Carbon handlebars / aerobars?

I just go a new bike (Yeah! I got a new bike!!! ) and it came with carbon handlbars - not the funky shaped wing style, but regular round ones. Not having the moola for a dedicated TT bike - and heck I don't even know if anyone makes a standard model small enough for me anyway - I want to be able to put on clip on aerobars for TT's. If I have to switch over to aluminium bars I probably will, but I've heard a rumor that there is one clip on bar that is carbon compatible now. Has anyone heard of which brand / model it is?

p.s. - put about 150 miles on the new bike since I picked it up a couple of days ago and I love it!

Start by going to the manufacturer's site for the drop bars and checking their warranty. Doesn't matter what the aero bar mfg says until you know this.

I've looked there (Specialized) and they make no mention of aerobars at all - yeah or nay unfortunately. They do however have a no-fault replacement policy on many of their carbon componants if you damage them though accident or misadventure alike - though it is still expensive to replace them.

Putting aerobars on a rode bike does not a time trial bike make.... It can also cause your bike to lose stability (unless your bike was designed specifically for this....there are only a few road bikes on the market that have been made for this dual purpose....the cervelo soloist is one such bike and is one that I have in my stable of bikes) which will negate any aerodynamic avantage. The lack of stability can actually make you slower and add distance to your time trial from the side to side motion created by the instability. If you are still going to put aerobars on your bike, you really will need to think about purchasing a more foward seatpost.

Check out this article on the Soloist and note some of the comments of about putting aerobars on a regular road bike.

http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/reviews/soloist.shtml

Yes a dedicated TT bike would be nice, but I've used up my bike allowance on the new roadie - not only that there is likely not a stock TT bike made that would be small enough to fit me and I really can't afford to buy a custom TT bike right now- Cervelo I definitely know does not go small enough.

Maybe if I wasn't riding as a cat 4 and I was better at TTing it might make sense to go there, but at this level of racing improving my overall fitness makes more sense than buying more equipment. I realize that my position is never going to be perfect on a road bike with TT bars, but I'm not doing the ironman either. The TT's that I do are generally short (10 miles or less) and are part of a stage race. Most of the women at my level are not riding dedicated TT bikes, disk wheels etc. so I don't feel that I am laboring under a huge disadvantage right now.

Eden, I put FSA Vision Tech bars on my century comfy Litespeed for 10 mi TTs. I also bought (just last week) a 2nd seatpost so I can have a post/saddle combo I can pull and swap the two together without affecting my time-tested road position.

The FSA bars are available as short as 230mm, but they also make a mini version at 175. At 175, they look incredibly short and don't look like they would give you a good position. Not sure what they're for. My Litespeed is a 51 cm and the saddle is 70 cm high (ctr of crank to top of saddle), in case that helps you visualize the 230mm.

Yes, due to the forward position your weight is now more on the front wheel and you have to think about braking (use more in the front), but the position is definitely more aerodynamic. The bars catch side winds but I think you know all this. Time trial bikes can also be difficult in side winds. Certainly, loads of people use road bikes for time trials and triathlons just fine.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/DSCF0006.jpg

The new seatpost is a Specialized Pave with a big setback that we turned backward to get the extreme forward position. The head on the post is extremely adjustable. This new position has given my IT band new life for the time trials.

Hope this helps at all.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/DSCF0005.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eden

I just go a new bike (Yeah! I got a new bike!!! )

... and I love it!

---

YAY!!!!
Eden got a new bike!!!

*Rave does happy dance with Eden*

Woohoo!!!
:p
I lurve happy stories like this....

*stops dancing... looks around... * :confused: Hey! Where's my new bike?

Ah well... no biggie... cause Eden got a NEW bike!!!

:D :) :D :) :D :) :D :) :D :) :D :) :D :) :D :) :D

Eden, back to your original question (I think). To my knowledge, the only carbon bar compatible with TT bars is the Easton Equipe. I don't know of any TT bars that are specifically made to use with carbon bars. My research goes back about two years though and there may be some new products on the market. (I decided just to get a TT bike instead).

My suggestion is chat with your LBS -- they'll be able to help you.

Thank you - I've had one other person (different source) suggest Easton as well, so I'm going to look into it. My quick look shows that they say its OK with their own carbon handlebar, but won't go further than that. I can't blame them for that as there are many sue happy people around.
The bummer is that my new Profile bars that I ordered through the team have just now arrived - hopefully someone else on the team will want them. Profile is pretty clear that they do not suggest using them on carbon bars.


yes Raven - big happy dance - I may have the most well traveled new bike. It was destined for Austrailia (it may have even made it there - it still has the Aussie bike shop sticker on it), but they cancelled the order and it was able to be mine! Sorry to any very short person waiting on a 44cm Ruby in Aussie land.......I got your bicycle:p

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eden

Yes a dedicated TT bike would be nice, but I've used up my bike allowance on the new roadie - not only that there is likely not a stock TT bike made that would be small enough to fit me and I really can't afford to buy a custom.

---

I actually wasn't saying to buy a TT bike. I was saying that you might not want to put aerobars on your road bike for TT. It might not be any faster....it could even be slower depending on the geometry and set up of your road bike. I see this quite a bit at multisport races. Using your current road bike as is will cost you nothing!