Is it wrong?

sarm34

Hi, ive been cycling for about a year now after taking the jump from MTB, just recently I have fitted a set of TT bars to my cube agree, is it wrong to want to use them every time I go out, I.E. fitted to my bike all the time?
It has made a massive difference to my cycling and I find it a lot more comfortable to ride like this. Am I doing myself any harm in using them as often as I can?
cheers

smoggysteve

Depends on the routes you do. If you go on mostly flat then they are a good edition and if they help you go faster , great. Not sure you wont look a bit of a tw*t going up steep climbs with them mind.

sarm34

For the steep hills I just drop onto the normal position on my drop bars, I would be dam near impossible to use TT bars for climbing :roll: , I getting on a bit but not daft yet

smoggysteve

sarm34 wrote:

For the steep hills I just drop onto the normal position on my drop bars, I would be dam near impossible to use TT bars for climbing :roll: , I getting on a bit but not daft yet

For climbing, you should be sat up, going on the drops to climb where aero means nothing is counter productive. Sit up and help your lungs and diaphragm work and you will climb better.

Grill

sarm34 wrote:

Hi, ive been cycling for about a year now after taking the jump from MTB, just recently I have fitted a set of TT bars to my cube agree, is it wrong to want to use them every time I go out, I.E. fitted to my bike all the time?
It has made a massive difference to my cycling and I find it a lot more comfortable to ride like this. Am I doing myself any harm in using them as often as I can?
cheers

There are 2 reasons to fit aero bars to a road bike.

1) You're doing a TT
2) You regularly ride ridiculous distances (400+ miles) solo

sarm34

I didn't make my self clear enough, I don't drop to the "drops" I use the standard top of the drop bars position, but if
this is correct

There are 2 reasons to fit aero bars to a road bike.

1) You're doing a TT
2) You regularly ride ridiculous distances (400+ miles) solo

then I will consider removing them.
thx for the advice

elderone

If you like them,use them.It,s your ride so do what suits you.

Grill

elderone wrote:

If you like them,use them.It,s your ride so do what suits you.

Sure. As we're now encouraging bad habits I'd also suggest the OP swivel his stem 180 degrees, replace his brake cables with dental floss (much lighter I hear), and bedazzle his saddle. :P

CiB

Blimey. TT Bars make you go faster; we all want to go faster. If you like having the option keep them on and use them when it suits otherwise stick to the tops, the hoods or the backs of the bars. I sometimes put mine on for the commute if I'm going for a quick time, and what's a race to the office 20 miles away in the quickest time possible if it isn't a TT? Keep em on - they're a bit of fun. Remember that, anyone?

Grill

They're dangerous, especially for commuting and doubly so in the hands of an inexperienced ride. Not to mention it contravenes the rules and makes you look like a chopper to boot.

elderone

Grill wrote:

elderone wrote:

If you like them,use them.It,s your ride so do what suits you.

Sure. As we're now encouraging bad habits I'd also suggest the OP swivel his stem 180 degrees, replace his brake cables with dental floss (much lighter I hear), and bedazzle his saddle. :P

And where does it say you must do 400+ miles to use them.think you just talk crap and like the sound of your own voice.If the op wants to use them it,s his choice,he dont need any ones blessing of here ffs,its riding a bike not military manouvers.

Grill

The OP asked a question and I provided my take on it. UMCA riders use them as the change in position and grip is incredibly useful and essential for comfort, but as I said they ride solo as aero bars are downright deadly in groups. I threw out 400 miles as an arbitrarily large number most will never attempt, much less accomplish, as it's easy enough to ride in comfort without aero bars.

Nice to see one of us can support their contention :P

rolf_f

SmoggySteve wrote:

For climbing, you should be sat up, going on the drops to climb where aero means nothing is counter productive. Sit up and help your lungs and diaphragm work and you will climb better.

Bit of a sweeping generalisation possibly?! Seemed to work climbing in the drops for Pantani and he wasn't too shabby. I often climb in the drops as well and it also works for me. I am very flexible with very low fat content so maybe that makes a difference.

Pic below of Marco - not me!

smoggysteve

Rolf F wrote:

SmoggySteve wrote:

For climbing, you should be sat up, going on the drops to climb where aero means nothing is counter productive. Sit up and help your lungs and diaphragm work and you will climb better.

