Okay, I know this is pretty antithetical, but hear me out. Has anyone ever used a road bar (with road brake/shifters) as the base bar on a TT bike? Aero extensions as usual.
It seems to me that being in the drops on a road bar is actually a bit faster than holding the hoods on a standard TT base bar. So anytime you’re out of the aero position on this frankenbike, you’d actually be faster than out of aero on a normal TT bike. In the aero position the road bar would be slower, but how much? I don’t think we’re talking 5 minutes over 180km here.
I’m not a very confident descender; I’m much better and faster in the drops on my road bike than on the hoods on the TT bike. And on a rough curvy descent I rarely hold aero for very long. And I’ve never been a fan of tiny little TT brake levers. I’m thinking that having road bars would potentially make a bike faster FOR ME, since confidence breeds speed in many cases.
Oh hell yes. Thanks for the gallery, that’s exactly what I was thinking about. I know it will technically be aerodynamically slower, but like I said, it may well be faster FOR ME.
To bad it’s fairly time consuming/expensive to test out, but it may well be worth an experiment.
If you’ve used it, which road bars have you had success with?
Because of a broken shoulder, I can not stay in the aero position very long, but I can stay in the drops without much discomfort.
I put the road bar on a Speed Concept and then added DI2 which gave me shifters on the aero extensions and the drops. I really like being able to shift from the drops. Shifting is a lot easier when on the hoods.
Because of a broken shoulder, I can not stay in the aero position very long, but I can stay in the drops without much discomfort.
I put the road bar on a Speed Concept and then added DI2 which gave me shifters on the aero extensions and the drops. I really like being able to shift from the drops. Shifting is a lot easier when on the hoods.
Yep, definitely considering that. Much less radical than changing to the road bar. But doesn’t solve the issue of not really liking the feel of TT brake levers.
Because of a broken shoulder, I can not stay in the aero position very long, but I can stay in the drops without much discomfort.
I put the road bar on a Speed Concept and then added DI2 which gave me shifters on the aero extensions and the drops. I really like being able to shift from the drops. Shifting is a lot easier when on the hoods.
Sounds like a very cool set up. Can you post a pic of your SC ?
I’ve been debating the same thing do to limited flexibility. The study I want to see is how much faster is a TT bike vs. a road bike with clip on aero bars.
Yeah, quite possibly. Have you used or seen it? I know how a road bar would feel, I worried about dropping the coin on a solution that is only potential.
Yeah, quite possibly. Have you used or seen it? I know how a road bar would feel, I worried about dropping the coin on a solution that is only potential.
I have one on my Shiv. There is an aero penalty but it’s not huge. I’d guess about 3 watts slower than something like an Alpha X. That’s significantly less than road drops + hoods. IMO the Revo is every bit as secure as being in drops.
I’ve always wanted to try it. I just bought a Quintana Roo PR6 today. So once it’s dialed in I’m going to put road bars etc on my old Felt DA just for fun. May build it as a 1X11.
