Aero Bars in Brevets?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nine on March 5, 2010 at 12:54am

Aero Bars are not allowed at PBP for safety reasons. You should get used to long rides on your regular bars. Use the Brevets for this. I would experiment with gloves and padded bar tape. I know a guy in our GLR club that has done PBP and his bars have four layers of cork tape on them. Comfy as all heck! This simple trick works for him but everyone is different. And without knowing how or what you ride and if you are fit properly on your bike I can not give you more advice about long rides.
Wrist pain can come from improper saddle height or maybe a frameset that does not fit or even a stem that is to low. Many things can cause discomfort on long rides. Some riders do not know how to move around on the bike on a long ride. Some have core fitness issues. As you can see there are no simple answers and every one is different. I plan on using an Aero bar this season for Aerodynamics and comfort second but Aero bars do make long rides easier.


Kevin

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on March 5, 2010 at 6:58am

Rats, I thought that was going to be the answer. I used (successfully) aero bars in the '90 and '91 Brevet series and in PBP '91. Lon & Susan were using them back then as well. I'm skeptical that tinkering with the bike fit will ever match the comfort achieved by getting my weight on my forearms.

Kevin said:

Aero Bars are not allowed at PBP for safety reasons. You should get used to long rides on your regular bars. Use the Brevets for this. I would experiment with gloves and padded bar tape. I know a guy in our GLR club that has done PBP and his bars have four layers of cork tape on them. Comfy as all heck! This simple trick works for him but everyone is different. And without knowing how or what you ride and if you are fit properly on your bike I can not give you more advice about long rides.
Wrist pain can come from improper saddle height or maybe a frameset that does not fit or even a stem that is to low. Many things can cause discomfort on long rides. Some riders do not know how to move around on the bike on a long ride. Some have core fitness issues. As you can see there are no simple answers and every one is different. I plan on using an Aero bar this season for Aerodynamics and comfort second but Aero bars do make long rides easier.


Kevin

Permalink Reply by Nine on March 6, 2010 at 1:54am

Kevin,

Like the name by the way,

You could ride a recumbent....
Well just kidding on that one.
Aero bars on long rides rock! But I know that if ya want to do PBP ya have to ride with out them. Me? I don't plan on doing PBP so I will ride with the bars on the bike on the Brevets.
And to the recumbent thing...they allow them in PBP but don't allow Aero bars on real bikes? WTF?
Well rules is rules is rules...

Kevin

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on April 15, 2010 at 5:24am

OK, I get that I can't use aero bars for PBP in any way shape or form and that the earlier I start riding without them, the better off I'll be in the long run. Here's my last stubborn aero bar question. If I use aero bars for the brevet series in 2010, will the completed brevets count toward early registration for PBP next year? Namely, will RUSA and the ACP give me credit for an aero bar assisted brevet in 2010?

Permalink Reply by Joe on April 16, 2010 at 8:55pm

I ran aerobars last year in the GLR brevets and got my super randonneur pin so I think you're fine to run them.

I guess if I was a crazed aerobar rider (I am) and wanted to do PBP (I don't) then I'd do the brevet series the year of PBP without them but I'd use them otherwise. So I'd not use them in 2011 to get ready for pbp but I would use them in 2010 because...they're great!

Joe

Kevin Conway said:

OK, I get that I can't use aero bars for PBP in any way shape or form and that the earlier I start riding without them, the better off I'll be in the long run. Here's my last stubborn aero bar question. If I use aero bars for the brevet series in 2010, will the completed brevets count toward early registration for PBP next year? Namely, will RUSA and the ACP give me credit for an aero bar assisted brevet in 2010?