Bit of a sweeping generalisation possibly?! Seemed to work climbing in the drops for Pantani and he wasn't too shabby. I often climb in the drops as well and it also works for me. I am very flexible with very low fat content so maybe that makes a difference.

Pic below of Marco - not me!

Yes your right, You aint Pantini. And thefore I would suggest a position more likely to help open your lungs better, i.e sat up. Interesting to see the ride position on the others behind him, though a bit blurry. That pic can hide a lot. He could be approaching the brow as would explain him accelarating away from the peloton at the top of a climb where you would maybe get out the saddle and push harder. But for general climbing at the start of a big hill, a more upright position would be better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zam74qlzGtQ

Think this speaks better for amateur cyclists than a random pic of a long dead legend.

daxplusplus

Nope. I regularly use them on my commute. I tend to take them off in the winter though .. riding on them in the dark is asking for trouble with potholes, etc.

Also I don't have them on at the moment - I like to have a change now and then - I really miss the parts of the bars that are obstructed by them.

The only thing to consider really is your safety. For instance, blind bend + slower reactions to get to brakes = problems.

Pross

Biggest problems with clip on bars for general riding are the handling won't be as good and it will be harder to get to the brakes in an emergency so a lot will depend on the sort of roads you are riding on. I see quite a few people using them on sportives which seems odd to me, I'd much rather have the tops more readily accessible for a route with lots of climbing and certainly wouldn't want to use them riding in a group.

EDIT meant to say do what you feel comfortable with as long as it doesn't affect the safety of others.

markhewitt1978

Also somone should mention that Pantani was taking a lot of drugs...

Despite that he's still my all time favourite rider!

daxplusplus

Pross wrote:

.. and certainly wouldn't want to use them riding in a group.

+1

t4tomo

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Also somone should mention that Pantani was taking a lot of drugs...

Despite that he's still my all time favourite rider!

+1

although it should be pointed out that virtually the whole peleton was on EPO in those days.

He climbed in the drops a lot IIRC and in a higher gear than most of his rivals and went up hills faster than most.

We don't all have to do the accepted standard "thing".

I woukldnt advise TT bars anywhere there is a reasonable amount of traffic (be taht foot pedal or motor) - where having access to brakes becomes pretty necessary.

cougie

It's your bike. Have them on if you want.
I'd not ride on them in a club run or busy sportive or through a lot of traffic.
Other than that - why not. It's free speed.

Ignore all the rubbish about rules. That's not worth listening to.

sarm34

OK! the reason I ask is that last year when I did the great notts bike ride my triceps and neck hurt like hell from 30 miles in, I wasn't going to let that happen again, so this year I got me some TT bars which I love using , took a bit of getting used to but I love using them, im trying to beat my time from last year, by about 45 mins, im not saying that im on them all the time just on the flats(ish) and if safety allows , there are obviously people that hate them, but if it makes my 100 miler more comfortable then why not?

sarm34

just reading back on some of the comments , I don't ride in groups im a lone cycler, I don't belong to any clubs and the sportives I do I ride alone as well, I don't really bother tucking into a group

Grill

If your triceps and neck were hurting from only 30 miles then you have bigger problems. Aero bars simply mask the underlying issue which is poor fit. Get a bike fit.

sarm34

ive already sorted the bike fit , but thx for the advice

Grill

You've sorted the fit but your triceps and neck "hurt like hell" after 30 miles? Really?

Would you like me to reiterate the obvious or are you happy to figure it out for yourself?

sarm34

I really don't make my self clear do I? I had a bike fit after last years sportive, but im still a bit worried about it happening again, I also had a major knee problem as well about 57 miles in,(im a carpet fitter btw) but the bike fit sorted that as I had my saddle too low, sorted now and no knee problems again, I tend to feel we are going off topic , I just wondered if it was wrong to use the TT bars as often as safety/road conditions allow.

Grill

Back on topic- Although not illegal it is morally reprehensible. Pretty much the cycling equivilant of Justin Beiber.

Better?

sarm34

Back on topic- Although not illegal it is morally reprehensible. Pretty much the cycling equivilant of Justin Beiber.

Better?

OH Dear!! I have 3 daughters and I wont allow that turds music in my house, better get rid of the TT bars and ban them from the house like Mr "car crash waiting to happen then"