If you haven’t tried the CeeGees armrest pads, you should. They are super thick and lots of people get feeling back in their hands after switching to them.
Maybe I’m doing it wrong but I don’t like mine. I have 3T bars and I can’t find the original pads for sale anywhere, so I bought some cushies. They’re just too cushy for me. It’s the armrest equivalent of one of those big cruiser saddles with the shocks.
Often times the pads either won’t go back far enough, or people hate having their knees clip the pads when riding out of the saddle (can easy happen when they are that far back).
If you haven’t tried the CeeGees armrest pads, you should. They are super thick and lots of people get feeling back in their hands after switching to them.
Maybe I’m doing it wrong but I don’t like mine. I have 3T bars and I can’t find the original pads for sale anywhere, so I bought some cushies. They’re just too cushy for me. It’s the armrest equivalent of one of those big cruiser saddles with the shocks.
I’m with you - I wanted replacement pads and the only ones I could find were the CeeGees. I’ve taken them off and put the old, knackered pads back on. The CeeGees are too thick and squishy - I didn’t like the feeling and found it less comfortable.
mine are
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If you haven’t tried the CeeGees armrest pads, you should. They are super thick and lots of people get feeling back in their hands after switching to them.
I heart my CeeGees!
Same here. I ride with the back of my elbow flush with the back edge of my ceegees - feels great.
When I asked my fitter about this, he said the pad location is really personal preference. Since I was comfortable with the elbows on the pads, he suggested that I stick with that.
Already use 'em. They’re the best.
I might be showing up my naivety here but hey ho, I have to learn somehow.
Why do aero bar pads support the forearms and not the elbow. To me it would reduce the stress/strain on the forearms to zero if the elbow were to rest on the pads.
Depends on where you set them up
And obviously, it works for you! 
If you set up with the pads just forward (inch or two) it seems to transmit less shock through the elbows to your shoulders.
Not a problem in a sprint or Olympic, but as you go longer, your shoulders take less of a beating as does your neck.
In IM distance even your eyes will get tired of the bounce.
I always thought my elbows were in the pads but maybe not. I’ll have to check. I know if I bring my arms back any more then my knees hit my elbows constantly (not out of the saddle). i’m thinking that’s not a good thing?
I ride with my pads under my elbows.
As far as I understand, if you’re supported skeletally, rather than muscularly, you aren’t using as much energy. Therefore it makes sense to have the elbow pads under your…elbows 
I have heard some people say they like to be able to pull up on the bars. I thought this might be a good idea so I tried it. I had my wife hold me on my bike. I pulled up on the bars pretty hard, and had her let me go. I fell over. Then I tried with my elbows on the pads, and no pulling. This time however, I pushed down with my feet. When my wife let me go, my bike moved forward, out of the garage, onto the driveway and eventually, down my street. For the next test I held onto the bullhorns and again pushed down with my feet. Similar results, with nice views observed around my neighbourhood.
From this N=1 test, it appears that pushing down on the pedals is far more effective than pulling up on the bars. I now make sure my elbows rest on the pads and I push down with my feet. Hand or elbow position appears to have no measurable impact on forward propulsion from what I can tell. Therefore, I choose to ride, in the most restful position, and rely on my legs for the power to get me down the road.