Can We Adopt A Resolution On The Correct Spelling Of "Aero Bars?"

Triathlon Forum
1

Its quite fascinating how many different ways people spell aero bars, all one has to do is try to search for “them” on Ebay. Some do not make it plural, some make it singular. Notice I keep using the pronoun “it” or I might as well refer to them with a pronoun, “them,” for I myself do not know how to correctly spell “it” or “them,” or know its correct pluralization.

In fact, I used to know and have no problem spelling this as “aero bar,” but now I have caught the disease from having read a multitude of different spellings and pluralizations and renderings of this term, I no longer know.

Is it one thing, or multiple things? Is the word in two parts or one part?

Some combine it, as “aerobar,” but for others, its “aero bar.” The most common way to spell it appears to be “aero bar,” broken in half, not combined, but made singular. You may say, “sure, that’s it,” but wait.

Wait.

Isn’t it quite more common to hear someone ask, “what kind of aerobars do you have?”

“I use a Syntace C2.”

He has only one aero bar, though, but he refers to them as his “aero bars.”

So, to get them all in your search on Ebay, you have to resort to something like this: (aerobars, aero bars, aerobar aero bar) and even aero-bar and aero-bars because I HAVE SEEN THE DASH used, too. This is a new one. The aero-bar.

How long will this insanity go on?

Who can answer this riddle?

Thankyou, Thank You, Thank-you…

2

In Canada, we can become even more confused because long before there was triathlon, we still had an Aero bar. The bubbles melt in your mouth. Were you to eat more than one, I guess it would be Aero bars, but then you’d risk taking in too many empty calories.

http://www.britishdelights.com/images/aero.jpg

3

Hey Boothrand

Ok what about this, if your going out to get new set or bars do you say “ I’m going to buy a new set of Bar” or “ I’m going to buy a new set of Bars” ? There not a “set” witch would indicate 2 of something? So? It must be “Bars” because they have two sides when they’re in the stem?

Dan…

4

You still have to to first decide if it is a plural noun or singular noun. Then, step 2, would be to decide if the term is a compound word or phrase.

It may be years before we can even complete the “White Paper” on the first issue here. I can’t see us resolving the first issue by 2009.

I would submit to you that there are two ways of thinking about this.

One is that an “aero bar” is one thing, that, although it is composed of parts, it is at most “a bar” of some kind, like a handle bar is a “bar,” or that a hair dryer is a “hair dryer,” or a “rake” is a “rake,” etc. The hair dryer has a cord, and switch, and thousands of internal parts, but it is one thing. We don’t walk around and say, “I am selling my hair dryers on Ebay,” if it is one hair dryer.

On the other hand, an aero bar is not a continuous thing, really, which is self-contained like a hair dryer. It has two ends, two extensions, and it can be broken into parts, quite easily; so it reasonable to believe people think of it as “aero bars,” bar on the right (an extension) bar on the left (other extension), much like we say “handle bars” for one Handle bar, because there’s a drop on the left and there’s a drop on the right.

5

Hey Boothrand

Ok what about this, if your going out to get new set or bars do you say “ I’m going to buy a new set of Bar” or “ I’m going to buy a new set of Bars” ? There not a “set” witch would indicate 2 of something? So? It must be “Bars” because they have two sides when they’re in the stem?

Dan…

Ok what about this, if you’re going out to get (a) new … bar do you say “ I’m going to buy a new … Bar” or “ I’m going to buy a new … Bar” ? They’re not a “set” which would indicate two of something? It must be “Bars” because they have two sides when they’re in the stem?

Who say’s it’s a “set”?

6

A “pair” of pants or glasses… one item with two legs or temples respectively, is plural in some cases.

7

" … a hair dryer is a “hair dryer,” … We don’t walk around and say, “I am selling my hair dryers on Ebay,” if it is one hair dryer."

I don’t mean to depart from the original question, but shouldn’t it be hairs dryer? Clearly, these are not designed to dry one hair at a time. :wink:

Similarly, toothbrush should be teethbrush.

8

You still have to to first decide if it is a plural noun or singular noun. Then, step 2, would be to decide if the term is a compound word or phrase.
I vote for “aerobars”. Why? Because it is consistent with “handlebars”. OK, I know that “handlebar” can be singular, too. So “aerobar” is also allowable :slight_smile: