Tell me about clip-on tri bars...

Anyone use them? I have several multi-sport friends encouraging me to get some for my bike before my next duathlon. I'm not sure I see the need or that they will fit well on my narrow handlebars. I believe mine are 40cm--pretty narrow. As it is my Garmin "pseudo-wrist" and quick-release mounts take up a lot of real-estate. I'm not sure there would be room left for my hands if tri bars were added.

I should add that I am reasonably comfy in my drops for a fairly long distance and my next du only has a 20k bike leg. I don't have any other duathlons planned until next Spring, so I don't know that I'd even bother this year.

I have the Cobra T2 carbon aero bars by profile design.

I have a 42cm handle bar.

I have/had a light and garmin watch mount on my bars as well.

I was also comfortable in my drops.

Aero bar riding for me, helps me to relax my upper body/biceps/chest and focus the work more on my legs. It's also very beneficial for me for bike to run transitions. It seems to take a bit of the work off my thighs so that they can be fresher for the run.

Most importantly to me, it is another position choice. I do my best when I can change positions. Bull horns are not for me, but hoods, drops, aero bars and then up to aero bar pads if needed give me 4/5 different positions to chose from.

My light and my garmin now mount on my aero bars. The garmin mount is just held on my rubber bands and the light is mounted on a nubbin that sticks out from the middle of the bar. (see the link above there is the UCM mount) They also make mounts that go just over your headset.

I take off my light for races.

And I put my water bottle in between the aero bars. Also a nice option!

If you are worried about hand placement on the bars, you can always look for aerobars with foldable arm rests.

Try them out though - the angle that your wrist has to sit will probably be a big issue. I didn't think I would like the T2's as they are almost totally flat. But I LOVE them much more than angled bars and prefer the ability to "rest" my hands without feeling the need to grip.

Denise

Denise, you leave your bars on all the time, then?

That's something else I'd have to consider, what "style" of bar to get...I have NO clue. There are so many shapes and angles and models...I guess I'd be best off having our LBS guy help me out, though he's not a multi-sport guy (he's tried tri bars for time trials and didn't really like them, apparently).

Yes I leave them on all the time. They don't get in the way for me. And I really do appreciate the position change.

There are so many different types. Do you have access to a multisport shop that can put you on a trainer and spend time with the different options? I really didn't think it's like the flat par but it was much more comfortable than the angled bar for me. And I don't think they get in the way as much as the angled bars do. Short and to the point. ;-)

Yeah, I don't get the angled ones, either. I look at them and can't figure out how they would be comfortable...wouldn't they force a person to have their wrists bent at a weird angle?

We don't really have any multi-sport specific stores. Our favorite LBS has limited tri items for bikes. We have a really nice running store about an hour away, but they seem to offer mostly the clothing end of tri stuff (tri shorts and swimwear), not hardware for bikes.

Read up on "shorty" aero bars. They're really what's best for road bike geometry/set-ups.

I use (and like) thee Profile Design Jammer GTs on my BMC.

Ahhh...OK, that makes sense. I always wondered if there were bars that would work better with road bike geometry. This looks worth checking out. Thanks! :D

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Originally Posted by ultraviolet

Read up on "shorty" aero bars. They're really what's best for road bike geometry/set-ups.

I use (and like) thee Profile Design Jammer GTs on my BMC.

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Those ^^^^ are what I used on my last bike too. They are designed for road bikes, and don't require as much tinkering with saddle position. However, I still think it would be a good idea for a fitter to take a look at the set-up once they are on, just to make sure. I rode with them for 2 seasons...I do not have them on my current bike, however. I chose not to put them on, because I wanted to see if I could get along without them. But just recently have thought about putting them back on. I basically used them to give my wrists/hands a much needed break from time to time. My hands go numb on every ride, no matter what (believe me...I've tried it ALL!) and having that extra position would come in handy. I also relied heavily on my aerobars when faced with wicked headwinds. I had tried the "straight" type of bars (like hulagirl's) and found them to really put my wrists into an unnatural position, thus causing pain and fatigue...so they definitely were not right for me. But that may not be the case for everyone...as I know of some folks that love their T2 bars.

Linda

Here's another question...where do I attach my computer/gps with aerobars, since they would attach right where I normally have my Garmin?

Ahh...just answered my own question. :p

My computer is mounted on my stem. This of course is dependent on things like stem length and computer size. :)

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Originally Posted by ultraviolet

My computer is mounted on my stem. This of course is dependent on things like stem length and computer size. :)

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I thought about this, but I can't rotate my Garmin (forerunner), so it would be sideways. Not a deal-breaker, but it would harder to read and operate that way. My stem is 100mm, so it probably is long enough to do that.

I did try the shorty's but found the T2's felt shorter, less bulky and better arm positioning/support on the pads.

You might want to check profile designs page as the airstryke's have foldable arm pads.

And I use the garmin Quick release mount for my 310XT. It allows you to mount to North South or East West bar directions.

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Originally Posted by hulagirl

I did try the shorty's but found the T2's felt shorter, less bulky and better arm positioning/support on the pads.

You might want to check profile designs page as the airstryke's have foldable arm pads.

And I use the garmin Quick release mount for my 310XT. It allows you to mount to North South or East West bar directions.

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Unfortunately, I'm reasonably certain that that mount won't work with my Forerunner 305. The "pseudo-wrists" will work with any of the devices, but not the quick-release mounts. The quick-release for the 205/305 doesn't allow for rotation. Crummy that they haven't developed one that will.

I wonder if the Airstrykes would be too low on a road bike, as the aero-bars come out from under the handlebars, instead of above. :confused:

I have one of those garmin mounts that is like a "nest" for the watch band, right?

If it's the same thing, it won't work with the Nob. That is only about the width of my thumb at best and I don't think you can cinch it down far enough to hold.

Plus, the nob doesn't hold that tight. (my little bike light is almost too heavy for it so I got a helmet mounted bike light instead)

As for bars mounted above or below the handlebars it's not so much about that but about the support for your arms and your hand placement.

And yes, my T2's are on a road bike. I'm not on a tri bike and I didn't have to shift around my saddle. I shift back just a hair when I ride in the bars, but nothing I can't live with for now.

ETA: They are on the bike in my avatar with a water bottle mounted between them.

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Originally Posted by hulagirl

I have one of those garmin mounts that is like a "nest" for the watch band, right?

If it's the same thing, it won't work with the Nob. That is only about the width of my thumb at best and I don't think you can cinch it down far enough to hold.

Plus, the nob doesn't hold that tight. (my little bike light is almost too heavy for it so I got a helmet mounted bike light instead)

As for bars mounted above or below the handlebars it's not so much about that but about the support for your arms and your hand placement.

And yes, my T2's are on a road bike. I'm not on a tri bike and I didn't have to shift around my saddle. I shift back just a hair when I ride in the bars, but nothing I can't live with for now.

ETA: They are on the bike in my avatar with a water bottle mounted between them.

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Hmmm...I may have to look at both models.

I did discover that there are 2 sizes of those nobs--one is only an inch wide and one is about 2.5". I would probably go with the longer one (or maybe one of each to have different attachment spots for things...I actually keep both the quick release base on my bike for race days, as well as the wrist adapter, since that's usually what I use).