Commuting - Aero Bars on my FX 7.2

I am going down to LBS today and look at Aero Bars for my hybrid. I like the flat bar set up on it but I would also like some other hand position options. I don't care to much about speed but that will probably be a side effect bonus. I have never used areo bars before but they look like a great option. They appear to be marketed to the triathlete but I think it will work on my commuter. I will have to adjust my dashboard though

I've seen several hybrids with aerobars and have been recommended to get them by my LBS. The riders I've seen with them generally zip by me at a good clip, too.

Personally, I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of not having complete control of the bicycle and I don't know how the aerobars would affect the handling.

I love the FX series. I have an '07 7.3 and my girlfriend just bought an '09 7.2.

I will let you know how it works out. I picked them up a little while ago. I have never used them before but it looks like it will be comfortable as well as simply giving me some more options. I can't believe I will sacrifice any control considering that the bikes that run them are capable of speeds much faster than mine. I can run my bike at a pretty good clip though & like I said that is not my motivation but I will take what ever I can.

Full-sized bar ends served me well on my 7.2fx. Slightly less aero but better than the grips and more appropriate for flat bars.

Timber, take some time alone in an empty parking lot to get used to the aeros. I used to race tris and the aeros are a sketchy position to get used to. Imagine what your steering would be like if your stem was 12 inches longer.
Aeros put your weight farther over the front of the bike, and distance you from your shifters and your brake levers.
Something to also consider is the aggressive position of many aerobars is uncomfortable for many people, both on the saddle and at the neck. Many clip-on aeros have riser kits for the rests to slacken the aggro positioning.

I put it all together today and did some riding with the Areo bars. I did some adjustments to the seat as well. I was aware of the distance from the brakes and the shifter before I bought them. I wanted to incorporate them early and build my dash around them. I will practice with them to get use to them.I did not find the position uncomfortable at all. Here are some pictures.

Full-sized bar ends served me well on my 7.2fx. Slightly less aero but better than the grips and more appropriate for flat bars.
There is a set of bar ends I am interested in but more for the hand grip part of it than the bar end. I will probably add them at some point.

There is a set of bar ends I am interested in but more for the hand grip part of it than the bar end. I will probably add them at some point.
Ok that sounds very good, i wish you all the good luck.

I actually laughed out loud when I opened the pictures.

I actually laughed out loud when I opened the pictures.
You have right to your opinion, your approval is not required.

I actually laughed out loud when I opened the pictures.

I'm confused (or slow) :notamused:. Whats wrong with aero bars on a hybrid? Was it the bottles? The tractor? Don't like kickstands? Do you laugh when you open all pictures?

It looks like a nice bike and I'd like to hear about his experience with the aero bars.

I'm confused (or slow) :notamused:. Whats wrong with aero bars on a hybrid? Was it the bottles? The tractor? Don't like kickstands? Do you laugh when you open all pictures?

It looks like a nice bike and I'd like to hear about his experience with the aero bars.

French Canadian, Hybrid hater

I'm confused (or slow) :notamused:. Whats wrong with aero bars on a hybrid?


I think it might have been the position these bars were in - the bike has a sort of preying mantis look. But hey, if it works.

I think it might have been the position these bars were in - the bike has a sort of preying mantis look. But hey, if it works.


It is unimportant, our paths have crossed before & some people are just comfortable on the low road. Nobody has to like my ride but me. I just like to ride

I can tell you on my first commute my average went up but I was also under a full load in the Pannier bags plus it was the first day commuting with the areo Bars. I suspect that it will take a week or so before there are any hard results. I did not feel there was any stability issues but I am sure it will improve as I become more comfortable with them

Is that a beer bottle in your water bottle cage? Empty? Full? Half drunk?

Dont use them unless you know exactly what the traffic is doing ahead, and on cross streets.

Is that a beer bottle in your water bottle cage? Empty? Full? Half drunk?


I can't seem to remember Saturday is the day I cut grass and drink beer

Dont use them unless you know exactly what the traffic is doing ahead, and on cross streets.

I didn't seem to have any control problems with them but I do have the roads to myself for the most part. In trafick I am upright anyway

I am going down to LBS today and look at Aero Bars for my hybrid. I like the flat bar set up on it but I would also like some other hand position options. I don't care to much about speed but that will probably be a side effect bonus. I have never used areo bars before but they look like a great option. They appear to be marketed to the triathlete but I think it will work on my commuter. I will have to adjust my dashboard though

why don't you just get trekking bars... gives you multiple hand positions without being far from shifters and breaks...

This was my "experiment" that has worked out very well for me. All I was looking for was a different
hand position during my 9 mile one way commute. I moved the brake/ shifter levers inboard @1/2 inch,
removed the grips and trimmed them down @ 3/4 inch, slid the bar ends on, and reinstalled the grips and
mirror. I can slide my hand from the bar ends to the flat bar and brakes without having to take my hands off
the bike. I can even up-shift using my "pinky" while on the bar ends. It took me less than a minute to feel
comfortable with this set-up- even at night. It has worked well for me for the last several months. .http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr27/rogav8or/003.jpg

I love the Aero Bars. one of the best upgrades I did, I immediately jumped my average speed 1 mph and it is a lot more than hand position. Not only are there several hand positions but body position. Shifting and breaking is not a problem. It is sweet when your on a country rd to lay down into the bars and just open up.

