Elbows on handlebars.

[Emmanuel Obikwelu]

Does anyone know if you can buy the forward pointing handlebars that allow you to rest your elbows on the handlebars while holding the bars at the front , like they use in the tdf time trials. Different from standard drop handlebars. And does anyone have any experience of using this style handlebars , are they any good.

 

[Theseus]

Tri Bars

You should be able to get them from any cycle shop, either in person or on the internet.

Be careful when descending winding roads at speed as you have to change back to the drops to brake.

http://www.journeyman.cc/dogfood/story/article_30.html

 

[SimonC]

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cycle/aero-handlebars/

amongst many other retailers.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Tri Bars

You should be able to get them from any cycle shop, either in person or on the internet.

Be careful when descending winding roads at speed as you have to change back to the drops to brake.

http://www.journeyma...article_30.html

What an amazing story.

 

[Emmanuel Obikwelu]

Tri Bars

You should be able to get them from any cycle shop, either in person or on the internet.

Be careful when descending winding roads at speed as you have to change back to the drops to brake.

http://www.journeyma...article_30.html

Thanks for info. Actually i was contemplating using them alongside standard flat handlebars, the intention to provide an alternative position to the standard hands on flats position and hopefully some back releif. I sometimes, after 50 + miles, use this position with just normal flat handlebars where the road permits but can see that it is not a good idea as ones control is severely comprimised, hence the additional bars question.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Thanks for info. Actually i was contemplating using them alongside standard flat handlebars, the intention to provide an alternative position to the standard hands on flats position and hopefully some back releif. I sometimes, after 50 + miles, use this position with just normal flat handlebars where the road permits but can see that it is not a good idea as ones control is severely comprimised, hence the additional bars question.

The advice is still the same you need to adjust body position to reach brakes. The other option are trekking bars such as these. I used them for a good while and they are very versatile indeed

 

[Emmanuel Obikwelu]

http://www.wiggle.co...ero-handlebars/

amongst many other retailers.

Thanks for the link.
The forward facing bars with the elbow pads is just the kind of thing im thinking of.
I guess it woudnt be the hardest thing in the word to fabricate something oneself out of some metal pipe but then the £20 for the easton aeroforce alloy extensions is pretty good.

 

[Rob3rt]

They are called clip-on tri bars or clip-on aero bars.

There are several things you might want to consider before buying some though.

1) They are designed to fit normal road bars and over-size road bars. Your flat bar may have a different diameter (you can get round this with shims but you would have to make/source these seperatelly)
2) The reason TT and Tri users use this possition is for a more aerodynamic possition, these bars arent the only difference between their bikes and normal road bikes, the whole geometry is different, they have steeper seat tubes, shorter top tubes and the forks have more rake (to maintain stability with weight shifted forward). When fitting these bars to a road bike without modification, typically they will close your hip angle and drop your power output and de-stabilise the bike to some degree making it twitchy. So you will need to try to find a bar that maintains your hip angle, something more like audaxers use rather than triathletes and time triallists. Or you can modify your bike fit by lowering your bars and pushing saddle forward and up. But this will compromise your normal riding possition. Also if you plant to ride in traffic on them, think again, they are made for going in straight lines at high speed, not weaving about in traffic.

 

[Rob3rt]

Thanks for the link.
The forward facing bars with the elbow pads is just the kind of thing im thinking of.
I guess it woudnt be the hardest thing in the word to fabricate something oneself out of some metal pipe but then the £20 for the easton aeroforce alloy extensions is pretty good.

That easton is just the extension, you need the clamp and elbow pad.

 

[Emmanuel Obikwelu]

The advice is still the same you need to adjust body position to reach brakes. The other option are trekking bars such as these. I used them for a good while and they are very versatile indeed

Thanks . Braking isnt an issue . Its for long straight lines, for shifting position where where just changing position in itself offers some releif but changing position into a more prone , lying down supported restful position.
Do you have a picture of this kind of bar in situ ?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Thanks . Braking isnt an issue . Its for long straight lines, for shifting position where where just changing position in itself offers some releif but changing position into a more prone , lying down supported restful position.
Do you have a picture of this kind of bar in situ ?

 

[Emmanuel Obikwelu]

They are called clip-on tri bars or clip-on aero bars.

There are several things you might want to consider before buying some though.

1) They are designed to fit normal road bars and over-size road bars. Your flat bar may have a different diameter (you can get round this with shims but you would have to make/source these seperatelly)
2) The reason TT and Tri users use this possition is for a more aerodynamic possition, these bars arent the only difference between their bikes and normal road bikes, the whole geometry is different, they have steeper seat tubes, shorter top tubes and the forks have more rake (to maintain stability with weight shifted forward). When fitting these bars to a road bike without modification, typically they will close your hip angle and drop your power output and de-stabilise the bike to some degree making it twitchy. So you will need to try to find a bar that maintains your hip angle, something more like audaxers use rather than triathletes and time triallists. Or you can modify your bike fit by lowering your bars and pushing saddle forward and up. But this will compromise your normal riding possition. Also if you plant to ride in traffic on them, think again, they are made for going in straight lines at high speed, not weaving about in traffic.

Thanks for the considerations.
My primary consideration is comfort on long distances , not really speed. My legs and lungs click into auto pilot ok but i am trouybled by upper body aches.

 

[Rob3rt]

Thanks for the considerations.
My primary consideration is comfort on long distances , not really speed. My legs and lungs click into auto pilot ok but i am trouybled by upper body aches.

Yes but my point is, if you go and clip them onto a normal road bar setup, you will be bent excessivelly at the waist and your will suffer discomfort and loss of power so it will fel harder to pedal. You need to be careful about which set you buy and how you set your bike up to suit them. Notice a TT'ist or triathletes possition is almost identical to a normal road possition but rotated forward at the hip. This is acheived by a large change in bike geometry. You will want a fairly tall touring/audax type set of clip ons, something like the Profile Century bar, rather than the TT/Tri setups.

 

[Emmanuel Obikwelu]

Thanks.
The way its set up there it makes it look like it effectively shortens the distance to the handlebars. Presumably you could set it up with the bar flipped over with all the controls on the main length of tube and the 2 leading extensions pointing forwards. Can you rest on your elbows with this setup ?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Thanks.
The way its set up there it makes it look like it effectively shortens the distance to the handlebars. Presumably you could set it up with the bar flipped over with all the controls on the main length of tube and the 2 leading extensions pointing forwards. Can you rest on your elbows with this setup ?

This was on my first bike and it is no longer in use. I flipped the bars back and forth on a number of occasions. I was able to rest my forearms on the bars with that setup.