Is an Aero Bar Actually Faster? Tested.

[@PeakTorque]

Test protocol: 5 x 1.2km out, 1.2km back (repeated) 3 hole pitot logging at ~5Hz (airspeed, density, yaw, gps, elevation, power, wheelspeed) Sensor takes a virtual 900m straight of data between two gps waypoints on each lap (so turnarounds and accel/deccel is not logged) Test speed ~ 40kmh Power - Favero Assioma Control tyre - gp5000 25mm

[@fastasasloth]

May have missed it, but round bars were 40cm too?

[@PeakTorque]

@@fastasasloth yes of course. Has to be the same or a pointless test! Same width, same stem length, same hood position checked with a tape measure

[@zacmoran2361]

what is that device you're using to measure airspeed, density etc.?

[@jascollinscork]

What width were your handlebars please AND the length of it’s stem….. I’d like to order one!!!

[@mpgunawan]

Does the one piece handlebar has flare too?

[@cusebike5391]

One advantage to the areobar that I'm fond of is the ability to rest my forearms on the flat section, especially into a stiff wind. It's much more comfortable than my round bar bikes.

[@PeakTorque]

Yep. Technically illegal in UCI but very fast for the local road bike TT

[@yoramclade4824]

I've put Grip tape on the flat tops of my madone for that, works perfectly, no slipping whatsoever, love that side effect of integrated bars

[@RemiBusseuil]

I would say they are more confortable but they require custom mounting for lights and cycling computer. So if you tight on money they do not add much and are much more expensive

[@galenkehler]

@@RemiBusseuil depends on the light. Light&Motion have a nice mount that sits perfectly on round or aero bars, as it's a quarter saddle (top to front) with a rubber strap for the rest.

[@epizzoli6104]

I have changed from a 38 Deda compact round bar to a 36 Pro vibe aero pursuit and 2cm shorter stem. I feel like the difference is huge as the aero bar is much more comfortable in the aero hoods position as it's flat so it doesn't hurt the forearms and the 2.5cm reach increase helps because the contact point on the forearms is much closer to the elbows compared to the previous bars when in aero tuck. Also I've turned in the levers so the tips are 30cm apart but it's 40cm at the drops so it's still manageable in sprints and descents. Only Speeco makes a one piece barstem with similar dimensions, even Pro doesn't offer this bars in carbon

[@Chungleas]

I did find myself wondering if it would be an interesting little experiment to 3D print some different aerofoil sections to zip-tie onto the tops of a round section bar (basically just faring) and conduct a real world aero test just to reduce the other variables, essentially keep fit identical but play just with the aerodynamics of the bars to see what impact that really makes.

[@Hexsense]

One big shoutout to Farsports for making 36cm bar. Many small riders had to use 38cm aero road bar just because that's the smallest size available. Not the case here. If you are 5'6 or below with average shoulder width for the height, consider 36cm bar.

[@FARWINDY]

Yes, 360mm and 80mm stem are available.

[@gelliao]

@@FARWINDY is it compatible with Winspace T1500 with slammed stem?

[@hayabusa27]

I had aero bars on my bikes but at the end of last year I decided to try round ones again and loved it. I forgotten how comfortable cushy wrapped round bars felt. On the climbs I can sing a song and felt good overall about cycling. Its like going back to basics without all the marketing BS of more aero.

[@62davelee]

Love that you changed bars out in the field! I once changed tires in the middle of a group ride when we stopped to play bucket-ball. It's like moto-ball, except with bicycles and a 5 gallon bucket.

[@Ali_Kurt]

Wow, what a great video! exactly what I was wondering, thanks! great work

[@Simte]

Petition to change the name to the channel to peak science ahaha. Joking aside, I was wondering what was the drag save of the whole system because I was skeptical, interesting numbers. Many thanks as usual.

[@cameronALR6]

There are aero bars such as the Zipp Sl 70 that are not integrated with the stem as well. A good option if you’re worried about the drops and fit

[@evs5240]

7:47 onwards is a good point and my main issue with bar+stem combos, not to mention the issue with the drops being non parallel to the ground (why is that) with many models. On my frames I ride a 130mm stem with bars that have around 110mm reach (not sure) and pretty much all one piece bars come in a compact setup. But they usually also top out at 130mm stem length meaning I can't get enough reach. I tried riding with around 20mm less reach and not only is it uncomfortable but it's noticeably worse on the hoods and in the drops for my position. And my frame already has a long toptube for it's size too. It's very annoying and also makes me wonder why so many bikes (Canyon for example) come with one piece bars and they don't even let you select a size either.

