Setting up / getting used to aero bars

[shouldbworking]

Not the chocolatey kind, after much experimentation I feel I have the measure of these.

Got a set of cheap token aero bars for the road bike to coerce me into actually trying some time trialling. I've tried to set them up so the elbow joint is an approximate right angle and as close to the stem as I could get. Is this a reasonable base point or are you supposed to have them set up differently?

Initial experimentation on the ride in this morning had me wandering all over the place for about 10 seconds before bottling it and retreating to the drops A quiet flat road is whats called for for a bit of practice I think.

I must look a pretty odd sight in the mornings.. audax bike, rack, pannier, mudguards... and tri bars

[Rich_W]

Inevitably you'll have the problem of "compromise"

But as a guide. I had a "Retul" fit on my Tri bike a while back. And the most basic thing they did was to move my seat quite far forward. I ride it very steep now. The net result is that my shoulders are very nearly directly above my elbows. And my knees are infront (on a vertical plane) of the pedal axles when the cranks are at the 9/3 o clock position.

As for instability. Yes, it will take a bit of getting used to, but a couple half decent rides should sort it out. Don't try and stand up whilst on the areo bars though.

[anonymous-user]

shouldbworking said:

I must look a pretty odd sight in the mornings.. audax bike, rack, pannier, mudguards... and tri bars

Nothing like the guy I used to always see cycling from Hampton to Twickenham on the way home from work who had tri bars on his MTB!

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 8th June 14:45

[anonymous-user]

because aero bars bring your body further towards the front of the bike, you may wish to experiment by turning the seat post round and running the seat further forward. if you look at something like a cerveo p4, it is pretty much designed to be ridden in an aero position. thats the optimum position, you will want to find a comfy compromise using the seatpost method. i tried it and it works quite well.

[dubbs]

I have the switchable tri post on my S3 and am setup to be slightly further forward as this is for the right muscle sets to be working and not tiring out the run muscles.

Most people have aero bars but get no *real* benefit from them - by placing yourself in the right position using the hoods you can get most of the advantage and unless regularly averaging around 25mph the aero benefit is negligble. This was advice from the Team GB Tri bike setup guy so I believe him

[shouldbworking]

dubbs said:

I have the switchable tri post on my S3 and am setup to be slightly further forward as this is for the right muscle sets to be working and not tiring out the run muscles.

Most people have aero bars but get no *real* benefit from them - by placing yourself in the right position using the hoods you can get most of the advantage and unless regularly averaging around 25mph the aero benefit is negligble. This was advice from the Team GB Tri bike setup guy so I believe him

I can see it being true enough. My bike has a fairly short top tube (ribble winter audax) and on the rare occasions I ride on the flat, I can hold a pace that should make it worthwhile.

I'm not sure about the saddle position. I often feel like I'm too far forward, but looking down at the BB when I'm pedalling I'd say if anything it looks like I'm too far back!