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Aerobars... ouch. Funny stuff and questions.
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 2008-09-08 7:42 AM |
Champion  7136     Knoxville area |  Subject: Aerobars... ouch. Funny stuff and questions.Well I just got my S32 saturday, and after riding it for a little while (safely) I got a little ballsy and went for a ride on the aerobars. Picking up speed seemed pretty easy, however, not being anywhere near my brakes ended my fun about as quickly as I ran out of straight real-estate. I'll recount my last few seconds on the bike. First, I notice i'm coming to the end of straight road. I've given myself plenty of time to stop...considering I can get to my brakes from about a 20+mph position. I can't. I move my right arm up from the aerobars... immmediately the front wheel spurs to the left. I correct myself enough to not fly off the bike at this exact moment, however I realize I don't have enough time now to actually stop the bike, considering my arms are once again both in the aerobars. I vainly attemt to get to my brakes again, which is followed by another loss of control, and I'm faced with another quick descision. Protect myself as best I can from the imminent fall, or try to keep my brand new bike from getting beaten on. The choice is clear. I use my body as a landing mat for my bike. Total damage to me... a couple of bruises, some road rash, and a VERY badly burned ego. (There were a couple of spectators unfortunately) Total damage to the bike... Just scraped a pedal and knocked the chain off. So I'll take a small measure of success in that.
I hate to say I'm now timid of the aerobars... but, after that dose of punishment I have a new, healthier respect for them. On to my question. How did you guys get used to riding in the aerobars? Any tips for getting to my brakes if I need to in a hurry? Is it just crappy balance that threw me off when I lifted my arm? General advice? (Don't Wreck...)
Thanks to all in advance, sorry for the long spill. |
| 2008-09-08 7:53 AM in reply to: #1657473 |
| Extreme Veteran 377 Western, Mass | Subject: RE: Aerobars... ouch. Funny stuff and questions. As they say, practice makes perfect. a few more times, and the bike won't get damaged.  Seriously, practice where it is flat, the aerobars are useless, if you get too afraid to use them. One thing you might try, for now. Get moving at a comfortable speed, stop pedaling and clamp your legs to the top tube, for stability, and sit up and simultaniously move your hands off the aerobars and onto the horns. one you get used to that, and have learned the control point of goind hands free on your bike, you will be able to do it while pedaling. Should be performed where there is no traffic and lots of spectators. At least no traffic. kevin |
| 2008-09-08 8:08 AM in reply to: #1657473 |
| Member 33 | Subject: RE: Aerobars... ouch. Funny stuff and questions. When riding aero bars, you steer with your butt. No really, that is what you do. It's like skiing - look where you want to go and use the lower body to get there. In the meantime, get out of both aero bars to brake. Eventually your body will figure out how to counter weight and balance the bike in order to take out one hand for braking. Edited by kerrylitka 2008-09-08 8:09 AM |
| 2008-09-08 8:13 AM in reply to: #1657473 |
Veteran 185 Wilmington, NC | Subject: RE: Aerobars... ouch. Funny stuff and questions. try using more of your core muscles when going to and from the bars...this way there is no weight shift which is what your experiencing...use your stomach muscles to raise and lower yourself onto the bars and do not put any "real" weight on the bars until both arms are on...when getting out tighten your core and remove one hand and put it on the tops of your handlebar right near the aerobar...this helps to keep your center of balance... I don't have shifters on the ends of mine as its a road bike so have to come out to shift gears and to brake...but I have learned to do it one handed...practice makes perfect and a good flat long road where you can practice getting into and out of the aerobars with no obstructions is definately the way to learn... Edited by tiggere 2008-09-08 8:15 AM |
| 2008-09-08 11:47 AM in reply to: #1657473 |
Expert 810 Southeast | Subject: RE: Aerobars... ouch. Funny stuff and questions. It sounds to me like you are putting a lot of weight on the aerobars. I'm not an expert cyclist, but I think you should be able to pull one or both arms off without any noticeable effect on the steering. Of course, while you're in aero, you will be putting some weight on your elbows, but when you lift up, your core should take that weight. And even while riding, your core should be doing some of the work of holding your upper body up, or your arms (shoulders especially) are going to get very tired (at least, mine would). |
| 2008-09-08 11:56 AM in reply to: #1657473 |
Expert 770 Long Island, NY | Subject: RE: Aerobars... ouch. Funny stuff and questions. Start at slow speeds and focus on balance. If you have a trainer, hook it up and try to move from position to position without rocking the bike. Once you get the balance issue ingrained in your head, it becomes almost involuntary. Note: the first time I tried to go aero while not on the trainer was in a race. I swerved pretty badly and nearly hit the guy passing me on the left. Luckily, neither of us crashed, but I got the key to focus on balance pretty quickly. |
| 2008-09-08 11:57 AM in reply to: #1657473 |
Pro 6767 the Alabama part of Pennsylvania | Subject: RE: Aerobars... ouch. Funny stuff and questions. Riding in the aero position puts you back much earlier on the bicycle learning curve. Remember the first time you rode 20+mph? The speed probably seemed a little intimidating, and you worried that you would not stop yourself in time? So you gave yourself more time and distance to "get it right". Same thing on the aerobars. Practice moving in and out of the aero position on either very light traffic roads, or big empty parking lots, until you can go up and down without turning the bike. I've heard that some people first getting used to riding aero will ride with one hand on the brake hood and the other in the aero position. Once you have the skill to go in a straight line, then add the speed again. |
| 2008-09-08 12:02 PM in reply to: #1657473 |
Master 1325 Lake Oswego, OR | Subject: RE: Aerobars... ouch. Funny stuff and questions. I don't know if I am doing it right, but this was my first season riding with clip ons. My big moment of insight was when I realized I should not be steering with my hands. My hands only gently wrap around the bar ends. I place my weight on my forearms and steer with them. In reading the above post, it sounds like I need to be putting the emphasis even further back. |
| 2008-09-08 1:16 PM in reply to: #1657473 |
Champion 7136 Knoxville area | Subject: RE: Aerobars... ouch. Funny stuff and questions. thanks for all the advice guys, Can't wait to get off work and try my hand at it again with some more knowledge at my disposal. I suppose the plus side to all of this is I've already "wrecked" so i can throw that timidness of "wrecking my new bike" out the window.
I suppose I also should have mentioned (this pertains to the weight on the bars and core stability) that my Stem is too long for me (my shop has a shorter one coming to fit me correctly, but its a couple days backorder. Being a 24 year old hothead though... I just couldn't wait to test her out haha ) I think that may have had a bit to do with the weight distribution. |
| 2008-09-08 2:43 PM in reply to: #1657473 |
Member 219 Nampa, Idaho | Subject: RE: Aerobars... ouch. Funny stuff and questions. I'm glad you posted this question though. I just got aerobars too and got so nervous going over 16mph with them. Glad to know about the weight distribution. Also my seat post needs to go up 2-3 inches with the aeoro bars... I took the bike into a new neighborhood--the kind where there are only model homes up and the rest is nice new road and that's it. Practiced there for a while. But I still need a lot more practice. I didn't fall off though  |
| 2008-09-08 3:11 PM in reply to: #1657473 |
Expert 1083 The Woodlands, TX | Subject: RE: Aerobars... ouch. Funny stuff and questions. One thing I did when I first got my bike is on a flat straight I just practiced going in and out of aero. A few pedal strokes in aero, a few out. A few in, a few out. Just kept practicing getting in and out of position without the bike jerking. I practiced that at progressively faster speeds. I'm still not fast, nor am I great on the steering, but I know I can get to my breaks relatively quickly now |
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