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I can't ride on aerobars
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I got myself a tri bike and I can't handle riding on aerobars. I can ride with either hand on the aerobar for a few minutes then I freak out and put both hands back on the hoods but most of the time I'm just too freaked. I've tried almost everything, riding without cleats, riding the tri bike with just hands on the hoods for starters (never progressed beyond that), just can't do it.

Any tips or tricks? I know it comes like second nature to some people but unfortunately I'm not one of them. I freak on roads where there are lots of cars (I live in the city so that's just about every other road)....
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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You described me! I was almost to the point of selling my tri bike and buying a road bike, but as a last-ditch effort I moved my bars out almost as far as would go. I feel like I have MUCH better control this way. Even now I still only ride in aero on flat or uphill, traffic-free roads for no more than a mile or so at a time, but if I ever do get more comfortable, I can always move the bars back in a bit at a time.

It's not a bad idea to ride in the hoods anyway if you are in traffic, just in case you need to brake in a hurry.

http://mediocremultisport.blogspot.com
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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You are not alone, I am an experienced roadie, turned triathlete, and I am not comfortable on the aerobars in traffic - mainly because you have no ability to control your speed in the aerobars - you have to shift your hands to the bullhorns to get to your brakes. In traffic, I want to be able to stop as quickly as possible due to the proximity of cars.

Assuming you have another bike to ride, I would save riding your tribike for when you can take it out of the city on routes you feel comfortable - like roads with big shoulders and very few intersections. Practice riding a few minutes in aerobars and then sit up for a few minutes. As you gain experience on it, you will be able to put more time in on the aerobars. Also practice shifting from aerobars to bullhorns on the trainer so you feel comfortable moving between the two positions.

Also - did you get fit to the bike? I would go back to the shop and explain your difficulties - if you have an aggressive position, you might also be reacting to how your weight is distributed over the front end - a more upright position might be more user friendly as you get used to the bike. You can revisit your position as you get more comfortable.

We have all been there - assuming you have a comfortable position, time in the saddle will help alot! Don't worry too much about being low yet - just get comfortable and then you can worry about the most aerodynamic position.

Good luck!
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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Two ways to get used to adapt to your aero bars: fit and practice. It took me a long time to feel comfortable with my bars. I started with clip ons on my road bike, and initially could only hold on to them for seconds. I added time in aero incrementally, and finally got to the point where I could spend a good amount of time in them. Still, I never really felt comfortable until I got a TT bike, and I didn't really feel like I was faster there. Once I got used to that and kept tweaking the fit, I finally got to the point where I could live in aero and was achieving better speed. In fact, I was just riding my roadie the other day and lamenting that I couldn't drop to aero.

I think it would have taken me a lot more time to get used to it if I practiced initially in traffic. I found empty roads to practice on and drilled there, e.g., stay in aero for a minute longer than last time, hold a straight line in aero, etc., until I felt like I had control of the bike in that position. It is definitely worth it, but it does take much time and practice.
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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hokeypokey wrote:
I got myself a tri bike and I can't handle riding on aerobars. I can ride with either hand on the aerobar for a few minutes then I freak out and put both hands back on the hoods but most of the time I'm just too freaked. I've tried almost everything, riding without cleats, riding the tri bike with just hands on the hoods for starters (never progressed beyond that), just can't do it.

Any tips or tricks? I know it comes like second nature to some people but unfortunately I'm not one of them. I freak on roads where there are lots of cars (I live in the city so that's just about every other road)....


Lots of good advice here. I used to race road bikes a long time ago and even did the odd mtn bike race in the fall after the road season ended. So I have pretty good bike handling skills. I got my tri bike a couple years ago. I remember the first outdoor bike ride I was really feeling out of my comfort zone with the position. I didn't take my hands off the areo bars for many miles. It took a few more rides before I could easily move my hands from the aero bars to the horns. And it took probably over a week to feel comfortable enough to grab my water bottle. I have a BMC time machine (hand-me down from a previous coach) which is awesome and fast but super twitchy. I still joke around about just moving my eyebrow and the bike will twitch. The moral to my story is it just takes time to get used to it. I still ride the horns in traffic and down long descents.

Perhaps on each ride, try to stay in your aero bars a little longer each time. And I also agree a pro bike fit is worth it. Best wishes!