[@PeakTorque]

Yeh, as a stock component on a bike with no selection of the size, pointless. But the marketing lads love it

[@henrikerdland578]

Interesting test. Finally I now know that I should be shifting to aero handlebar.

[@waynosfotos]

Nice study, cheers. Thanks for putting in the time for this. ❤️👍

[@PeakTorque]

My pleasure!

[@keven-matthewlarrivee-font2678]

How about a non-integrated aerobar? You could technically get the gains from the aerobar and fine tune the position with your stem of choice. However you would get more drag from the stem faceplate which might neglect the gains from the aerobar?

[@timtaylor9590]

I ride puppy paws when I want to go fast. If my forearms are on the tops of aero bars with padding I don't see how a flat top section on the bar will help. Maybe the 2 inches of a flatter bar between my arms and bar tape. And Bar width is huge for aero gains.

[@SPLSE]

Very cool to see information on these parts from more sources and data to back it up as I sense the sentiment is that they are useless. FYI for seo, etc. You should add "integrated" to the title.

[@h.p.734]

This was incredibly informative!! I normally just ignore the "like and sub" but for PT it's actually a really good reminder

[@PeakTorque]

Cheers mate!

[@TheKryztiandivor]

Thanks for these real life testings.

[@nienkerk1]

Fantastic content, bravo! Please try different bar width. I’m almost as tall as you are and I believe bar width makes an important difference. Maybe try 36-40-44

[@davemoss6976]

Will depyon the rider's shoulder width. And comfort could be more important on a longer ride.

[@BikesKomsCRO]

Only important if you are racing or actually doing anything other than just riding. Upgrades for 5 watt savings would be better invested in training and weigh loss. Comfort is more important for most, smaller bars are advised against.

[@PeakTorque]

With the practical difficulties on testing different bars back to back... I'll leave this one for now!

[@ainteasya]

Damn DENIED!

[@detmer87]

That shoulder width is a rough guideline. Plenty of riders tolerate a size (or two) smaller. Compared to a slammed stem (which I do NOT promote) a narrow handlebar is a joke.

[@MichaelMachado2]

First person I’ve seen collect the data and admit they were wrong in the past. Imagine everyone was this honest.

[@al_peko]

I have s-works aerofly 25 rise bar. I am 196cm height, so 25mm rise helps to fit correct position. also flat top sections very comfy for hands in long rides

[@IlPinnacolo]

Your channel has leveled up with this content. Like other commenters I am interested in bar width. I run a 36cm round bar because it's hard to find an aero bar in that width and I'm betting that a 38cm aero bar is not faster than my round 36 which is much cheaper. I would love to see if I am correct in my assumption.

[@SonnyDarvish]

Yes, it would be nice to see some cda difference. I went from 38 aero to 36 round (only to test) and I'm assuming the narrower body position is faster. On an extended review, with narrow shoulders, I find 36 to be quite comfortable in general. Although that's the limit as I noticeably lost stability for sprinting, and holding the flat tops over round is more convenient.

[@IlPinnacolo]

@@SonnyDarvish I also find the 36 to be very comfortable despite the fact that I do not have narrow shoulders at all. I think shoulder width has very little bearing on the comfort of bars.

[@shawndaiki]

⁠@@IlPinnacoloI second this. Just look at aero bars. Really dependent on flexibility and comfort or tolerance.

[@tommyfreckmann6857]

Awesome stuff man! I really appreciate this and seems like quite a thorough and prompt one.

[@PeakTorque]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jomo9454]

This is a year old and I haven't read the comments so this may have been said already but those curves are so similar that they seem to even be within margin of error (not just equipment/sensors, but different weather, slightly different daily body condition, etc.). Actually I don't know the margin of error but it looks like a percent or two would be enough to throw them into an approximate tie. I haven't watched many of your vids but knowing the statistical info and margins would help a lot to interpret graphs especially when the differences are fairly subtle.

