Are Tri Bars safe?

Mike Willcox1 · May 2007

I have to say that I find racing with tri bars in the aero position bloody uncomfortable and not a little unsafe on bends and RAB's etc. If you are racing along a road with a bad uneven surface and hit dips or pot holes then it's virtually impossible to keep the bike under full control. IMO the sacrifice to save a few seconds is at the expense of a safe ride.

currieinahurry · May 2007

yea but in the chase for a few seconds everyone takes a few risks thats why its racing and not a club run.
tikka

hi my name is adam... and i have a problem with posting on cycling forums.

chriswcp · May 2007

Mike, contraversial as ever.[:)] Train on tri bars, race on tri bars. Along with clipless pedals, the best thing invented for a bike.

If your uncomfortable on them, then you are doing something wrong.

If you think they only save you a few seconds, again you are doing something wrong.

How's the form comming by the way?

BeaconRuth · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mike Willcox1

I have to say that I find racing with tri bars in the aero position bloody uncomfortable.......<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">then you've not got them set up right.
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">...... and not a little unsafe on bends and RAB's etc. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">You're not obliged to take all bends and RAB's down on the tri-bars. It's essential to adjust your speed as you approach most RABs so coming off the tribars and covering the brakes is pretty much essential - unless you have full view of the RAB, there's no traffic coming and there's a fast racing line through it.
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
If you are racing along a road with a bad uneven surface and hit dips or pot holes then it's virtually impossible to keep the bike under full control. IMO the sacrifice to save a few seconds is at the expense of a safe ride.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Which is why courses with bad uneven surfaces, dips and pot holes are never popular with testers.

palinurus · May 2007

I generally don't use the tribars at roundabouts, unless it's really obviously clear and a dead easy line. I like to have hold of the proper bars for braking or bailing out to the left if needed. I've only ever done one TT where the surface of the road was particularly bad and I took the tribars off for that.

SteveR_100Milers · May 2007

I think they are worth more than a few seconds, more like half a minute plus compared to riding on the drops on a roads bike, at least thats my personal experience.

Time! Time! It's always too long and there's never enough!

andrewgturnbull · May 2007

Hi there.

Looking at it another way - if you want to take the risks, and stick with the deep section/disk wheels and stay on the aero bars over a tricky course, in 'testing' weather conditions then you will gain an edge over your rivals who go for the safer options.

Think of it as a similar safety vs speed tradeoff that you make when you choose to really nail the corners rather then breaking early and taking the tourist line rather than the racing one.

Cheers, Andy

http://www.stirlingtri.co.uk

Mike Willcox1 · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by chrisw

How's the form comming by the way?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I'll let you know after I race tomorrow. After that it's a couple of weeks of using the weekends for longer rides. My next race will probably not be until the 3rd week in June.

Mike Willcox1 · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by BeaconRuth

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mike Willcox1

I have to say that I find racing with tri bars in the aero position bloody uncomfortable.......<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">then you've not got them set up right.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Quite likely. The bike is second hand and I hate riding it.

andyBcp · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mike Willcox1

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by chrisw

How's the form comming by the way?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I'll let you know after I race tomorrow. After that it's a couple of weeks of using the weekends for longer rides. My next race will probably not be until the 3rd week in June.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Should be a good event tomorrow Mike, half the nat25 are riding[:p]

http://www.teamvelosportif.co.uk

andy_wrx · May 2007

Of course they're more dangerous, because the bike is less stable and you don't have the brakes to hand.

But riding a bike's dangerous - slippery corners, potholes, gravel, traffic, etc.

So you just bear it in mind a bit differently with aerobars and go to the horns / hoods when you can't see it's clear or the situation looks a bit risky.

However, I went out with the Tri club 'fast group' on Wednesday and it was groupriding round the country lanes on the bars and that terrified me.
Two abreast, all of us down on the bars, right up someone's ar$e, someone else up mine, only the guys at the front can see where we're going, me feeling very unstable if someone wobbles into me and no chance of stopping as none of us with hands anywhere near the brakes...brrrr !

