Anyone use Aero bars for thier commute? I'm definitely not trying for speed (in fact I'd love it if I could map out a 1 hour commute vice my 30 mintue one just for the fitness aspects) the aero bar set up just looks really comfortable...am I way off on that? I am going to get a trekking bar in the next few weeks but I'm up in the air on whether I should get the aero bars...any experiences out there?

Thanks!

The aero bars limit cockpit room greatly. So dont expect to have plenty of room for your speedometer, and headlight. Also if you have drops, your hand position will be adjusted to either the hoods, drops, or aero bars (This irritated me alot) as I like gripping the front...

Trekking bars are much more comfortable. Depending on the aero bars, they can make the bike feel twitchy. I had them on my old road bike for a short while, did not like them, and gave them away.

Here is a picture of my touring bike just before it got destroyed.
Note the Aero bars mounted on a MTB stem and at a higher angle than they should be. They become lounger bars when used this way. You still get a little aero profile when on them but it was very comfortable pedaling for many miles laying on them. Commuting with them would work fine as well when setup this way. Aero bars correctly installed for getting as aero as possible for as much speed as possible is painful and defiantly not for commuting or touring!

Aero bars, if used correctly, are very uncomfortable. It's a compromise that some choose in preference of gaining a few seconds on the competition. Used incorrectly, well maybe...

Like n4zou said, if adjusted for comfort rather than an optimised aero position they are in fact very comfortable.

You mean the "Praying Landis"

...that does look quite comfy, at least as far as the pros go. All he needs are a set of rosary beads dangling from the end.

Are those t-patches for padding on the armrests?

I just installed Progress Century aero bars on my Trek Pilot 1.0 commuter w/ cross levers. I am about to make a post about them and my first commute with them. Cliff notes: I like them alot and will be keeping them on.

Kerry

I run aerobars on my road bike which is also my commuter most days. The stem is also flipped to give me an addition inch or so handlebar height. My areobars are two separate bars that go straight out and have fixed elbow pads (i.e. don't flip up). The take up mounting room but I mount everything on them instead - bell, air horn, blinky, 2 lights, and cyclometer. My available hand positions are drops, hoods, aerobars, stiff arm on aerobar elbow pads.
They do stretch out the back and take a lot of weight of my hands (the primary reason I bought them). They do help my speed and are particulary nice in headwinds. They are not very stable, though, and I only use them for on straight smooth surfaces.

painful? Wow...I would have never guessed. The aeros that keep the forearms horizantal even lookp padded.

My bike shop recommended them for my commuter bike. It's a hybrid with flat bars. As it is now the bike makes me into a giant sail. It I knew then what I know now, I never would have purchased a bike without drops.