Speaking of Aero Bars. Questions On Climbing

Triathlon Forum
1

Every tri event I’ve been in, that would be 2, no hills, all flat; so I have never seen triathletes shimmy up high hills on a tri bike which has an installed aero bar (the ones not clipped onto standard drops on road bikes). My guess for many of you when you are going up a steep hill, with those, you get out on the front side grips and get out of the saddle. This isn’t an issue for you.

But what of us who are not out of the saddle people using an aero bar?. I would much prefer to have my hands hold onto something on the handlebar which is flat up front, and just “quad” my way up a steep bastard, instead of leaning forward onto the side grips, and getting out of the saddle.

My new bike has Profile Design Carbon X handlebars, haven’t got the bike yet, but its coming. I was down at the park the other day, with someone who had something like a Profile Design handlebars, and I immediately thought, where in the hell would I put my hands if I had to go up a huge hill or mountain.

Let me say, I use clip on aero bars on the bike I am replacing, but when I encounter a huge hill, I can tuck my hands right under the pads, to the flat bar going across on the handlebar and hold on for dear life going up something high.

What do you guys and gals do, who don’t get out of the saddle with aero bars, on very, very high hills. Do you tuck your hands under the pads? Sounds dangerous. I guess I’m going to be told, tough it up, and get out of the saddle, on the side grips.

2

In hilly races like powerman bama and the AZ dannon race I rarely came out of my aero bars. I have one piece bars and just used the flat section when I did. In the past i’d just grip right under the pads of my clip ons. I’ve noticed that if I keep spinning by using my gears and stay aero for as long as possible uphill I tend to pass people who are out of the aero position.

3

Don’t you tend to pass people anyways?

4

I’m in trouble then. Strike that. I was already in trouble. Deeper trouble I suppose.

I may just take the suckers off, and put on some standard handlebars and put my clip on back on. But this bike came with these fancy aero bars. They are almost worth 300 bucks.

I weigh about 210, 6’3, and I get going pretty good on flat when I get down in my clip on aero bars, in my 35 pound Raleigh 600, much like a Mac truck, driven by an irresponsible, blind truck driver, with bad tires, and a lead foot. Many young children, women with baby carriages and men on scooters will move out of my way, screaming panic, newspapers and letters by pedestrians fly in the air, as I blaze by wobbling, hurdling out of control, tucked down in my aero position, unable to see them, as sweat pores and fogs my dark sunglasses. Squirrels and possums and birds of all kinds, having desired to venture onto the bike path, suddenly fly back into the woods.

I know not where I am, or who I will hit. I just see commotion and hear it briefly as I wizz by these things.

Then, as the pack of roadies, having once been left behind, largely for safety reasons, catches up, when I reach the bottom of the hill, where the little midgets have their way. Here comes back Rand, holding on for dear life, as he vomits, and crawls his way up a bastard hill, to finish dead freaking last.

I’m sorry…I digressed.

Back to my deal…

I’m a flat specialist, living in hill specialist territory.

My neighborhood looks like a minature Chattanooga, TN, if you have ever driven by that place. Right out the door, of my garage, I’m in Stage 14 of the TDF.

I’m good for 8-10 out of the saddle revolutions, on these bastard hills, and I have to use them sparingly, and wisely, on an emergency basis, but I’m a sit down, use the quads kind of guy.

5

Yeah, I need to point out, I don’t pass people, like desert dude.

I mean, I pass people, but not people in the race itself.

Race helpers and onlookers, I pass them.

6

might sound weird but if you are on a really aggresive steep angle tri bike than riding aero is essentially the same position (relating all the angles of your body) to riding with your hands on the tops of the bars. Okay, maybe not the same but close. That’s why climbing aero is the way to go, either that or stand and crank it. If you are on a steep angled bike and sit up on hills it is like riding on your road bike with your hands way up in the air above the bars and your ass scooted way foward on the saddle. Weird position and not very efficient. I spin up hills on my road bike with hands on top of the bars, and I do it relatively quickly. On the tri bike it’s climbing aero. When out of the saddle the seat angle becomes moot as your ass isn’t on the seat anymore.

Now if you’re riding a slack angle tri bike, well I hope you can grab onto the aero bar pads

7

I allways ride in the aero bars while climbing. I seem to be more powerful in that position. I don’t have a lot of hills, the one’s that I have are about 1/2 mile long and about 5% grade. I find that I will average about 11 to 12 mph up those hills while in the bars. When I get out of the bars and onto the cowhorns, I’m more like 10mph. When I stand, I seem to be about 9 to 10 mph.
There is one hill that I ride that kicks up to 8% at the top and I still stay in the bars even though I am going about 8mph. I have no handling problems at all going that slow but it is a little difficult to ride next to people at that speed.
I am not setup super aero on the bike, most people say that I’m set up moderately aggressive. My goals are long distance and comfort, that might be why I feel powerfull in that position.

Here you can see that I’m not too low. It’s last year’s pic, I’m about an inch lower this year.

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jaretjoh/detail?.dir=/f9e6&.dnm=e550.jpg

jaretj

8

I use the one-piece VisionTech aerobar. On steep climbs, and I’ve climbed steep hills/mountains in North Carolina on my tri-bike, I place my hands on the elbow pads themselves. This works fine. Try it.