Originally Posted by Bob Ross

I co-lead (I hesitate to say I "coach") a 12-week group cycling skills course for my club, and every year I make a point of listing the Four Reasons To Ride With Bent Elbows.

...after which, if I see my students riding with locked arms, I roll up next to them and give them a whack on the elbow. They learn pretty quick, sans argument.

Originally Posted by Bob Ross

Bob Ross
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Five good reasons to ride with bent elbows:

1) bent arms will act as shock absorbers; if locked out, every bump & jar goes straight up your arms into the neck & shoulders. Ouch!
2) bent arms allow you to better maintain control of the bike if you make contact w/ another rider. Try this sometime: Have a buddy ride next to you and bump your arm gently while it's locked straight; notice how your arm pushes the bar & changes the bike's direction. Now try it again w/ bent elbow; notice how your arm simply deflects inward w/o affecting pressure on the bar.
3) when climbing or making hard efforts, bent elbows allow you to recruit the stronger muscles of the back (lats?) as you pull on the bar. With a straight arm, you're instead relying on the weaker traps.
4) bent elbow means your whole torso is slightly lower, ergo slightly more aerodynamic.
5) umm...I forget what #5 is. Okay, so maybe there are only four good reasons.

But #1 is really the most important imho.