Old steel bike with clip-on aerobars, ski-bend type. Yup I ride an old bike with a power meter, because the most limiting factor, sadly, is still the rider, not the bike 😉
I have a trainer Orbea road bike and a race Fuji tri bike, but it's old an heavy and looking to upgrade, might just get a nice light road bike and add some bars cause i'll be racing Ironaman Whistler and I need all the help I can get up those hills
I've run the spread. Started on road, went to clip-ons, now I'm on a Felt IA. Clips on are great for getting most of the speed, but not having access to gears and (more importantly) losing out on my road bike fit was just annoying to me long term. Didn't like going on group rides on my roadie with a TT-specific fit. Aerobars are fantastic starting out, though!
@Heather - Nice video. But there is one correction: There are plenty of composite carbon handlebars on the road bike market that are designed to accommodate clamp-on aerobars. My first carbon handlebar was a WCS Carbon Evolution from Ritchey and it was reinforced a couple of inches on either side of the stem clamp area so aerobars could be safely clamped on. Today I'm using an aerodynamic Canta Ergo Carbon handlebar from Profile Design and it, too, is reinforced for clamp-on aerobars. So the advice to viewers should be this: "If you have a composite carbon handlebar, check with the manufacturer to see if your model is reinforced for clamp-on aerobars before adding them. Most carbon road bars are not reinforced for them and will be damaged if you clamp aerobars onto them. But it's perfectly safe to use clamp-on aerobars with a carbon handlebar that is designed for them." This is a feature that I always look for before purchasing a new handlebar. If it doesn't support aerobars, I don't buy it.
You might address some more points. First left out is DI2. This will help attach bleepers to your clip-ons and change the gears without having to change your aero position. Next important this is seat post with multiple offsets. I own a Merida Reacto specifically for the fact that I can flip my top seat post and from positive setback I now have a negative offset witch brings my position forward. I raise the saddle accordingly and voila, I have almost the same position as on a TT bike.
Great video. In addition to Heather's advice i'm using a fast forward seatpost that brings you even better positioning. A new saddle (split nose, tt specific) could be also an option if one's butt hurts after time.
+1, it makes no sense to use aerobars if you're not going to change the effective geometry of the bike. a typical tri bike has a seat tube angle of about 78-80°, while a road bike's is 72-73°. aerobars are not the only difference. to have an effective tri geo, you need to move the saddle forward and up, while dropping the handlebars / aerobars.
If you have a double bottle holder, you can use one of the bottles to squeeze gels into, along with enough water to make them drinkable. If you put lines on the bottle, you can work out approximately how much to drink to get one gel. If you are moving your seat forward and up, you will also need to tilt your saddle nose down a bit. Top-tube bags can actually make you go faster! If they are reasonably streamlined, they extend the length of your stem, and the air moves around the stem more efficiently. A bit like how TT bikes have wider forks.
Ok, I've got to say this once and I'm not trying to 🐝 cheeky about it...but Heather's accent is what just got your channel another subscriber!-) I'm newish to biking (serious as opposed to cruising aroynd) and I love all the technical specs...it's just easier to listen to Heather describe it as opposed to a math geek with no speaking ability~ I live here in North Italy 🇮🇹 and will do my first Triathlon this May;-) Thanks again for the free content!-) 👌🖖✌️
100%,, Heather has a very pleasant way about her, extremely knowledgeable, and professional in the way she can break something down for the dumbest beginners like me.
the Redshift Sport's dual-position seat post would've been worth mentioning, you can have it set for your road position and your tri position without having to get your allen wrench out every time you want to switch your saddle position, but as its really obvious and apparent in this video that Profile Design is a show sponsor, that probably wasnt allowed.
Interesting that you suggest moving the saddle to tweak the reach when in a GCN bike fitting video they state that once the saddle is in the correction position relative to the pedals then the reach is adjusted on the stem side, not by moving the saddle.
If you convert your roady to a Tri-Rig it’s nearly permanent because a proper fit on a Tri Rig require not only aero bars but also a Tri Seat and could also mean shorter cranks arms and the geometry of the bike may not adapt well to a decent Tri fit. If you do convert it well enough, you’ll likely want to leave it that way because it would too much work to switch back to a roady configuration - so you still just have one bike.
