Why no aerobars in road races?

Triathlon Forum
1

I am blessed to have such a great wife. When the TDF started she had zero interest in cycle racing. As we watched some of it together, the beauty of the race and the stories of Lance and Tyler and the strategy of positioning and the excitement of each stage really got her hooked on it. Of course, that meant she asked me a LOT of questions, many of which I couldn’t answer because I’ve never done a cycle race.

The question that she asked that’s been bothering me for a week is how come the racers don’t use aerobars on their bikes during the “normal” stages – just during the time trials? The way I think about it, if part of the challenge of the race is catching up to a paceline of riders, or trying to keep a paceline of riders from catching up to you, wouldn’t a set of clip-on aerobars be a big help?

If part of the answer is that they’re not legal, can someone explain why?

Thanks,
Lee

2

They’re not legal, as you guessed. I think there were crashes in previous years caused by them, as it’s harder to control your bike. I don’t know if (or why not) bullhorns are legal in the TdF; anyone?

3

If part of the answer is that they’re not legal, can someone explain why?

They are illegal in all mass-start races… here and abroad. For one thing, they’re completely unnecessary unless you’re off the front (or off the back). But the real reason they’re illegal is they’re dangerous. They afford very little steering control; not something you want to give up in a pack of 200 guys.

Edited: still working on my typing speed. :slight_smile:

4

I don’t know if (or why not) bullhorns are legal in the TdF; anyone?
Bullhorns aren’t legal except in TT’s. Just like aero bars.

5

Because the UCI doesn’t permit them in mass start road races. They have concerns about inappropriate use in a large pack (some of the squirreliness would be an invitation to disaster in a peloton). Some of the riders who have Shimano shifters use the shift cables as ersatz aerobars.

The “forward or upward” portion of the rule may refer to bullhorns as well. Anyway, why would you want bullhorns? They aren’t much (or really any) lighter, and a conventional racing handlebar supplies more hand positions (and the brake hood position is about the same as the bullhorn position).

USACycling rules also do not permit them - here’s the statement from the USA Cycling Racing Rules:

** 1J. Bicycles 1J1. **Bicycles used in competition must be propelled solely by the rider’s legs and shall have the following characteristics: . . . ** (d) **The **handlebars **ends shall be solidly plugged and attachments thereto shall be fashioned in such a way as to minimize danger without impairing steering. Handlebars used for steering with ends that point forward or upward or that provide support for the rider’s forearms are permitted only in time trial and pursuit events (not in Olympic Sprint); however, attachments that point upward on the brakehoods of road bicycles are allowed if the distance between them is greater than 25 cm (9.8 inches).

6

The safety issue has more to do with spearing than steering – they’re illegal for the same reason cars’ front bumpers are flat.

Watch any tape of a high speed pileup (see for example, stage one of this year’s Tour), and you’ll notice that the bikes of trailing riders hit the deck – and often the previously downed riders-- in all sorts contorted, twisted positions.

Getting smacked in the back of the head or neck by someone else’s handlebar is bad enough. Getting skewered by the prong of an aerobar going 30+ mph (with the mass of a bike-plus-rider driving it into you) doesn’t bear thinking about.

7

Getting smacked in the back of the head or neck >>by someone else’s handlebar is bad enough. >>Getting skewered by the prong of an aerobar

Just a thought that I had while reading this post:
If aerobars are so risky why not banning them in Triathlon as well. In non-drafting races, perhaps the risk is lower. However, it is an endurance race which must be as safe as possible. Why not testing one’s endurance within safer parameters. After all a triathlete tries to achieve his or her best performance within pre-defined regulations anyway. One of the reasons for non-drafting is the concept of a real endurance test, not being helped by others. On that basis, I can argue that being helped by a risky device to reduce drag could also be considered as something that could be banned.

I don’t like the idea of being "skewered by the prong of an aerobar ".

Of course, with Ironman deals with profile design and a plethora of companies pushing aerobar and aerobar related products (bottles, cables, mounts, shifters, appropriate frames etc.,) aerobar will be part of triathlon for a very long time.

Paula

8

If aerobars are so risky why not banning them in Triathlon as well. In non-drafting races, perhaps the risk is lower.<< >>I don’t like the idea of being "skewered by the prong of an aerobar ".<<

If you are close enough to someone in a tri to worry about this, you are riding afoul of the rules. If you are riding well within the legal distances, you don’t need to worry about this.

