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Combating head wind on LFP with aero bars?

I've been biking a lot on the lake front path for the past few months both for exercise and recently to start commuting to work. I find it aggravating to have to slog it out in the head wind that always seems to be coming at me going one way or the other. I see lots of guys zipping up and down the path using aero bars and I'm wondering if I can get some real world opinions about using them. Years ago, I had one of those cheapo Scott clip-on aero bars like LeMond used back when he won the Tour de France back in '89. Anyway, I didn't really like those particular bars for various reasons but I do like the new design Profile Aerostryke bars. I realize a lot of guys are probably riding the bars simply for training purposes for time trials or triathlons, but I'm wondering how many people use them for commuting or exercising and do you actually feel that they make it easier to slog through those headwinds? For now, I just hunker down in the drops but I feel like maybe aero bars would at least be possibly a bit more comfortable even if they didn't necessarily improve the aerodynamics that much more. Opinions anyone?

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on September 7, 2011 at 11:56am

Like Kevin C was saying, Cross winds reduce your speed.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/wind.html

Mark Beard-Witherup said:

Can any tell me why the wind is in my face on my commute to work and in my face on my way back home?

 

BikeBoy5

Permalink Reply by Melanie K on September 7, 2011 at 2:32pm

 

Answer: The wind hates you :)

 

It hates me, too.  I think the wind hates bicycle commuters in general. 

Mark Beard-Witherup said:

Can any tell me why the wind is in my face on my commute to work and in my face on my way back home?

 

BikeBoy5

Permalink Reply by BikeBoy5 on September 8, 2011 at 9:16am
Or maybe the Powers That Be are giving me more opportunities for a better work out.?

Melanie said:

 

Answer: The wind hates you :)

 

It hates me, too.  I think the wind hates bicycle commuters in general. 

Mark Beard-Witherup said:

Can any tell me why the wind is in my face on my commute to work and in my face on my way back home?

 

BikeBoy5

Permalink Reply by Melanie K on September 8, 2011 at 9:29am

Work out? I'm just trying to get to work...and later get out of work and home again.   :)


Mark Beard-Witherup said:

Or maybe the Powers That Be are giving me more opportunities for a better work out.?

Melanie said:

 

Answer: The wind hates you :)

 

It hates me, too.  I think the wind hates bicycle commuters in general. 

Mark Beard-Witherup said:

Can any tell me why the wind is in my face on my commute to work and in my face on my way back home?

 

BikeBoy5

Permalink Reply by BikeBoy5 on September 9, 2011 at 3:24am

I've not missed a day commuting to work due to weather or wind since the first Monday in March.  Just sometimes gets old until I'm into the second mile when the endorphines kick in and I remember that I really do like to ride to work.

I love the idea of aerobars, the practice...not so much.  Old back, knees, hips, elbows, neck...

Permalink Reply by Chris B on September 9, 2011 at 8:19am

I have been just downshifting and get in the drops and taking it slow. It takes longer but it preserves my knees, I have terrible ITBS that keeps coming back if I push too hard, last week during a bad wind i had to ice my knee when I got to work.

Permalink Reply by Melanie K on September 9, 2011 at 4:12pm
My best friend once had one of the tucked down, aerobar bike riding guys slam into her arm as she was running on the path- causing what she thought was only a bruise which later turned out to be a hairline fracture in upper arm. She said the guy was apologetic, stopped to say sorry and even admitted that he had misjudged how close he was while passing her.  It makes me wonder if it was because the aerobars put him in a position where it would be harder to judge how much room there is to pass someone or if it was just that he was really zooming.  My friend is fully healed now as this was last year sometime.  

Matt Campbell said:
Seems like the guys who're out there just crankin' on the pedals tucked down on the aeros WITH pedestrians/slower cyclists/kids/roller-bladers/etc. are just asking to eventually cause an accident.

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