# Aero bars, are they really worth it?



## Tour De Frans (Apr 3, 2005)

Its not worth it for me, but do they really make a difference? Im not talking about the triathlon aero bars, just the regular road bike bars that are flattened towards the stem. It seems like they it wouldn't help much because the wind hits your body right after the bars anyway. So wouldn't slimming and making your body more aerodynamic be more beneficial?


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## feathers mcgraw (Mar 15, 2002)

Don't know if they're more aero, but everyone I know who's tried a set (including myself) loves the comfort factor. It's not readily apparent until you go back to round bars. It's a surprisingly big difference.


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## soulsurfer104 (Jun 30, 2003)

*troll, perhaps?*

yes, they will cause your bike to travel at a higher rate of speed for a given power output, in much the same way that leaving your valve caps off will make you climb faster because of the reduced overall weight of the bike. the point is that little things like these certainly do make a difference- but the difference is so small that it is barely measurable. to think that it will make a difference on where you stand in the food chain that is your local club is ridiculous. go ride you bike.


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## Tour De Frans (Apr 3, 2005)

soulsurfer104 said:


> to think that it will make a difference on where you stand in the food chain that is your local club is ridiculous. go ride you bike.


Excuse me, but I do my bike, alot. I just had a curiosity as to if they make a difference. I could give a s*** about my standing anywhere I ride my bike. I am riding to make myself better. Whats a damn troll anyways?


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## Anti-gravity (Jul 16, 2004)

Tour De Frans said:


> Whats a damn troll anyways?


It's a term so overused on these forums that it has lost any coherent definition. It used to mean someone asking a question that has an obvious answer, but the poster clearly alludes to knowing the answer, _or_ someone bringing up a controversial topic (that has usually already been debated into the ground). Both are intended to start a largely unnecessary argument. I think a troll can loosely define devil's advocate in an argument as well. Now you can be a troll if you are:

a) A novice just joining the forums and unknowingly asking a question answered many times before. 
b) A person that asked a question such as will X product make me Y faster, typically answered condescendingly by stating something like "just ride your damn bike."
c) Someone that asks about an opinion on one product vs. another.
d) lots more I'd rather not list.

To answer your main question, yes areobars will make you go faster and there is sufficient scientific evidence (physics!) to prove that. If you are a rec rider, I think they are a great idea if you have good handling skills, typically ride alone, ride a lot of flat open rides, and don't plan on racing in mass start races (illegal to use them). I've personally noticed 1-2mph increases over an hour's time with aerobars, which is significant IMO. There's a reason TT bikes have them! If you do a lot of group or club rides, you won't be popular if get down in the areos in a big pack of other riders. Your buddies may steer clear of you (see riding alone).

I don't know what you mean by the "normal road bike aerobars" (basically bolt-on ones for drop bars?), but different types will serve different purposes. It is usually some combination of comfort and aerodynamics. By tucking in your fore arms together, you can reduce a good amount of drag. For long, flat rides they are reasonably comfortable, but you really just have to try them out and see if you like them. I usually only use mine for TTs and maybe a TT practice ride once a week. I personally don't care for them that much for all around riding. 

Depends on what you want out of them. Comfort? Speed? If the former, you can set up your handlebars a little higher so that you aren't leaning too far down when in the areos. If speed over short distances, then drop the bars as much as you can and start working on that flexibility. 

But overall, yes they do make a difference, in feel, comfort (for good or bad) and speed. Whether it works for you is entirely up to you. The "just ride your bike" answer is pretty lousy in my opinion.


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## Nessism (Feb 6, 2004)

Anti-gravity said:


> It's a term so overused on these forums that it has lost any coherent definition.


This sums it up!

As the others have noted, the flat in the bar is not for aero purposes but rather for comfort.


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## CLTRD (May 3, 2004)

Tour De Frans said:


> Excuse me, but I do my bike, alot.



 case closed


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## asgelle (Apr 21, 2003)

Tour De Frans said:


> Its not worth it for me, but do they really make a difference? Im not talking about the triathlon aero bars, just the regular road bike bars that are flattened towards the stem. It seems like they it wouldn't help much because the wind hits your body right after the bars anyway. So wouldn't slimming and making your body more aerodynamic be more beneficial?


What's your real question here. Do these bars make a difference - yes. Is the difference significant - it depends, how much does saving time matter. Are they the most effective way to reduce drag or increase speed - it depends, what are you currently doing. If you really care about this and are not just trying to show up people who make different equipment choices than you, you can calculate the difference quite easily. Calculate the drag on a circular cylinder in cross flow with the diameter of your bar at the speed(s) of interest and compare that to the drag on a bike+rider at the same speed. Is the drag on the cylinder significant to you relative to the total? If not than changing bars won't matter to you since eliminating all the drag on the bar is the best you can hope for in a replacement. If the drag is significant, look up the NACA airfoil shape closest to the bar you're considering and compare the drag on that shape to the drag on a cylinder, again at the speeds of interest. Is that drag reduction significant to you? If so change bars if the reduction is worth the extra cost, keep your old bars if not.


