Clip on Aero Bars

CyclingObsession
CyclingObsession Posts: 314
edited July 2012 in Training, fitness and health
I have duathlon race next week, I want to buy clip on aero bars for the race Is a week enough time to get used to them for a race?

Comments

  • t.m.h.n.e.t
    t.m.h.n.e.t Posts: 2,265
    Probably not. Worth getting though,but I'd train with them first and if you need to,work on flexibility
  • Mr cyclist
    Mr cyclist Posts: 42
    I bought a pair recently and was able to use after only a few minutes of practice, but it might be the new body positioning rather that bike control that will cause a problem, especially in a longer race, the position might need a bit of getting used to but buy them nonetheless.
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    Mr cyclist wrote:
    I bought a pair recently and was able to use after only a few minutes of practice, but it might be the new body positioning rather that bike control that will cause a problem, especially in a longer race, the position might need a bit of getting used to but buy them nonetheless.

    Did you need a shorter stem to get a good position and if so how much shorter?
    More problems but still living....
  • Mr cyclist
    Mr cyclist Posts: 42
    I just kept the stem I had, it looks like a lot of rider just sit on the nose of the saddle to get a good aero position, maybe try moving it forward a bit if it's needed. The only bike adjustment I had to make was cutting the handlebar tape back a bit.
  • CyclingObsession
    CyclingObsession Posts: 314
    Do the aero bars make much of a difference to your speed for solo riding?
  • t.m.h.n.e.t
    t.m.h.n.e.t Posts: 2,265
    Lower = less drag = yes
  • Tom Dean
    Tom Dean Posts: 1,723
    T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:
    Lower = less drag

    Not necessarily
  • t.m.h.n.e.t
    t.m.h.n.e.t Posts: 2,265
    Tom Dean wrote:
    T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:
    Lower = less drag

    Not necessarily
    Great response :lol:
  • Tom Dean
    Tom Dean Posts: 1,723
    T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:
    Tom Dean wrote:
    T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:
    Lower = less drag

    Not necessarily
    Great response :lol:

    Erm, thanks.

    Clip on aero bars will not necessarily allow you to get lower. Getting lower will not necessarily make you more aero. If it does, it will not necessarily make you ride faster.
  • bahzob
    bahzob Posts: 2,195
    The key thing is to reduce overall frontal area, so its not just a question of getting lower, you also want to get as narrow as possible. Sometimes you may trade off a few mm of getting lower it it makes a more narrow position easier (I found this when I did a wind tunnel test.).

    However both getting lower and narrower may both also affect the power you can produce, especially at the beginning, so worst case you can end up being more aero yet slower.

    So you need a bit of tweaking and practice to find the optimum balance. This is probably best done on a turbo at first as you can use mirrors/video camera to monitor your position and get used to it without having to worry about traffic.
    Martin S. Newbury RC

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