Any benefit to Aero handlebars on a regular road bike

[BRad704]

I currently have 3T Ergonova pro handlebars and stem on my road bike. A 2009 Fuji team carbon. They are more aero than a regular round bar I guess, but would I see any noticeable benefit from something like an integrated carbon aero bar and stem combo?

I know the biggest cause of drag on the bike is myself, so I’m thinking only about bike weight and bike aerodynamics here.

For a little perspective, I am a top 10 cat 4 rider. So I am moving a little faster than your average commuter, but I have a long way to go.


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[shovelhd]

In general, real aero benefits kick in over 20mph. If you spend a lot of your time riding over 20mph, then every little bit helps. If you have lost races by a tire width, every little bit helps. As you move up the ladder though, the equipment playing field gets a lot more level. Don't look at these things as advantages, more like keeping up with the Joneses.

[nooneline]

Most aero benefits - like internal cable routing, flattop handlebars, aero frame stylings - are quite small, with the difference only being made by all of them together (and, in addition to deep wheels, an aero helmet, and a reasonably aero position on the bike).

given the cost of an integrated bar/stem unit, its small aero benefits, and its drawbacks (inability to adjust the angle of the bars, sinking money into something you can't change if you decide you'd rather ride a little longer, or shorter, or whatever) - i wouldn't bother.

you'd probably get more aero benefits by using a handlebar 2cm narrower than what you're on now.

[Mark McM]

I've never seen any justification for the statements "aero doesn't matter until X speed." That's really just a cycling myth.

As far as seeing any benefit from an aerodrop bar - the only place you'd actually see it is on a stop watch (regardless of speed), its to small to feel it from the saddle. Whether the benefit is "significant" really depends on your perspective. If you lost your last sprint by half a wheel, or lost your last TT by 10 seconds, then they could be very significant to you. But if it doesn't matter if you do a century ride in 5:31:00 min or 5:35:30., then they might not be too significant to you. Some people ride aero road bars just because they find the flat tops more comfortable.

(All that being said, I've got aero road bars on the bike I use for criterium racing, but standard round bars on the bike I use for hilly century rides.)

[BRad704]

Thanks yall for the feedback. Sounds like the semi-aero 3T bars I have now should be fine. I would probably do better to spend that extra $$ on some lighter groupset components or even just trimming the last 20mm off my steerer tube. I'm just looking for little ways to make this current bike better here and there.

[ultraman6970]

The short answer to me is... NOPE

[shovelhd]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

I've never seen any justification for the statements "aero doesn't matter until X speed." That's really just a cycling myth.

I didn't say that. Read it again.

I'm not going to throw out studies, charts, graphs, and all that. I can tell you what I know based on my own experiences. I have won races by tire widths and the guy I beat wasn't as aero. But there are many factors involved in that, like kick, closing speed, technique, position, draft, etc. You can't say it's all about the aero components.

I am one of the best descenders in my club. If a group of us roll off a summit from a stop, the heaviest guys will pull ahead first. Once we get over 20mph, the aero guys start pulling ahead. I see this consistently, over and over again. It doesn't matter what the pitch is, once the speedometer goes over 20, things sort out. Try it yourself.

[ultraman6970]

I think brad soon will realize when he hits over 40 that aero or not aero the body won't feel the same, and for that my advice after "been there and done that" in cycling is... "enjoy your rides while you can... enjoy the racing while you can... and dont worry about the equipment that much, is not going to be decisive at all... life is short, enjoy it"

[sun]

Every little bit helps. Even if it gives you more confidence to tackle harder rides. For me, I don't use the tops much, so it doesn't feel any different than normal bars. If you do use the tops, then you should consider that.

[BRad704]

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

I think brad soon will realize when he hits over 40 that aero or not aero the body won't feel the same, and for that my advice after "been there and done that" in cycling is... "enjoy your rides while you can... enjoy the racing while you can... and dont worry about the equipment that much, is not going to be decisive at all... life is short, enjoy it"

Man I'm already 37, and I don't even feel like I've hit my prime yet.

But I do try to enjoy my rides and races. Speaking of... the weather is TOO nice to be sitting at the comp on a mid-November day. I'll be back in a couple of hours.

[Gummee]

Its your $$, spend it on what you like.

...but I'd suggest spending that $ on coaching or a fit first ...OR... even a self-coaching book. More strength/fitness is going to go further than more aero bits.

My $.02 and YMMV and all that

M

[sun]

Another thing to consider. If you feel you are need to reward yourself for all the training you do, aero bits can be a good reward and will help a bit.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by shovelhd

I didn't say that. Read it again.

I'm not going to throw out studies, charts, graphs, and all that. I can tell you what I know based on my own experiences. I have won races by tire widths and the guy I beat wasn't as aero. But there are many factors involved in that, like kick, closing speed, technique, position, draft, etc. You can't say it's all about the aero components.

I am one of the best descenders in my club. If a group of us roll off a summit from a stop, the heaviest guys will pull ahead first. Once we get over 20mph, the aero guys start pulling ahead. I see this consistently, over and over again. It doesn't matter what the pitch is, once the speedometer goes over 20, things sort out. Try it yourself.

I too have observed that the relative difference in descending velocity between riders can vary with speed, primarily due to differences in aerodynamics. But I have also observed that there is no one single speed where one rider might start descending faster than another rider. Sometimes the rider who descends slower at a low speed might start overtaking another rider at 15 mph, or sometimes at 25 mph, and sometimes the slower descender might not become the faster descender until 35 mph. There are far two many variables to declare that there is a single speed threshold where more aero riders will always start to descend faster than other riders.

The relative importance of air resistance can be found by a trip to the AnalyticCycling.com web page. Using the 'Static Forces On Rider > Power, Given Speed' calculating tool and using the sample parameters for their "standard" rider, here are some estimates of the proportion of wind resistance to total resistance at various speeds on flat ground:

5 mph - 22%

10 mph - 52%

15 mph - 70%

20 mph - 81%

25 mph - 87%

30 mph - 91%

It is true that wind resistance is a smaller drag contributor at low speeds and bigger drag contributor as speed increases,. But I don't see any evidence here to say that there is no potential for aerodynamic benefits below 20 mph, or that "real aero benefits kick in over 20mph."

[MesiJezi]

When I read the title I thought we were talking about TT style aerobars and my initial though was NOPE, those do not belong on a road bike.

Fd=(1/2)(p)(u)^2(Cd)(a)

Where

Fd = Drag force acting on a body
p = density of the fluid (air in this case)
u = velocity of fluid relative to body
Cd = coefficient of drag
a = frontal area of body (what we're trying to decrease)

All that to say the drag force increases exponentially with velocity, so aero components make a much bigger difference when speed is increased 4 MPH from 20 MPH to 24 MPH versus an increase of 4 MPH from 16 MPH to 20 MPH.

There's the nerd answer.

[muz]

Originally Posted by MesiJezi

When I read the title I thought we were talking about TT style aerobars and my initial though was NOPE, those do not belong on a road bike.

Fd=(1/2)(p)(u)^2(Cd)(a)

Where

Fd = Drag force acting on a body
p = density of the fluid (air in this case)
u = velocity of fluid relative to body
Cd = coefficient of drag
a = frontal area of body (what we're trying to decrease)

All that to say the drag force increases exponentially with velocity, so aero components make a much bigger difference when speed is increased 4 MPH from 20 MPH to 24 MPH versus an increase of 4 MPH from 16 MPH to 20 MPH.

There's the nerd answer.

No, not EXPONENTIALLY, just SQUARE, as in your formula