There has been very little improvement or new entries in the field of aerobars during the last dozen years, and much of that is due to Boone Lennon's patents. It's been a game of chicken. Most would-be aero bar makers believe the patent is vulnerable because of prior art, specifically the aero bars Jim Elliott used in RAAM starting in 1984, and used in various years by Pete Pennsyres in that same race. Yet Scott defended its patent vigorously when Profile Design "infringed" and it was rumored to cost both sides amounts in the six figures (but the case was never litigated in court; a license agreement was reached prior to that).
The only company to agree to pay royalties after the Scott and Profile scuffle was Syntace. Everyone else stayed away from the market. Until Vision Tech came along that is. Its view appeared to be, in its simplest terms, "So sue me." The rest of the world waited to see what Scott did, and while its difficult to know if and whether Scott will take any legal action, there has been no visible reaction to the naked eye. That's why you see ITMs and Cinellis and Heds and Dedas making their way into the U.S. market. Scott just doesn't appear, to the casual observer, to have the endurance to defend the patent any longer, perhaps because it's no longer in the aero bar biz. Will Profile Design defend the patent? It would be interesting if it did, and ironic as well, since its original position fourteen years ago was, "Patent? What patent?" Just the same, our understanding is that Profile Design would have the right to defend the patent against infringers if it chose to do so.
Back to patent-busting Vision Tech. It has really made a nice bar. Much of what you see in the grand tour time trials is Vision Tech. The bars may not carry the Vision Tech logo, but Vision Techs they often are.
The problem with Vision Tech is the same as the problem with Syntace: There is a fellow at the top who makes what he wants to make, and if the market wants something else, well, the market will have to wait until it's done right. That is often a long wait.
Therefore, it took Vision Tech three years longer than it should've to make a one-piece bar (the only kind of bar it makes) for threadless headsets. It still hasn't made a bar that features flat pursuit extensions (they all slope downward). It also hasn't made a bar that fits 1 1/8" steerer tubes (though we understand this is to be shipped within a month or two of this writing, 7/16/02). One answer to both of the latter issues is for Vision Tech to come out with a clip-on. It's not out yet, but we've heard that it's very close to being ready for sale.
THE ARMRESTS
Before we get into the various models, it might be illustrative to mention the difference between the various armrests offered, and the bolt systems. If you understand these you can decide which of these bars you want, and how the models differ from each other.
There are two armrest options in terms of width, and there is also a difference with regard to height. The standard armrest comes in a narrow versus a wide plate, and both these sit at the level of the headset (which is quite low). The Deluxe armrest sits about four centimeters above where the standard would sit, and has some suspension characteristics. This Deluxe armrest is generally bought in a wide configuration (wide meaning you can place your forearms farther from each other) and it's got a plusher, fuller pad.
TWO VERSUS THREE BOLTS
The main difference (in fact the only difference that we can determine) between the Tri-Max Plus and the Super-Max is the height of the bar above the headset. The part of the aero bar which fits over and attaches to the fork's steerer is longer in the Tri-Max Plus, and it clamps to the steerer with three pinch bolts. This longer piece acts the way headset spacers would, that is, your bar will sit higher above the top of the head set. Your choice of Vision bar simply depends on whether you want the lower profile 2-bolt system offered by the Super-Max or whether you need to sit higher. Sure, you could buy the Super-Max and just stick spacers below it to lift you up, but that's a lot of steerer supported by rickety spacers, if you do it that way.
VISION TRI-MAX PLUS
This is the Vision bar a triathlete would usually ride, but it doesn't necessarily need to be that way. It simply depends on whether you need to be higher or lower, and that depends on how your frame is built. Those with Softride, Aegis and Litespeed frames, for example, might desire the smaller "stack" offered by the Super-Max because of the fairly tall head tubes on these bikes.
Careful, though. Many of these frames just mentioned are not going to be available for forks with 1" diameter steer columns, so if you've got this all planned out, make sure you can get your Vision bar, your desired fork, and your frame in the same steerer size. This bar sells for $425.
VISION SUPER-MAX
Designed for the athlete looking to get very low and aero. Yippee. Very few bars will allow for that. Great for bikes that have taller head tubes, or if you've got a particularly aggressive position. Comfort is often more of an issue of elbow width than elbow height, so this bar with the wider standard armrest is a nice package. If you want the Deluxe armrest, this is also a bar to consider, because the Deluxe sits up 4cm. The three-bolt Tri-Max above plus the Deluxe armrests would make for a fairly high position, so consider which armrest you want before settling on a 2-bolt or 3-bolt bar. Sells for $395.
CONCLUSION
This company will go as far as it is able to quickly react to what the market wants. It, like Syntace, has got great ideas and engineering behind it, but slow reaction time. A lot more of these bars would, and will, get sold if and when they are available for 1 1/8" steerers. Likewise, there needs to be a model with a flat, or flatter, pursuit position. We say this for two reasons: Triathletes need a higher pursuit position than time trialists; and the Deluxe armrests cry out for a pursuit position that compensates for the extra 4cm of elevation built into the armrests.
Contact Vision Tech at info@visiontechusa.com or 253-804-8852 or 1-800-574-2704, Fax: 253-804-8852
