aerobars on my road bike for HIM

I just got aero bars myself, but my HIM is next July.

I have heard they are better and get more power, but they can be hard to get used to.  I cannot stay on them an entire ride as my body is not used to them yet.  You use more hamstrings and hip muscles and they need to be developed.  A friend told me it took about 15 hrs of riding just to get her muscles comfortable, that does not include being in that position on the road and being comfortable.

The aero bars also save your legs for the run portion of the race, that main reason people use them.

While I love the aero bars, I would advise against putting them on now since your race it so soon.

Besides races are way too jittery to be trying something so major and new. 

If you have a bike shop that does good bike fittings (ours is awesome) they will recommend what aero bars are good for you.  It is based on your body, your reach, etc.  Also, don't forget, a road bike seat may not be as comfortable when in the aero position, but everyones anatomy is different.  So you may need a different seat, I did.

Good luck

4 weeks is not the time to start adding / changing things. Race like you practice.

It's not just the aerobars themselves that will make improvements, it's the change of body position that comes with being in an aero position. In a proper aero setup you should be able to ride comfortably for longer distances and when you transition to running your legs should feel a little less fatigued. You get the most out of such a setup with an actual tri/tt bike. A road bike can be adjusted to approximate the tri/tt setup, but the impact will be less and the bike handling may suffer a little.

A good LBS will work with you to adjust your road bike to try to get close as you can to a good aero position with aero bars - adjusting the handlebar height, seat height, moving the seat forward, adjusting the position of the aerobars, etc. You might consider swapping out the saddle on your road bike for a tri saddle with more padding in the nose. You might consider a reversible seat post that can push the seat forward more. All these things your LBS should help you with and help you adjust over time as you try it out.

It will take time to work out what is comfortable and effective for you, and you might not have time to do it before your race, but it's certainly worth doing. I've been riding a low-cost road bike with clip-on aerobars and a tri-specific saddle for several years, up to HIM distance, and it's been fine.

Profile Design is a vendor that seems to be well liked. I've used both Profile Airstryke and Profile Carbon Stryke aeroboars on my road bike and had no problems with either. I like the carbon strykes better, but they cost more. Look online for a used set to save some money, I see them for sale often.

Good luck!

Thanks for the information. Went to triathlon over the weekend and some bike vendors were there. the bikes were awesome, but dang they were expensive. Not sure if I will ever get a tri bike, but maybe I can afford the aero set-up thanks.

If you do get clip ons, get a forward seatpost too. It will get you in more of a triathlon bike position. Without them, you will most likely be pretty stretched out.

x2. Getting aerobars alone isn't going to make the difference. You have to be able to get into a more aero position. For me, this required getting a new seatpost and a shorter stem as well as a fitting. You don't have to get a fast forward seatpost but as a general rule adding aero bars will require you to move your seat forward and if that's not enough shortening your stem (general rule).

Many just get the clip ons (they can be had for < $100) but then don't spend on a fitting or anything and I'm not sure there's a lot of benefit.

Also, like was said above 4 weeks is a bit close to be making changes like this. The bike is a bit more touchy to handle and it may take some decent rides to get your body used to aero. I would wait until after the race to make the change, YMMV.

HTH.