Tri Bar or not to Tri Bar?

[mattc]

re: adjustment
The problem I've found with mounting tri-bars to a 'normal' road-bike setup is that you can't get the elbow-pads near enough to the rider. They typically only have a few cm adjustment in this direction - fine if you've bought a bike with base bars in roughly the right place and just want fine-tuning!
Even an insanely short stem didn't truly solve the problem (and that can create other issues).


I'm fine with my much smaller frame and 'typical' aero-bars, lots of seat-post showing (it's an old Reynolds frame - poor-man's Lo-Pro!). Not a setup I'd want to use for even 12hours, sadly.

[I'm out of the aero game, but thought it worth mentioning for new entrants.]

[teethgrinder]

re: adjustment
The problem I've found with mounting tri-bars to a 'normal' road-bike setup is that you can't get the elbow-pads near enough to the rider.

I use Profile (T1s?) bars and can adjust them in any direction. I trimmed them down by about 2 inches where I bought them nearer to me.

For lights and GPS I gaffa taped a bit of broom handle to the tri bars.

[mattc]

"any direction" isn't the problem - it's how MUCH the arm-rests move fore-and-aft. Usually very little.

They are mostly too far forward relative to the flat of the base-bar - for me anyway. With a road-bike of typical top-tube length.
Here's Wiggo showing the modern 90'-ish elbow and shoulder optimal angles (which requires the least effort from the upper-body muscles, the skeleton taking the load):


[first google image result]

Most riders I see on road-bikes* are in a much more stretched-out position. Maybe they're happy, I dunno!
*they tend to have much longer top-tubes than a pure time-trial bike.

[Frank9755]

Depends on the type, Matt. 

The ones on my new TT bike could not be adjusted in this way.  But, for audax, I also use the Profile ones.  The armrests are separate fixings on a clamp that could go be slid to anywhere along the length of the bar.  I've not cut the bars down so I could shift mine back towards me by up to 3 inches or I could put them in front of the base bar brackets and have them up to 6 inches further forward!

It may not be advisable to have them too far from the brackets from the point of view of loading on the bar, let's face it, that doesn't normally stop us!  I expect you could get away with bringing them back towards you by half an inch or so.

[Ningishzidda]

"any direction" isn't the problem - it's how MUCH the arm-rests move fore-and-aft. Usually very little.

They are mostly too far forward relative to the flat of the base-bar - for me anyway. With a road-bike of typical top-tube length.
Here's Wiggo showing the modern 90'-ish elbow and shoulder optimal angles (which requires the least effort from the upper-body muscles, the skeleton taking the load):


[first google image result]

Most riders I see on road-bikes* are in a much more stretched-out position. Maybe they're happy, I dunno!
*they tend to have much longer top-tubes than a pure time-trial bike.

What that photo tells me,,
My bike fit man is humouring me so I won't go messing with my set-up. 

BTW, Wiggo is 6' 3", so his leg and arm length are longer than mine.

[teethgrinder]

"any direction" isn't the problem - it's how MUCH the arm-rests move fore-and-aft. Usually very little.

As much as I like. I could set them up so that my elbows were under my rib cage if I wanted, never mind my shoulders.
The reason I picked those tri bars was because they are so adjustable and I could plug my bar end shifters in the ends.

I agree that some people have them too far forwards. I once knew someone who wanted to try tri bars and set them way too far forwards and thought they were uncomfortable and has never used them since.
I go for getting the pads under my shoulders too.

[mattc]

Depends on the type, Matt. 

Well that would be why I used the words "usually" and "mostly"

The ones on my new TT bike could not be adjusted in this way.  But, for audax, I also use the Profile ones.  The armrests are separate fixings on a clamp that could go be slid to anywhere along the length of the bar.  I've not cut the bars down so I could shift mine back towards me by up to 3 inches or I could put them in front of the base bar brackets and have them up to 6 inches further forward!

Ah, good. I guess yours are like the ones posted by THing1 (that I've now spotted). That's very different to the more common designs (e.g. see Porkins post). I note Wiggo's won't adjust much either ;P

[Henry]

[first google image result]

Poor chap, he appears utterly oblivious that his Carradice and map holder have fallen off. Just hope his ride was still validated 

[jogler]

^^^
 

& the audaxfashion police will notice that he has no beard & the wrong footwear

[Somnolent]

Poor chap, he appears utterly oblivious that his Carradice and map holder have fallen off. Just hope his ride was still validated 

ROFPMSL !

