Mounting aero bars directly to stem
 

I'm designing and building a touring bike from the ground up, and I've run into a snag.

I'd like to have an upright position, a la mustache bars or something similar (maybe the Jones H-loop bar). But I also want an aero position, with pads and the like.

The problem is that the Jones bar doesn't have much good space for the pads and aero bars to mount where I think it makes sense-- so I was thinking of using a "Fred bar" to make that space (but a Fred bar is another $100-- not exactly appealing).

I might be wrong of course about the limitations of the Jones bar (that 31.8 section seems to taper off earlier than I'd like).

I'd rather brainstorm it out early and figure out more options first, then narrow in on a particular solution.

I wondered if there were any other ways of mounting aero bars to the stem.

Any thoughts guys? Help me out.

You're designing a bike from the ground up. What's stopping you from designing your own bars?

why not try the Gnarwal?
I just bought one (not really tested yet on an actual ride that accommodates aerobar).
BTW, the regular aero position on the jones bar also is pretty aero.

Dang, that Gnarwhal looks ugly.

I don't want to rest my hands on the wrapped bars... I want aero pads.

I suppose I could have bars made, but I wouldn't know how to even start finding out who could do that.

https://www.evanscycles.com/bontrage...obars-EV212488

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...acaafa3ca9.jpg

I've mounted aerobars on my jones bar. It worked but since the attachment point was in a spot that the diameter tapered I used some shims in the clamp.(pieces from an old feeler gauge) It was ugly but effective.

boomhauer, I've considered that shims might work.
I've also wondered if I could cut and rebraze the aluminum bars with a wider 31.8 section.

I'm not sure that would be cheaper than having someone build me a custom set of aluminum bars.

Saddlesores, finding clip-on bars isn't the hard part-- mounting them while using a Jones bar is the hard part.

I'd post links and/or pictures, but I'm still too new here for that.

Attempting to cut and reweld handlebars sounds iffy. My solution was flat bars with (from the outside in) grips, mountain bike bar ends (with their own set of foam grips), brake levers, shifters, aero bars. Very versatile and comfortable.

you making the stem, from scratch, so it can have aero bar pads attached to it?

I designed my all-in-one-bar a couple of years ago. It attaches using U-bolts to the stem. Its heavy but it does everything I want to do, Sony(1/4 inch bolt)video camera mount, headlight mount, cue sheet(smartphone) mount, food bag mount, an extra water bottle, two separate positions, 45 degree and flat and it lets me use all standard hand positions without any missing due to the mounting points of the bar. Like I said an all-in-one-bar. i just made the whole thing, other than the 45 degree upright(cooper pipe) out wood. Works like a charm and handles real night. Has elbow pads that mount back further than normal since the frame toptube must be longer than normal...I just can't get the right shoulder/elbow angle like you should be able to get unless I mount the elbow pads back much further than normal. That helps me to get the extra hand position right by the stem that you would normally lose when you mount a standard aero bar to a bike.

I had some aero bars on my ECR, which had the Jones Hbar. Mine were Profile Design, and were not at all hard to install or need anything special. I took them off after wrecking my nuts in the aero position. I'm guessing my personal geometry does not allow aero position on a Brooks.