Back in the 90s, I had a mountain bike with aero bars. I put on inverted tread tires and rode quite a few long distance rides, including a double century. Sure, I still got passed by roadies, but it was comfortable and reasonably fast. Not a bad ride at all.

Those look like the Air Stryke bars. I have those on one of my bikes. Like you, I like the postion for rolling out a country mile, but the hinged arm rests rattling around when I wasn't on them drove me nuts. I ended up using zip ties to lock them into the down position. Were I to do it over, I would pick up a lighter, simpler set of fixed aero bars.

From the pictures, you need to lower those A-bars so they are on the level.

I have not had any problem with the arm rest rattling when I am upright, that could change with time. It was the shape of the bar that I liked about them. As far as the angle they are on I think it is a personal preference. This is a Hybrid bike so the configuration may be different with a racer. They are very comfortable. I have the roads to myself most of the time especially in the morning. I jump out into the middle of the lane and run about 27 mph for as long as I can. I have several 2 and 3 mile stretches. I have more downhill stretches in the morning than on the way home so my morning ride is pretty killer. The afternoon ride is great too but I do a little more climbing on the way home. Bottom line is it was a great investment.

I run a flat bar with aerobars on my LHT. I've had this setup (on a previous bike) for the last 5 years and love it.
I get the offroad stability when I want it. I have bar ends and an aerobar for different possitions. Plus the aerobar gives me a more efficient bicycling position (more like in the drops than upright)
Of course everyone has their own preferences, but I have to say.....I like it!

I can't seem to remember Saturday is the day I cut grass and drink beer

That is Sunday at my house...nice bike, i also own a 2009 7.3.

I'm confused (or slow) :notamused:. Whats wrong with aero bars on a hybrid? Was it the bottles? The tractor? Don't like kickstands? Do you laugh when you open all pictures?

It looks like a nice bike and I'd like to hear about his experience with the aero bars.

Aero's do look pretty goober on a hybrid. Basically because the seat to bar drop isn't very much if at all, and the proper use of aeros calls for your weight to be supported by your elbows. Subsequently you're not going to be very aero, and not supported the way they are designed for.

Clip-ons are a tradeoff even on a good day, and on a hybrid they're about laughable, sorry. Not to mention that coming off the bars to shift, and bike control are both issues.

Mind you this is personal opinion... but this also from the owner of a BMC TT bike that has true functioning, shift from the aeros carbon cockpit too.

Aero's do look pretty goober on a hybrid. Basically because the seat to bar drop isn't very much if at all, and the proper use of aeros calls for your weight to be supported by your elbows. Subsequently you're not going to be very aero, and not supported the way they are designed for.

Clip-ons are a tradeoff even on a good day, and on a hybrid they're about laughable, sorry. Not to mention that coming off the bars to shift, and bike control are both issues.

Mind you this is personal opinion... but this also from the owner of a BMC TT bike that has true functioning, shift from the aeros carbon cockpit too.

If I remember right your elbows should be bent at close to a 90 degree angle when on aero bars. I'm guessing it's not easy to achieve this with clip-ons since the bars they're mounted on are probably too high/too far forward.

Anyway, I would think there's still some aero advantage to having your arms in front of your chest instead of out to the sides even you can't quite get into a nice tuck.

The comfort of aerobars is equally important as the aerodynamics, and whether or not they look right is not a factor at all. Using the aerobars takes pressure off of the wrists and palms, which can be a big problem with straight bars. I've put aerobars on all styles of bike (hybrids, drop-bar tourers, a MTB converted for touring, carbon road bike, tandem, etc.) and if the type of riding I'm doing suits it then they can be great. At the moment I only have them on one of my four bikes, but two of the others occasionally get a pair added when needed.

The comfort of aerobars is equally important as the aerodynamics, and whether or not they look right is not a factor at all.

Properly fitted aeros are designed to support via the skeleton, versus the body core as in most all other handlebars. It's not about "equally important". There's no way you can *properly* fit a set of aeros that are truly functional as their design on a bike that doesn't have a cockpit that lends itself to a proper seat to bar drop. Most road bikes can't even achieve that much less doing it on a hybrid.

Part of the reason you usually size a TT/Tri bike one size smaller than your normal size.

All you're doing with aerobars on a hybrid is giving yourself an alternative hand position, which to those of us that use them as they're designed for just find comical to look at... :P Just put freaking trekking bars on it and be done.

All you're doing with aerobars on a hybrid is giving yourself an alternative hand position, which to those of us that use them as they're designed for just find comical to look at... :P Just put freaking trekking bars on it and be done.

You're missing the point completely: How on earth I am going to rest my elbows on trekking bars???
Also, I can't easily switch from the straight bars (or drops) to trekking bars like I can by simply doing up 4 bolts on the clip-on aero-bars.
Haven't you got the message yet that no-one cares what you think we look like.

Haven't you got the message yet that no-one cares what you think we look like.

Or their still to embarassed to admit :P Just an FYI though... you aren't "everyone" :)

But you're absolutely right.. Treking bars wouldn't leave you any place to put pink handlebar streamers. If you think they would look goofy? You then understand where I'm coming from :)