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## weiwentg (Feb 3, 2004)

soulsurfer104 said:


> yes, they will cause your bike to travel at a higher rate of speed for a given power output, in much the same way that leaving your valve caps off will make you climb faster because of the reduced overall weight of the bike. the point is that little things like these certainly do make a difference- but the difference is so small that it is barely measurable. to think that it will make a difference on where you stand in the food chain that is your local club is ridiculous. go ride you bike.


the difference is not so small as to be barely measurable. basically every scienfitic study shows that aero bars save considerable time. they won't take you from 15mph to 25mph, but they will save you time. definitely more time than leaving the valve caps off.

http://www.timetrial.org/aerodynamics.htm


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## Tour De Frans (Apr 3, 2005)

asgelle said:


> What's your real question here. Do these bars make a difference - yes. Is the difference significant - it depends, how much does saving time matter. Are they the most effective way to reduce drag or increase speed - it depends, what are you currently doing. If you really care about this and are not just trying to show up people who make different equipment choices than you, you can calculate the difference quite easily. Calculate the drag on a circular cylinder in cross flow with the diameter of your bar at the speed(s) of interest and compare that to the drag on a bike+rider at the same speed. Is the drag on the cylinder significant to you relative to the total? If not than changing bars won't matter to you since eliminating all the drag on the bar is the best you can hope for in a replacement. If the drag is significant, look up the NACA airfoil shape closest to the bar you're considering and compare the drag on that shape to the drag on a cylinder, again at the speeds of interest. Is that drag reduction significant to you? If so change bars if the reduction is worth the extra cost, keep your old bars if not.


I was just wondering. I never had any intention on buying/changing my own bars. Damn, I just had an easy yes or no question.


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## novicycle (Mar 17, 2005)

*He (she?) is asking about..*

bars like these composites, not "aero bars," so likely any mentioned improvements in aerodynamics don't apply here. As was stated correctly, they're about the comfort.


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## Tour De Frans (Apr 3, 2005)

novicycle said:


> bars like these composites, not "aero bars," so likely any mentioned improvements in aerodynamics don't apply here. As was stated correctly, they're about the comfort.


Yes yes. Exactly those types of bars. I sincerely apologize if everyone thought I was talking about TT aero bars. That was my fault in not describing the bars correctly. So yeah, are these bars just for weight and comfort?


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## asgelle (Apr 21, 2003)

Tour De Frans said:


> I was just wondering. I never had any intention on buying/changing my own bars. Damn, I just had an easy yes or no question.


In that case the answer is yes.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

Tour De Frans said:


> Yes yes. Exactly those types of bars. I sincerely apologize if everyone thought I was talking about TT aero bars. That was my fault in not describing the bars correctly. So yeah, are these bars just for weight and comfort?


Why on earth you described those as aero bars is beyond me, given that aero bars UNIVERSALLY means TT bars. The bars pictured by novicycle are just for comfort (if you like the feel of that sort of thing), to save weight if they actually are lighter than some alternative, to look cool, and to separate you from a relatively large sum of money.


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## fleck (Mar 25, 2005)

its the comfort factor you gain with them. Not aero.
If you want aero for your drops, buy a narow set, that will do a lot more.


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## Keeping up with Junior (Feb 27, 2003)

*Maybe*



Tour De Frans said:


> ...are these bars just for weight and comfort?


Weight - No

Comfort - Maybe

Fashion - If it matters, maybe

Marketing - Yes

Practical - Doubtful. Where do you attach TT Aero bars for that occasional solo event? Will your current computer mount easily? Does the curve interfere with your current hand positions in the drops or on the corners? How much time do you spend riding on the tops of the bars?


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## lampshade (Jul 18, 2002)

*Gross*



Tour De Frans said:


> Excuse me, but I do my bike, alot.
> 
> You do your bike? I have heard of bike lust, but that is gross!


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## Hardy Cyclamens (Mar 21, 2005)

"Troll" -- interesting term . . . 

Websters lists about four etymological sources. Old English, Old French, Old Norse and Swedish. The French/English forms are "trollen" -- to roll, but also to sing in a round. But it also relates to pulling bait or lures through the water in fishing, particulary a lure which rolls or spins. Derivatives are "trolly" in the sense of rolling. 

In the Old Norse and Swedish (Scandanavian mythology) "troll" refers to a group of supernatural beings who live in caves, underground or under bridges. Initially they were thought of as giants, but later came to be viewed as dwarfs. Trolls are generally tricksters up to no good -- as compared to the more traditional "trickster" who reveals "truth" in some ironic sense. 

So, the internet use of troll is a blend of these two forms. A trickster up to no good who is "fishing" for trouble by trolling "bait" past the reader in hopes that he'll hook into something. 

Aero bars are for time trials. I don't want all that hardware hanging off my bars when I'm riding on the road. They're only practical if you're riding straight and flat. If you really need to steer they're an obstruction. 

But if you have a bike set up for time trials and flat long country stretches, they're nice.


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## SDizzle (May 1, 2004)

Aero bars are much faster.

...But that doesn't mean they suck any less. If you're not careful, too, they'll make a tri-geek out of you.


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