Decending in aerobars- just need practice???

[Running Mommy]

First of all welcome. I'm also a "Zonie" so always nice to have another desert dweller on the board...
As for your question... For me it just took many miles on the bike and getting used to it. I found my Quintana Roo to be super squirrely at first, but once I got used to it I was fine. In fact now I actually feel safer being down in the a-bars on descents. Of course my descents aren't usually THAT steep, but I can still get going.
I also have my arm pads adjusted so that I feel really stable down in the a-bars. So perhaps that might help?
I know I'm not being very helpful. Hopefully someone on here will have a better answer. Sorry....
Stay safe!
Denise

[Lise]

Welcome, as Running Mommy said. I'm from the flatland of Illinois, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. I did a tri this past Sunday in which I hit 30 mph going down an overpass. I felt perfectly comfortable in the aerobars because I knew I was on a race course. I'm only worried in that position when I may need to stop suddenly for a car or people in the road. The aerobars just take getting used to, in general. I felt great using them in this race--first time I've raced with them, but I've trained as much as possible in them. My bike time was much faster. Enjoy, and again, welcome to the boards.

[RoadRaven]

Aerobars are great downhill, uphill (as long as its not too steep) and of course on the flats...

The problem for me comes when you come to a corner when going downhill on the aerobars... no brakes and little ability to steer because of the change in your centre of gravity and hand position.

I tend to resort to the drops (I TT on a road race bike with aerobars - I have yet to get a TT specific bike) on downhills in a TT, I can still get very aero while having access to the brakes and more steering control on the corners.

My partner says to think of steering on aero bars as if you were riding a motorbike - that is rather than steering around corners, you lean your way around corners.

Me though... I stay on the aeros for as much of a TT as I can - but when I head down hill round corners, I go back to the drops. Your centre of gravity tends to be lower on the drops, and your weight distribution is different so it is a matter of getting used to the different position as much as the different way of steering.

Also remember while you are getting used aeros that in a cross wind, forget trying to use them... even experieced "seasoned atheletes" will tend to leave their aeros alone when there is a gusty cross wind.

[Lise]

Oh, yeah, corners in aerobars? Rarely. Like RR, I'm generally in the drops. Also, I learned that it's a bad idea to attempt to reach back for your Gatorade bottle with one arm still in the aerobars Whoa! NO control!

In general, though, I love the feeling in the aerobars. I feel much more like I'm "one" with the bike. It moves with my body, not just with my hands and arms.

[Running Mommy]

Lise you must have spaghetti arms!! I could never reach my rear bottles while in the a-bars!! You are talking about the bottle launchers behind the seat aren't you??! WOW!! sigh.. or maybe I'm just a squat thing!! ha ha

Hey Road Raven- HED is making a brake lever on their aerobar extensions now. I think it's on the right extension. It looks kinda cool. But yeah, whenever I may have to make a sudden manuever or a tight turn I always pull up out of my aerobars. Tho I have a true TT base bar so I have no drops.

[Lise]

No, I mean the bottle cages on the frame. I've got one facing forward, and one facing back. I always put the Gatorade in the back facing one. So there I am, trying to reach down under my seat, and grab a bottle that's facing away from me! Uh, no. Bad idea!