I’d like recommendations for UCI legal aero bars. I was just about to buy a set of used HED Bars and realized they were not UCI legal. I’d like to rant about how UCI rules seem ridiculous but I’ll try to focus here. I’ll probably target a set of aero aluminum bars like the Visions (although their current ones probably aren’t legal). I saw a picture of the HED Corsair and they look great but I think that I’ll probably not spend $900 on carbon bars and am more in the $300 or so, or less, market. If you know of a bar that has been around for a while and that is UCI legal that I could buy used, I would consider that too if I meant I could get a nice carbon bar for a reasonable price. I’m guessing that the problem is that most of the existing aero bars (putting aside ones very new to the market) that are UCI legal are low level ones with round tubes. Any advice is appreciated.
Why do you need to be UCI legal? Are you racing professionally in Europe?
I have searched for a complete listing of UCI legal bars, but have yet to find one. I’m sure someone out there has compiled a list…will let you know if I find one.
I’m building up a new time trial frame and may race it at the National Championships and would rather not have to worry that they will say my bike is illegal and, therefore, I cannot race. Generally speaking, I think the UCI rules are a pain in the neck, both for racers and the cycling industry, but I might as well buy something that I know I can use without any issues. By the way, I just bought a used Cervelo P3C and am also a little worried that some race officials might say that the seatpost is illegal too but I hope it doesn’t come to that.
you guys need to quit supporting that uci crap. making people sit on their bikes wrong and buy new aerobars. just refuse to participate in events that use those rules
and those rules will go away
Not everyone on ST is a triathlete…it’s a great resource for cyclists as well.
I’m a triathlete turned cyclist, but still visit here often for the great knowledge base of training, injury prevention and camaraderie of athletes.
Yea, UCI is a pain in the butt, but if you want to participate in UCI sanctioned events you either deal…or don’t deal with it. Personal choice.
Kind of like triathlon…they don’t enforce drafting beyond window dressing…so I left. My individual TT’s are now…individual. Personal decision…to each their own.
I don’t like UCI any more than the next guy, but that is the world I have chosen to play in so I play by their rules. By and large they do suck, but when I add all of the junk up at the end of the day I still have a ton of fun…more than I did when I watched douche bags sit on my wheel throughout the bike leg in triathlons anyway.
you guys need to quit supporting that uci crap. making people sit on their bikes wrong and buy new aerobars. just refuse to participate in events that use those rules
and those rules will go away
You are dreaming if you think that boycotting races where UCI rules apply (e.g., all national championships) will have any impact at all.
boycotting would have huge impact
the dream part is that a boycott would actually happen =)
more likely, and better, would be for someone else to start hosting state and national championships, that have nothing to do with the UCI
you guys need to quit supporting that uci crap. making people sit on their bikes wrong and buy new aerobars. just refuse to participate in events that use those rules
and those rules will go away
You are dreaming if you think that boycotting races where UCI rules apply (e.g., all national championships) will have any impact at all.
boycotting would have huge impact
the dream part is that a boycott would actually happen =)
more likely, and better, would be for someone else to start hosting state and national championships, that have nothing to do with the UCI
You mean like FIAC and its members? That did absolutely nothing to threaten USA Cycling’s position as the designated national governing body here in the US (although it has allowed more people to brag that they are a “national champion”).
Hey,
I can’t find the pictures but when the rules were first enforced in France this spring some of the teams were photographed sticking a piece of bar tape to the bottoms of their bars. Making them fatter (for the one day you need them to be fatter) means that you can still ride your normal bars.
UCI legal - http://hedcycling.com/aerobars/corsair_aerobar.asp
Heds bars are tops in aerodynamics, adjustability, and durability/ reliability.
I cannot believe how many top one piece aerobars (easton, zipp, Vision) are so minimally width adjustable than you cannot possibly get most riders into their optimal position. Every year my buddy and I get our new bikes in and the first thing to be swapped out is that we take off the stock bars and slap on the HED.s
I’ve crashed hard (twice) and abused my HED. Aerobar and they’re in their 3rd season (though on my buddy’s bike I have the Black Dogs now) no cracks, working fine. I was worried and called HED. and they said they’d take it all.
Nat
PS HED. doesn’t pay me, I buy my stuff
So?
Don’t give up!