With the aero bento boxes my top tube narrows like your bike and if the box can move backwards it turns upside down. Nice yours has the cable around the stem to avoid that. For riding position I moved the saddle forward, up and tipped nose down a bit more. Might be an idea to measure front and rear of the saddle relative to the bottom bracket to keep the relationship the same.
nice video... as for me, i had to replace my seatpost with the fast forward seat post by profile design in order to achieve a more aerodynamic position.
@@jackwright3098 staying on aerobars would have my big tummy compressed. I had to move the saddle forward and lift it a bit higher so I can stay on the aerobars for longer periods. The fast forward seatpost helped me achieve the perfect position for me.... But now that I have a triathlon-specific bike, I put back the original seat post on my roadbike.
When I tried to use electrical tape under clip-on bars it always finally moved and never stayed really firm. I do not recommend it. Do not use any tape, use carbon paste and tight at right torque.
try athletic tape as it is slightly abrasive and will give the clamp a better chance to grip~ Athletic tape is also designed to stick on when you sweat (the glue should hold up better:-)
Good video Heather, but I would have included a set of racing wheels. I have a set of Mavic Cosmic Carbon 55s with aluminium rims (about $1000). One bike for both training and racing so I know I'll be comfortable and not "squirely" when racing.
They can be nice as, for some, they take pressure off the perineum and let you rotate your hips forward to the more optimal position. There's no requirement, though, and if you're comfortable without, you're comfortable.
Split nose saddles are nicer when you sit on the nose. Rode for years in tt races with a conventional saddle but they are bad for making the legs and everything sleepy. Moving around and off the saddle helps but practice helps knowing when even with the split nose. Might depend if you sit forward or back on the saddle whether the comfort is any different. Too far back and the hamstrings snag on the saddle edges especially on wide saddles.
Just brought some and didnt even think about notnbeing able to put them on my road bike :( no idea if my handle bars are carbon! I know my bike frame is... its second hand Dolan bike so not got a clue on the model?! Any help
The seagulls appear to take exception with your claim about the bottles proven to be more aerodynamic behind the seat than on the seat tube. And I have to agree with them: while the bottle itself may not be more aerodynamic on the seat-tube, I believe it serves as a fairing for the rear wheel and reduces the drag of the bottle-bike-wheel unit as a whole. But I'm not a science major, so if any of you fluid dynamics graduates have a link, I'd appreciate being corrected.
It's really personal. What works for me may cause you lots of discomfort. It's super annoying to have to deal with trying out lots of saddles, but once you do, stick with it. For the aero position, the saddle should not cause excessive pressure on your perineum and also be narrow enough that your inner thighs aren't rubbing on it. Lots of triathletes ride ISM 1.0/1.1 saddles.
Christian Andrade if you can get low enough with the front with maybe a steep angled stem then it could be a benefit. There are some seat posts available which can be reversed so look out for them too, then it can move the saddle even further forward. As long as your handling is still good with the changes. I looked at the options for my bike but as my top tube is so high i settled for the saddle going right forward on the standard seatpost and it really feels as good as the race bike despite the higher front end. Pretty rapid on the flats and climbs nicely. Easier on the neck too. Apparently road bikes arent designed with the same front end strength as a tt bike so be careful not to overload the front.
Hello, Great video! Thank you for the info. Taking the mods a bit further, has anyone ever installed Sram Red eTap Blip Shift Buttons on Profile Design aero bars? I’ve just installed new T1+ Carbon aero bars on my road bike and would like to add the Sram Red eTap Blip Shift Buttons if possible. Please advise. Thanks in advance.
Love the way that the GTN presenters have found their feet...but surely a little something dies inside Heather when she has to present a massively tedious yawn-fest of an advertorial for 'profile design'... or Mark has to yet again drag out another pair of 'on' sneakers...Not sure what I'm objecting to here...I've got a load of profile stuff and it's great...and 'yes'...I know GTN is a commercial vehicle rather than a charity...but a little more subtlety to maintain the illusion that we are humans... rather than data/ dollar might stop people writing rubbish like this...