I was expecting the bike equivalent of speedwork I'm used to on a running track - intervals and speedwork, not a chaingang.
Not that convinced it was all that good Tri training either, because the guys at the front were working hard but in the slipstream I was coasting a fair bit of the time.

Your Tri club do this Andrew ?

Time to dig-out the Summer bike (why's it just started raining ? Is it something I said ?)

chriswcp · May 2007

That's hillarious Andy_wrx, drafting has become so bad in triathlon that they even go out and train to draft on the tri bars.

Why would you be on the bars if ridding behind someone in a group, in training? As you point out, very dangerous.

SteveR_100Milers · May 2007

drafting with tribars is no more dangerous than riding the track, so long as no one has brake levers on their bars...[B)]

Time! Time! It's always too long and there's never enough!

andrewgturnbull · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by andy_wrx

Your Tri club do this Andrew ?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hi there.

Go riding with triathletes? Not a chance - I value my life too much.

My tri club does organised, coached bike sessions, and group turbo training sessions in the winter. These are (deliberately) aimed more at novices and improving riders though.

I tend to ride with my bike club (Fakirk BC) and pick my own turbo sessions. Likewise I run with the running club (Central Athletics), but we have a very good swim coach, so I do swim with the tri club.

Cheers, Andy

ps Any of you guys coming up for the National Sprint Champs on Sunday?

http://www.stirlingtri.co.uk

andy_wrx · May 2007

Exactly Chris, it was training for drafting. Maybe precisely what's wanted to train for a 2-/3-/4-up team TT, but not for Tri.
Draft-legal = no bars, bars = no drafting, I thought.

I'd only been out with them on the Sunday session before and most of them were on their road bikes for that, or riding on the horns because it's a bigger group.
So I was expecting 'the bike speed session' to be intervals or hills, not a chaingang on the bars.

Glad no-one's saying this is normal and it's me who's soft/over-imaginative.

Except for Steve perhaps...[?]
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
drafting with tribars is no more dangerous than riding the track, so long as no one has brake levers on their bars...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
nooo, but everyone's got them on the horns and I can't see me getting to mine by the time I realise the guy in front's gone for his...[xx(]

Time to dig-out the Summer bike (why's it just started raining ? Is it something I said ?)

andy_wrx · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by andrewgturnbull
ps Any of you guys coming up for the National Sprint Champs on Sunday?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

No, I'm going the other way, down to the Tour of Wessex - which of us d'you think will get the wettest ?

Time to dig-out the Summer bike (why's it just started raining ? Is it something I said ?)

SteveR_100Milers · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by andy_wrx

Glad no-one's saying this is normal and it's me who's soft/over-imaginative.

Except for Steve perhaps...[?]
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
drafting with tribars is no more dangerous than riding the track, so long as no one has brake levers on their bars...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
nooo, but everyone's got them on the horns and I can't see me getting to mine by the time I realise the guy in front's gone for his...[xx(]

Time to dig-out the Summer bike (why's it just started raining ? Is it something I said ?)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

In that case it would be madness...

Time! Time! It's always too long and there's never enough!

BeaconRuth · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by andy_wrx
However, I went out with the Tri club 'fast group' on Wednesday and it was groupriding round the country lanes on the bars and that terrified me.
Two abreast, all of us down on the bars, right up someone's ar$e, someone else up mine, only the guys at the front can see where we're going, me feeling very unstable if someone wobbles into me and no chance of stopping as none of us with hands anywhere near the brakes...brrrr !<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Sounds horrifcally dangerous to me. They clearly haven't got a Scooby Doo. I would avoid a group like that like the plague.

andrewgturnbull · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by andy_wrx

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by andrewgturnbull
ps Any of you guys coming up for the National Sprint Champs on Sunday?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

No, I'm going the other way, down to the Tour of Wessex - which of us d'you think will get the wettest ?

Time to dig-out the Summer bike (why's it just started raining ? Is it something I said ?)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Well, that's the thing about triathlon, it doesn't really matter if it rains on the bike leg 'cos you're wet already!

