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Æro Bars
Handlebars or handlebar attachments that allow the rider to assume a lower, more ærodynamic upper-body position. Most æro bars support the rider's upper-body weight by the forearms, rather than the hands, as with conventional handlebars.
Æro bars make possible a significant improvement in speed, but with less secure control of the bicycle. They also eliminate most of the shock absorbency normally provided by the cyclist's bent elbows, so they are not suitable for rough surfaces. They are not usually allowed in mass-start racing.
Æro bars originated from an attempt to duplicate the "tuck" of a downhill skier. They first appeared in 1986 when Pete Penseyres introduced them in the Race Across America (RAAM).
Although they were an instant hit with triathletes and time-trialists, professional racers were slow to accept this innovation. When Greg Lemond rode Scott æro clip-ons to victory in the decisive final time trial of the 1989 Tour de France, the ice was broken, and few racers will now ride time-trial stages without them. Although æro bars originated as racing equipment, and are particularly associated with triathlons, they have also become quite popular with touring cyclists and randonneurs, as much for the relief that they give to the hands and wrists as for their ærodynamic qualities.