Only thing is these were actually good suggestions and explanations. Maybe you could try to look beyond the sponsors. This helped me when adapting my bike for tri, so I'm not sure what you're on about.
Do you have a road bike, road bike with clip on aerobars or a triathlon bike?
Old steel bike with clip-on aerobars, ski-bend type. Yup I ride an old bike with a power meter, because the most limiting factor, sadly, is still the rider, not the bike 😉
I have a trainer Orbea road bike and a race Fuji tri bike, but it's old an heavy and looking to upgrade, might just get a nice light road bike and add some bars cause i'll be racing Ironaman Whistler and I need all the help I can get up those hills
I've run the spread. Started on road, went to clip-ons, now I'm on a Felt IA. Clips on are great for getting most of the speed, but not having access to gears and (more importantly) losing out on my road bike fit was just annoying to me long term. Didn't like going on group rides on my roadie with a TT-specific fit. Aerobars are fantastic starting out, though!
I have both!😅😀
Global Triathlon Network I started with a road bike but now have both
@Heather - Nice video. But there is one correction: There are plenty of composite carbon handlebars on the road bike market that are designed to accommodate clamp-on aerobars. My first carbon handlebar was a WCS Carbon Evolution from Ritchey and it was reinforced a couple of inches on either side of the stem clamp area so aerobars could be safely clamped on. Today I'm using an aerodynamic Canta Ergo Carbon handlebar from Profile Design and it, too, is reinforced for clamp-on aerobars.
So the advice to viewers should be this: "If you have a composite carbon handlebar, check with the manufacturer to see if your model is reinforced for clamp-on aerobars before adding them. Most carbon road bars are not reinforced for them and will be damaged if you clamp aerobars onto them. But it's perfectly safe to use clamp-on aerobars with a carbon handlebar that is designed for them."
This is a feature that I always look for before purchasing a new handlebar. If it doesn't support aerobars, I don't buy it.
You might address some more points. First left out is DI2. This will help attach bleepers to your clip-ons and change the gears without having to change your aero position.
Next important this is seat post with multiple offsets. I own a Merida Reacto specifically for the fact that I can flip my top seat post and from positive setback I now have a negative offset witch brings my position forward. I raise the saddle accordingly and voila, I have almost the same position as on a TT bike.
Great video. In addition to Heather's advice i'm using a fast forward seatpost that brings you even better positioning. A new saddle (split nose, tt specific) could be also an option if one's butt hurts after time.
+1, it makes no sense to use aerobars if you're not going to change the effective geometry of the bike. a typical tri bike has a seat tube angle of about 78-80°, while a road bike's is 72-73°. aerobars are not the only difference. to have an effective tri geo, you need to move the saddle forward and up, while dropping the handlebars / aerobars.
This is the MOST IMPORTANT. Who the heck can ride on a regular saddle if the point of contact is literally the scrotum? Not me.
If you have a double bottle holder, you can use one of the bottles to squeeze gels into, along with enough water to make them drinkable. If you put lines on the bottle, you can work out approximately how much to drink to get one gel.
If you are moving your seat forward and up, you will also need to tilt your saddle nose down a bit.
Top-tube bags can actually make you go faster! If they are reasonably streamlined, they extend the length of your stem, and the air moves around the stem more efficiently. A bit like how TT bikes have wider forks.
Ok, I've got to say this once and I'm not trying to 🐝 cheeky about it...but Heather's accent is what just got your channel another subscriber!-) I'm newish to biking (serious as opposed to cruising aroynd) and I love all the technical specs...it's just easier to listen to Heather describe it as opposed to a math geek with no speaking ability~ I live here in North Italy 🇮🇹 and will do my first Triathlon this May;-) Thanks again for the free content!-) 👌🖖✌️
100%,, Heather has a very pleasant way about her, extremely knowledgeable, and professional in the way she can break something down for the dumbest beginners like me.
Your Tutorials are Loud and clear and easy to understand!!!
Thank you Gtn!!!😊🌄😇💖💯
Lloydy on TTbars?! Are pigs flying?!