[@dmytrotkachoyv]

Peak Torque is more like Peak Bike Content, am i rite? xD On a serious note, really good content with a solid amount of technical content that most bike enthusiasts want to hear👍

[@Primoz.r]

The body shade temperature makes more sense - overall the temperature is dropping (the sensor being taken out from the car and nearing the ambient/steady state temperature)? But when you turn to south, the temperature rises in a very noticeable step (the sun starting to shine on it?) above the trendline while turning to north gives a noticeable (but a bit slower) fall in temperature below the trendline. Yeah, the pressure is the inverse, maybe it has some temperature compensation algorithms? Otherwise it makes little sense for the pressure to change unless the difference is cause by your shade (actually dropping the pressure in the shade). But that would mean you'd be faster going south as you'd be riding into a low pressure area, effectively being pulled in that direction (and vice versa going north).

[@Gregory_tottie]

That was a wonderful video. I’ve wondered about the power drag equation, and it’s nice to hear that the marketing figures can be extrapolated with confidence.

[@ezeekwheel]

That temperature theory is very interesting

[@andresfeliperamosromero3060]

Spent about 500 miles on it and so far so good. kzbin.infoUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA Pros:1. Very light2. Solid quality build3. Fast delivery: It arrived 5 weeks earlier than expected.4. Easy assemblyJust a few cons but nothing major:1. Cheap tin tubes and had flat on first day... but not a big deal. I replaced the tubes.2. Seat is a bit uncomfortable but that's pretty much the same situation with most bikes.3. Seat post is a bit long/high for a smaller size 48 bike - had to saw 2 inch off to fit properly. The lowest setting is too high. The post locking system does not seem to hold well (perhaps because I saw 2 inch off).4. wheels are not tubeless compatible (from what I can tell)

[@brabrabarabra5027]

I like them for the added comfort and don't give much about the aero.

[@woolfel]

interesting result. wouldn't have thought a shorter person has greater benefit from aerobars. my orbea came with it and I like the look, but I didn't think it makes any difference.

[@DarylSeanChan]

Wow this is great stuff! Thanks for sharing 👍🏻👍🏻

[@PeakTorque]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@AleksiJoensuu]

But for the important question: What's the effect on CdA wearing of a Seiko SKX009? 😄 (@6:10)

[@cameronALR6]

Ribble handlebar has left the chat

[@Jacob99174]

I love this science. Well done!

[@chrisko6439]

Nice geek-out. Subbed.

[@parmijo]

I remember in 2015 Cervelo claimed the new aero handlebar on their updated S5 saved 4.4w at 40kmh. I thought this was marketing B.S. Props to Cervelo for making a valid claim.

[@mydearriley]

did you say that you were 1.95m? I couldn't quite hear in the captions weren't helping once frontal cda is equal, I wonder what effect leg length has in regards to bar shape contouring the air

[@mydearriley]

kind of related to the effect you were seeing in the video, do you have any tips for winterizing a head unit? I'm planning on purchasing my first head unit soon. my current setup uses my phone strapped to the stem (running Strava or other GPS tracking). as my phone's battery will rapidly discharge and power off in the cold, I'm worried even a cycling specific unit will do the same

[@TheWoogeroo]

Nice looking bars, not enough reach for me sadly. My next handlebar is definitely going to be one of the Pro aero alloy ones.

[@racerbenajmin]

What defines a round bar vs an aero bar? How deep and thin do the tops need to be an aero bar?

[@MaximilianSterlingTv]

Ive been trying to figure out a new bar combo. Would an intergrated bar/stem combo be more aero then a Aero handlebar and stem? This test really does answer my question but just curious

[@theonlyrealbm]

How did the narrow elipse-like profile of drops on these new 2023 F1S model feel? I was almost at point of buying these and now I see this detail that I find weird and potentially very uncomfortable for longer rides. What is the reason behind this change in drops profile?

[@PeakTorque]

It is a bit weird. I don't know why its there, but I don't find it uncomfortable

[@jambo2502]

For me it's kind of like the OSPW , I didn't take it in search of big watts mostly just prefer how it looks. Sorrynotsorry.

