urbanknight

I'm thinking about adding an aerobar to my bike for some extra positions on longer rides, and I remembered those Spinaci bars from the 90's. It seems like it might be a good solution since it's less bulky, doesn't really take up space on the tops, and are supposed to offer both aero and climbing positions. My alternative is a Profile model with flip up chin rests but I can see that as being annoying when I'm descending with my chin on the stem. But I have a couple of questions:

1) Is the lack of arm rests a problem? Do you just rest your arms on the tops?

2) With them not reaching as long as a real aerobar, will they not get you low enough or is it ok since it's a road bike seat position and not a TT bike anyway?

3) Does anybody have any pictures of people actually using these things? Altavista only shows pros with them on their bikes, but never riding while utilizing them.

4) Does anybody else use these, and if so, how do you like them compared to a real aerobar? (this question was asked before according to my recent search, but the 3 questions above were not).

urbanknight

Oh, and I know they only fit 26.0 bars. I have 26.0 bars.

Walter

I didn't use the actual Cinelli product but rather a Nashbar clone.

To answer questions as best I can:

I had no problem with lack of arm rests but these aren't meant for a full aero tuck.

Yes, IMO.

I don't have any pics and I think the reason pics are hard to find is that theses clip-ons are illegal in UCI road races. I know Cinelli tried to get the UCI to change that stance but don't think they ever did. Alot of people just hold onto their STI cables for a similar effect (if they run Shimano and haven't upgraded to new DA).

Hida Yanra

1) No, unless you are going to be in them for a long time / Yes

2) See below, not really a problem if you set them up correctly

3) Ask CDR- he has talked about them a few times

4) Yes- but the new products on the market are a lot better, and play nicely with current parts.

It sounds like what you want is a 'shorty-bar' in tri-speak.
*puts on tri-nerd hat*

While not Spinacis, they do what (it seems) you are looking for.

Slowtwitch has good write-ups on two options which are currently on the market:
This one isn't out yet, but will be within a few weeks/month. The article spends a good bit of time talking about how a "shorty-bar" position is different than full-length aero bars, and how to best set them up.
This one is a very interesting idea by Oval Concepts to make everything work off the stemcap, and still use regular bars. While the article spends time talking about the 910 bar from Oval, the stemcap & aerobars will work with any set of handlebars.
Another article on different types of aerobars and setups, by one of the guys who started this "aero-bars" silliness, Dan Empfield.

Additionally, If you search for ITU bars or shorty-bars, there are several pairs out by profile & the like which give you a "shorty" position to ride from, but aren't exclusive to a standard road setup. They work, watch videos from any ITU races- everybody runs them.

Personal experience is that wing-top bars are a lot more comfortable than round bars if you are going to spend much time in the extensions, but you don't really need pads/risers... a regular bar works just fine.

I'm probably going to be putting a wingbar with the Oval A711 cap on my next road rig... it looks like a good system while not spending a whole lot of money on an extra-expensive bar.

Eeesh, that was long. sorry, I've spent a lot of time lately looking into ways to achieve what you are talking about- so this is my big chance to share with teh roadiez

urbanknight

Thanks Walter and Hida. No worries on the long post. It just means you've done most of the research already and just condensed it here for my convenience. It looks like a shorty bar would work fine for me, as long as I could use it without pads. I use the tops a lot, and previous TT setups would require me to alter my tops position too much for regular road riding.

Hida Yanra

yeah- no problems there.

urbanknight

I forgot Cinelli used those funny bar sizes. Looks like if I get them, I should stick to the knock-off brands for a 26.0 bar.

Also, I realized from that article hida linked to that it would be more comfortable with a horizontal grip because it would put me on my muscles while an upright grip would rotate my arms onto the bone.

Reynolds 

I tried some Tranz - X that were similar to Spinaci but didn't like them. Hand position wasn't comfortable and aero gains were minimum if any, IMO.

weavers

looks like i'll be adding mtb handlebar ends to the middle of my commuter road bike for mini clip on aero bars. i can now be 10seconds faster to work. thanks for the idea!

urbanknight

^ Those are extra shorty! I actually wondered, a looooong time ago, how the long (L shaped) barends would work, but those are 25.4mm as well.

carpediemracing 

Spinacci and 3ttt made the Tirimisu (spelling is wrong I think).

The nice this is that they had a further forward "wide" position, sort of like the position a lot of riders now adapt when holding onto STI cables.

They also have a shorter, narrower, "hoods" position. Good for climbing. Probably similar to shorty aero bars nowadays.

