Best/easiest aero bar setup for wind tunnel/track testing AND some track testing ?s

Triathlon Forum
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I’m debating heading to a wind tunnel in the next couple months to work on TT positioning. What type of aero bar setup would be recommended that not only has a lot of adjustment but would also facilitate quick adjustments so that time is not wasted fiddiling with adjustments? The actual ‘aeroness’ of the bars is not important - when I find out my ideal setup/position, then I’ll drop the cash if needed for an ‘aero’ setup such as some old school VT Trimax bars or some sleek new Hed bars. Do bullhorn bars with separately mounted arm rests and extensions work best? I currently run bullhorn bars with seperate pads and a Deda clip on bar as shown below. I can slide the bar forward and back as well as tip it up or down to adjust height. It doesn’t offer much in hand width or hand angle adjustments however.

Another option I have would be to head up to the T-Town velodrome and do testing there by myself. Has anyone done both and can offer any coments on the ease of getting results from track tests? What type of length/time is recommended per test? I would think 3 to 5 reps would need to be done for each variable being tested to minimize the standard deviation. I’m guessing they would be done at something like 75% FTP so that speeds are fairly high to simulate races speeds as close as possible while still allowing many tests to be run in the same day. What’s the best way to correct for minor variations in power? While the velodrome is outdoors, it is shielded by the surrounding winds pretty well by the high bankings and fence. Plus, as I’d be riding in circles, the overall wind angle would effectively be 0 degrees, correct? What are the usual changes the employees at wind tunnels make to a rider to start experimenting with different positions? Are there a few positions that seem to work well for most people? Currently, my pads are spread about 5 1/2" apart C-t-C and my hands are basically touching. I have roughly a 120 degree bend at the elbows and my back is mainly flat.

As far as time goes, is 1 hour enough in the wind tunnel (I’d be looking at the A2 tunnel in NC for $380 an hour)? A trip down there would be a minimum of $500 compared to free track time. Would that $500 be better spent/saved for other bike gear/other life necessities or is track testing just fine? Has anyone tested on a track by themselves or do you really need a partner to facilitate with accurate timing?

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A Salsa adjustable stem kit or a Cunningham stem will work very well for all of your testing. Testing at a track is best done with at least 2 people, the accuracy of timing per lap will be very critical. At the track, you really need an air density meter or Kestrel Weather station to track the weather changes. This is important because a 10% change in air density will effect the roll out of the tires measurably. Over the course of the test you need to correct for this and continue to measure the roll out distance. When you’re testing in the tunnel for rider position, use stock wheels, it makes the changes at yaw more repeatable and you really need to repeat some of the runs to be sure the data or changes are consistant.