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.
Last edited by: Herding Cats: Jan 20, 16 15:19
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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No advice but I wanted to say thank you for posting this because I have been too embarrassed to admit that I am totally freaked out by my tri-bike. I am having my fit looked at in a couple of weeks - I think my seat is too high which means I feel really unstable even trying to get on and my other half even bought me some flat pedals (which I haven't had a chance to try because I bought my bike in November and hello snow).
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [themadcyclist] [ In reply to ]
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themadcyclist wrote:
You are not alone, I am an experienced roadie, turned triathlete, and I am not comfortable on the aerobars in traffic - mainly because you have no ability to control your speed in the aerobars - you have to shift your hands to the bullhorns to get to your brakes. In traffic, I want to be able to stop as quickly as possible due to the proximity of cars.

Assuming you have another bike to ride, I would save riding your tribike for when you can take it out of the city on routes you feel comfortable - like roads with big shoulders and very few intersections. Practice riding a few minutes in aerobars and then sit up for a few minutes. As you gain experience on it, you will be able to put more time in on the aerobars. Also practice shifting from aerobars to bullhorns on the trainer so you feel comfortable moving between the two positions.

Also - did you get fit to the bike? I would go back to the shop and explain your difficulties - if you have an aggressive position, you might also be reacting to how your weight is distributed over the front end - a more upright position might be more user friendly as you get used to the bike. You can revisit your position as you get more comfortable.

We have all been there - assuming you have a comfortable position, time in the saddle will help alot! Don't worry too much about being low yet - just get comfortable and then you can worry about the most aerodynamic position.

Good luck!

Thanks guys! Appreciate the help! I actually did get fitted but the fit was too aggressive that I felt even more uncomfortable, so I've taken to pushing the seat post down a little more so that more weight is on my a**. I'll move it back up when I do get more comfortable (if ever.....it seems like such a faraway goal).

In an almost last ditch attempt to get used to the aerobars, I bought a pair of parabolic rollers that are supposedly easier to use and set them up in a corridor in the house. I just did my first session and I've successfully managed to smash myself on both sides of the walls....repeatedly. I guess they say no pain no gain. But I figure smashing the walls is better than smashing the bike on the road or having a truck run over me.

My partner's favourite hobby is watching me trying to ride on the aerobars and then laughing his a** off. Guess he won't be getting dinner for awhile.
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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Rather than the (unholy) rollers, have you tried just putting it on a trainer to get a feel for the aero position without needing to worry about balance or traffic? It's not the same, but maybe a good first step. If it makes you feel any better, 1/2 block into my first ride on my tri bike I stopped and dismounted -- I thought there was something wrong with the front wheel, or something totally wonky in the front end somewhere. Nope... just me. lol Seriously, I felt like I was going to fall off. And that was riding on the basebar. You just kind of have to trust it and go with it. I got mine second-hand from a pro (similar to your situation), so it was set up aggressively. I now love that bike, and could ride it all day long -- but that said, I don't ride it in stop and go downtown traffic anymore. That's a pain in the neck when your shifters are in a different place from your brakes.

All good now, see? You can do it, don't give up! :) Edited to add: I took the intermediate step of putting clip-on aerobars on my road bike first, which -- while not totally ideal in terms of fit for triathlon -- I found was a good stepping stone to a more dedicated TT position.


Last edited by: surroundhound: Jan 21, 16 5:24
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [surroundhound] [ In reply to ]
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Agree with putting the tri bike on the trainer. And don't ride in aerobars in the city traffic. Leave them for an open road.

Aside from fit, you might also make sure that you are flexible in your back, hips and hamstrings, and just be used to being in the position for a period of time. The trainer is good for that.

clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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Rollers are tough! If you can conquer riding rollers in your aerobars, you will have no problem on the open road. If you have a trainer, you might want to try that first.

In modifying your fit to feel more comfortable, I would not change your saddle height. See if you can move your bars up. You may be able to flip your stem to position the bars higher and feel more comfortable. Better yet, if you can, go back to the shop that did your fit and work with them on modifying your position until you are comfortable.

Good luck! It will take time to adapt, but you will adapt through practice. We've all been there!
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [themadcyclist] [ In reply to ]
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Agree with above. I have no idea how you would ever do it on rollers. I have never even tried them- I'm certain I would die. I echo starting on the regular trainer if it really freaks you out on the road. Also, go back and get a very relaxed fit with bars spaced wide. I like mine tilted up a little as well. If you have a road bike, it may be easier for you to use some clip ons first. And do you know what shape you like? That could make a difference. I feel I have more control and my wrists feel more comfortable with the kind that tip up at the end (like the Profile Design T1, not PD ADL). I started on deserted country roads for a few minutes at a time. Rest, then a few more minutes. And then just keep at it. If regular riding on the road with cars doesn't freak you out, eventually your skill will reassure you. Now I can do everything in the bars, to include eating and standing to pedal or just standing to go over a bump or something. Don't give up.
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [afdrmom] [ In reply to ]
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A note on rollers: Riding a tri bike on the rollers can be done, even in the aerobars, but it takes a lot of practice! The easiest to ride on rollers actually, is a fixed gear bike.

