Touring - Aerobars on long tours?

Are Aerobars good on long rides? I know they are designed for both comfort and aerodynamics. I am more interested in comfort on long distance solo rides. I know they make steering more difficult and are dangerous to use when riding in groups on in an urban environment. I am seriously contemplating adding a pair of Aerobars to my hybrid, but I want to know what kinds of experiences people have had with them.


Thanks,

-Matt C.-

They can help on long rides since they give you a way to rest your hands and change position on the bike, but you have be able to get comfortable in an 'aero' position for it to do you much good. It takes a little getting used to, but with the right fit and flexibility on your part they can be pretty comfortable. I have some Profile AirStrykes on mine and like using them. I had some problems with them a while back where the hinges were coming apart (hinge pin was coming out due to vibration) but they sent me a replacement set of redesigned parts that have worked very well. If you get AirStrykes make sure they have the hinge pins with the c-clip retainer.

Previously, I had a hybrid with flat handlebars. Flat bars are comfortble on short rides, but on longer rides I think areo bars are better because they offer a variety of hand and riding postitions. Once you get used to them, I don't think they make your bike any less manuverable.

Thanks for the replies.

Another question. What about bar ends? I'm looking for something that will allow different hand positions. The problem I have with bar ends, is that my bike (Trek 7200) has grip shifters. They use up both ends of the handlebar. I would have to cut into my grips or change shifters altogether if I wanted to install bar ends. That's why I'm aiming for Aerobars. They'd be easier to install.


Thanks,

-Matt C.-

Thanks for the replies.

Another question. What about bar ends? I'm looking for something that will allow different hand positions. The problem I have with bar ends, is that my bike (Trek 7200) has grip shifters. They use up both ends of the handlebar. I would have to cut into my grips or change shifters altogether if I wanted to install bar ends. That's why I'm aiming for Aerobars. They'd be easier to install.


Thanks,

-Matt C.-

You can losen the brake and shifters (very small hexbolt on the bottom of the shifter) and move them inward on the handlebar. Then take a rubber mallet, and lightly hammer the grip part until the little donut is cut out. spray some hairspray underneath the rubber grip with one of those straw things (don't use WD-40), and move the grip inward. This will leave the ends of your bars available for the installation of the bar-ends.

You can losen the brake and shifters (very small hexbolt on the bottom of the shifter) and move them inward on the handlebar. Then take a rubber mallet, and lightly hammer the grip part until the little donut is cut out. spray some hairspray underneath the rubber grip with one of those straw things (don't use WD-40), and move the grip inward. This will leave the ends of your bars available for the installation of the bar-ends.


Hmm... How nice! Thanks for the instructions. :)


-Matt C.-

sorry, didn't mean to sound like a snob, I just thought you weren't sure how to do it. Nevermind.

sorry, didn't mean to sound like a snob, I just thought you weren't sure how to do it. Nevermind.
DogBoy......no need to be sorry. Every bit of instruction helps. I'd bet more than 90% of people on these forums have no idea how to work on their bikes. Nothing wrong with that either.

sorry, didn't mean to sound like a snob, I just thought you weren't sure how to do it. Nevermind.


No, no. I was sincerely pleased with your advice. I'm sorry my reply came off as negative. I didn't mean it that way. I am still very much a novice when it comes to bicycles, almost everybody on this forum knows more than I do. I don't consider it snobbish to suggest something that would be obvious to a more experienced cyclist or bike mechanic.

Now I have to decide if I want to alter my grips like you've suggested. I'm going to ask my LBS what they think. They've been good to me so far.


Thanks,

-Matt C.-

I'm touring right now with the Syntace C2s, with the shifters mounted out on top. I love it. I got the extenders from Nashbar which raise the whole thing up another inch, and an old Blackburn bag wedged in there for my map.


The trick is to mount the bars as wide as possible. The closer in everything is, the less control you'll have. But get everything good and out there, and its not much of a problem at all. Just takes some getting used to, like everything else.


cheers...


matt

Are Aerobars good on long rides? I know they are designed for both comfort and aerodynamics. I am more interested in comfort on long distance solo rides. I know they make steering more difficult and are dangerous to use when riding in groups on in an urban environment. I am seriously contemplating adding a pair of Aerobars to my hybrid, but I want to know what kinds of experiences people have had with them.


Thanks,

-Matt C.-

Simply the ability to change position have made my aerobars a great addition to my bike. Finding good position on the seat has caused me problems but I hope lowering the front of my seat a bit will help.

Are Aerobars good on long rides? I know they are designed for both comfort and aerodynamics. I am more interested in comfort on long distance solo rides.
Thanks,

-Matt C.-

If you do a Google search on triathlete bikes, you'll find that aerobars are best used with large seat tube angles like 75 (?) degrees. You need those hips rotated forward relative to the bottom bracket to be able to be comfortable in that low position. Touring bikes, except for the smaller sizes, are generally closer to 72 dgrees. Bikes with large seat tube angles also put your knee ahead of the bottom bracket which is better for shorter, fast rides like a time trial.

Al

OK let's look at this again...

1) Hybrid bike
2) Aero-bars
3) Bar-ends

I think another question is to convert the bike from a hybrid, that means getting rid of shifters and brakes, and going with STI or BARCONs (be they on the bar ends or the aero-bar-ends) and road handle bars... That would be my recomendation... Alternatives...

A) Keep the hybrid bars...
B) Add BAR-ENDs... The longest biggest curliest you can find. I use these on my mountain bike (for commuting) and find the extra position handy for a change up.
C) Add aero-bars... IMHO the only choice for long rides. I've found that my triceps start to fail on long rides and using aero-bars allows me to place the weight on my bones (elbows) and not my muscles (and hands).

Because you already have straight bars you may find it a bit tough to put aero-bars on because of cable routing but perhaps it won't be a problem...

I have a Trek 7500 Hybrid and use both Profile aero bars and bar ends and feel very comfortable using both in different situations. I dont use the aerobars on climbs at all. I do long bike runs and like to be able to change hand position, an get down low on the aerobars to cut drag...What a feeling!!!

i never seemed to be able to "cut drag" with aerobars on tour. if i'm not mistaken, being aero only makes a lick of difference around 20mph and up. i found it a much better idea to just be comfortable and be able to do another half-hour or whatever of cheerful riding than to exert and spend myself.


i found aero bars great on long empty stretches. i'd lay out and get good at just watching the road below. yeah, keep a spare eye on road conditions, sure, but it'd be nice to just kinda space out, not be looking at anything. down on the rests it ain't faster, but it does get a bit quieter. lets you pay more attention to how the bike feels and sounds.


ramble, ramble. just being able to put the weight/stress on the elbows and forearms make aerobars goddamn dynamite for anything over a week.


matt

:eek:What you don't tour at 22-24mph?

:eek:What you don't tour at 22-24mph?

christ man, who would want to?


= )


matt

Because I can stop to smell the roses! Then get up and haul butt to the next scienic view!

Nuttin like doing 180 miles a day and being able to take an hour for lunch and still get to the next hotel before the sun sets...

But now we are getting off topic :)