I have been riding bikes for a few years now and have been to many bike related events, mostly triathlon, and in this time I have seen many different versions of tri/aero bars. These bars do make it a lot easier to ride fast for a long time depending on the bike and the set up. My TT bike for example is so comfortable out on the tri bars and makes it a lot easier to go for a long ride and then still be able to get off and run after.

There are the ones integrated into the whole handlebar system and the ones that are added to the bike as an aftermarket addon. And then there is the different ways of getting gearing and breaks to the bars.

I am writing this opinion peice as I have sold a few of these products in the lead up to this season and just wanted to have my say.

Myself, I have a fully integrated tri bike with the bars built into the handlebar. Of course even with thie system there are many different ways to set it up and I am still changing it regularly to get the most comfortable ride. My bike is the Felt AI2 and as it has shimano Di2 it allows me to have gear leavers on both my aero bars and my drop downs.

This brings me to the main things you need to look at when you are creating your setup.

• What gearing are you using? mechanical or Di2.
• Where do you want to have your gear shifters?
• Do you need shifters on the aero bars?
• Do you want to always have the bars there or not?

So, if you have a Di2 gearing system it opens up many more options for you. With the right junction at the front you can add 2 sets of gear change buttons to your bike, allowing you to have changing functionality on both the tri bars and the dropdowns. Even if you don't want to have the bars on permanently you can take these buttons in and out of the junction easily when you install or remove the bars.

Secondly, do you even need the shifters on the bars? For me, I say yes, but then a lot of the riding I am doing is not on flats and so I am reguarly reaching for the shifters to get the right gear to maintain my speed. But not everyone is in this situation. 

And do you always want them there? If so then you might want to look at an integrated set. These just make it simple and often then come with a more aerodynamic dropdown bar. But there are many versions that can be bought to be added to your current set up.

As with most things bike it is really about finding the right match for you. There is no right or wrong bar to use as long as it feels good to you.

Take a look through our handlebar selection to find a tri/aero bar for your bike.

Enjoy your riding.