Tri Bars on a commuter?
 

well today i was at the LBS talkin with a buddy of mine. i was wonderin how much and what all id need to put turn down bars on my c-dale and he suggested running some Tri bars that mount on my handle bars. seems like a good idea but are they partical? they were 80 bucks and the brand if i remember right is profile. to do turn downs would run me 250 so theres def a price diff. let me know what yall think

What exactly are you trying to achieve? More hand positions? More aerodynamic positioning?

A third option may be bar-ends, which will run you $10-25. You could also get narrower flat bars to go with the bar-ends.

Depends on what you use the bike for. I wouldn't put aerobars on a commuter, as you don't have really good steering control using them. They will work for a run where more aero is a necessity and it's realitively smooth. Also, unless you change to barend shifters on the aero's you're coming off the bar to shift. Inconvenient, at best.

Wins a "bad idea" award from me personally, your mileage may vary.

-Roger

I used to run clip-ons on a MTB with slicks when I lived in PHX. 17 mile one way flat-as-a-board commute from 35th and Bell to Sun City West, they worked quite well. Good for about 2 mph advantage.

Back then there were much fewer shopping centers and traffic lights along Bell road, however. I doubt I'd run them on that commute if I were there today. Back then I only had to brake / shift gears once a mile at the most. Of course, the whole shifting thing doesn't bother me much as I still have to reach for downtube shifters on my main ride...

i was just look for a more comfortable ride.. since my commute is 30 miles and i do it 5 days a week.. id say 80% are fairly smooth roads with very little traffic since its a residencial area. the other 20% is higher traffic. i dunno how much more comfortable bars ends would make it and you still have to take your hands off of them to get to the breaks just like the tri bars. as far as shiftin i accually really never shift till i hit the end of my commute where theres a few hills and thats maybe a mile.

i accually commute from bell & 87th and go thru sun city till i hit northern and take it to my work Luke AFB

I bought my trek 1200 roadie from a guy at work. It already had the tribars on it. Took a little getting used to, but I absolutely love them now. And wouldn't have a commuter without them. Very comfy and great for resting back and wrists.

Of course my 12 mile ride to work is at 5 AM when there is extremely light traffic. The ride home I take a 3 mile longer more rural route.

So, if you are commuting to lower manhattan, don't bother. It you are riding lightly traveled roads with little need off shifting and breaking, then go for it.

Sure, give them a try.

I have aero bars on my Fuji commuter (touring set up as road double). I hang the dual lights, bells, etc off them. They're great for stretching out my back, taking weight off my hands, and fighting the headwinds. I sometimes use a stiff arm technique, holding onto the elbow pads, to obtain a more upright posture.

They seem like they would be absolutely fantastic for doing centuries or longer rides. I also think they are of greater benefit with a riding geometry of a road or touring bike. Not sure how I feel about them on a hybrid.

My LBS has made the same recommendation when I asked about switching from flat-bars to drops with bar-cons and aero brakes.

I'm looking for more hand positions and a more comfortable long-distance ride.

I don't think the tri-bars are a good solution (for me) because it's a hilly route with turns and tons-o-traffic.

The drop-bar plan is more expensive, but I think the right course for me. YMMV.

There are a few guys in the bike room with aero bars, but they are all riding the narrow, twisting MUP just north of downtown. I make a point of staying the hell away from anyone using those things unless they're out on a back road somewhere.

Unless you need them for racing or a super-long, windy ride, go with drop bars. YMMV.

They're the most efficient purchase you can make to increase speed. If I needed them, I'd get 'em.

i decieded to get them and wow do they make wonders.. i dont see how people say you lose manuverability cuz i turn just the same as before. def alot more comfortable. i moved my brakes closer to make them easier to get to. i def think it was worth the $75.

My son has them on his winter bike and his hands dont get as cold as they do on the straight bars.

You haven't had to panic react yet.

Maneuvering on aerobars reminds me of skiing, rocking your body left and right instead of actually turning steerer tube.

I don't think you lose maneuverability, I think you gain it. Riding on aero bars seems a bit more "twitchy" to me until you get used to it. Aero bars are a tool in your biking arsenal. When used correctly they're great, when used incorrectly I see some riders that can't hold a line to save their lives. Either way if I were going to put them on a commuter I would make sure they were the kind that had immediate access to at least brakes, and possibly shifters depending on the topography of my route.

My commute is 60 miles round trip on a Trek 1200c. A couple of thoughts would be a set of add-on aero bars which run around $100-150 and this Ergon grips are what I have on my Hybrid and they are wonderful.
Ergon GC2 L Performance Comfort Grips

That's an interesting statement - the pros spend hundreds if not thousands of hours training to stay in their tuck as much as possible, but they get out of it whenever they have turns or rough cobbles. I certainly have less maneuverability with them and while it's usually not a fair comparison pros vs. Joes, if they have to get out of them for maneuverability after all the training they do to do that as little as possible, I reckon there must be something to it.

They are less maneuverable and more twitchy. But what is the most important is there is less control. So for an urban commute not so good. For a more rural commute, go for it!

IME You are both more and less maneuverable. It takes very little to get the bike to turn a little. In fact, it takes a some getting used to in order to keep from wobbling all over the place. The bike is much more sensitive to changes in body position when you're on the aero bars.

It's hard to turn sharply while on the aero bars especially if you're moving slower, like say you had to both slam on the brakes and turn at the same time in order to avoid something.

What about trekking bars?
http://www.amazon.com/Nashbar-Trekki.../dp/B000R2LJGK

I've order a set and have them here, but I've not put them on yet.

i accually moved the brakes as close as possible to the aero bars so its accually extremely easy to get to them without havin to go fully out of the position. i like them alot and i can also maintain 19 mph in them vs 15-16 sittin up since i am a 205lb guy with braud shoulders, im like a wind sail when im up right.