[@johncoates6039]

Hey peaky!…..I’m also a horizontal drop guy…..to a point that I still ride traditional aluminum road bars. I have the fsa omegas on my gravel bike. I’d like to get a set of these farsports, but……do they suffer from the same problem as the fsa bars….that is the “flare” causes the hoods to sit on an angle that make your wrists roll inwards. All of the bars that have this flare make the hoods tilt on an angle inwards and personally cause my wrists to ache. Lemme know your experience sir! Appreciate the vids!

[@galenkehler]

The aero bar will always be faster, as it's more comfortable to rest your forearms on the flattened top section, meaning you'll be using the aero position for a greater percentage of the ride.

[@jamestalkscycling]

Hi there, very keen to on these bars. 1) it's very hard to find integrated bars in a 38 width. 2) I've always felt my reach on my current bars a little long. This is around 3cm short so should be great. A big question is any potential customs charges from anything from the US or China to UK. Was there any extra charges? Thanks.

[@ainteasya]

I have an aerobar that's been in my closet for 8 mo. I really wanna try it but too lazy to recable lol.

[@yonglingng5640]

What's your bike and groupset?

[@kyle7549]

Just used your discount code thanks PT!

[@koolp64]

Can you do a test with different bar widths? also would be great to compare if it's better to have a narrow (like 36 or 38) round handlebar or a wide aero one (40 or 42)

[@mpvsystems9302]

Yes, yes, yes... I would expect width to reduce drag far more than shape.

[@inntw4889]

Are there any handlebars that don’t have drops at all? I wonder how much faster they would be if the rider was comfortable getting aero on the hoods which i believe aero testing has shown as being faster than being on the drops, making them redundant.

[@joneastwood]

Question - I have the new Cervelo Soloist with Ultegra di2 12 speed and I'm talking to their support team regarding compatibility, they told me that the brake cables might affect the steering performance as the holes are closer to the steering stem? Would like some advice on this.

[@J_CART3R]

how about the Egg Shell shape? like the FSA SL-K Compact ACR.

[@ViktorNordahl]

What white jersey were you using in that clip right there? Looks quite similar to a YKIBIKE on Ali but couldn't tell for sure.

[@hallo108]

These results seem to match up with some reported industry test I have seen previously. What was the width of the handlebars you used? 40 cm? Personally I have gone away for aero handlebars to be able to go down to a 32 cm width instead.

[@Paganizondaf650]

4:07 40cm. I also use traditional round bars in 36cm width with flare at the bottom. You can actually get ones that are 32cm?

[@hallo108]

@@Paganizondaf650 Yeah there is a couple, but they can be a bit difficult to find and depending on where you find them a bit expensive for a simple round aluminum handlebar.

[@edchittenden5368]

Interesting video, wondered how much does floppy old bar tape effect CdA? (vs handlebar shape) cheers.

[@zikaperic2133]

One may say 5w doenst matter, but funny things is when I am on the limit like FTP 100%, I know exactly how 5w feels. In my case that's doing 320w or 325w ... that said I think probably I wouldnt notice the difference between say 240 w and 245w

[@michaeldiaz7163]

What camera system do you use

[@pierrex3226]

Very interesting. In terms of dimensions and shape, the integrated one is thinner and is foil shaped, right? I mean that the gain isn't just from the shape, nor just the thickness, but both?

[@fastasasloth]

Subjectively, how do you find the "stiffness" of these farsport aerobars compared to your round bars, especially when sprinting? So far I've always been disappointed with one piece carbon aerobars compared to cheap round alloy ones in the good old subjective stiffness test.....

[@PeakTorque]

I am with you on that one, most carbon bars lack stiffness. These 'feel' very stiff, and they're not the lightest, but I'll need to measure the stiffness that FS quote on their site.

[@kakajangra]

bro, this discount code doesnt work anymore on farsports bar :( plus 200 $ shipping to Oman - thats madness! love the bar tho

[@macmausxp]

this possibility of making test leave a doubt, its possible to print 3d parts to make the bike more aero? i mean... a cover/shield to the fork or parts of the frame that are more exposed to reduce the turbulence that it produces?

