I’m getting back into cycling and bought a 2024 Giant Propel. I changed out the 42cms handlebars for some flared 38 to 42 aero bars from Aliexpress. The hoods are tilted in to prevent shoulder pain. However, I’m finding that I am about 1 or 2 kilometres faster when riding on the hoods than in the drops. Is that normal with flared handlebars? I am not as skinny as I used to be, so I am sure my tummy is causing some turbulence in an aero-tuck. My new bike has a lot less reach than my old bike, which I thought is probably for the best to avoid back pain as I’m older, but it still has the same drop and I can still get into a decent aero position with my back horizontal, albeit with a greater bend at my elbow. I used to gain quite a few kph riding in the drops but not anymore. I’m determined to drop the extra pounds, so maybe that will help but could it be the flared handlebars?
Sorry, I meant I’m faster on the hoods cycling without being in an aero tuck compared to on the drops, where I thought I’d have a smaller profile to cut through the wind. Because my new bike set up is more compact, it’s less easy to assume an aero position on the hoods like I used to. I’m comparing things to my old bike where a non aero position on the hoods was slower than being in the drops.
I am guessing tilted in, your shifters are about 30CM apart, and so depending on how you grip the shifters, your hands may create an even more aero position. But on the drops, you’re 42 apart. So that’s quite significant even if you’re lower in the drops (it sounds like you’re in a normal hoods position, not horizontal).
As we see in modern time trial positions you can be a higher vertically, but if your hands are a lot closer, that more than compensates for a faster position.
Hi, thanks for the feedback. I think it must be a case of narrower trumping lower. I think my tilted hoods are about 28cms inside to inside compared to the drops at 42cms. I quite like the wide drops for more stable descending. I will work on getting lower on the hoods. I have three centimetres of spacers under the stem and no back issues, so I might remove them to extend the reach a bit more. But maybe I’ll just enjoy riding my bike at whatever speed.
Also, I wasn’t being scientific before when talking about my speed increase when on the drops on my old bike, as I didn’t have a power metre ten years ago when I enjoyed a group ride sprint etc. I probably increased the watts when getting aero.
Getting the upper torso more horizontal is more aero. If the forearms are horizontal on the the hoods that helps. If they’re horizontal in the drops, that’s even better, though technically that’s holding on the hooks. It’s common for riders to produce less power when their hip angles gets more acute from lowering their torso. Moving the saddle forward and sitting forward helps compensate and open the hip angle a little.
When you say your faster on the hoods is that with the same power output measured with a power meter. If not it may mean that you can put out more power on the hoods to make you faster and not areo.
Yes, it’s with the same power. I’m thinking that the wider shoulders and protruding arms when in the flared drops cancels out the shorter profile in terms of aerodynamics. I have 3cms of spacers under the stem, so I’m probably not as low as my old bike and definitely not as stretched out.
with this fast position, you minimize the gap between your arms and your head/chest, specially with a ridiculous helmet like this, you end up with virtually no gap.
so yes, if you create something like this on your roadbike, you might be faster in a solo breakaway. but your will probably take out half the peloton if you crash