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

I took my race bike out today, with the tri-bars, very early start (still dark).  After close to five hours riding found a cafe - which did a 'Fully Monty' breakfast that could have been entered into a Man v Food episode.  Realised after that (1 - 0 to Man) it was impossible to ride on either drops or the tri-bars.

[Bairdy]

[first google image result]

Poor chap, he appears utterly oblivious that his Carradice and map holder have fallen off. Just hope his ride was still validated 

I don't think anybody's told him he won't be getting a point for riding that 100k yet either. 

[marcusjb]

^^


"I ride all that ****ing way and I don't get a ***ing point?  Why the **** didn't someone tell me first?  I'm going to have to raise a motion at the AGM on this"

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/QhdVr2Cn1OY&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/QhdVr2Cn1OY&rel=1</a>

[Henry]

 

Wait until someone advises him the 50% rule isn't just about doping 

[Andrew Br]

[first google image result]

Poor chap, he appears utterly oblivious that his Carradice and map holder have fallen off. Just hope his ride was still validated 

I don't think anybody's told him he won't be getting a point for riding that 100k yet either. 

And that's assuming that he could get round in time.


.

[bikey-mikey]

My previous post about the way my new arm rests can be adjusted may have been misunderstood. I'm not talking about fore and aft or side to side.

Imagine a drinks coaster on top of a large marble - you might have it balanced exactly horizontal, or you could tip it front down completely and rear up completely or any part way between position. Or the reverse, and the same sideways or indeed corner to corner.

The point is that quite likely you have the arm rest mounted in more or less the right spot, but when you put your arm on it and grip the extensions, you find one edge digs into your arm. You think "if only I could just tilt this bloody rest forwards / backwards just a tiny bit, then it would be perfect."  That's what the adjustment on the mount is all about.

[Chuffy]

My brief experiment was a failure - on the audax bike the pads are right on the top of the bars and that's much too far forward. I could get down (man) but with my arms stretched in front of me and open at an angle of <fag packet> 115 degrees I was getting achy biceps after only a few minutes.

Ho hum, it was worth a tri and I'm not fussed enough to spend daft money on bars with greater adjustability.

[Cudzoziemiec]

This thread has inspired me to use tri-bars on my hybrid next time I take it touring. I'll tape a pillow to the tops and sling a picnic hamper underneath. 

[mrcharly-YHT]

My brief experiment was a failure - on the audax bike the pads are right on the top of the bars and that's much too far forward. I could get down (man) but with my arms stretched in front of me and open at an angle of <fag packet> 115 degrees I was getting achy biceps after only a few minutes.

Ho hum, it was worth a tri and I'm not fussed enough to spend daft money on bars with greater adjustability.

You rode in a completely new position and expected not to get any muscle twinges?

Get back on that bike and put in 40-50hours on the tri bars, man. Then see how you feel.

I have mine set up 'all wrong'. Pads are just forward of the top section of the drop bars. Obviously too high and far too far forward.

They are so comfy I've fallen asleep while riding on the tribars.

[Chuffy]

My brief experiment was a failure - on the audax bike the pads are right on the top of the bars and that's much too far forward. I could get down (man) but with my arms stretched in front of me and open at an angle of <fag packet> 115 degrees I was getting achy biceps after only a few minutes.

Ho hum, it was worth a tri and I'm not fussed enough to spend daft money on bars with greater adjustability.

You rode in a completely new position and expected not to get any muscle twinges?

Get back on that bike and put in 40-50hours on the tri bars, man. Then see how you feel.

I have mine set up 'all wrong'. Pads are just forward of the top section of the drop bars. Obviously too high and far too far forward.

They are so comfy I've fallen asleep while riding on the tribars.

I've used the same vars on my race bike for 10 mile TTs and they're fine, because the bike has a much shorter reach and the bars are where they should be. Aches and pains after a couple of minutes suggest that Something Is Wrong and I'm not daft enough to persevere with that.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Did you have the pads the same width apart?

[Chuffy]

Did you have the pads the same width apart?

Yes, maybe a couple of mil difference at most.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I think further apart is needed if the bars are further away.

[jogler]

This thread reminds me that I have some of these

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/profile/airstryke-aero-bar-ec005141?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=froogle&utm_content=mkwid__pcrid_17321847296_kword__match__plid_

 lurking in the garage due to a shallIshallInot attitude,having had them on & off the Trek a few times.

Having lost some belly lard I may try them again to see if my thighs no longer slap my gut on the up stroke