Slam the stem, add clip on bars, and use deep wheels and you will be quite aero with a racing geometry frame.
the Redshift Sport's dual-position seat post would've been worth mentioning, you can have it set for your road position and your tri position without having to get your allen wrench out every time you want to switch your saddle position, but as its really obvious and apparent in this video that Profile Design is a show sponsor, that probably wasnt allowed.
I wonder if they used clip-on aero bars in the Cervelo TestTeam?
That team sounds familiar.
Don’t it?
store food in your bibs shorts if you have them tight enought then they wont fall out and it will make your muscles look a bit bigger :)
Interesting that you suggest moving the saddle to tweak the reach when in a GCN bike fitting video they state that once the saddle is in the correction position relative to the pedals then the reach is adjusted on the stem side, not by moving the saddle.
You move the saddle forward to open your hip angle which is what tri bikes already do
If you convert your roady to a Tri-Rig it’s nearly permanent because a proper fit on a Tri Rig require not only aero bars but also a Tri Seat and could also mean shorter cranks arms and the geometry of the bike may not adapt well to a decent Tri fit. If you do convert it well enough, you’ll likely want to leave it that way because it would too much work to switch back to a roady configuration - so you still just have one bike.
With the aero bento boxes my top tube narrows like your bike and if the box can move backwards it turns upside down. Nice yours has the cable around the stem to avoid that. For riding position I moved the saddle forward, up and tipped nose down a bit more. Might be an idea to measure front and rear of the saddle relative to the bottom bracket to keep the relationship the same.
nice video... as for me, i had to replace my seatpost with the fast forward seat post by profile design in order to achieve a more aerodynamic position.
Why exactly? Is it that we all would benefit from that seat post or is specifically because of your body type/flexibility/etc?
@@jackwright3098 staying on aerobars would have my big tummy compressed. I had to move the saddle forward and lift it a bit higher so I can stay on the aerobars for longer periods. The fast forward seatpost helped me achieve the perfect position for me.... But now that I have a triathlon-specific bike, I put back the original seat post on my roadbike.
i love this bike design. also very informative, I just got my aero bars so now to look into the other stuff, thanks!
When I tried to use electrical tape under clip-on bars it always finally moved and never stayed really firm. I do not recommend it. Do not use any tape, use carbon paste and tight at right torque.
+1, do not use electrical tape!
Agreed, electrical tape do not work at all. Tried it and my aero bar moved around.
try athletic tape as it is slightly abrasive and will give the clamp a better chance to grip~ Athletic tape is also designed to stick on when you sweat (the glue should hold up better:-)
@George Lemeitre cut old rubber tube from the tire. Not sure if its cube in english. The one you fill with the air ;)
best review I've seen thanks!
Loving these simple and effective tips!
Fantastic explanation
Good video Heather, but I would have included a set of racing wheels. I have a set of Mavic Cosmic Carbon 55s with aluminium rims (about $1000). One bike for both training and racing so I know I'll be comfortable and not "squirely" when racing.
Barry Field If you've got $1000, just get a used TT bike. It'll be much better than aero wheels on a roadie.
I considered that Kurt, but my road bike feels great doing 50-65 milers and I didn't want to possibly losing comfort on an ill fitting used bike.
Thanks for the video it was full of information
I have a Gt outpost with tri bars and it rides way better than just using flat bars 😂
That helps keep my amount of bicycles to what I can store. Thanks
you have missed out the option of the profile design forward seat post that will bring you in to a better position
While you were at it with Profile Design, why not include the fast forward seat post as an added option to get that steeper seat tube angle? :)
Awesome & Thanks :)
What kind of tools I need to get started making chances on my road bike ?
Hi, can you tell me which ‘profile-design’ bars (by model name) you used in this video?
Any chance of clipping on those extensions on wide aero handlebars??
I see you don't use a split nose saddle. Any reason for that? From what I *read* and *heard* , you should switch to one if you add aero bars.
They can be nice as, for some, they take pressure off the perineum and let you rotate your hips forward to the more optimal position. There's no requirement, though, and if you're comfortable without, you're comfortable.
Not a requirement at all.
