I cannot comment on the aero-ness of bars, but I always put on flat top bars on my road bikes. I do find them more comfortable to hold when using the tops. also, for the occasional time when I have a nice flat road with no traffic, the flat top bars are more comfortable when hunched over in the 'ghost' aero bar position.

According to Zipp's website, their SL-70 Aero bar creates 0.11 N of drag at 30mph compared to 0.74 N for a round bar. This equates to approximately 1.1 watts vs. 7.5 watts. So it looks like the difference between a round bar and an aero bar is significant. I doubt the Bontrager aluminum bar is quite as aero as most of the carbon ones since you can't achieve the same airfoil shape with aluminum as you can with carbon. But the difference is probably 1-2 watts at most.

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Zach McCormick
Catalyst Cycling
http://www.catalyst.bike

Flat tops are comfy to grab, no problem there.

Some models will interfere with your forearm when sprinting, something to check before buying if you can.

Invisible aerobars is tricky if sweaty.

No aero comparisons out there that I have seen. It isn't the material though, it is the shape. Bontragers, carbon or not, have room for clipons, which means more round area. They are likely the least aero option, but very affordable..and have room for clip ons!

Zipp/Enve/Cervelo are probably tops.

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

I really wish that Zipp/Enve/Cervelo would have made something like these as they offer so many options for so many people if done right. Yes I know that it has to be reinforced but if you can make an aero road drop bar options to run them as just an aero drop, aero drop with extensions and aero drops with armrest.

I really want extensions on my Zipp VukaSprints from time to time while out riding. I am not comfortable doing the ghost extensions so mini extensions would be great.

I think Zipp/ Enve/Cervelo could do a much better implimentation that what 3T is offering and more aero.




I am now thinking that I might go with these but again they are not as aero as I know others could do them and they limit options.

I've got the Bontrager alloy aero bar. I really like it. It's very comfortable in the drops for me. I really like the flat tops, as well.

With regard to aero-ness....who knows? Like Jack said, it's probably not as fast as Zipp or S-works or Enve. But the "eye" test suggests that it can't be that far off, either. And for $200 less in most cases.

And bars are usually the first thing to break or bend in a crash. Since these were crash replacements, I was more comfortable putting an alloy bar for $200 less that *might* cost me a watt or so in aero gains.

YMMV.

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-Stephen in Arkansas

I want to go to there.

Here's a shot of the bonty alloy aero head-on before I mounted the shifters, etc.

Please ignore my less-than-organized garage/pain cave/bike workshop... :)

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-Stephen in Arkansas

Those seem to have plenty room to allow clamping of clip-on aero bars. Have you ever put clip-ons on there, and if yes, what have been your experiences? Thanks for answering. The workshop doesn't look that bad ;) Looks like a decent collection of bikes!

There is a lot of room to clamp on aero bars. I currently have a K-edge garmin mount clamped like an aero bar would, and it's not a problem. The only minor concern would be that when you run the cables through the bars, they exit on the underside of the bar right where the bar widens into a tube for clamping. You've gotta push those cables out of the way a bit to slide the clip on underneath it and then the cable housing will push back against it once they're in place. I can't see any functional or esthetic problem here, though.

Here's a pic with shifters and cabling installed. No bar tape here.



I've never clamped clip-ons to it, though. So, I can't speak directly to that.

Thanks for the nice words about the shop. Yea...I've got a bike problem!

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-Stephen in Arkansas

I have a lot of miles on the Zipp Vuka Sprints, and I like everything about them except that the trailing edge of the bar tops is pretty sharp (it's more or less a true airfoil shape) and so it can create a pressure point on your palms when that sharp trailing edge digs in. I either deal with it because it's not that bad or climb with my hands more flat on the tops and not wrapped around the tops, contacting that trailing edge.

I have lots of buddies on a team sponsored by Giant, and the aero bars that come on their Propels look like they are probably more comfy. But likely not as aero. Will be interested in trying the new Cervelo aero bar to see if it has a sharp or more rounded trailing edge.

