Originally Posted by
unterhausen
the problem with aerobars in groups of 8000 is people not being able to use their brakes out of fatigue or lack of practice. I don't see how shorter ones really help that problem. Hopefully people are smart enough not to draft while using them. Although my impression from 2019 is that there are a lot of people that participate that aren't really very good riders, just strong
The limit on aerobar length has nothing to do with how safe they are to use, it's all about how safe they are perceived to be in a crash. It's believed that full-length aerobars could spear someone, but if they don't extend beyond the brake levers then this is not possible. They have adopted the same rules as triathlons where drafting is allowed. Whether this is a concern in reality as well as in theory is a separate question, and this probably explains why the organizers might get rid of the length restriction; afterall, full-length aerobars give more stability and so are safer to use than the uncomfortable and less stable mini versions.