "base bars" for normal mass start racing.

I was looking at the Profile Svet V or whatever their deep drop one is. The other option is to use my road stem which has 3 cm drop, and some marginally shallow drop base bar.

Honestly I have no idea how close I am to UCI limits up front. I know my saddle is close, and I also know that my preferred drops might be too low. On the road bike my drops are next to the tire. I'm not a big guy so I don't qualify for morphological exceptions but I suspect that I will be well within the limits, even if I stretch things out.

I would think nearly all the custom narrow bars out there have some kind of bespoke diameter on the 'tops' that would mean clips on struggle. the worx alloy bar is far cheaper than the veloflyers and tbh very nearly the same dimension, I would suggest just get one of those and a proper base bar set-up second hand vs trying to bodge something with a 350usd bar

carpediemracing 01-11-23 07:06 AM


Originally Posted by RobertPaulson (Post 22765096)
vs trying to bodge something with a 350usd bar

Heh makes sense.

If I got them the primary function would be as a sprint bar. I'll have to check my set up and measure things out.

*edit somehow missed everything above it. Thanks for pictures, that helps. And I have a cheap/used base bar but it's flat and I've been experimenting with getting it lower with stems and such, but no real luck.

RobertPaulson 01-11-23 11:11 AM


Originally Posted by carpediemracing (Post 22765172)
Heh makes sense.

If I got them the primary function would be as a sprint bar. I'll have to check my set up and measure things out.

*edit somehow missed everything above it. Thanks for pictures, that helps. And I have a cheap/used base bar but it's flat and I've been experimenting with getting it lower with stems and such, but no real luck.

personally I find I have better power out of the gate with the base bar higher (and aero is not that much of an issue for the first 3/4 lap where I tend to transition), can you not get the poles and pads low enough to get your body horizontal and helmet inside your frame viewed from the front with the current base bar or you want to the base bar grips for starts to be lower (like the same height as sprint bar drops?)

carpediemracing 01-11-23 07:10 PM


Originally Posted by RobertPaulson (Post 22765382)
personally I find I have better power out of the gate with the base bar higher (and aero is not that much of an issue for the first 3/4 lap where I tend to transition), can you not get the poles and pads low enough to get your body horizontal and helmet inside your frame viewed from the front with the current base bar or you want to the base bar grips for starts to be lower (like the same height as sprint bar drops?)

I was thinking that having the bars lower helps me, but that may not be the case. I'll need to experiment. On my road bike I had tremendous control issues sprinting when my drops were 3 cm higher. I sort of assumed that would be the case on the track, but there's a difference between sprinting on the road and doing a standing start. I'm super inexperienced with the start, and I don't know if maybe having a more upright position for the start would make it easier to apply torque to the pedals.

As far as the aero bar part goes, I need to experiment there as well. I haven't used aero bars on the track ever, and the last time I used aero bars on the road... I'm guessing it was 30 years ago.

Thanks for helping me think through this stuff.

RobertPaulson 01-12-23 02:30 AM


Originally Posted by carpediemracing (Post 22765933)
I was thinking that having the bars lower helps me, but that may not be the case. I'll need to experiment. On my road bike I had tremendous control issues sprinting when my drops were 3 cm higher. I sort of assumed that would be the case on the track, but there's a difference between sprinting on the road and doing a standing start. I'm super inexperienced with the start, and I don't know if maybe having a more upright position for the start would make it easier to apply torque to the pedals.

As far as the aero bar part goes, I need to experiment there as well. I haven't used aero bars on the track ever, and the last time I used aero bars on the road... I'm guessing it was 30 years ago.

Thanks for helping me think through this stuff.

Maybe just try and hit a solid season at the track and leave the kit for a bit then, you'll get lots of opinions on what works for you or doesn't as the track time builds up. If you are sprint focus, there is a great xls sheet kicking around somewhere that lets you see f200 times vs gearing and RPM, once you have a few timed quali runs down to calibrate it you can pretty much always work out your speed just using an RPM magnet and recording your gearing - really helpful for trying stuff out and seeing what makes you faster or slower and being analytical on your f200 build-up, which I'm guessing you (like me!) would enjoy going through to try and find extra speed.

topflightpro 01-12-23 10:37 AM

CDR, I'll mention this here as well. If you are just doing the 500, you will be fine with a drop bar. If you are doing pursuits, then you should look to an aerobar.

Also, if you can arrange to get down to RH and try out the 250 before nationals, that would be very helpful. Feel free to DM me if you want to come down this way, and I will meet up with you there.

carpediemracing 01-13-23 10:03 PM

I appreciate the responses. I'm definitely someone that likes to tinker and see what does what. It's hard for me to get to a track though, so that's a tricky bit. For example, I never got to do a 500 until 2021 Nationals, so that was the first 500 I ever did (and the first time I used that gear, etc). The second one was late last year, 2022. I'm still very green in attacking the 500.

Honestly, I think the last thing I'd do is the pursuit. When I did one in 2009 my time was poor enough that I'd have gotten lapped at least once by the winner, if not twice (333m track, 2km pursuit). If things seem reasonable for me I'd love to do the sprint and maybe the scratch race, although I'd have to be flying to be good for either of those.

I suspect that because my power drops off so rapidly, having an aero position may help me sustain speed in the last third of the event. That's been my thought so I've wanted to experiment to see if that is anywhere close to reality. Of course a narrow bar like the narrow sprint bars would be close to that kind of position, without the hand position change move thrown in there.

I do plan on going down to RH at some point this year. First, I need to get some kind of certification so I can race the track, and I figure I can get it there. And the second is I'd like to do at least one recon trip to get a feel for the lay of the land. I did manage to do that for TTown, as the last time I'd been there before 2021 was 1992. My recon trip included checking out the hotel, finding a place to eat, getting used to the drive (in addition to the overnight I also went there and back for one night of racing - that was long, returning home at 2 am or something). It was good and my wife and son joined me for the second recon trip. Unfortunately Nationals conflicted with stuff at home so I went to Nationals on my own.

A good friend (he was my leadout man and my race day bro for about 5 years), his folks live in the area ("20 minutes away"), and his wife thinks it's a great idea for us to go down there and be bike racers for a bit (lol). So that's another reason to head down.

Morelock 01-16-23 09:35 AM

BikeForums Rock Hill meetup!

Poppit 01-16-23 12:58 PM

UCI position press release https://www.uci.org/pressrelease/uci...rsgeQtgahAAfXr

RobertPaulson 01-17-23 02:53 PM


Originally Posted by Dfarlow (Post 22764167)
I currently have the Look Aero Track bars (370w / 83r / 117d) and am looking to go more narrow as well. This is what I'm considering so would like to get more feedback on your Agro bars.

1. VeloFlyer Agro Sprint Bars (310w / 85r / 90d) - on backorder til next Apr/May
2. VeloBike Sprint Bars (300w / 85r / 115d)
3. WX-R Carbon Sprint (300w / 85r / 120d)
4. Carrmato - DontStopPedaling (330w / 83r / 117d)

The Agro's drop would likely require the greatest bike adjustment, likely requiring removal of 20-25mm in spacers. But I really like how they are flared out seemingly contributing to a more natural/comfortable hand position, IMO.

This is the agro sprint next to the wx-r carbons
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2dad8315b3.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f647907383.jpg


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