Tri bars on a hybrid?

geebus

I'd like to get some tribars for my Hybrid.

I do have a vague plan to a Triathlon next year, but this is separate to that - just to get a bit lower, but still keep the flat bars I've decided I prefer (I have had a CX bike in the past).

Anything to watch out for?
Any tri bars I should go for?
Bike is a Charge Scourer.

I appreciate that the riding position won't be ideal - I don't know how much of the time I'll really be using them for 'general' riding - probably just for steeper (down) hills etc.

CyclingObsession

Tri bars are dodgy. u need to tkae a look at your route, if you have a lot of straight road with hardly any traffic lights or potholes etc then go for it, if you do then it's not really worth it, I was thinking of getting them for my roadie but decided against them, as you have no gears or breaks and they are extra weight on the bike. Chances are you are not going to use ur hybrid in the tri comp, so why adapt that bike? Wait until you get a tri bike or convert a roadie. Your stability will not be great going down hill and they are too dangerous it's hard to get up quickly and change position and then try and balance and pull the breaks, you might go 1MPH faster downhill but it's not worth that.

geebus

Since I got a light weight hard tail mtb in 2006 I've liked the idea of higher gearing with tri bars for fast road stuff.
Never used them and seen other reports of it being an excellent device to aid crashing at speed.
There's quite a lot of long downhills bits around here and I like trying to get that extra mph or two - and I've found often the sort of times I've been riding, a fair bit of straight no-traffic road. Potholes or at least 'undulations' are more of an issue, however.

I do plan on using my hybrid in a (road) triathlon as it goes ... but not too worried by that as a 'win' for me would be completing the race, rather than getting a good time against others with the right kit . I've happily come near the end and 'last of the full-distance finishers' in cycling events where I've entered a category higher than I really should for the extra distance etc in the past.
Tempted to set a goal of doing the Ben Nevis MTB next year, but expect I'd still end up doing at least one road one on the way.

Tricycleboy

Good god don't do it.On a hybrid there's little chance it will make any noticable difference, and more importantly people will mock how ridiculous you will look.

geebus

Tricycleboy wrote:

On a hybrid there's little chance it will make any noticable difference, and more importantly people will mock how ridiculous you will look.

Surely there would be more aerodynamic gains to be had than on a road bike?
My hybrid has a standard road 'compact' gearing setup - so 50 x 11 max gear.

As for ridiculous looking, you should see the beard I'm currently sporting, never mind the rest of the clothes I typically wear! Unfortunately the picture isn't up at the moment, but the one and only CX event I entered, I was using a helmet that must have been from the early to mid 80s and visually had more in common with a toaster than a modern day cycle helmet!

Mad_Malx

Tricycleboy wrote:

Good god don't do it.On a hybrid there's little chance it will make any noticable difference, and more importantly people will mock how ridiculous you will look.

Yeah, they are rubbish aren't they?
http://www.bikeradar.com/gallery/articl ... rd-22792/1

passout

Don't do it. Get some bar ends instead or maybe drops - more aero. Both will offer more hand positions.

geebus

Never been a fan of bar ends.
Had drops on a CX bike in the past - if money allowed it, I'd certainly consider something like a tricross to add to the stable, but a lot of other things to spend it on first. However, prefer flat bars for a lot of riding (we shall see how much I get in to it) and at the moment am having a bit of back-pain problems with sustained periods even on my hybrid bikes.

JamesB5446

Bar ends are so 90s. In Holland a few people have tri bars on their big dutch town bikes as it's quite windy and any aero help is welcome.

MichaelW

Ive seen those Dutch aero grandma bikes.
Tri bars place your elbows close, reducing the parachute effect. They make a huge difference to aero drag on a hybrid, even without going low.
Many flat-bar tourists use aerobars to provide some alt handhold. Most use smaller clip on bars, the larger, longer ones may make bike control more difficult.

You can also consider trekking/butterfly style bars.

supersonic

If you want them, go for them. Combined with a good bar height they are the most aero position you can get.

Not always confortable.. and beware of handling.

JamesB5446

MichaelW wrote:

You can also consider trekking/butterfly style bars.

But you will look like a div unless you're German or Dutch.

At the NCC the other week I saw a bike with butterfly bars with bar ends sticking off them. It was amazing.

geebus

Ah, interesting - I would have presumed that larger ones would have offered more control on a force*distance kinda thing.

edhornby

planet X have cinelli spinacci for not a lot of money, you could bang a set of these on to see how you get on with them

il_principe

geebus wrote:

Never been a fan of bar ends.
Had drops on a CX bike in the past - if money allowed it, I'd certainly consider something like a tricross to add to the stable, but a lot of other things to spend it on first. However, prefer flat bars for a lot of riding (we shall see how much I get in to it) and at the moment am having a bit of back-pain problems with sustained periods even on my hybrid bikes.

