Aerobars

[Dogmama]

Do you use them? If so, what kind & what do you like/dislike about them? I have arthritis in my hands & longer rides (over 40 miles) mess them up for days. I used to have aerobars & really loved them. I know all about the caveats - don't ride them in a paceline, in a pack or anywhere that I might need to react quickly. I like to ride alone, so that isn't a prohibiting issue.

Seems like there are so many different kinds since I last had aeros. So, asking the collective wisdom of TE - what kinds to do recommend & why?

[Eden]

There are shorter styles with the bars joined at the front (so nothing too pokey sticking out) that are made specifically for century riders/randonneurs/draft legal tris. Often they come with arm pads that flip up out of the way when you aren't using them. Profile Designs makes a few in this style that look pretty good.

[nscrbug]

I have a pair of the Profile Design GT Jammers. I had them on my previous bike but do not have them on my current bike. These are the ones designed specifically for a road bike, so they are the shorter bar (bent up and inward on the ends, but not connected). The pads on this bar, do NOT flip up...so you may lose some real estate on the handlebar tops. I chose to not go with the flip-up style, because I had heard many folks complaining that it rattles a lot. If you're not bothered by a lot rattling noises, then perhaps the flip-up style is for you. But I hate anything rattling on my bike...drives me nuts. I mainly used them to give my hands another position, and when riding into headwinds. They did sometimes make the bike feel a bit "squirrely" and twitchy...which took some getting used to.

[sgf726]

I have the Vision Vector carbon R-Bend clip-on bars, I use them mostly for when training and racing tri's on my road-bike. I find that especially on flats or slight inclines the aero-position gives me more power for the same effort.

They do not have the flip-up pads either so you do use the real-estate but I find I still have plenty of space if I want to ride holding the tops of my drops.

[denda]

I do ride with them, but I don't remember what brand they are. My husband got them for me.:)

[zoom-zoom]

I have a pair of the Profile Design GT Jammers.

I have the carbon version of these. I bought them used on eBay a while back and have never once used them. I do too many group rides and I think they would require removing some bar tape and finding new places to mount my Garmin Forerunner computer. I don't mind riding in the drops for relatively long stretches, so I've ended up not finding any great need for them. I should probably just sell them one of these days. :p

[marni]

I ride with profile design iron man aerobars. No flip up pads, just regular fixed pads. I am a solor distance who rarely rides in a group and I ride in windy Texas,so they get be down and compact and out of the winds. Plus I have 4 positions that I can alternate my hands through, in the drops, regular position, in the aeros and upright with my hands on the elbow pads.

Even in cross country tours I usually ride either solo, or with one or two other riders at most and we usually come to an agreement on how much drafting we will do, and whether or not the lead rider can use the aeros or not. Other than that I will not ride in or touch my aeros when I ride with anyone.