How do you choose Aerobars?

When shopping for triathlon bike aerobars, considerations range from adjustability, comfort, aerodynamics, weight, and of course, price. Aerobars vary widely in design, comfort, adjustability, weight, and price. It is important to choose the right aerobars for the type of event and training you will be doing.

What are the best Aerobars?

Do Aerobars make a difference?

Reduced Frontal Area = Reduced Drag

So if you're starting with a standard road bike, you have a lot of room for improvement by riding in an aero position using clip on aero bars. After installing aero bars, riders typically find that they're going 1 to 2 mph faster at the same level of effort.

Do I need Aerobars?

AERO BARS MAKE YOU ~1min 40s per 40KM FASTER

The advantage of adding aero bars on your road bike is to lower your upper body to a more aero position. You create less drag and hence go faster for the same amount of effort.

Do you tape Aerobars?

But instead of being wrapping with padded bar tape, like a normal bar, aero road bars are designed to be used with bare tops. While slippery in the wind, the bare tops can also be slippery in the hands. Many pro racers just tape them normally.

How To Choose Aero Handlebars | Maintenance Monday

Are Aerobars more comfortable?

They're easily recognized, and very comfortable. On a road bike, aero bars look like a horizontal fork, mounted to the top of drop bars. The prone, forward-leaning position puts your body in an aerodynamic posture, lowering your wind resistance.

What angle should tri bars be?

Ideally your forearms are level. Though wind-tunnel data suggests slightly titled-up forearms cut drag ever so slightly, level arms give better feel and balance. If you can ask a friend to photograph you side-on, you should note that the angle between your forearm and upper should be around 90-110°.

Are tri bars worth it?

Tri bars can make a significant difference in your speed and can help to lower energy consumption at the same power output. Since TRI bars help reduce wind resistance, the power needed is much less than having no TRI bars.

Why are aero bars not allowed?

Aerobars can be considered less safe for a few reasons: mostly because your hands are not on the brakes while riding in the aerobars. It also takes more practice and skill to maintain a straight line in the aerobars (especially in cross winds) due to how close your arms are together.

Is a tri bike faster?

It's generally known that triathlon bikes have aerodynamic and geometric advantages that make them faster than road bikes. With all variables remaining equal over the bike leg of a triathlon, the tri bike wins in speed.

Do I need Aerobars for Ironman?

A dedicated Ironman aerobar will help your performance, but there are options you can choose and still do well without one. For long-course racing, you need to make sure your aero position is comfortable, powerful, sustainable, and allows you to run a half marathon when the ride is completed.

How far apart should Aerobars be?

A good rule of thumb: line up your elbows with the width of your hips. If your shoulders are broad, position the bars to keep your hands close together, which minimises the amount of air that flows through to your stomach.

How much faster will a tri bike make me?

The BikeRadar website claims the advantage a TT bike gives you is 60-70 watts at 40 km/h, that is, it takes 270-280 watts to ride a road bike at that speed and 220 watts to ride a TT bike. Translated into seconds, a TT bike gives you 9 seconds per kilometre advantage. This is six minutes in a 40 km time trial. Insane.

How much faster are carbon aero wheels?

Using aero wheels has been found to reduce a cyclist's CdA by 3-5%, so if you generate 350W of power, using aero wheels could see your speed on the flat rise from 44.6kmh to 45.4kmh, an increase of 1.63%.

Are carbon aero bars worth it?

Prime Primavera Aero Carbon Handlebar

These ergonomically-designed bars were stiff without feeling harsh and offer excellent value for a carbon option - they come highly recommended. The only downside was a lack of markings to help out with set-up, but once you've got them fitted, there isn't much we can fault.

Are aero bars good for long rides?

Enjoy A Different Riding Position

Aero bars offer an entirely new riding position that's most beneficial for long days in the saddle. With your elbows and humerus (arm bone) supporting the majority of your upper body weight, you'll reduce strain on your arms, wrists and hands.

How much time do tri bars save?

If you're talking about clip-on bars on a standard road bike and, as you say, your position using them has been optimised and you're not shipping excessive power, the usually quoted figure for time saved over a 40km TT is around two minutes.

How much faster are clip-on aero bars?

However, there is a simple and often affordable option to help you increase your speed on the bike and improve your comfort on longer rides. The addition of clip-on aero bars has been shown to increase the average speeds of a club rider by between 5 – 10 kph.