Toadmeister

I got a Moloko Bar on my Fargo Gravel/Bikepacking bike. I really like the "horns" and am even working on extending them, I had a separate thread on it. Which brings me to adding forearm rests.





Found what looks like about the perfect solution here: Ridefarr But that was just the first item I found and after doing a little searching couldn't find any more just like that. A little expensive from Aussie, not yet available either.


If I knew they were perfect I'd consider spending the money but I want to look for other options to try out too. Side of ordering a pair of aerobars and leaving off the bar, any other off-the shelf products out there for forearm rests?

canklecat

The Speeco Breakaway bar looks interesting. It was designed for Jan-Willem van Schip and believed to be legal for racing. But it was banned earlier this year. Still looks interesting, as an alternative to the similar position of riding the hoods, forearms parallel with the ground but unsupported. The Breakaway bar just adds some support surfaces.

UCI also banned the invisible aero bars/puppy paws position too, because the UCI is no fun at all.

That particular design might not catch on but a variation, perhaps a bit wider, might. I'd consider it as an alternative to aero bars, which I find painful after only a few minutes.

Badger6

Except that the level of control when the primary contact point with the bars is the underside of the forearms is remarkably low. No ability to immediately brake, and steering with the elbows no where near as precise as using the whole arm- primarily the wrists and hands. But, yeah, safety is absolutely no fun at all.

sean.hwy

The link provide above looks safe
https://www.speeco.tech/abb-aero-break-away-handlebars/

Your hands are wide and right next to the brakes. It would take no time at all to pop up from your elbows and your hands are already covering the brakes. Looks like a neat handle bar to me.

Badger6

I wasn't even remotely talking about a 1500€ boutique handlebar that despite its absolutely weird dimensions still has the hands on the hoods/brakes....that's why I quoted the specific (and false) assertion.

Toadmeister

Guys, good intentions I’m sure but that design is a tangential discussion for drop bars at best and not a solution for my (flat) Moloko bars. I added a pic to my OP to illustrate.

Badger6

Toadmeister , I was addressing a specific assertion, definitely tangential to your post wrt to arm rests on your current bar. I'm not a fan of them for the same reason they were banned in road racing competition. But, I know that a lot of folks find them indispensable, especially on the ultra length races (the ones that go for weeks and cross thousands of kms).

Toadmeister

Yes, good input.

Besides resting, I’ll also use them sometimes to tuck into headwinds or get into a sustained climbing position. I have aero bars on my other road bike with drop bars.

canklecat

I reckon my use of irony font didn't come through. But you do you, boo.

canklecat

Reminds me, on yesterday's casual group ride we came across a fellow using the highest aero bar setup I've ever seen. Somehow between stem height and angling the old school triangular shaped aero bars (like, 1990s style Scott bars), he somehow managed to get his upper arms on the padded rests, and forearms up so high on the aero bar that his own hands were blocking his view ahead.

Doing about 20 mph. On the four foot wide sidewalk that passes for a multi-use path around here. On a winding section of the MUP, through a neighborhood where most MUP users are pedestrians walking with kids and dogs. With heavy tree shade, like a tunnel, zero view ahead beyond 10-20 yards, tops.

Hands nowhere near the brakes. Wobbling around like he was on metal skates on the sidewalk.

mAN, i LOve bIKE RidES On THe muP.

(Irony font, for the humor impaired.)