tec9 Triathlon Aero Time Trial Tri TT Bars

I have been using these bars on my Specialized Tarmac this summer for shorter (10-20 mile) time trials and Sprint distance triathlons (where the bike sections are usually about 10 miles). You could spend 2x more and probably get something that is somehow "better", but I have found these to be minimal but extremely effective. The clamps are machined aluminum and on my handlebars none of the included spacers were required. The bars can slide forward and backward in the clamps and tilted up or down. The elbow pads can swivel and there are two sets of holes on them, so you can position them front to back a little. There is no way to move the pads up/down, although I think you could get some spacer washers and longer bolts if you really needed to tweak this dimension of the fit. A more expensive product probably has more adjustment capability in positioning the elbow pads, but I was able to change to the second set of holes and makes things pretty comfortable. I don't have any tape, brake levers or shifters on mine. The bars have stayed rock steady during all my rides and events. The clamps will mar anodized handlebars slightly. I currently have them off, and I think when I put them back on that I will cut some inner tube pieces to protect the bars a little from the clamps. When you attach them to your handlebars, I would have someone hold them steady so you can evenly tighten the two bolts on each bar. Like anything on a bike, take the time to dial in the fit. This is my first set of aero bars and when I first dropped down I was not very comfortable. But with some work I found where my body was comfortable and setup the bars to match.Pros:* Simple but solid product for a great price.* Elbow pads can be removed to wash out sweat and road grime.Cons:* Elbow pads have minimal front to back adjustment and no vertical adjustment.* No instructions, but it was all pretty obvious to me what to do.

These bars are extremely basic in design - they clamp onto the handlebars similar to how a bell or bike-comp does. To be honest I haven't installed them yet as the elbow rest took up more space then I had available on the bike I intended to install them on. The rest also seemed to have a very high profile in so much as the height looks like it will be too high to comfortably lean on and would raise the torso up from the typical lower aero sitting position one would expect.I just built up a single-speed bike with virtually nothing on the bars that I am now planning to try these on. I'll try to update my review after I have done so.EDIT NOTE: After tryng these out I am dropping them one star from 3 to 2. They are only usable on a straight bar. If the bar has any bends they will not really work.

Tec9 TT Aero BarsThese are entry-level aero bars designed for 25.4/26 and 31.8mm handle bars. I installed these on a flat-bar hybrid Genesis GS700 bike from Wal-Mart (Kent bicycle is the actual manufacturer). Installation and adjustment wasn't too bad, and these bars are fairly lightweight at just over 470 grams. The other bars I have seen are usually over 500-600 grams.The foam pads for the elbows are small, and the foam is fairly comfortable. I am unsure how long the material will last with pressure, friction, and human sweat/acid. The bars themselves aren't too bad except they are too short. With the right stem length for the flat-bar handlebar, I don't feel scrunched when I use these bars except the bars are too short. Over rough terrain I found myself slipping off the forward edge of the bars.That leads me to ergonomics... I had set my bike up for the flat handle-bars, so when I get into the aero bar position, the pedals and seat are not set up for this position. The problem becomes adjusting the seat for the aero bars, while compromising the upright position or vice versa. Like another reviewer, I extended the bars beyond the "min adjust" mark, but I kept enough bar material to ensure it is secured in the clamps.I do notice a severe reduction in aerodynamic drag when I am in the tucked-in position. It is easier to maintain higher speeds for longer distances while pedaling at a moderate cadence. I would have liked these bars more if they were longer and curved at the end to give me enough grip to pedal harder and not slip off. These bars also take up quite a bit of real estate on my flat bar, preventing me from using my MotoActv. I found that I can just secure the MotoActv or other GPS device onto the flat bar itself, as close to the elbow pad as possible.For beginners, the stability of the bicycle is compromised while using these bars but it is mitigated by understanding that counter-steering is more difficult due to how close your elbows/arms are to the steering stem. Instead of relying on counter-steering alone, you can steer using the aero bars and shifting your weight if needed. When approaching traffic or areas where you may need to brake suddenly, I'd recommend switching to your normal position. I only use the aero bars in straighter paths where I can benefit from reduced aero drag.I used these for 2 rides so far and the Motoactv data showed my average speed has increased by approximately 1 mph, but that also takes into account stopping for traffic/lights. Just looking at the data when I am riding, I am definitely seeing about a 2-3 mph increase in speed on my 30+ lb bicycle with a 150 lb rider. In addition, my cycling cadence is higher and I feel a lot more relaxed at higher speeds. I feel I can sustain 20+ mph for longer periods of time than before.Overall: 4/5 stars. Inexpensive entry-level aluminum bars. These bars could be about 2 or 3 inches longer with a slight curve at the end.

The bars seem nice. Lightweight. But even with the gap fillers in there, I can't get them tight enough for use on my bike. Help before I have to return them?

I've used these aero bars in a few triathlons and each time they have worked great. They are not high quality bars but either way they work great during a ride. They are comfy enough to not bug you during the ride and rest your arms. I recommend these for anyone needing aero bars on a budget.

These are great bars. They are a breeze to install.The pads are held in place by Velcro (some manufacturers us a foam sticker). The bars are very adjustable - both for and aft as well as radially. The shape of the bars is similar to what is stock on most TT bikes. It wasn't comfortable for my wife, so we exchanged them for the other Tech 9 bars.

I bought these prior to my second summer running triathlons. They were easy to mount on my road bike. I have used these bars in 4 Olympic and 2 sprint triathlons. The bang-for-the-buck is unbeatable on these aerobars. Obviously, you aren't getting a product from one of the big triathlon brands so don't expect light weight carbon bars. These are exactly as advertised and have served me well.