If you're getting back pain then there is almost certainly something wrong with your bike fit. I'd get that sorted first, ideally with tri-bars in place.

Personally though, I'd buy a road bike. Nothing says fail like tri bars on a hybrid. If you don't want to do that, then you'll probably gain more speed by upgrading your wheels, and running faster, narrower tires at at least 100psi.

Mad_Malx

Il Principe wrote:

Nothing says fail like tri bars on a hybrid.

So you didn't look at my link? Andy Wilkinson holds 24h and 12h TT championships records, many of which are done on a hybrid with TT bars (and V brakes and suspension seatpost). Each of his wheels however probably cost more than my bike.
See: http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=49102.0

geebus

I've just bought the Scourer (it was around 50% off all in), can't really justify a road bike for a good bit of time really.
However, having been riding around a bit, I am thinking I may go that way - or at least another CX/tourer etc at some point.

I suspect back pain (now separate thread) is either due to my own position or problems with my body - as I've had the same thing in the past with a too-heavy motorbike helmet on a leant-over-position bike.

I'm REALLY not bothered by what people think of me - it's unlikely you'll ever get me in to Lycra, what ever the advantages, for a start!.. which instantly puts me as 'fail' for the sort of person that would know tri bars on a hybrid is a bit weird.
Ok, maybe that suggests the exact opposite as far as being bothered - but that it's different people, or more realistically like most, myself that I'm trying to impress .

Oh and I was liking your link(s) by the way Malx, that was the sort of thing I was thinking.

I've always like "the idea" of leaning on pads with my arms out front.
It sounds like the reality probably won't be nearly as good, but with cheap tri-bars coming in at around £20 on ebay, can't hurt to try it out I reckon.
(Until I fall off, when it will hurt, of course.)

il_principe

Mad_Malx wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

Nothing says fail like tri bars on a hybrid.

So you didn't look at my link? Andy Wilkinson holds 24h and 12h TT championships records, many of which are done on a hybrid with TT bars (and V brakes and suspension seatpost). Each of his wheels however probably cost more than my bike.
See: http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=49102.0

I looked at your link, but don't see your point. Andy is clearly a v talented, v strong rider. Would beat us forumites on a BMX. For most people a roadike is gonna make a difference. It certainly did for me. I started out on a Hybrid...

Oh and aesthetically, it still says fail, champion or not.

Edit:

Also the bike in the post is being used for 12 hour TT's, not a Triathlon...

supersonic

What works best is personal to the rider. I am more comfortable and faster on my 'hybrid' than a road bike. Many people are.

This 'must get a road bike,as you'll upgrade from a hybrid' just simply isn't true for everyone. Given how hybrids vary so much anyway.

thegibdog

geebus wrote:

I don't know how much of the time I'll really be using them for 'general' riding - probably just for steeper (down) hills etc.

Steep descents are the last place I'd want to use aero bars given the reduced control and lack of brakes.

JamesB5446

It was windy going through the park on my dutch bike today so I used the front rack as mini aero bars. Don't worry folks, I still had the coaster brake.

geebus

Got overly tempted by 10% off from wiggle along with a £15 voucher for later use; tri bars arrived today.

Did 20 miles. Wasn't really 'feeling it' and didn't use the tri bars too much thanks to my still-dodgy upper back and was worrying it might cause more problems.
However, they seemed to work ok. Had a strong head-wind and probably could done with using them more despite the relatively slow 'ground speed'.
Was a bit cautious with the steep down-hills, but did find a few bits to use the new bars on.

Because my bike's got tapered bars it was going to be a case of either really wide or really narrow. Might make something to hold them a set distance apart, which would mean I could fasten them on the tapers. However they don't feel too bad quite narrow with the arm rests angled in.

Definitely glad of the 34-34 low gearing for some of the steeper hills - was ok with that, but wouldn't have wanted to be much higher geared than that.

geebus

Had them on the bike for a while and happy with them.

Have used them for a few long descents. Certainly being careful with use around other vehicles and bumps on the road.

But loving the "piloting a spaceship" kinda feel - yes, after being a mature child, my mental age has since been on a steady decline

This is how it looks:




Have now added some bar ends too for climbing and find the combination overall works really well for me.

.

They talk about hybrids with tribars here, by the way: http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... o-11-45066

In the end, for all out speed, not going near lycra and I can actually feel the wind pulling my current beard significantly if I turn my head sideways! And that's never mind my chunky £6.20 helmet.

Mad_Malx

Nice to hear the outcome, glad you like them.