[@shreyas1990s]

Specialized need to pay you for this one. Its basically what they've done to make the SL8 faster than the SL7 lol

[@edmundjones1613]

great content, Did you have a jig to control the position of the levers? Could have some pretty significant maybe of the order of the differences.

[@PeakTorque]

Tape measure in back of car. I did explain that in the voiceovers but must've cut that bit to try and keep it concise. Edit: to check the stack and reach i mean of the hoods

[@edmundjones1613]

@@PeakTorque ah fair! Good work

[@alolympic]

Very interesting. On a separate but connected topic - can you do an aero test to measure the impact of shaved legs? Could there actually be an advantage of leg hair to attach the flow of air for longer and actually be more efficient, like the reason for a dimpled surface on zipp wheels. And on that point, why don’t they make a bike frame and components dimpled in pursuit of aero?

[@ThePaulKat]

It's been tested in a wind tunnel and shaved legs were notably more aero. Also it has been proven that Zipp dimples (and I own a pair of NSW's) make zero difference at best they are a marketing gimmick.

[@frankd1278]

Hi. How did you find the stiffness of these bars. Were they uncomfortable and tiring? There seems to be a ton of vibration in the video. Thank you.

[@jonathanzappala]

I was searching for this a few weeks ago, and I’m glad the magic of KZbin recommended it. Thank you for this. I was toying with going back to a round bar for use of clip ons and the chance to take one bike to a weekend of draft legal and non draft racing. Well, looks like I shouldn’t. Aesthetically also like a one piece better, two piece aero rarely meets nicely at the stem and bar except a few that I can’t get or can’t use. However, a round bar and any stem meet nicely without any gaps from wings on the bar too. Really what I want is a vision 4d MAS that meets a stem I can use nicely.

[@LarsRR]

*Aero Handle Bars … Aero bars are usually the term used for Extensions on a TT or Tri bike.

[@razorree]

you could use aero bar but without integrated with stem

[@sylvainbernaers]

a carbon aero bar is always a risk for heavy and powerfull guys. it brakes without warning. alloy bends

[@SamSam-dm6ji]

good test!

[@johncoates6039]

Does this bar have any sweep or flare?

[@chrismackenzie4789]

Wouldn't you be better off getting a bigger frame size? That's a lot of seatpost and quite a spacer stack.

[@mrwhiteshorts]

Thanks man, backed up what i thought. Could one/can one test bar tape, generously wrapped and thinly, luxurious and thick stuff versus, say internet £1.99 stuff? thanks. m

[@dh6167]

Off-topic, but do you see an issue with potentially running a saddle too far forward in order to increase the hip angle (there's about 15mm left of the marked area on the back of my saddle rails).

[@PeakTorque]

I've never had an issue with it

[@CyclespeedTours]

This corresponds with the calcs I did in my aero bar video from a few years ago, but those did not account for the faster air hitting the body. So 4 to 6 watts at 40kmh seems about right. I Love a light bike and my Ostro is now below 6kg, but I won't put a Darimo bar on it to save 80g because the aero loss is a far greater penalty. And as you rightly say, the smaller you are, the more important aero (and weight) savings are.

[@jc2685]

What would be faster an aero 38mm or a round 36mm handlebar? Currently have 36mm round bars (£18). Wonder if its worth going to 38mm aero? (£32)

[@PeakTorque]

The bar isnt important. Its the position it puts you in is important.

[@jc2685]

@PeakTorque I would be in the aero hoods and drops position interchanging 2 minutes at a time. But most of the time neutral. Would the aero 38mm be faster vs 36mm round you think or similar?

[@imrevadasz1086]

So the aero bar also puts the Bicycle Computer into a more aero position. Wouldn't it make sense to compare the aero bar with the computer mounted the non-aero way?

[@PeakTorque]

There was no computer mounted on each test.

[@jascollinscork]

Great video very interesting!! Would this handlebar suit a non intergrated cables of disc break bike frame!!! I’m dieing to get a aero bars with years!!!

[@FARWINDY]

Yes, it's ok to run external cables too.

[@adamkubiak1933]

Dear PT, what is your opinion on the handlebars? Do you still use them? I have them on my radar.