They are definitely not aero bars - I made the mistake of using them in a TT, thinking I'd like the drop bars for portions of the course. If you want them as aero bars, you need either pads or built up tape. Or shorty aero bars.

For pictures look for anything 1996-1997. There are some YouTube clips of the Tour (look for sprinting stages). The era of no-hematocrit-limits, funky bikes, and aero wheels meant that the field would cook along at 65-70 kph (!!) leading up to the sprint, with attacks going off the front at 75 kph. That's 46+ mph. For attacks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tea0gr_wNRY

I found my favorite final 2-3k of that era. Crazy.

cdr

adriano 

does anyone have pictures of their minibar setup?

urbanknight

Thanks CDR! The extra climbing position is one of the reasons I'm considering them. Another reason is the cost, of course (they're cheap on ebay since racers don't want them), but having an additional aero position on the flats is another. If you don't think you can spend 10/15 in an aero position with those, maybe I need to rethink my options.

Adriano: Too many soft drinks, not enough alcohol.

edit: And thanks for linking the video. It does show them being used in a breakaway. I might play with my cables tomorrow and see if I don't like the free aero position I haven't tried yet.

carpediemracing 

Aero, at full tilt (i.e. TT in a race), 10 min max. I think I did an 8 mile one, and it was a disaster for me. I don't TT well anyway but I was extremely uncomfortable. I made the same mistake with Scott Rakes, Scott Drop Ins, and I'm sure some of the other alternative aero bars for dropped bars.

I think it'd be great for LSD kind of miles.

The climbing position is good, probably the most used of all of them. I'd hold them at the bend where the bars start to point inwards.

cdr

urbanknight

If LSD means what I think it means (long slow distance) that's all I'm capable of doing. I also had rakes and drop ins at one point in time. I hit my knees in the drop ins too often. The rakes were nice but I didn't really use them that often; I was a junior and could withstand discomfort longer and the races were much shorter.

Thanks again.

iab

FWIW, Cinelli switched to 26.0 (from 26.4) in 1998. They still make and sell Spinachi so they are probably in the 26.0 size today.

urbanknight

Thanks. I'll keep them in mind then.

weavers

i bought some aero bars on pbk for 20bucks a few months back. someday i hope to a trialthon, getting the bars is more motivation, but its not helping me swim. anyways ebay has clip on aero bars for 20bucks, those spinaci are 20-30bucks.

https://cgi.ebay.com/TRIATHLON-TIME-TRIAL-TT-BOLT-ON-BIKE-EXTENSION-AEROBAR_W0QQitemZ300328370396QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCycling_Parts_Accessories?hash=item45ecf740dc&_trksi d=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1205|293%3A1|294%3A50

urbanknight

^ Can't remove the arm rests on those. I think I've decided to look for something I could run without arm rests so I can have full use of the tops, and I'd like a more horizontal grip and not vertical. So far it seems that narrows it down to Spinaci, Profile Jammer, and some Oval Concepts one I forgot the model name of. No big deal, though, as whenever I can't make up my mind completely I just sit on it for a while and either come up with a decision or decide I never needed it anyway.

urbanknight

Hey I can't find the specs for these things. They don't seem to specify clamp diameter and their website says "adjustable" for size. Does this mean the same bar will fit 25.4 to 26.0?

Soil_Sampler

https://www.cinelli.it/EN/spinaci/pun.../ilpunto2.html

bangkok

The Cinelli clamp diameter for the bike handlebar is 24mm, while the spinachi bar is 22mm. This means you need to attach outside of the stem clamp area on a 26 or 31.7 handlebar.

For 26 it's straightforward, while for newer 31.7 bars and the trend for extended/wider clamp area widths that extend into the grip area, and for non-round grip areas (wiing, oval, etc) it becomes unworkable.

Spinaci are great for what they're worth as quickly demountable and infinitely adjustable extensions; they're not aero bars.

urbanknight

Thanks! I think I'm gona give these things a try.

Tom Pedale

1. No problem.

2. You end up on nose of the saddle at worst.

3. These were widely used by the peloton in the TDF and other races before UCI outlawed them for safety (related to hadling issues).

4. I used mine for 7 or 8 years. Would still be using them, but bought a new bike that they won't fit on.
Definitely get a 1/2 to 1mph in speed increase. I've still got mine. They're the undrilled model. Got them free when I worked for Specialized. Would sell for cheap.

Banzai

I don't buy the safety argument on this one, any more than I do on some other UCI decisions. The UCI, in my opinion, made an arbitrary and rather late decision, and brought Cinelli to its knees with it.