9

Well, we have once again been steered off course with this spearing concept. While spearing poses a risk, it is not the reason. Anyone who has spent significant time in a pack of aggressive, racing riders will know that the reason for banning aero bars from mass start events IS bike control; I.E. steering. You cannot control a bike at the level required when riding while surrounded by a pack of other riders. That lack of control substantially increases the likelyhood of crashing both to you, and the riders around you. The risk of aero bars actually spearing someone is about as likely as having your uncapped drop bar end gouging out your leg in a crash. It isn’t likely, but they still like to have the end caps in there. Removing aero bars certainly removes that risk, but that risk had nothing to do with the decision to ban aero bars from mass start racing.

10

Well, we have once again been steered off course with this spearing concept. While spearing poses a risk, it is not the reason… …The risk of aero bars actually spearing someone is about as likely as having your uncapped drop bar end gouging out your leg in a crash. It isn’t likely, but they still like to have the end caps in there. Removing aero bars certainly removes that risk, but that risk had nothing to do with the decision to ban aero bars from mass start racing.

Not true. The UCI specifically mentioned the fact that protruding extensions were by definition a hazard when they banned – after having initially OK’d --the old Cinelli* Spinacci* (sp?) mini-clip-on bars for pack racing.

Bear in mind that they did this despite the fact that Spinaccis extended less than half as far as aero bars, and were angled in, rather than sticking straight out. They were safe as hell steeringwise, and had been used in multiple mountainous stage races before being banned – no worse than riding with your hands close together on the tops.

On your other: the prong of an aerobar faces forward and is centrally located with the riders full weight behind it – in a crash, it’s a hazard to the head/face/neck/back of everything that’s not moving any more while you still* are* – probably at 30+mph. That’s a lot different from hitting your own uncapped (? why?) drop bar end with your leg, when both you and the bike are moving forward to some degree.

If you think the possibility of an aerobar spearing you is freakish because the bar doesn’t extent beyond the front wheel, go watch that stage 1 wreck again.

Trailing riders commonly hit the ones already down; this often twists their frame sideways at the same time the ass end of the bike comes up (because the front wheel is fully blocked by the ‘obstruction’ – e.g., you or your bike, if you’re on the deck).

Is this risk significantly more dangerous than getting hit with the handlebar itself? Ask any hockey player whether, given the choice, he’d prefer to be crossckecked acoss the back, or speared with the stick’s butt end. :slight_smile:

Now, switching back from hockey to cycling, multiple the mass and acceleration components of that “f=mv squared” impact about fivefold. Trust me, in this one case at least, the UCI knows what it’s doing.

12

If anyone watched Tyler’s solo effort, he was basically riding as if he had short clip-ons on his bike. He just rested his forearms on his bars. Talk about lack of steering.

As anecdotal evidence, I was riding with a woman who got speared by a bull horn handlebar during a wreck. It didn’t go through the skin but it did cause massive internal damage and she barely survived the internal bleeding.

13

If anyone watched Tyler’s solo effort, he was basically riding as if he had short clip-ons on his bike. He just rested his forearms on his bars. Talk about lack of steering.

As anecdotal evidence, I was riding with a woman who got speared by a bull horn handlebar during a wreck. It didn’t go through the skin but it did cause massive internal damage and she barely survived the internal bleeding.

Good point about Tyler. Legal of course but very scary – no way his 140km+ solo break survives otherwise. Bet it hurt like hell on that clavicle, too – like those excrutiating final six laps on the cobblestones of the Champs Elysees.

As Cervelo jefe Gerard pointed out on another thread, Tyler also took ungodly risks in the final TT, finihing second overall when he was the one guy who could least afford a second crash in horrifically dangerous conditions. Simply amazing guts, nerve, and tenacity – those traits deserve to be even better rewarded in the future.

Ugly story about your female friend – and a cautionary tale as to why that UCI and USCF rule makes sense. Glad she made it through OK.

PS to Dr. Dre: wonder if she was lying on the ground thinking “thank god that wasn’t force, only kinetic energy!” :wink:

14

Ask any hockey player whether, given the choice, he’d prefer to be crossckecked across the back, or speared with the stick’s butt end. :slight_smile:

“Cross check me, and I may slash you, but butt end me and I will certainly take your head.”- Doug’s code of honour in war and hockey.

15

Actually aerobars and bullhorns are banned here in Europe (and I guess in the US too) in ITU sanctioned races, i.e. races where drafting is allowed.