Most people find them to be more comfortable when holding onto the extensions. Basically it relieves wrist stress created by extensions that shoot almost straight off the front of the basebar. It really depends on how you hold on to the bar.

S-bends look sleeker and the bike tests faster (bike alone in the tunnel). Ski bends are more comfortable for most people and test as fast or faster (bike+rider).

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Ski bends if you want to look like a slow noob
S-bend if you wanna look fast and cool.

I'm not even kidding here.

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Endurance coach | Physiotherapist (primary care) | Bikefitter | Swede

I like that.

I like looking like a slow noob with my ski bends.... mismatched wheels, 4 year old Trek SC7 with 105 Stages crank. It's awesome!

It's just a matter of preference with what feels comfortable for your wrists. I doubt there's a significant difference in a wind tunnel. CDA isn't going to change much, assuming you trim the ski bend height as short as possible to match you hand size. S bends tiltyou hand down below your arm. Ski bends keep you hands inline with you arms or just above.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

I got to admit even though I would be now considered a slow noob but agree with this from a looks standpoint.

Comfort wise my wrists prefer the ski-bends over the s-bends (or f-bends that Felt calls them that originally came with my bike). The bike definitely looked cooler and faster with the f-bend bars than the Ski's (which somehow made it look a little slower and cheaper by after I changed it out). But oh well, I'd rather look slower than have carpal tunnel in order to look faster (if I was a pro then maybe I'd suck it up if a few seconds overall if money was on the line but I am an overall MOP guy still trying to get my training consistent). At least the rest of my bike matches and looks great (even my crankset arms match the frame color scheme which was not planned but I'll take it).

Personally I'd rather be fast (and comfortable) than look fast.

Some of the noobs using ski bend:

David Millar


Bradley Wiggins


The Hoff


I agree that the S-bends look sleeker and more "pro", but more and more of the pros are switching back to ski bends as they realize the comfort and aero advantages.

Lots of the guys are going with a "lazy" ski bend that splits the difference.

Sebi

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)