Need Help with aero bars please

Riding aerobars is really a skill that does take practice. From the sounds of it you have just bolted them on your roadie so the drop wont be as great as a dedicated TT bike.
In all probability you have an Ahead stem so using spacers to raise the bar height is out of the question. So a new stem is your only option in this respect.
I think the real cause of your problems though could be that your neck muscles arent strong enough to hold your head in an upright position. I wouldnt stress to much about this as only training is going to get them stronger.
Maybe you could start off on a windtrainer and try holding your head in the correct position for say 1/2hr or so to begin with and then progress to riding on the road.

Bear

tonkoch said:

Greetings
I just purchased a set of aero bars and had them fitted at the local bike shop. I took my first ride today and it was definitly uncomfortable. I did not experience the balance wobbles that many describe, rather could not lift my head up high enough to see. I looked down a great deal and would "peek" up every so often so I did not run into anyone or anything. My cadence would slow as well and frankly I don't think I was any faster and may have been slower overall in the aero position. Is this just the way it is or should I tweek the bike fit? Perhaps a stem with a bit of a rise? I am convinced of their value but something needs to happen for me to realize their benefit.
Any suggestions would be helpful.
Best Regards
Tony

It could also be that your LBS has just fitted the bars any old way, with no particular relevance to you the rider... i often see this. an experienced coach should be able to help you achieve a correct position, while some of us here should be able to give you advice on fitting if you can perhaps post a photo.

of course, it could also be as the Bear suggests, that your neck muscles are simply unaccustomed to such a position, which is causing strain and fatigue. You will need to regularly practice riding in such a position. i generally advise people that they need to practice a minimum of 60 - 90 minutes per week, year round to stay accustomed to their TT position

ric

tonkoch said:

I just purchased a set of aero bars and had them fitted at the local bike shop.

As others have said, getting used to aerobars do take time, but they really should not be overly uncomfortable from the get go. Assuming you had aerobars put on a regular road bike (and not a tri bike), it's hard to believe you have too much drop between the seat height and the aerobars. What's more likely is that you had standard length aerobars put on a road bike, which can cause the "cockpit" to become too long because they're designed for tri bikes which have shorter chain stays. If the angle between your upper torso and your upper arms is greater than 90 degrees when you're in the aerobars, you are supporting yourself partially muscularly rather than skelatally and that may be causing strain in your upper shoulders and neck.

Here's a very detailed article on aerobar fit that's mostly tri bike centric, but goes into some of the "gotchas" for fitting them on road bikes:

http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/techctr/bikefit.html

I have a set of Profile Design Jammer GT aerobars on my road bike (Trek 1500) and am quite happy with them.

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