But yes, start on a trainer.

clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [afdrmom] [ In reply to ]
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afdrmom wrote:
Agree with above. I have no idea how you would ever do it on rollers. I have never even tried them- I'm certain I would die. I echo starting on the regular trainer if it really freaks you out on the road. Also, go back and get a very relaxed fit with bars spaced wide. I like mine tilted up a little as well. If you have a road bike, it may be easier for you to use some clip ons first. And do you know what shape you like? That could make a difference. I feel I have more control and my wrists feel more comfortable with the kind that tip up at the end (like the Profile Design T1, not PD ADL). I started on deserted country roads for a few minutes at a time. Rest, then a few more minutes. And then just keep at it. If regular riding on the road with cars doesn't freak you out, eventually your skill will reassure you. Now I can do everything in the bars, to include eating and standing to pedal or just standing to go over a bump or something. Don't give up.

Thanks! Well actually the thing is I am perfectly ok on the trainer, it's really the act of balancing on the road in aero that freaks me out. I feel like if the wind blows in another direction, I might overcompensate the balancing and move my arm too much and wipe out or something like that.

Good tip with the fit and bars spaced wide. I'll go give it a try!

I live in the city so wide roads with no cars/wind is something that I don't have access to. The nearest wide road with fewer cars that I have access to is very windy and while there are fewer vehicles there are large trucks that sometimes travel at high speeds. I've tried a parking lot but being in the city, the carparks are narrow so by the time you get up to a decent speed that's like half of the lot gone and in another few pedal strokes you gotta get up and make a U-turn.

Will-not-give-up!
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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You are not alone! I felt the same way when I made the jump from a road bike to a triathlon bike a few years ago. I spent the winter on the trainer, but that did not really prepare me for riding outside and I very vividly remembering feeling terrified on my first ride outdoors. I spent very little time in aero once I realized how unsteady I felt. Fortunately I was living in Philadelphia at the time and one of the roads just outside of the city closes to cars on weekends starting in April, so I stuck to riding back and forth on that 4 mile stretch until I was comfortable in the aero position. That is just my personal anecdote, and here are some tips. If you can definitely practice on a trainer, while it cannot really simulate outdoor riding, you can at least make sure you are comfortable in aero indoors. This will help develop the core strength you need to ride on the aerobars, as well as figure out if there are any issues with your fit. I will also echo what others have said as far as ensuring you have a good fit. If you are not set-up correctly, that could lead you to feeling unstable when in the aero bars.

You will get there! It takes time, but the more you ride the better it will get. It may mean doing laps around the parking lot or in a neighborhood, but you will get there!

Emily Sherrard
@EmSher1
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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My two cents on rollers - totally worth the effort. However I'm honestly uncertain parabolic rollers are the easier model to use. I understand they're marketed as such, but riding rollers already feels a bit like biking on ice (ask me how I know that). In my opinion, some movement left and right across the rollers is a bit natural and having an uprise that moves you back - well I'm not really interested in outside influences altering the trajectory of the bike. That's not my idea of easier. Particularly on a TT bike where it already feels like so much of your weight is positioned precariously over the front wheel (until you get used to that sensation, it's frankly unnerving).

Several people advise putting them in a doorway, I have never done that. I had them set up next to my dryer with lots of open space to the other side. So if I felt wobbly, I "dove" for the stable protection of the dryer. If I went off the edge the other way and fell, I had a large open area to land. I was honestly more concerned about protecting the bike than myself, which may be better b/c I just fell over (really not so bad) instead of bracing myself with my wrists and hurting them (broke my wrist as a kid falling off a bike and sticking arms straight out to stop - a habit I abandonded when I picked up snowboarding).

PS, balancing on a bike really can be easier if your feet are clipped to the pedals. I have stayed upright before because my foot was clipped in (years ago, decending a wet corner on my road bike, wheels slipped out, fierce attempt to rip my foot off the inside pedal to put my foot down instead resulted in putting the bike upright and I rolled right out of the skid, cheering with a loud Wooo whooo!)

Also for getting used to the rollers (mine are travel trac, straight not parbolic), I use A LOT of self talk. Well, self badgering would really be more like it.
<me to self> "Stop freaking out!. STOP IT! See, you're fine. FINE! Ok, now we're fine."

I also listen to loud music to help cover up the sounds of the insanity...

