Hi all,
I’m most comfortable in the aerobars with my arms angled into a vee instead of straight forward:
http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_photo.asp?PID=&EVENTID=31250&PWD=&ID=48039657&FROM=browser&START=145&SHOW=36&CAT=172040&SUB=0
This seems like it should be a reasonably aerodynamic position, and it feels comfortable. What makes it unpopular/wrong? It’s very different from the “consensus” position.
I’m pretty new to the sport–please help me understand! Thanks for any input.
I think it’s fine I do about the same.I have my elbow rests just inside my shoulder width and angle the bar ends so my hands touch.
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oh, how tall are you? I’m only 5’6"–maybe it’s less comfortable/aero for bigger people to have their arms that close? I haven’t seen a lot of pics of (shorter) women, so i don’t know if their aero bar setup tends to be different.
I had been doing the same thing, however, I now believe it is not the best way to go. Think of the frontal area you are creating by riding like this compared to having your arms going straight out…
V Shape…
Straight arms
…
(the dots are just to separate the two brackets)
Though the dimensions aren’t exact, I think you understand my point. I believe you would be better off with the elbow rests further apart and having your arms extend in line with the bike. This will help compfort and aerodynamics. The only time I think it is better to keep your hands close like that is when your entire forearm is close together. Also, with your arms apart it also only breaks the air once, as opposed to breaking over your hands, reforming, and then rebreaking over the stem.
This is all from my observation and I was faster around my 6mi loop after changing my arm position. Though, there are many factors that changed between runs I still think the straight arms are faster, and allow for more comfort.
I believe that I once heard that when looking “straight on” - there should be about an 1" of your thigh showing outside of your elbows. (Cobb maybe?) If your elbows are too close - the wind “sees” more of your thigh. I use a tapered “V” method myself. I find it comfortable and I can breath. If you have them in too close - it’s going to affect your breathing. YMMV.
Comfort and breathing are probably more important as you ride longer distance races. Your 10 mile TT setup should probably be different than an IM setup.
Elbow width looks OK. You don’t see many people with arms perfectly straight forward. Maybe some British track racers.
I’d worry more about your fingers - sticking them out into the airflow like that is causing all sorts of drag. 
And it looks like your helmet visor is doing a good job of keeping the bugs off of your forehead!
Rik
Remember that the aerodynamics of track racing are different from road racing.
I’ve always assumed that your upper arm wants to be in line with your legs to get the best aerodynamics.
I had been doing the same thing, however, I now believe it is not the best way to go. Think of the frontal area you are creating by riding like this compared to having your arms going straight out…
V Shape…
Straight arms
…
(the dots are just to separate the two brackets)
i don’t think this is right…my impression is that the most aero is to get the air to flow ‘around’ the whole rider and not ‘through’…
I look at pictures of the faster guys out there. It’s all about you, but this guy has pretty effective form…
Remember that the aerodynamics of track racing are different from road racing.
How so? Narrower range of yaw angles?
Narrower and more predictable.
If I remember/am translating the lessons that I’ve learned from John Cobb correctly, it is:
hands together;
elbows no wider than thighs at a maximum;
eblows touching at a miniumn.
Where the aeordynamic optimum lies between the above maxima and minima depends in part on the shape of your shoulder and how it changes (or doesn’t) as you move your elbows. Specifally, what John refers to as “square shouldered” riders need to have their elbows wider than “round shouldered” riders.
To add my own wrinkle: I think it also depends on the size of your noggin, and how you (can) hold it. Specifically, widening your elbows a bit may, in some cases, allow you to drop your spine/neck between your shoulders better, thus helping you keeping your head “turtled”.
would you consider this a square shoulder or round?
This works for me Sprint to IM
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Something else worth mentioning is that if you are squared shouldered and you go with a tapered hand position it can often cause your shoulders to ‘flare’ outwards. Try it in a mirror to see what i mean.
I’ve tried using a narrow aero bar set up similar to the photos above, but was getting pain in the muscles by my scapulas during long rides. I’m pretty broad shouldered, and the narrow bar position forced me to round my back. After a bike fitting by JT Lyons at Moment Cycle Sports, I was riding with the bars in a much wider position and the discomfort went away. Maybe I lost a little aero on my hand position but the tradeoff in comfort was worth it.
would you consider this a square shoulder or round?
I’d have to say “round”, but based on the pics that John used to illustrate his idea I was never entirely certain of the difference. Maybe he’ll chime in and confirm or deny my conclusion, and/or expound a bit on what to look for.
I was able to spend last Friday, with John Cobb getting fitted on my TT bike (highly recommend a trip to Tyler, TX to see him). If I understand John correctly, I have wide shoulders and a flat back. He widened my elbow cup position so that it would “hide my legs more.” The bars angle together toward the ends of the extensions now. I tried to be a sponge and ask as many questions as I could and soak up the answers, but I didn’t ask about why he angled the extensions.