??Aero bars??

[RE8ELD0G]

Hey guys
I have been watching "Ride the Divide" on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpK5j8AqEqU
Some of the riders are using aero bars on there bikes.
Do any of you guys use them on mountain bikes and are they any good?

[Dan_K]

I used them as a bag support before I bought a harness but unless you're racing or riding on the easy ish trails of the tour divide, you'll probably find alternatives that are more suitable for most mountain bike rides - ergon, Jones etc.

[Brothersmith]

Depends what you will be riding - useful for the road/gravel of Sustarns style routes but you want use them much if its rougher terrain

[Bearbonesnorm]

It's very difficult to set aero bars up on a mountain bike so they're of any real / practical use ... using bar ends fitted inboard can give some advantage.

[jpw247]

Put some on my cx once to try. Took them off shortly after.When I pulled my arms into the tuck position my moobs clenched up to reveal an impressive cleavage. Far from pretty.
I understand them on tt bikes as they pull your body far forward on a rather squat bike. Normal race and mountain bikes are longer. It wasn't comfortable in my experience.
May just try Stu's inboard bar ends for a change from the ergon grips and options during the longer rides.

[Alpinum]

May just try Stu's inboard bar ends

That Mike Hall TD setup kind of thing?
Been thinking of some thing similar when pedalling against the "Brüscha" in winter on the fat bike on groomed tracks.

Stubby bar ends, foam, tape?

Cheers

[jpw247]

Yupp thats the stuff. Tape would be good but its a lot of faff. If they're anything like the ergon grips then they will take an age to zero in. Oh if you can get them in bright pink then proper boss! Just a quick question for the brainiacs out there. I'm using Easton EC70 carbon handlebars on my sweet baby loving machine. I used the ergon inserts to reinforce the carbon fibre at the ends. Has anyone used inboard grips with carbon fibre bars before? Some part of me is thinking more sheets of weave would be used near the stem mount to combat shear forces etc, I may also be very wrong

[jameso]

I doubt anyone gets much aero advantage from them at MTB/endurance average speeds but they may be a good resting place for a tired rider and useful to mount stuff on. Can't see them being worth the weight myself, or they're a sign that your bars / position aren't as good as they could be if you need that rest point. I've ridden a while rested on my loop Jones bars in an aero position into a headwind but a bike with a good position for long distance riding is unlikely to be good for power output on the aero bars. I found my power dropped as soon as I got into that position - bike just isn't optimised for it.

TBH though I just irrationally dislike them as they look a bit 'triathlon' : )
Mike Hall's set up is good if you don't use loop bars. Many years back I did a road tour on a slicked-up MTB with short bar-ends fitted inside of the brake levers for a similar position, worked well, quite a road-bike like grip position. I had Scott AT4s BITD, they weren't bad on road but looked dreadful..

[JohnClimber]

As an occasionally user and only for long rides they fit my Jones H Bars perfectly



Last month I did the 138 miles of the Leeds Liverpool canal (from Liverpool) with them on my 29er+ in under 9hrs 30mins and they defiantly helped make it more comfortable, faster and really helped getting me lower and more aero to be more out of the wind than normal.