Clip-On Aerobar Question

John Stark

Ok, I am a dork.  I was "retired" from triathlon a couple of years ago and sold my tri bike and all my gear.  I am not going to buy a new tri bike and I currently only have a Trek Madone 5.2 road bike (pictured).

I called a local bike fitter to help me get fitted with some clip on aerobars for my Trek.  He suggested I swap out carbon handle bars for aluminum and get some inexpensive Profile Design clip-on aerobars since I will only be using only occasionally (no need to go all out with carbon).  I plan on going with the s-curve extensions like the T2+ below.

So . . . .my questions is has to do with the elbow pads.  Do I go with the pads that flip up when I am not in aero position or do I get the pads that stay down all the time.  My only concern is that the pads that stay down will be in the way when I am riding in the up, roadie position during training, etc.

Thoughts?

 

 

 

Gaudir8

@John

I was doing a lot of long distance stuff on my road bike and the clip ons were great for another position to ride in as well as trying to get a little more aero. I would go with the bars that stay down. I found the ones that pop back in to be a PIA.  I also dot understand why he i telling you to swap out your carbon handlebars. You can clip them on the carbon bars with no problem UNLESS you have some unique shape to your road bars.

mancona

Depends on if you use the top of your road bars where the clip on elbow pads go. Personally I am on the hoods or in the drops about 99% of the time and rarely touch the top of my road bars so I would just go with the clip-ons that do not flip up. if you tend to hold onto the tops near the stem when you are climbing then you may prefer the fold up.

Also, if I was going to put clip ons on a road bike, i would definitely look for shorty, mimimalist ones, like these:

http://www.profile-design.com/profile-design/products/aerobars/aluminum-aerobars/zbs-dl.html

http://www.profile-design.com/files/product-images/profile-design/aerobars/pd_aerobar_zbs_dl_angle_1.jpg

Regarding the carbon bars, the concern is if the area the clip ons go is designed for it or not. So bars are designed to be light weight so manufactures do not build the bar up as much in that spot. Most Zipp and 3T carbon bars are both not supposed to be used with clips ons. Alloy bars are almsot always fine which is why many people will just say go with alloy if you are adding clip ons.

Steve Ross

I have tried a few bars over my time and the flip up's were the worst. A couple of things to think about 1) Ugly when not in use up position,getting settled into them can be precarious, any slack off the pad they move, sometimes at the wrong time - safety. Being spring loaded, maintenance such as replacing a small spring at times. If the springs are in over use they may not spring up to normal position so you get floppy vibrating elbow holders. Your choice of the T2 is a better fit, my 0.02 cents worth. If you go with the spring loaded I have pieces and parts you can have Mr Stark, gladly send them your way !

kimmydct

I have the ones the fold up and down like the 2nd image you posted and like them for climbing. Depends on your local terrain though.

John Stark

Thanks everyone.  I just did a search and my bars are "Compatible with clip-on aero bars"  So that helps.

@Matt, why the shorty bars? And they don't look adjustable so I can customize the fit.  Just curious.

@Steve - Thanks for the offer.  

 

mancona

The actual reason for short bars is for ITU racing where the bars cannot stick out further than brake levers/shifters and they have to be connected in the front for safety. I find that with the more relaxed seat angle on my road bike, I can more easily hold an aero position like the short bars with my forearms resting on the handle bar. For me to get all the way forward and have my elbows over the handle bar and actually use the full length bars, i have to move my seat forward and then start to drop the front end...basically convert the road bike into a TT bike. Just my personal experience.

Basically, if you are going to try and make your road bike position more like a tri bike (steeper seat angle and lower front end) then you should definitely stick with traditional clip ons. If you are keeping it as a road bike and literally just throwing on clips ons with out changing the fit, shorties seem to work well for a few people I know.

BTW, PD does make adjustable short T2 bars so you can get somewhere in between the two positions.

Trust your fitter though and if he says the regular t2 bars will fit you right, then go with what he says. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of the other option first.

Leslie Knight

I have the non flip T2 on my road bike and there are times when I really wish they would move. But not having experienced the flips, I can appreciate the comments of the flippers. I think I'll stop wishing for flippers! Besides wishing I could use that part of my handle bars, I really like the T2.

[Deleted User]

John, I have a set of aluminum t2 s curve bars clamps and pads if you want to save some money i replaced them with the same in carbon on my tri bike. When you go to aero bars on a road bike you should go with a more forward stem for the position, I have one also if you need it.

Steve West

John, I have the PD AirStrike w/ flippers. Mostly because they were the lowers (relative to the handlebar) I could find at the time but i also like the relaxed position of my wrists with them.

But as everyone else has mentioned - the flipping pads are a real PITA!. Took me about 10 minutes to figure out I needed to zip-tie them in the down position - problem solved.