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Amateur recreational hobbyist cyclist
https://www.strava.com/athletes/337152
https://vimeo.com/user11846099

Huh...I've never had that issue with Vuka Sprints whatsoever. I wonder if your bar may be too low, or stem too long...or both?

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http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/

Hi Robert,

I've had the same experience with my Vuka Sprint as well. I don't have that problem with the new Cervelo bar - the airfoil is truncated, so the back is flat - and the edges aren't very sharp, so comfort is better for me.

That said, like you, I just hold my hand slightly differently on the tops. Easy to adapt to.

Cheers,

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Damon Rinard
Engineering Manager,
CSG Road Engineering Department
Cannondale & GT Bicycles
(ex-Cervelo, ex-Trek, ex-Velomax, ex-Kestrel)

Hi

what is more aerodynamic? An aero road bar which usually go down to 40cm width or a 3T ergonova you get in 38cm width?

An aero road bar that goes down to 38cm. The Bontrager ones are available in 38cm

any 38cm bar is technically going to be more aero than a 44cm or 42cm because it is going to narrow your profile while riding the bike. I think Adam Hansen rides a 38cm bar in the pro's for this reason.

SO a 38cm aero road bar I believe would be the best choice.

Thank you! I didn't know it. ENVE also has a narrow bar.

I spend a lot of time on the unwrapped tops of my 40cm (o-o) Zipp SL-70 Aero bars. The shape is noticeably different than the Vukasprints which I've also run. I'd say they feel a bit stiffer but I'm lighter now than I was when running the Vukas and I'm also running a narrower bar now.

As for being more aero... well.. they sure make the bike look faster! And my invisible-aero-bar position is a lot more comfortable than it was on the Ergonovas!

Those have a pretty nice shape considering they are aluminum.

I really like the tops of my VukaSprints when riding. I have not noticed the sharp trailing edge but that might be the way that I hold the bars. I have these on my aero road bike and they really are amazing bars.

Hi Bman,

Nice barstem!

Yep, the Vuka Sprint is a very nice bar. The trailing edge isn't all that bad, I just noticed it (as did Robert) and I adjusted my hand position, NBD. It's very fast too, the second fastest bar we tested.

Cheers,

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Damon Rinard
Engineering Manager,
CSG Road Engineering Department
Cannondale & GT Bicycles
(ex-Cervelo, ex-Trek, ex-Velomax, ex-Kestrel)

Maybe I should send you my bars to test against the fastest bar you tested. I wonder if not having the front clamp section tests faster or if having your solid front part diverts when air over a standard clamp.

Either way these bars are on my Cervelo and I might change them out and move to the new cervelo bars with the TriRig stem.

Curious if anyone has seen, ridden, or tested these aero road bars:

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/ftb/road-components/handlebars/sworks-aerofly-carbon-handlebar


They look slick, but not sure how they would compare to the Zipp and Bontrager in both comfort and aero testing.

Would be nice to test your barstem, but no promises - we already have more ideas than testing time. ;-)

Regarding your stem choice, we found a "streamlined" clamp resulted in more drag overall. So we canned the "aero" stem part of the project (niiice - that was a structural nightmare).

In fact, when we added a Garmin 800 on top of the stem (standard quarter turn mount with rubber O-rings), the drag went down again, saving 20 grams (at 30.0 mph).

Bottom line, we recommend using a standard 4-bolt face plate and a Garmin with your Cervelo drop bars.

Cheers,

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Damon Rinard
Engineering Manager,
CSG Road Engineering Department
Cannondale & GT Bicycles
(ex-Cervelo, ex-Trek, ex-Velomax, ex-Kestrel)

Good news as I just bought a new Garmin 500 which I will happily put on my standard stem and your new bars. Thanks for the heads up.

Saves me money on the stem as I can go with something less expensive.