What set up do you have for your base bar pads? I’d like to update mine and looking to add some height, not sure what the best way to make it happen. Can you provide some up close pics?
Looks like the trek mono adapter with aerocoach arm rests? Hard to find these days, but a few crop up on the UK TT Facebook selling pages.
I’ve got the D2Z adapter plate on my Trek. Not cheap, but makes the front end more modern/adaptable.
5 Likes
Kings Lynn (B33/25?) to start the season for me. 8 degrees, rain and 20 mph crosswind on exposed fenland 
Spent too long on turbo trainer and gravel bike this winter, and have lost the confidence to hold aero position in those conditions. It’ll come back quick enough, but I bottled it and rode the longer exposed sections on the bull horns.
Still I did everything wrong and only finished a minute back 
9 Likes
Spot on; aerocoach arm rests and extensions. 0 mm spacers under arm rests but rocking the 45 mm mono spacer. Recent bike fit suggested I go down to the 15 mm spacer but this crippled me.
Good stuff - I didn’t enter as I got Covid the weekend before the closing date and this is usually my first TT bike TT of the year…internally glad I didn’t judging by the KLCC pictures and results - will start at their Good Friday 10 - weather looks better!
I think most people find a handful of watts going full integrated, as long as the position doesn’t change - ie you are dialled in and tested and just swapping hardware not contact position.
A fully adjustable system like the minimoi though might allow you more flexibility to adjust as you improve - and a better position is worth more than that handful of watts could ever give you.
I have a sort of halfway house - deda jet twos on wattshop angled risers, but I should have gone with minimois. I just found some barely used jet twos secondhand cheap.
Thanks for your reply, that’s definitely something to consider too. It’s hard for me to justify a fully integrated front end if there is no clear watt saving for me, even when comfort is important, it’s hard to quantify.
Do people feel like they can sustain more power with forearm support?
How long would someone expect to need to get used to riding on tribars? I’ve dabbled a bit here and there for a few months but had my first proper race effort on them only last weekend, my neck did not like it one bit. Not to mention going fast on them is kinda scary when you can’t see up the road. Should I stick with it for a few weeks and see how I feel?
My only goals are a bunch of local club 5s and 10s, hoping to not be last - I’ll never be fast and I’m starting from scratch, so I have no benchmark and I’ll be just as happy getting quicker on a road bike as I will on a TT bike.
Thanks for the info. I checked out their site, pretty cool, but yes, expensive! I am interested in mostly the bottom plate, but would also be interested in bar set up too. If you see anything pop up for sale let me know plz. Or, what sites should I be looking at? I did check eBay already.
Thanks again
Sounds like you could relax your position a bit — more stack perhaps? Being comfortable and feeling confident to put out power safely should be a top priority.
So just rode a Tri bike (TT bike adjacent) for the first time yesterday, outside, on the road
An E-117 tri, 2021 MY
I’ve ridden it on the trainer here and there and tried it on the rollers too (yikes). But this was a new experience.
To all you experts a few questions :
- how do you manage field of view? i’m so used to seeing far ahead, i’m concerned about the safety of look so low? any tips and tricks?
- i’m guessing that comes with time but how do you manage to get in the right position in the saddle every time… meaning when i’m aero there’s a spot on the “x scale” of the saddle, where my weight is perfectly distributed, as soon as i get on the base bars ill shift position but if i get back in aero in the wrong position, my arms start taking the brunt of the support (triceps) and i start feeling it only after maybe 2-3 minutes, any ways to avoid that mistake all in all?
- shifting…wt heck? rear cassette isnt TOOO bad, but shifting the big ring i almost can’t do in aero, i have to be on the base bars to get enough leverage to do it?! am i doing something wrong or should i get re-indexed? Now i see how electric shifting would be nice LOL… will have to wait a few years for the next bike to happen though so that’s not an option.
otherwise, damn that thing is fast…and so low to the ground. I went on a segment ive done 107 times before, wasn’t trying hard at all but had a slight tail wind and i managed a PR even though i didn’t stay in aero the whole time.
EDIT) i did get a fit originally when i bought the bike, i need to get the ‘2nd’ fit to adjust further and dial in once i’ve figured myself out on the bike
Good stuff! I was debating doing it again this year (I did it last) I’m kinda glad I didn’t as Iam a really big wuss in the wind and rain. I did Bogborough the week before which was just 40mph gusts and it took me about 2 miles to get confident to come out of the bull horns and into the TT position 
you need to get an aero helmet with the visor already attached-like the Giro aerohead or the Rudy “The Wing” to make life better for you. Both are pretty expensive, but look for one used (Giro is easier to find).
If you can’t shift while in aero position something is off with your fit or the shifters. It isn’t hard. Maybe your pads need to be adjusted to put you in the right position. Are you hands at the shifters, or way beyond them or way short of them?
i have the bell star, i didnt use it yesterday… but i dont know, maybe its just me…but if i fully get in aero-tuck i dont see more than 10 meters ahead of me!? If i lift my head a little then i can see a reasonable distance ahead but i feel that over a long ride it MIGHT not be comfortable, haven’t put it to the test yet though. Maybe im just overworrying. I’m used to motorcycle and having to be aware of everything to avoid getting “killed” so this is unusual for me.
My thumbs are sitting comfortably on the shifters, i guess maybe the resistance is too high to shift from small to big ring so that could be adjusted potentially!? The cassette shifting is a lot easier to handle but when pushing out (easier gears) i somewhat run into the same issue.
Maybe its the pads, maybe i should get longer/bigger ones.
Nice and narrow, Looking fast!
For visibility in the tuck, I’d guess you’re either too low at the front, or you need to work on neck flexibility/strength.
I came out of the wind tunnel with two positions, one about 10W faster than the other, but faster position was 30 cm lower at the front and I couldn’t hold the position and see where I was going at the same time.
Ditch the front mech, you won’t need those smaller gears 
2 Likes
I ride my tt bike as much as the weather allows, always with tt helmet, and sometimes even in a skinsuit if I’m practicing fuelling/hydration for a longer race.
Be careful, once you start going faster in club TTs it escalates quickly. I took up cycling more seriously after we had kids, thinking it would be cheaper and less of a time drain than golf
Some good ideas noted already… On visibility, for me, going to vertically wider rimless glasses helped - was previously using narrower glasses with a top frame that got in my view in TT position but were never an issue on road bike.
In any case, first few rides of the year always bring some strain to the neck retraining those muscles and flexibility but this should go away with practice. Worth getting some time on trainer like this before going on road.
Visors are mixed - sometimes faster, sometimes slower, but almost always look cool!
Saturday i will ride my second TT all time and thats a long one… 42km…
Iam a little nerveous about it… i have to pace it right, because starting to hard is pitfall.
The parcours is 14km (3x).
Yesterday i did some tests with headwind and tailwind.
The first tail and headwind was to hard…when i go that power iam done in 30min.
The second and third tailwind and second headwind was fine…i think that i will start with about 265 headwind and 255 tailwind and try the second part of the TT push a little harder… (negative split).
I also notice that the difference in speed is not that big at all in terms of power and feeling.
Anytips for 42km TT?
I’m getting a few rides in outside to make some notes of what feels good and what doesnt and then, on the trainer she goes! The roadie comes out to play
My sunglasses are rimless at the top but ill definitely try the visor helmet next time, i didnt want to do too many new things all at once while riding in a new position