Vision continues to expand and refine their aerobar offerings, and has officially entered the market of plus-sized aerobar pads. We’ve seen such bars show up in recent years for timed events, and pick up steam as more consumers try (and enjoy) them. You can find them from brands such as TriRig, LOOK, and Culprit, to name a few.
What’s the point of larger and longer aerobar pads? Greater surface area means better weight distribution where your arms meet the pads. In other words – you’ll feel less pressure and less pain over long periods of aero-position-riding. There’s a limit for how far this extra length can extend rearward (i.e. closer to your body), because you’ll bang your knees into the back of the pad holders. So, bar makers placed the extra pad area out front, putting more material under your forearms.
Vision’s latest product in this category is called the TFE Pro, and we’ll dive in to the details.
The TFE Pro is made to fit the existing TFA and SI 013 aerobars, as an aftermarket upgrade.
If you know those bars, you’ll recognize the grid system above. This style of attachment is becoming more and more common, allowing for better micro adjustment in all directions.
The TFE Pro also allows for up to 13 degrees of angular adjustment. Combined with the stacking spacers of the TFA and SI 013, these bars can potentially turn an ill-fitting or wrong-sized bike into something that works for you (of course, consult a bike fitting professional to help do the math before plunking down your cash).
Large rubber inserts cover up the huge voids left by the bolt hole grids.
Are S-bend extensions dead? The newer ergonomic extension shape has become a favorite among Slowtwitchers and triathletes in general. Vision even claims that the TFE Pro extensions are 8% more aero than the stock TFA extensions, resulting in a 9.4 second savings over 40km (calculated with CFD simulations).
My measurements put the fore-aft length of the arm pads at 160mm. This is about 50% longer than typical pads, but less than some competitors with lengths of 200mm or more.
A slot underneath the extension allows for wire routing and management. We anticipate that most bikes using these bars will have electronic shifting.
Vision provides detailed measurements, including comparisons to the stock extensions that come with the compatible base bars. Three sizes are available – Small (265mm), Medium (285mm), and Large (305mm).
The TFE Pro Aerobar Extensions come in at a quoted weight of 360 grams per pair, and a US MSRP of $419.
FSAProShop.com
