I have a question about hand placement on the aero bars. I ride a P5-six with the 3T aduro bars, Retul fit by an experienced fitter; super comfortable.
My only question is this…what is the optimal aero position for my hands on the bars. My aero bars are the “ski jump” variety…and currently I have then “turned in slightly” which means both of my thumbs touch right at the furthest extension of the bars, just below the shifters. Would there be an advantages to rotating the bars “outwards” so that my thumbs would no longer touch? (Aero, comfort, fit etc.) I am also riding a x-lab torpedo BTA system which I love for comfort…cold bottle means cooler forearms for a while.
Only you can say what is most comfortable for you. To know which position is more aero would be one of those things you need a wind tunnel to figure out. When it doubt, go narrow, though!
Some people have found that stacking your hands on top of each other is fast, if you get your head close to them, like Zabriskie does
For the P5 with the Arduro aero bar, it’s important to keep you hands high up on the extensions. If you don’t, you arms end up angling down from elbow to wrist, and this is a very poor position aerodynamically. It’s one of the big complaints I have with that bike/bar - it needs angular adjustment capability.
A good example, by the way, is picture #1 of the first set of Kona pictures on the Slowtwitch home page.
yeah, but pic one is straight extensions, ski bends offer plenty of rise(withing new uci requiements for next year, i know i know, they don’t apply here)
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You know Jim’s day job is actually measuring this stuff right?
Tony Martin, almost completely straight, note that in this image the entire bike is angled down:
and below that a pic of Fabian, sometimes his arms appears more angled down that others, perhaps as he adjusts his grip? Anyway, being bad aerodynamically is a repeatedly measured thing. Fitting into the UCI rules, and comfort are another thing all together.
Though angled down has always been horrifically uncomfortable to me I don’t know why so many people tend towards that.
"… angling down from elbow to wrist, and this is a very poor position aerodynamically. "
Yep. It really sucked for Tony Martin and Spartacus.
I don’t know Jim. I strongly suspect that Tony Martin and Fabian Cancellata have spent a fair amount of time in the wind tunnel and would not have their arms angling downward as they quite obviously do in photo after photo if that was so terrible for them, aerodynamically. As far as that being merely some concession to UCI requirements, there are plenty of riders racing UCI positions with arms that angle upwards (many seemingly far beyond what the rules would seem to allow … But hey, that’s the UCI).
I’ll concede that scooping ala Jan Ullrich and Cadel Evans probably takes things too far, but a slight downward angle of the forearms clearly works for some individuals. Maybe it’s suboptimal, aerodynamically, in some respects, but allows the rider to achieve a more optimal head or back position, or a better power output. Who knows. I just think Jim’s blanket statement is a little out there.
Upon further review, I’m wondering if that arm position isn’t a concession to narrowness … Facilitates bringing the elbows together and scrunching the shoulders more. For sure Martin knows how to get his upper body narrow.
I have a question about hand placement on the aero bars. I ride a P5-six with the 3T aduro bars, Retul fit by an experienced fitter; super comfortable.
My only question is this…what is the optimal aero position for my hands on the bars. My aero bars are the “ski jump” variety…and currently I have then “turned in slightly” which means both of my thumbs touch right at the furthest extension of the bars, just below the shifters. Would there be an advantages to rotating the bars “outwards” so that my thumbs would no longer touch? (Aero, comfort, fit etc.) I am also riding a x-lab torpedo BTA system which I love for comfort…cold bottle means cooler forearms for a while.
I’m interested in this topic as well. I’m no expert and I’m trying out various positions on my s-bends to see what seems to work well. I find it comfortable to change my position frequently but so far my favorite single position is to put my hands together, flat and open, in a straight-finger praying position. The knuckles rest against the insides of the extensions. Since it’s also a fairly narrow position I imagine it might be relatively aerodynamic but who knows.
I strongly suspect that Tony Martin and Fabian Cancellara have spent a fair amount of time in the wind tunnel and would not have their arms angling downward as they quite obviously do in photo after photo if that was so terrible for them, aerodynamically.
It probably isn’t terrible for them, but a lot of riders do not choose what is optimal… but rather go with something they are accustomed to or that they “like”… for whatever reason.
yeah, but pic one is straight extensions, ski bends offer plenty of rise(withing new uci requiements for next year, i know i know, they don’t apply here)
What are the new UCI rules regarding hand position? I am didn’t know there was a change.
