Tom, I was in total agreement with you about the S-bends, right up until the opposition to you proved unanimous.
I don’t ride any aero bars at all, but the S-bends have always looked awkward, and the traditional bars look far more ergonomic. Everyone who’s actually ridden S-bends apparently disagrees, though, so . . .
What issues, as a fitter, have you seen with the S-bends? Why are they a bad idea?
Can I answer for him?
Read my write up on www.bikesport…
He’s got a whole article about them on his website and it was debated on here to the tune of 50+ posts.
I think that as the rider gets steeper and their backs flatten they’ll tend to tolerate s-bends more and more. Heck, they may even seek them out.
Tom’s been around for a while and he views them as a fad.
Alright, I didn’t realized he’d written about them on his site. I’ll check it out.
Personally, when Tom thinks something is a fad, I’m inclined to think he’s right. Especially when the things look so awkward to start with.
In addition to the info on our website here are some additional insights:
I rode with Profile T2’s and Visiontech R bends throught the later half of the 2005 season and at the beginning of 2006. By mid 2006 I had gone back to Visiontech ski bend aerobars. We noticed a few customers- not a lot, but a few complaining about the “S” bends and that their wrists and hands and forearms and shoulders bothered them. As a result of the few customers who mentioned discomfort with the S and R bend bars we tried swapping ski bends onto S bend aerobar equipped bikes during a fitting. Note that I didn’t say anything to consumers that influenced them either way- I simply said, “Want to try these?”. We’d quickly unbolt the S bends, let the aero extensions with the shift cables and shifters in them hang and bolt on Visiontech ski bends in place for the customer to try on the trainer. Then I ask, “which do you like better?” Hands down: Ski bends. It is **not **in our best financial interest (at least short term) to swap out S and R bends for ski bends. We don’t charge for it. It is part of the fit. I wager it ultimately costs us. I do think it is an **option **worth considering during the fit in much the same way you may try different pedals, shoes or saddles. The statistical fact based on an audit of our fittings is that consumers prefer ski bend aerobars to S or R bends when given the choice. This has nothing to with our preference. The key here is when the customer is given the choice, they have been picking ski bends on their own.
Now, there are some technical things going on here. I will say (and this is the opinion part) that S and R bends are well suited for time trials and shorter events when an athlete is willing to use some upper body strength to augment their pedalling by bracing their torso against their legs when pedalling forcefully. Here’s the thing- you are either using your arms to a greater degree than ski bends or, as Rappstar mentioned in his post, they are resting their hands on top of the bars, which removes your grip on the bar (that frightens me) and takes your hands well away from the shifters.
Also, the ergonomics are (opinion again) not as good at the shifter with S bends since the bar end shifter points almost directly downward (depending on bar angle) when the shifter is in the largest gears (11,12,13 tooth cogs). I don’t like that- it is tough to shift with the lever positoned that way- in either direction.
Everybody has a right to an opinion. Here are is my summary:
That’s it.
Alright, I didn’t realized he’d written about them on his site. I’ll check it out.
Personally, when Tom thinks something is a fad, I’m inclined to think he’s right. Especially when the things look so awkward to start with.
BUT Tom also promoted these when they came out, I know I bought mine from him.
Tom,
It’s my opinion to, that the ski-bends are more comfortable for me. From what I have felt and seen the Vison Tech extentions with just the subtle upward bend at the end are just right. If I was building up a dedicated TT/Tri-bike, that is what I would build my front end with. For me it seems to offer the best combination of comfort and an anchor for added leverage when needed.
Well, I agree with all of that, and I agreed with everything in your article. So you got that going for ya.
Maybe they fins s-bends uncomfortable because you fit them with their seats too high.
It’s my opinion to, that the ski-bends are more comfortable for me
Frankly, it seems self-evident that the ski-bends are going to be more comfortable for about 98.4% of the population. Which I’d guess is why Jordan only rests his hands on top of them, instead of gripping them.
Maybe I’m a fad.
I like my s-bends…it is more comfortable for my wrists…but I think it is relative…what is comfortable and efficient for one may not be for the other. I had the other kind (call’em “up” bars) and my hands and forearms are much more comfy on the s bends. I think it is a matter of preference more than anything.
