Subject: Clip-on aero bars on a road bike? So as not to highjack this thread, I've copied out a post that seems to summarize the general consensus.
briderdt - 2006-06-21 9:19 AM
So you're thinking of drop bars on tri geometry? Why bother with tri geometry, of you're going to be riding with your hands on the brake hoods?
Or maybe you want brake levers on the aero bars instead?
All I can say is -- get over it. Drink the Kool-Aid. Immerse youself in what a tri-bike is -- a rocket made to go fast with you perched on it in the most aerodynamically efficient position you can maintain and produce good power in. You want the shifters out there so you can fine-tune while staying IN the aero position. And when you're reaching for the brakes, you're compromising your aerodynamics.
Drop bars on tri geometry = a waste of either one, or possibly both.
... But, it's still a good idea to put clip-on aero bars on a road bike, right?
I was at the LBS last night looking at clip-on bars. The owner just came back from a fitting course and suggested that I get re-fitted if I add aero bars. He said he'd give me all the measurements to set the bike up with or without the bars in case I want to do group rides or something. I understand that the frame is not designed for a tri position and I don't want to mess up a good thing trying to make it something it isn't. It's a decent road bike, less than a year old, and I like the way it fits now. I can stay in the drops for most of my long rides.
Also, unless I win a lottery, there's no tri bike coming for at least another year or two. So, are the clip-ons still generally recommended on a road bike? If it's such a compromise, what am I gaining by adding them? |