World Triathlon bars Aero Bars as of 2023
As of 2023, clip-on Aero Bars will be forbidden in draft-legal triathlon races. Whilst the announcement by World Triathlon does not provide any insight on why these rules are being changed, one can assume it is an alignment to UCI rules which forbids their use for reason of peloton safety.
It goes without question that there are gains to be made from an aerodynamics perspective using clip-on Aero Bars, nonetheless, the large groups of triathletes we now see out on a draft-legal course look more like pro-cycling pelotons.
As triathlon course designers create more technically challenging courses it naturally becomes harder to manoeuvre with clip-onTri-Bars which in turn creates safety issue. No one want to see a 70kg rider + 6.8kg bike impale a competitor at 40km in a major bike collision.
UCI professional cyclists did once use the Cinelli Spinaci bar extension. It was popular among riders in the peloton until the UCI banned them for safety reasons in 1997. Many riders either had them set up too low, or too high and while racing at high speed without having quick access to the brake levers, in a peloton of 200 riders, it was a recipe for disaster.
In addition, World Triathlon have forbidden some cycling positions with immediate effect. Again, one can assume this is to align with the recent changes in UCL rules that reiterates a prohibition on the so-called ‘super-tuck’ that also include language reiterating a prohibition on “using the forearms as a point of support on the handlebar” viz. the ‘invisible aero bars’,
By this we assume triathletes in draft legal races will not be allowed to apply the extremely common technique of resting on the forearms on the handlebars of a road bike in a way that emulates the reduced drag of riding with aero bars.
The language explicitly referring to the tactic is included in a new section of the UCI rule book focused on the “Position on the bicycle” that also includes the “super tuck” ban, although the new section points to rules in an already existing section of the UCI code, Article 1.3.008. Titled “Position,” that section has existed for years. namely “The rider shall normally assume a sitting position on the bicycle. This position requires that the only points of support are the following: the feet on the pedals, the hands on the handlebars and the seat on the saddle.”.
This will not bring an end to aero dynamic road race handlebars as designers are already working on new UCI legal designs to adopt a position similar to the ‘invisible aero-bars’. Coefficient Cycling has designed such a road racing handlebar that is a drop bar with an aero top with specific ergonomic shaping,
The position is similar to that adopted by triathletes with the cut down ‘shorty’ aero bars in draft legal races. But the reason this bar is permitted by the UCI – and stubby aero bars aren’t – is because the Coefficient Road Race handlebar is one piece. Under Article 1.3.022, the “attachment of any additional handlebar component or extension is prohibited” in road races.
As World Triathlon appears only to forbid clip-on extensions expect to see new designs of one-piece aero dynamic handlebars come onto the triathlon draft legal racing scene by 2023.