Split nose saddles are nicer when you sit on the nose. Rode for years in tt races with a conventional saddle but they are bad for making the legs and everything sleepy. Moving around and off the saddle helps but practice helps knowing when even with the split nose. Might depend if you sit forward or back on the saddle whether the comfort is any different. Too far back and the hamstrings snag on the saddle edges especially on wide saddles.
What kind of road bike is best suited for this, my girlfriend has an endurance bike and this BMC looks like aero-road bike.
Had to review this episode after viewing the lastest "Should Tribikes be Banned?" episode.
what gear ratio are people running. My bike is 1x 25t rear 50 front
Good Item
Aero bars are quite expensive, is there any easy and cheaper way to get one.
Lovely jeans cut!
Great vid
Just brought some and didnt even think about notnbeing able to put them on my road bike :( no idea if my handle bars are carbon! I know my bike frame is... its second hand Dolan bike so not got a clue on the model?! Any help
WTH Lloydy!?!? Not what I'd expect, and he didn't even take a moment to call himself out either XD
The seagulls appear to take exception with your claim about the bottles proven to be more aerodynamic behind the seat than on the seat tube.
And I have to agree with them: while the bottle itself may not be more aerodynamic on the seat-tube, I believe it serves as a fairing for the rear wheel and reduces the drag of the bottle-bike-wheel unit as a whole. But I'm not a science major, so if any of you fluid dynamics graduates have a link, I'd appreciate being corrected.
Why do u always use a GCN bottle?
Why was the slow mo so satisfying? 🤷♂️
Yeah, Ima just ride my road bike and do tris with it.
Why are you here then?
@@sepg5084 solely to irritate you.
Can anyone recommend a good set or brand of clip on aerobars to buy?
What is a good saddle to use on a road bike with mini clip-on tt bars?
It's really personal. What works for me may cause you lots of discomfort. It's super annoying to have to deal with trying out lots of saddles, but once you do, stick with it. For the aero position, the saddle should not cause excessive pressure on your perineum and also be narrow enough that your inner thighs aren't rubbing on it. Lots of triathletes ride ISM 1.0/1.1 saddles.
Recommended to switch to a zero setback seatpost?
Christian Andrade if you can get low enough with the front with maybe a steep angled stem then it could be a benefit. There are some seat posts available which can be reversed so look out for them too, then it can move the saddle even further forward. As long as your handling is still good with the changes. I looked at the options for my bike but as my top tube is so high i settled for the saddle going right forward on the standard seatpost and it really feels as good as the race bike despite the higher front end. Pretty rapid on the flats and climbs nicely. Easier on the neck too. Apparently road bikes arent designed with the same front end strength as a tt bike so be careful not to overload the front.
Hello, Great video! Thank you for the info. Taking the mods a bit further, has anyone ever installed Sram Red eTap Blip Shift Buttons on Profile Design aero bars? I’ve just installed new T1+ Carbon aero bars on my road bike and would like to add the Sram Red eTap Blip Shift Buttons if possible. Please advise. Thanks in advance.
how about using an xc bike? i just own one bike.. a heavy one.. tipping the scales at around 16kg....
Hey! I also ride a BMC bike
1:36 or just bring your multi tool on your test ride
Love the way that the GTN presenters have found their feet...but surely a little something dies inside Heather when she has to present a massively tedious yawn-fest of an advertorial for 'profile design'... or Mark has to yet again drag out another pair of 'on' sneakers...Not sure what I'm objecting to here...I've got a load of profile stuff and it's great...and 'yes'...I know GTN is a commercial vehicle rather than a charity...but a little more subtlety to maintain the illusion that we are humans... rather than data/ dollar might stop people writing rubbish like this...
Only thing is these were actually good suggestions and explanations. Maybe you could try to look beyond the sponsors. This helped me when adapting my bike for tri, so I'm not sure what you're on about.
How fast is this bike?
what the hell is Dan Lloyd doing on GTN... in GTN kit... on a TT bike... in South Africa??
GCN made their own video about what they could learn from triathletes
Gcn en español debería hacer uno así me interesa pero no hablo Inglés
🇧🇷
👌🏼
Does anyone know what BMC this is?
Sam Pritchard same question
slr 02
i wanna go to an iron man with my gravelbike
Thanks for the video it was full of information