=)
boycotting would have huge impact
the dream part is that a boycott would actually happen =)
more likely, and better, would be for someone else to start hosting state and national championships, that have nothing to do with the UCI
You mean like FIAC and its members? That did absolutely nothing to threaten USA Cycling’s position as the designated national governing body here in the US (although it has allowed more people to brag that they are a “national champion”).
Zipp, Oval, USE and 3T all make legal options.
Please also see http://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=4184
Also, to the individual who suggested the boycott, it is time to wake up for your delusion now.
Having just done the UK nationals where UCI rules where if place most people were sticking duck tape and card board on £5000 bike
Andy
.
Hey,
I can’t find the pictures but when the rules were first enforced in France this spring some of the teams were photographed sticking a piece of bar tape to the bottoms of their bars. Making them fatter (for the one day you need them to be fatter) means that you can still ride your normal bars.
Any changes made would need to be a semi-permanent or permanent alteration to pass scrutineering, otherwise 1km down the road you could get rid of it. That would be like taping some weight to a bike to make the weight limit and then throwing it off in the race.
As far as I know, the only bars that are legal are the 3T mistral and the bontragers. I have a set of the 3T bars, I am not 100% sure if they are out yet, but they are great! The vision’s, easton’s, oval, HED that are out now are not legal.
Its pretty doubtful that you will be checked at most any race you will do. But you are right about wanting to have a proper bike. If you show up to the line and they happen to either measure your bars, or simply have a list of legal bars and your not in compliance you will not race. It really is that simple. My bike was measured several times this season. My track bike was off by about 2 cm on my bar extensions, and they made me move them on the line. Nothing against triathletes here at all. But most people here do not realize how simple things can be with UCi rules. Either your bike is inside the guidelines they set up, or you do not race. Its that simple. There is absolutely nothing more to it then that.
Nothing against triathletes here at all. But most people here do not realize how simple things can be with UCi rules. Either your bike is inside the guidelines they set up, or you do not race. Its that simple. There is absolutely nothing more to it then that.
Anyone that has been racing against the clock to modify a TT bike just a few minutes before the starting time can tell you that it is a very stressful moment, for both the rider and the person in charge of setting up the bike. I am sure that at least several of us here in ST have been there before. Even Dave Z has been close to not racing (and winning) a TT National Championship because of a “minor” aerobar technicallity.
You can imagine what it feels to train all year long for a National Championship and then a UCI commissair telling you at last minute that you can not race using your bike. If it happens to you once it can leave you pretty freaked out for at least a couple of years. It is a very serious matter.
Sergio
Nothing against triathletes here at all. But most people here do not realize how simple things can be with UCi rules. Either your bike is inside the guidelines they set up, or you do not race. Its that simple. There is absolutely nothing more to it then that.
Anyone that has been racing against the clock to modify a TT bike just a few minutes before the starting time can tell you that it is a very stressful moment, for both the rider and the person in charge of setting up the bike. I am sure that at least several of us here in ST have been there before. Even Dave Z has been close to not racing (and winning) a TT National Championship because of a “minor” aerobar technicallity.
You can imagine what it feels to train all year long for a National Championship and then a UCI commissair telling you at last minute that you can not race using your bike. If it happens to you once it can leave you pretty freaked out for at least a couple of years. It is a very serious matter.
Sergio
Oh, I know. I had it happen to me this year. Its not a fun place to be in. There’s a reason I am building a jig in my garage this week.
Nothing against triathletes here at all. But most people here do not realize how simple things can be with UCi rules. Either your bike is inside the guidelines they set up, or you do not race. Its that simple. There is absolutely nothing more to it then that.
Anyone that has been racing against the clock to modify a TT bike just a few minutes before the starting time can tell you that it is a very stressful moment, for both the rider and the person in charge of setting up the bike. I am sure that at least several of us here in ST have been there before. Even Dave Z has been close to not racing (and winning) a TT National Championship because of a “minor” aerobar technicallity.
You can imagine what it feels to train all year long for a National Championship and then a UCI commissair telling you at last minute that you can not race using your bike. If it happens to you once it can leave you pretty freaked out for at least a couple of years. It is a very serious matter.
Sergio
Oh, I know. I had it happen to me this year. Its not a fun place to be in. There’s a reason I am building a jig in my garage this week.
I already have my own jig. Good investment. 
Sergio