Aero bars on club rides

[cyberknight]

You don't even use bars in a chain gang. Way to dangerous as chain gangs vary speed quite a bit.

I know from club rides and training rides, as soon as the person in front stands up to climb a hill, they effectively 'go backwards' slightly as your speed is fractionally more just before you start to climb.

i have seen this , its hard to learn how to transition between the two without practice.

 

[fossyant]

i have seen this , its hard to learn how to transition between the two without practice.

You basically ride a few inches to the side, so the back wheel of the rider in front doesn't contact yours, but it can only be done with riders you know and you are all comfortable touching shoulders side by side. Its massively unnerving riding with folk you don't know that close, like on sportives. Plenty of gap there.

 

[jiberjaber]

You basically ride a few inches to the side, so the back wheel of the rider in front doesn't contact yours, but it can only be done with riders you know and you are all comfortable touching shoulders side by side. Its massively unnerving riding with folk you don't know that close, like on sportives. Plenty of gap there.

You see that's the bit I don't like about club riders / sportives/ being passed by such groups - you don't get any of that on an Audax, and if you did I would probably break off the group / drop out of the back as there is no good going to come of such riding if I have nowhere to maneuver from a hazard or riders are not concentrating the slightest bit due to fatigue. I apply a similar rule as to who's wheel I'll follow.... (mostly based on proper mudguards with a long flap )

I've just noticed this thread is in the cycling clubs section of the forum - so I'll leave it there

 

[fossyant]

You see that's the bit I don't like about club riders / sportives/ being passed by such groups - you don't get any of that on an Audax, and if you did I would probably break off the group / drop out of the back as there is no good going to come of such riding if I have nowhere to maneuver from a hazard or riders are not concentrating the slightest bit due to fatigue. I apply a similar rule as to who's wheel I'll follow.... (mostly based on proper mudguards with a long flap )

I've just noticed this thread is in the cycling clubs section of the forum - so I'll leave it there

You are quite right though

 

[mjr]

You don't even use bars in a chain gang.

How good's your steering, then?

(source)

 

[steveindenmark]

I have tri bars but dont ride in a group.

However I have a question. Setting tri bars up to the correct position and then removing them is a real pain. Would it be acceptable to have tri bars fitted for a group ride, but then not use them?

 

[fossyant]

How good's your steering, then?
View attachment 425315
(source)

Yikes.

 

[smutchin]

Would it be acceptable to have tri bars fitted for a group ride, but then not use them?

One of the arguments against them is that having pointy bits sticking out of the bike could cause more serious injuries in the event of a crash, but I suspect this danger is largely theoretical rather than actual. (Much like the argument against disc brakes which are supposedly capable of slicing limbs off, if you believe some of the horror stories.)

However, I do know of someone who suffered life-threatening injuries from being impaled on the end of their regular drop bars in a crash, which is one reason why you should always at very least make sure your bar ends are plugged.

 

[cyberknight]

rud m

You basically ride a few inches to the side, so the back wheel of the rider in front doesn't contact yours, but it can only be done with riders you know and you are all comfortable touching shoulders side by side. Its massively unnerving riding with folk you don't know that close, like on sportives. Plenty of gap there.

I was on bout transition from seated to standing without dropping back which i can do without falling back

 

[cyberknight]

I have tri bars but dont ride in a group.

However I have a question. Setting tri bars up to the correct position and then removing them is a real pain. Would it be acceptable to have tri bars fitted for a group ride, but then not use them?

Thats not an issue , its riding in a bunch on them .

 

[smutchin]

It's a group ride but not a chain gang.

If you're riding far enough apart for aerobars to be safe, it's not going to be a very sociable group. How do you chat with each other - walkie-talkie?

 

[derrick]

Raised an issue last night to the club Secretary.Its a newly formed club and riders have been turning up and riding on tri bars in a group ride .i personally feel they are not suited for group rides and raised it to him .One has already flounced after it was announced they were not supposed to use them in a group. Feel a bit of a shoot for raising it but i dont want someone causing a crash

Just stick them up the front. Seriously though i am with you on this one,, Idid ride with someone earlier in the year who had TT bars on. But she was traing for a ironman, She did not join in club rides.

 

[T4tomo]

Depends on the group. They're not suitable for tight formation riding IMO because most riders can't get to the brakes fast enough but they can be OK in relaxed social groups with good stopping distances between riders. In relaxed groups, riders with regular bars who try to overtake on the left silently are far more hazardous and you can't spot them before the start.

If its a relaxed social ride, you presumably don't need aero bars as you are not straining for every extra mph.

 

[mjr]

If you're riding far enough apart for aerobars to be safe, it's not going to be a very sociable group. How do you chat with each other - walkie-talkie?

It's mainly the headway that's bigger so you chat to the riders next to you. Of course, that does rely on any aerobar user still being able to steer competently!

 

[Tin Pot]

I’m not an advocate of aero bars on club rides.

However I disagree that using aero bars falls below blah blah level of whatever to be safe.

It’s just a position, that position can be safe and usually is.

On that basis I don’t see why being at the front of a chain gang in aero position is dangerous *per se*. Other factors could make it dangerous, in which case you sit up.