Ok, I just bought a pair of aerobars, profile design jammer gt. Now, the question is how often do I use them? Seems that if they make riding a little more aerodynamic shouldnt I ride like that all the time? Also, you dont take them on and off right? So in other words if I use them only some of the time I dont need to take them off when I just go riding right? thanks to all

flat stretches of road mainly.... especially with head winds... i dont really know cause i dont have any.

Brendon

I just got Profile Airstryke aero bars. They took a little getting used to, but now that I'm used to them, I would say I am in the aero bars for 75-85% of each ride. I don't use them in town, when I may have to brake quickly. But once I'm on the open road, they are very comfortable, and take alot of strain off my wrists and hands. If I'm in the lower drops too long, my hands tend to go numb. Using the aero bars, all the pressure is on my forearms. I don't plan on taking them off, except when I compete in a triathlon, where they are usually not allowed. You can get in big trouble with aero bars, if you're cycling fast and you're riding close to other cyclists.

really??? that doesn't make much sense to me... because most tri-specific bikes are set up from the factory with aero bars. and if you've ever watched ironman they ALL use aerobars.

..Just don't use them on a club ride....

not sure that that seems right...

i've used aero bars in 2 of the triathlons i've done (i'm an occaisonal triathlete) and that's why i bought them (increased speed in tris)

they are NOT allowed in most mass-start races like criteriums and many road races --- i used to take my off once a week for the local crit race - as they could interfere with other riders or cause a problem in a crash.

in a club ride you could probably have them on the bike (unless they have a rule against them) but probably not a good idea to use the aero bars in a paceline - maybe if you're at the front, but otherwise seems like a recipe for a crash.

otherwise, you can ride in the aero as much as you can... but it takes practice and i am not good enough to turn corners or even ride some tight curves... in the city it's a bad idea as breaking and quick manuevers are not possible. on mine i usually only get in the aero bars on a long stretch of open road, but many practices triathletes can ride most of the time in them.

You can't use aerobars in a bike race unless it is a TT..But I've never heard of not being able to use them in a triathlon..I don't think I've ever seen a triathlete NOT use aerobars..

I would leave them on unless you are in a group ride or a bike race.

well, the bike portion of a tri is technically considered a time trial...

I'm pretty sure aero bars are specifically allowed in triathlons. The bike portion of a tri is ridden as a time trial, no drafting allowed. A bike set up for triathlons is pretty much a time trial bike with slightly different geometry, including aero bars.

What RainmanP said

As for why not to ride in them all the time, when there is a chance that something might jump out in front of you, its good to be closer to the brakes. On clip on aerobars you won't be able to change gears. Road races won't let you use them. Other group riders may not like them because you can't point out pot holes easily with them (I found this out when drafting someone closely and they were in their aerobars, they avoided the pothole and I got a flat). You might also impale someone on the ends of them. Climbing hills is easier when not in aerobars, but then you'd gain little aero advantage going up hills anyway due to the reduced speed. Extreme turning is also not recommended under their influence.

Personally I use them only when out in the country and generally only when on my own and when speed justifies it.

Aerobars have disadvantages in groups for the reasons streners and others have said.

Aerobars provide the single most important way for un upright rider to reduce drag while riding. They should be taken seriously by anyone interested in solo cruising at speed. Their benefits are a few times that of aero wheels, for example, that cost much more.

I ordered Syntace C2 clip on aerobars last thursday and can hardly wait to get them!!

I ride a lot on country roads and it sounds like they will really help.

I plan to leave them on all the time.

if you do a fast training ride with a bunch of road racers, they will sneer at you in disdain if you leave your aerobars on. it's part of their code of snobbery.

i plan to do both triathlon AND road racing. so i think i'm gonna end up having two bikes... one with aerobars and one without

Aerobars are certainly allowed in triathlons but are not allowed in UCI or most other sanctioned road races except in Time Trials. I think you just have your facts backwards.

Clip-on aerobars are very easy to take on and off if you are doing tri's and road races. Usually they come of in less than a minute.

As for aerodynamics, even with my poor form I get at least a 3-5 km/h advantage while using them.

Those Syntace C2s are sah-weet. A friend of my uses them on a tri-bike with the shifters on the end. Feels like a friggin' cockpit when you're in 'em.

Problem with most aerobars is that some people just feel so uncomfortable getting into that genuine aero position. Besides having the right bike fit to begin with, one must have a physique capable of getting into that tucked position for a prolonged period. I see more aero setups that are set even or higher than the saddle simply for the reason of just leaning on your forearms for comfort rather than achieving that aero advantage. Hope I made any sense...

I do stretches and stuff to increase flexability, especially the muscles pertaining to riding in an aero-position..

If you are training to do time trials and triathlons..Then I would say have your aero-bars on most of the time, as you will need to build up the muscles that are used in that pozish.

Also, a tri aero-position is different then a TT aero-position, do to different demands...(I dunno about you, but after a swim my arms aren't ready to be setup like Jan's in the Tour ITT's)

Aerobars are allowed in all Triathlons and if you don't have a set you will be the odd man out They are a great asset to have and take practice but once you get a feel for how they react you will be loving them.

TriDevil, have you surfed into Trifuel.com before?? It's a pretty cool website..

I am not associated with it, just passing on info.

If you had STIs and wanted to mount a seperate set of brake and shift levers in conjunction, would it be possible to use a combination of say XTR remote barend shift levers and careful placement of some aux/cross brake levers to allow you to shift and brake from the aerobars while still maintaining the functionality of the STI brifters?