Rising aero bars on TT bike

BillyImp

Purchased a time trial bike recently and had a bike fit last night which revealed (what I sort of knew anyway) that I had very poor flexibility. As such, my aero bars have to be raised by 5cm. The problem being that the stem is already as high as it can be with all the spacers below it. I've been advised to use a steerer tube extension but I've also been told that these aren't compatible with carbon steerers. The other option is to use a number of risers underneath the aero bars, this would mean having 5 risers stacked underneath the aero bars and sourcing some longer bolts from a local DIY shop. I've been advised that this could potentially be unsafe too due to the risers moving or bending underneath the pads.
Any advice on the current two ideas or any suggestions of something completely different I haven't thought of?

Dippydog3

If your aero bars need to be 5cm higher to accommodate flexibility ( I assume therefore at least that distance above the bars) are you potentially compromising the aero benefits anyway?

I am no aero expert, but wouldn't a position of hands on the hoods with low elbows or hands near the stem give a better aero position?

In the past I have Tweeted Chris Yu at Specialized with questions like this. He has always replied really quickly with a properly scientific one as opposed to the sort of stuff we all "quote" here.

BillyImp

Dippydog3 wrote:

If your aero bars need to be 5cm higher to accommodate flexibility ( I assume therefore at least that distance above the bars) are you potentially compromising the aero benefits anyway?

I am no aero expert, but wouldn't a position of hands on the hoods with low elbows or hands near the stem give a better aero position?

In the past I have Tweeted Chris Yu at Specialized with questions like this. He has always replied really quickly with a properly scientific one as opposed to the sort of stuff we all "quote" here.

I don't think so as I'm still in a decent aero position as it is, albeit not as aero as I could be if I could get lower on the front end. There is still a 10cm saddle to aero bar drop and I can get very narrow with my elbows close together. The position is fine with the steerer extension on it's just looking for a more permanent solution that's the problem. Thanks for the tip RE: Chris Yu at Specialized

simon_masterson

It's not a cheap fix, but some dedicated riser bars are probably the best solution if you really need more height.

BillyImp

Simon Masterson wrote:

It's not a cheap fix, but some dedicated riser bars are probably the best solution if you really need more height.

That's the obvious solution I think, but a very expensive one as you point out. I'm only a skint student after all

Having taken some measurements I had a quick play around with this very useful tool http://yojimg.net/bike/web_tools/stem.php and I've come across a BBB 110mm stem which can be adjusted to 40 degrees.

The red stem represents the current set up with the steerer extension on giving (effectively) 100mm of spacers underneath the 80mm stem.

It looks as though using the BBB adjustable stem (blue) in 110mm, I could achieve almost exactly the same bar position without the extender and therefore without potentially compromising my carbon steerer?

frisbee

I would be inclined to work on improving my flexibility, you've got quite few months till next season and just gaining a few centimetres makes things easy to sort out.

Flipped the stem over? Could also go for an adjustable stem.

brettjmcc

PDQ bars? http://www.iancammish.co.uk/#!pdqbarsshop/c1r5m

BillyImp

I think that's the ultimate goal frisbee, I've seen an adjustable stem with a 40 degree rise but my bike fitter suggested that such a rise could affect the handling pretty badly, anyone have any experience for this?

Thanks for the link brettjmcc

diy

Do you have access to a power plate or similar? They are quite good at increasing flexibility combined with core workouts. Search youtube for les mills body flow/body balance and you might so good core flexibility work outs. Though I appreciate les mills is an acquired taste.

Grill

I'm a good foot away from touching my toes and my bottom three vertebrae are fused, but I have no problem with my TT position. You just have to get used to it.

ForumNewbie

I've got one of these on my Audax bike:
http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/systemex-adjustable-stem.html?gclid=COOAlK64oMECFc7HtAodVn4AXg
At the highest setting it raises the bars quite a bit, so it might be a possible solution for you.

BeaconRuth

If I might say so it all sounds a bit 'Heath Robinson' to me. A 5cm increase in bar height is HUGE. If the stem is already as high as it will go then I suggest you need to look for a new bike. The handling is going to be very odd and the bike will look very odd otherwise.

Ruth

BillyImp

ForumNewbie wrote:

I've got one of these on my Audax bike:
http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/systemex-adjustable-stem.html?gclid=COOAlK64oMECFc7HtAodVn4AXg
At the highest setting it raises the bars quite a bit, so it might be a possible solution for you.