"Maybe I’m a fad. "
No…you’ve been around too long. And you’re almost at 20K. Besides, I’m not arguing.
I’ve changed aerobars a few times. I liked the Blackwells but had some problems with them. Now I’m on a frenkenbar. Zipp pads and holders with Oval Single bend carbon extensions–all bolted to a Bontrager carbon base bar. I would probably like the Easton Attack bars, too.
I like the single bend bars, but didn’t like the Visions or the Profile TriStryke. That said, I wouldn’t even think of trying the Vision R-bend (and I’m surprised you did) and the T-2 doesn’t look fantastic. The Bontrager, HED and Zipp S-bends look to be not terrible, though.
I think the angle in which the S-Bends are set to comes into play as well. I know people that keep them parallel with the ground, others pointed down, and some REALLY pointed upwards (which I dont understand). At that point, they should have just got the ski bend instead of having S bends pointing at 45 degrees.
but to each his own I guess.
I totally agree with you. I tried the Profile T2’s for about a month and after every ride my wrists would be sore for days. I quickly went to the Vision Techs with just the slight up angle, not like the Carbon Stryke’s which creates much more surface area into the wind. My hands form perfectly to the VT’s. I love them. I’d love it if the S bends fit me. They make a bike look really bad *ss, but I just can’t do it.
well just recently i started riding more(longer rides) on my aero bars. I have the HED S bends on my bike and I did notice that it was starting to bother my wrist and upper forearm. But I realized that it was actually my hand postion or should I say my fingers and the way I grab the bar that was causing my pain. I would close my hand and hold the bar making a closed fist( or should I say the way you grab a bat) But i realized that if I just relax my index and middle finger and let them be sticking out a little more than the rest of the fingers(index knuckle out a little more than middle knuckle) the pain went away. Just imagine you are holding a pistol and your index finger is kind of wrapped around the trigger. that relieved all the stress and it also allowed me to keep the top of my wrist perfectly inline with the top of my forearm(radius). I think profile has a bar that kind of has the index finger bund on the aerobars. Well I am sure that is the reason they put it there.
So more or less you’re riding these with three fingers?
Look, I’m not trying to cast aspersions on you, so don’t get offended here . . . But why did you go with the S-bends? I think that if I had a choice between a set of bars that I could comfortably hang on to with all five fingers, and a set of bars that I can only use comfortably with three fingers, or by resting my hands on the top, I’d go with the first set, every time.
tom, it is not a matter of what is ‘good’, or ‘bad’. it is a matter of what is better.
for some people, today’s s-bends are better than today’s ski-bends. for others, vice-versa.
but i can assure you, both of today’s s-bends and ski bends are very weak and very poor designs. soon there will be other choices on the market that will put both bar shapes to shame. you can bank on that.
no you misunderstood, I hold the bar with all 5 fingers!!! and in the position that I hold the S bars in the top of my hand is now flush with my forearm(makes it seem more aero but who knows) i just adjusted my hand. I used to have the other Ski bend bars and i didn’t like them that is why i went with the S Bends. those Heds only started bothering me on Saturday as i rode on them for about 3:30 longest ride i have ever done on the Aero S bends. but just by sliding my hand and fingers that fixed the problem. actually sliding my fingers. But don’t get me wrong all fingers are on the bar!!! Just the index and middle are not right next to each other as that is where the top of the “S” bend occurs. making the index finger stick out a little further than the middle finger! like I said when I hold a pistol i hold it will all fingers it is just one of them is on the trigger if I am getting ready to fire(because you actually hold a pistol with 4 fingers the trigger finger is never supposed to be on the trigger for safety) but i hope that explains it. as your hand goes up the pistol grip it slightly widens and if you notice your fingers are not directly above each other, they are slightly out and above each other. not like grabbing a bat at the bottom where the bat is shaved at the grip so that all fingers are right over each other. kind of picture grabbing the bat a foot from the bottom as it starts to widen and look at your fingers. that is the way i grab my bars as the S bend expands the area you have to grip!
Alright, I think I got it now. Thanks.