How do you determine the best length for aerobars?
I’m comfortable with my setup, but at times I do find myself reaching a bit for the shifters.
I assume personal preferences come into play, but is there any specific criteria commonly used to make this determination and if I cut the bars will this in any way affect steering characteristics?
If you look at your shoulder angle while in the aero position, it should be around 90 degrees with your torso. If you have to reach significantly for the shifters, you may want shorter bars but its mostly preference. If you ride challenging courses where you are constantly shifting, then you might want to cut them but you can probably get away with keeping longer bars if you ride in mostly one or two gears. You’ll just have to choke up a bit to make sure you stay in an optimal position and not overreach.