I was looking at similar, how do you find the handling with such a big rise? that's what's put me off thus far

BillyImp

Grill wrote:

I'm a good foot away from touching my toes and my bottom three vertebrae are fused, but I have no problem with my TT position. You just have to get used to it.

That's similar to me, I have fused vertebrate and tendonitis nearly everywhere imaginable due to a huge growth spurt when I was younger, it turns out my bones grew quick but the tendons still have a lot of catching up to do

BillyImp

BeaconRuth wrote:

If I might say so it all sounds a bit 'Heath Robinson' to me. A 5cm increase in bar height is HUGE. If the stem is already as high as it will go then I suggest you need to look for a new bike. The handling is going to be very odd and the bike will look very odd otherwise.

Ruth

Thanks for the input Ruth, in all honesty I'm not too bothered about the bike looking odd but I see where you are coming from. I think due to the problems with my back and general flexibility I will struggle to find any bike that fits 'perfectly', I 'm already on the largest frame size so I can't decrease the drop in that respect. Hopefully I can work not he position over the summer and gradually increase my flexibility. 5cm is a lot of increased height but when you look at what some of the pros are running, a lot are running well over 6cm of risers under their aero bars.

Grill

BillyImp wrote:

Grill wrote:

I'm a good foot away from touching my toes and my bottom three vertebrae are fused, but I have no problem with my TT position. You just have to get used to it.

That's similar to me, I have fused vertebrate and tendonitis nearly everywhere imaginable due to a huge growth spurt when I was younger, it turns out my bones grew quick but the tendons still have a lot of catching up to do

There you go, you just have to get used to it. You can't expect to just drop into an alien position and expect it to be instantly comfy. Also, the road is a lot easier than the turbo. I held this position over 12 hours on the road but on the turbo I want to kill something after 20 minutes.

BillyImp

Grill wrote:

BillyImp wrote:

Grill wrote:

I'm a good foot away from touching my toes and my bottom three vertebrae are fused, but I have no problem with my TT position. You just have to get used to it.

That's similar to me, I have fused vertebrate and tendonitis nearly everywhere imaginable due to a huge growth spurt when I was younger, it turns out my bones grew quick but the tendons still have a lot of catching up to do

There you go, you just have to get used to it. You can't expect to just drop into an alien position and expect it to be instantly comfy. Also, the road is a lot easier than the turbo. I held this position over 12 hours on the road but on the turbo I want to kill something after 20 minutes.

Cheers Grill, just had a quick session on the turbo and played around with the adjustments and removed the steerer extension so I now have 3cm of spacers below the stem which is 80mm +6 degrees (a bit more of a 'normal' set up!!!) and although not the comfiest thing in the world, I reckon I can get used to it over winter for sure. Perhaps I was expecting too much and expecting to just "drop into an alien position and expect it to be instantly comfy". Feeling a lot happier with it now. can anyone recommend a book/website/resource for stretches to improve flexibility?

Grill

Yoga.

Also, how did you arrive at your TT position? Keep in mind that you'll be quite a bit farther forward than on your road bike to create an open hip angle so it's not like you can just copy fit from one to the other.

ForumNewbie

BillyImp wrote:

ForumNewbie wrote:

I've got one of these on my Audax bike:
http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/systemex-adjustable-stem.html?gclid=COOAlK64oMECFc7HtAodVn4AXg
At the highest setting it raises the bars quite a bit, so it might be a possible solution for you.

I was looking at similar, how do you find the handling with such a big rise? that's what's put me off thus far

I find the handling fine and I've had that stem on for nearly 6 years. The Audax bike I was sold 8 years ago was too much of a stretch and I realised too late that the bike was too big for me. So I experimented with moving the saddle forward and various stems over the first few years before I found the shorter version of this adjustable stem. I have it adjusted to its highest setting so it is almost vertical and brings the bars a lot nearer to me as well as being a good bit higher. So I'm not in a very aero position, but as I'm in my mid 50s I'm not that bothered. The bike has been a very comfortable ride since I've had the adjustable stem on.

I also have a carbon road bike that is the right size for me and is more aero, but its not as comfortable on a long ride, and I've not noticed any difference in handling.

ednino

Download the zipp vuka app. You put in the dimensions & it gives you bar options

nferrar

I'd go with the adjustable stem option for now and keep lowering it gradually. I used to do 10's on a lo-pro and had to use a Look Ergostem on it, worked well apart from it was an early generation Ergostem so slipped if you hit a pothole hard...