[@PeakTorque]

Still using them on my rim brake bike. Really like the shape but seem a bit wider than advertised

[@adamkubiak1933]

@@PeakTorque Thanks a lot! That's even better, the width, cause I'm using 440 mm on my bike. Great job with the channel!

[@takumi-hg1511]

Great video，I want to konw your pitot tube device name plz

[@ttrainingcoach]

what is that device you're using to measure airspeed, density etc.?

[@glennoc8585]

I wondered about that too. It might be built into the camera.

[@infinati]

Everyone else: let’s see if I’m faster by comparing my times on a set course Peak Torque: uses magic widget and produces cda numbers

[@PeakTorque]

The clever guy making the magic widget work is called Matt. Im just the guinea pig

[@glennoc8585]

Did you use the helmet mount with the camera on the test run? Helmet mount cams are probably to robbing you of some watts.

[@PeakTorque]

Haha. No, just for the intro!

[@assaultedpeanut9]

never mind this let's have the next episode of the cool wall

[@calrc123]

I know giant steerer tube is larger than other bikes. Does farsport fit?

[@yonglingng5640]

Without the shim, it's 1 1/4-inch, but you're limited to a -10° rise. The Giant you're riding is the Pro variant, base variant Giants use a 1 1/8-inch steerer tube diameter.

[@PeakTorque]

Yes it fits both. Fits giant OD2 without the shim. The shim is included to fit smaller (other bikes) 1 1/8inch steerers.

[@tomermahlis12]

the short answer is YES but by how much ?

[@phil_d]

Nice to see 360mm widths, but no 80mm stem length.... 🙁

[@Freacer1]

Thanks for all the testing recently! A bit of a niche question, but what do you think about wide bars that allow a clean bartape wrap to give a semi-aero, wide surface? e.g. Tune´s "Geweih" bar (I think there are some similar others as well) Do you think there is an improvement to aerodynamics compared to a fully wrapped round bar or does bar tape influence it too badly? ( -> do we need aero-bartape in the future? lol...)

[@Aiden.K]

And if you do group ride, the benefits can be way lower than that.

[@gregkane8635]

Do the farsports bars fit the tcr pro/sl?

[@PeakTorque]

Yes

[@skmanny2525]

What's a smaller rider 🤔

[@dhess34]

I love you calling out that getting your bike fit is where *everyone* should start. My local crit scene is packed with Doctors and Lawyers on $10k-$15k bike setups, but they all ride way too upright and their bike fits are absolutely awful. But dropping a few hundred $$ on a great bike fitting isn’t as sexy or easy as spending the same on some carbon aero bars that *look* sexy…

[@jacklauren9359]

But do you think those doctors and lawyers who maybe sits all day can get lower and longer? There’s a reason why these people are riding “race bikes” but doesn’t have the mobility and flexibility of a pros. Have you thought of that? I’ve seen people with “aero” bikes but riding position of an endurance bike.

[@lukeh3020]

Bike fitting is a complete racket 90% of the time. I agree fit is important but that doesn't mean the people who charge hundreds of $ (a ludicrous price for such a service) to make a few incremental adjustments have some magic formula which will make everything better. My wife paid $850 for a bike fit where the only thing he did was move the saddle up by 8mm. That's it. And it was less comfortable than before so she changed it back - the fitter was just using his stupid retul system so as soon as all the lights were green his job was done. Absolutely con.

[@dvoob]

@@lukeh3020 agree with you. The best bike fitter is yourself, and even though it's much more tedious, dialing your fit on your own over time is optimal

[@jaro6985]

"but they all ride way too upright and their bike fits are absolutely awful." maybe they dont want to mess up their backs by bending over too much for too long. Its not exactly a healthy position.

[@p504504]

Nice. 🤩

[@oliversharp7383]

Big nerd energy, strong video 💪

[@gregknipe8772]

you are brave putting your weight on s-works bars.

[@Omnis2]

1:25 Christ, I know you're excited to do this testing but that's a little ridiculous.

[@PeakTorque]

You're new here aren't you...

[@the.communist]

Yes, as much as a speed train

[@SkeetSystem]

........................you did the test with a puffer and knee warmers?? 🙃

[@PeakTorque]

Fortunately, no!

[@DDGB08]

😊