touring aerobars for broken thumb?

[Tokie]

Help! After 9 weeks of spinning,hiking, and the #$%&*+ trainer I am finally allowed back on the road on my bike (I had surgery for torn thumb ligament)! I have to wear a rigid plastic custom splint to protect my repaired joint, and the poor thing is just sore. Every bump in the road is OW! I was thinking of getting some short aero bars, but ones that would leave the flat part of my handlebars available to use too. I need something to keep my thumb happy on the 1,000 mile bike tour that starts in about 10 days. Any tips or favorite aero bars to recommend? thanks! Tokie

[KnottedYet]

Have you ridden on aero bars before?

[Tokie]

Yes, I have the separate long ones that curve up at the ends. I have trained on them and used them for time trials. But they have the forearm pads, and I can't use the rest of the bars with them. I only want the little aero bars to give my hand a different position from time to time. At least I think I want the little aero bars...... Tokie

[Andrea]

Most aero bars have removable elbow pads. You can take them off, attach just the bar part of the aero bars to your standard handlebars, and tape some foam pipe insulation onto your bars where the elbow pads would normally go. It's not pretty, and not as comfy, but it gives you more bar-top area, and it a bit lighter.

[Tokie]

Ok, I think that's what I needed to know. I've seen people with the short curved aerobars that are one kind of bulbous "V" shape without the arm pads, and thought that they were a unique product that I couldn't find online. I got to the bike stores too late today when I found that my girlfriend's old short bars wouldn't fit my new fatter 2008 style handlebars. I'll look into it tomorrow! Tokie

[Tokie]

Hi Andrea! I am cracking up! We were talking about primes once at bike camp - people were talking about weird ones, so I made up a story about people getting puppies as primes - then I admitted it was phony. I guess some races have some pretty unique primes - but did you really win a Corgi? Tokie PS still mulling over the aero bar concept. guy at the store recommends the Hed ones that flip up. (they are 270+$) He says the Profile ones rattle, and online I have read stories of the Profile flip up pads falling off too. Hmmmmm. coach insists I should be prepared in case my thumb gives me grief.I was worried that on a long tour I might be too tired to be safe in aero bars,but I can see her point. tokie