To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.
Last edited by: Tsunami: Jan 27, 16 6:55
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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Have you had a bike fit at all? If the bars are quite low it would be very difficult for someone with no experience to get into them and makes it more difficult. Try rising them up until you feel more comfortable. And also do this first on an indoor trainer.

Angela Naeth
http://www.angelanaeth.com
http://www.iracelikeagirl.com
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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Quote:

Thanks guys! Appreciate the help! I actually did get fitted but the fit was too aggressive that I felt even more uncomfortable, so I've taken to pushing the seat post down a little more so that more weight is on my a**. I'll move it back up when I do get more comfortable (if ever.....it seems like such a faraway goal).

In an almost last ditch attempt to get used to the aerobars, I bought a pair of parabolic rollers that are supposedly easier to use and set them up in a corridor in the house. I just did my first session and I've successfully managed to smash myself on both sides of the walls....repeatedly. I guess they say no pain no gain. But I figure smashing the walls is better than smashing the bike on the road or having a truck run over me.

My partner's favourite hobby is watching me trying to ride on the aerobars and then laughing his a** off. Guess he won't be getting dinner for awhile.


When I went back to riding a tri bike after years of riding my road bike, I installed a riser stem on the tri bike to bring the bars up a good bit as the stem was cut for a more aggressive position then I could handle. If your fit is too aggressive, that might help you quite a bit. Mine was an adjustable stem and was pretty cheap. I kept lowering the rise bit by bit and removed it a long time ago.
Last edited by: lam: Feb 16, 16 11:29
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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How is it going with your aerobar riding?

I just wanted to put in my 2c about rollers - ones that can move fore and aft are easier. The parabolic as someone else here has pointed out does not make it any easier than regular. I have a pair of cheap Nashbar rollers and I built it a frame and attached roller blade wheels and bungee cords. This actually does make it easier to ride them. The pic is only a prop! I have yet to muster the courage to get on them on my tri bike. I do ride them on my road bike from time to time.



Keep practicing, and you will get better!

Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
Last edited by: DrTriKat: Feb 16, 16 13:48
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [DrTriKat] [ In reply to ]
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Wow that does look amazing!

Great tip from above about the riser stem too. I'll go search for one that I can mount on the bike.

Still work in progress, but I've moved the bars wider so that does make a difference.

Been incredibly busy lately and training has kinda taken a step back. Just got back into training last week but am already missing a couple of sessions this week because of work and life. Need to get my act together and start working harder!
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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I can't ride aerobars either. In my case, I think because I am so small (less than 85 lbs) I can't put enough weight into them to keep them steady over bumps in the road or gusts of wind. So, I don't ride them. I call it a community service ;) It's better for everyone if I'm not all over the road!
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [Herding Cats] [ In reply to ]
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which time machine do you have?
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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It can feel unsettling at first. If you are not adapting to it, it can be the geometry of the bike and set up. When I was looking to buy my second Tri bike I tried several different brands and although I was very comfortable in the aero position I remember ( I think it was a Felt ) that was terrible. I felt like I was way out over the handlebars and could take a header at any moment and the handling was very twitchy because of my arm position and center of balance. Of course that's not the bike I ended up getting but If this were my first Tri bike and I had no idea how the aero position could feel I don't think I would ever have been comfortable and may have given up.
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [NormM] [ In reply to ]
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I remember being very nervous at first in aero - and a fit definitely did help along with some instruction from the fitter. Actually, my fitters parting words were something like I needed to work on it every day because the bike is only worth it if you'll go into aero otherwise I should ride my road bike. It definitely took some weeks to get used to. I remember doing laps around my house and going aero for 5 seconds then 10 and so on.

Now, I think that's the most stable position on my bike (shiv). In fact I remind myself of that when I'm descending and in cross winds to just engage my core, relax my shoulders and balance on the bike. I find the bike much twitchier when I sit up and hold onto the hoods.
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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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it took me a long time and then the next trick is reaching for your water bottle in the bars, but it has been a couple years now and i hardly remember not being able to use them.

i started just riding 1 arm in the bars until that was comfortable. then i got a VERY wide, empty area and worked on both arms. for a while i'd go back and forth between 1 arm and both arms but eventually (month or so?) got comfortable. then i worked at reaching for the water bottle. :)

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Re: I can't ride on aerobars [hokeypokey] [ In reply to ]
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I think everyone has gone through this at some point. I was very jumpy on the aero bars to start with, heart in mouth moment for sure!

I used to go for 20 secs at a time on a straight piece of road with no one around me. Some of my sessions were literally 5km up and down a straight road between two roundabouts and I gradually built up a bit at a time.

I am still very nervous in a group ride. I drop off the back if I go on the aero bars.
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