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Torn between Tri Bars... Never a good place to be!

Excuse the title, I'm after some advice please:

I've been looking wistfully at tri bars for my road bike and stumbled upon these 'Deda Parabolica Uno Tri Bars' for £44.95.

(http://www.parker-international.co.uk/10776/Deda-Parabolica-Uno-Tri-Bars.html?referrer=froogle&utm_source=google&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=pid10776)

At approximately 180 grams they seem to be VERY light and VERY cheap. I've looked them up on various sites and all seem to quote 180g at around the £45-50 mark.

Am I missing something here? I'm also VERY new to triathlon, but I have worked out that weight is inversely proportional to price! Has anyone tried these or similar Deda bars? Presumably the weight is a misprint or do they snap off if the wind changes direction suddenly or something?

The alternative choice to date is the '6061 T6 Aluminium Tranz-X Clip-on Tri Bars' for £42.95 at 450g, which the mounting brackets do look a LOT sturdier on. Given that I usually buy solid and dependable over cutting edge these look more like it.

(http://www.amazon.co.uk/6061-Aluminium-Tranz-X-Clip-Bars/dp/B002NQ31KA/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=sports&qid=1252348056&sr=1-5)

Ideas on a postcard please... many thanks.

Comments

  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    Well the first set are alloy and the second alu so we are not talking about anything flimsy.

    The weight of your upper body rests on the rests, you should not be gripping on for grim death as that engages all sorts of muscles in the back needlessly and causes fatigue so again no major issues there.

    Apart from weight the first is a 'ski' type that I like and the second is an S type which looks looks all sexy and aero but I would point this article out to you:
    http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/features/sbend.shtml

    Of the two I personally go for the first unless someone else can point out a better bargain
  • Oh shit......did you have to go and post that link Zacnici???? I have S bend bars (and like them).....but after reading that article I now have two choices, either put down 400w of power for the duration of my ride (and therefore use my current bars to 'brace my torso') OR sell them off and get some new bars (which will just add more weight to the divorce argument when she finds out)!!!!
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    Sorry Gary :roll:

    I know a lot of people like S bends but Bike Sport Michigan do some really good articles, well reserached and backed up with evidence so I ofetn cite them.
  • anybody want a pair of Profle Design S bend aero bars. I need to change mine after reading that. More expense. Good article though.
  • NO......i'm selling my Profile Design S bends first!!!!
  • I got the Deda Parabolica Uno Tri Bars and I’m very happy with them, I like the low rise of the mounts which some other clip on bars cannot provide so do not have to allow a lower body position. The only problem I find is a bit or wrist pain when hitting the bit pot holes on the wrists, but should look were in going more... guess you will get that with and S shaped bars.

    About the article yes they have valid point for ironman events where comfort is always an issue, but their argument about latissimus dorsi muscles etc seems to try to add far to weight to the argument, once we get to ride our bikes, we have little use for upper body muscles from there on in so using them on the bike for mid to shorter distance races has got to be a good thing so you get the most from your bike leg and utilise what you have got. As they say no pain no gain
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    Leezar, yes it is very much horses for courses. The reason why I think it is a good article is that it opens up the debate and I stand to be corrected on this but a lot of people take up triathlon from scratch. To try and engage all those muscles, thrash it out pulling big rings seems appaealing but in practice unless there is decent coaching a lot of us will end up injured, DNFing and jacking it all in within a couple of years beacuse of continual injuries.

    I would suggest that for the majoritythe purpose of the aerobar is to
    1 get aero
    2 act as a support for the upper body whilst our legs do the work.

    From what I have gleaned, and please correct me if I am wrong but road bikes have a 74deg setup to make good use of the quads and lower back, TT bikes 76deg (crucial so that they can fully engage those muscles) and Tri bikes have 78deg so that they best engage the hamstring and glutes, i.e. running muscles. Again my understanding is that with a 78deg bike to then engage the lower back muscles in a Klingon like grip and to pull back on the bars is actually counterproductive.

    If you are of a cycling/TT background and have 74-76deg bike then go for it but that does not work for me. Give me a 78 deg bike, let me rest my upper body and arms on the bars and give me an ergonomical bars set up so that the only muscles that are not relaxed are the ones spinning those pedals round.
  • I have clip on aero bars on my road bike, and I use them for the reasons Zacnici has said, to get down in an aero position, but also to rest my upper body on my elbows. Most of the time my hands aren;t actually gripping the bars, but simply resting on top of them, with any minor steering being done by body leaning.

    I'm sure I could be just as aero of I was down on the drops, but that would mean that my upper body would be working harder than when I am on the aero bars. I know that I lose some control when aero, but as long as I keep a good look on where I am going, and lean around minor turns, or come back onto the bars for proper steering, then I've not had any real issue. It just seems a lot more relaxing when I'm on the aero bars.

    It probably opens up the old argument as to whether Triathletes should train like cyclists for the bike leg, but again as Zacnici says, and road cyclists utilises a 74 degree bike, and a Time Trialist a 76 degree bike and pulls up on the bars as he pedals, which are both different geometries and techniquies compared to a 78 degree bike.
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