Cheers, Andy

http://www.stirlingtri.co.uk

Tom Butcher · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by SteveR_100Milers

drafting with tribars is no more dangerous than riding the track, so long as no one has brake levers on their bars...[B)]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Except you don't get cars coming other way, walkers round blind corners, potholes etc on the track.

Warning about well known bike shop removed at request of moderators.

philip99a · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mike Willcox1
not a little unsafe on bends and RAB's etc.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

OK I give up.... what does RAB mean?[:o)][:o)]

Even this Acronym finder site didn't help

http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?acronym=RAB

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

BeaconRuth · May 2007

Roundabout. [:D]

Mike Willcox1 · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by andyB

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mike Willcox1

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by chrisw

How's the form comming by the way?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I'll let you know after I race tomorrow. After that it's a couple of weeks of using the weekends for longer rides. My next race will probably not be until the 3rd week in June.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Should be a good event tomorrow Mike, half the nat25 are riding[:p]

http://www.teamvelosportif.co.uk
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Didn't start. No energy at the moment so having a few days off the bike. I no longer wish to race unprepared and end up finishing well down the field, as not good for morale.

Mike Willcox1 · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by BeaconRuth

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mike Willcox1

I have to say that I find racing with tri bars in the aero position bloody uncomfortable.......<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

then you've not got them set up right.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Doesn't it hurt your neck to keep in the aero position?

I keep wanting to relieve the stress on my neck by looking down at the road. When I'm in the drops on my training bike I don't have this problem.

chriswcp · May 2007

Neck (or even kneck[:)]) is the big limiter for me. As said I'd stay on them (tri bars) all day, but eventually the neck goes. During the 12, legs back and other parts fine but neck (and feet) absolute agony. Had to ride last 2 hours 'on the hoods' not very aero and my split times show it. The other problem is, you can't train the problem away as in training it's impossible to find roads where you're on the tri bars for 4+ hours. Obviously though for shorter distances it shouldn't be a problem.

method · May 2007

is this a road bike with tri bars or a time trial/tri bike?

BeaconRuth · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mike Willcox1
Doesn't it hurt your neck to keep in the aero position?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">It takes a bit of getting used to - but it's not much of an issue up to 25 miles.

AndyGates · May 2007

Hmm, bit of a nothing moan this one: "is it safe to do something dumb?" Well, no, and no prize for that. If you've got to make moves which ar dangerous on tri bars, get off the bloody tri bars to do them. Gee. My brain hurts from all that thinking.

FFS.

No longer looking for a pennyfarthing as I've got some powerbocks instead. Casualty here I come!
It is by will alone I set my ride in motion.

Mike Willcox1 · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by AndyGates

Hmm, bit of a nothing moan this one: "is it safe to do something dumb?" Well, no, and no prize for that. If you've got to make moves which ar dangerous on tri bars, get off the bloody tri bars to do them. Gee. My brain hurts from all that thinking.

FFS.

No longer looking for a pennyfarthing as I've got some powerbocks instead. Casualty here I come!
It is by will alone I set my ride in motion.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I must congratulate you on your lightning reactions. Mine aren't fast enough; witness the pot hole I hit in my first race of the season causing my tribars to dislodge and me to crash over the top of the handlebars. Sometimes you just don't have enough time to do all that thinking ahead.

chriswcp · May 2007

Hey Mike have these crashes caused you to become a bit mellower?

I saw Andy Gates's reply and thought oh no here we go (shake head smiley)but instead quite a tame reponse from you considering.

Bring back the old Mike I say.[:)]

AndyGates · May 2007

Must be brain damage chrisw... you do have to look ahead with tribars. I have the reactions of a concussed slug, and I ride fixed too, so I've learned to look a loooooooong way ahead. But I wonder what Mike would have done on any other handlebars when faced with a sudden pothole?

No longer looking for a pennyfarthing as I've got some powerbocks instead. Casualty here I come!
It is by will alone I set my ride in motion.

Are Tri Bars safe?

Comments

Categories