(dramatic music)
- Welcome to the GCN tech clinic
where you submit your tech related questions
using the #askgcntech down in the comments section below,
and then we pick a selection of them to answer,
to hopefully help you with your tech related cycling issues.
- So I'm now joined by Edwin Van Vugt
who is the creator of Speed Bar.
Speed Bar if you're unfamiliar
are custom made aerodynamic tri bars that are used by,
base bars, that are used by,
well some of the world's best athletes.
So, Victor Campenaerts and his hour record,
and Rohan Dennis and his world championship winning ride,
were both on bikes equipped with Speed Bar.
So we thought it'd be great to ask some TT bar
and aero related tech clinic questions to Edwin.
So, without further ado.
We've got a question here from Mike Davies one who says
he's got a set of quick release time trial bars on his bike,
so I think just clip in ones,
and he's put them on his road bike.
And he wants to install some shifters
on to his bar ends of his tri bars,
and connect them to his Di2.
Now he's wanting to know about, can he just connect,
how easy is it to connect extra shifters
into his Di2 junction box
and what are the best kind of shifters
to put in on the ends of the tri bars?
'Cause there's different Di2 ones,
so what would you recommend for that?
- Well the good thing about the Shimano E-Tube system,
or the Di2 system,
is you got a variety of shifters that you could use.
There are the ones that you can plug into the end
of the extension, so you can shift like this.
You also have, I guess it's an older model,
which have the buttons on the side,
but maybe which also could work and is a good idea for him,
Shimano also has this spring shifter
which you can place everywhere on your handle bar,
like here or here, whatever you want.
Which also hooks up to the E-Tube system,
the same as the other shifters,
but you have much more, well,
freedom in where you want to place the shifter.
So, maybe that's also a good option.
But when it comes to connecting the shifter to the system,
when you do that always remember
to go to your E-Tube project,
to your E-Tube program
and to let the system know that the shifters are there
and to give them the function
that you would like to have them to, to have.
- 'Cause you could in theory
set them up to control your head unit.
- That's right.
- If you wanted to.
- Yeah, yeah.
- So E Tube's good.
But he's wondering,
like is there any compatibility issue between,
like if you use.
'Cause he's using 8070 Ultegra,
so could he use the older version Di2 shifters,
or the newer ones?
- Yeah, yeah.
- So it's all cross compatible isn't it?
- As long as it has the E-Tube system,
so the same connectors, then it's all exchangeable.
But please remember to go to the E-Tube program
because there are different types of software,
and every part of your bike
should have the same type of software of course,
to interact with each other in the proper way.
So when you do install it
go to the E-Tube project program
and let them all communicate
in a proper way with each other.
- He's wanting to know as well if like,
exposed Di2 wires will be a problem,
and what's the best way to route the wire,
like Di2 cables through the bars?
Have you got any advice on that?
- Well it really depends on the system actually,
which he's using.
Some systems you can house the cables within the handlebar,
but in the end they have to come out somewhere
to connect with the junction box.
So it's, there's not like a general way
or rule how you should do it.
It really depends on the system you're using.
- And often you can get them to go through,
on a traditional round tri bar.
- Yeah, yeah.
- And just get it to come through the back, can't you?
Just the back of the tri bar.
- Yeah, yeah.
- And then just feed it in somewhere that way.
But I guess, I'd probably say,
just use a bit of black electrical tape
to tighten up the cables if you're worried about them.
- Always works with tape.
- Yeah. (laughs)
So, next questions is from Angus Stoneham one,
who says, "I'm looking for aero upgrades on my bike.
"What are the narrowest handlebars on the market
"that you know of or would suggest?
"And are there any performance disadvantages?"
- Well, the disadvantage is of course
the control you have on your bike
during crosswinds and stuff like that.
So I wouldn't suggest to go as narrow as possible
on your crossbars,
because in the end you also want to stay safe on your bike,
which is the most important thing I guess.
- 'Cause you've worked as a pro mechanic right, as well.
- Yeah.
- So, I mean, are there any pros that have come to you
and said, "Oh, I want like really narrow bars."
Or they've tried them
and then they've gone back to wider ones?
- Well there are a number of sprinters
who like to use more narrow bars.
- Yeah.
- But actually that's not because it's better for them
for sprinting,
because for sprinting you would actually like
to have a more wider set up
so you can pull harder on the handlebars.
But for them it's more
to get just in the narrow gap for them,
to get in a good position.
- Yeah.
- For them, to stay in the wheel of their lead out man,
and if there's a narrow gap and you have a small handlebar,
of course you will have a advantage over that.
But, no, in terms of control and safety
I wouldn't go as narrow as possible on a drop bar.
- Yeah, and comfort as well I guess could be compromised.
- Yeah.
Because a taller, wider person has to use wider handlebars,
so if you go like smaller
it's not better for your position on your bike.
That's for sure.
- Yeah.
Next question is from Yannick Kurzweil,
who says, "I would love to use carbon aero road bars
"that allow TT extensions."
So I think by that he means like,
you know when you have a bar on your handlebars
but they're not round cross section.
So he's saying, "Are there any products out there
"that allow me to clip on some TT bars
"onto an aero bar, drop bar?"
- If there are any products out there
they're supplied by the brand of the handlebar itself,
most of the time.
I know ENVE has a clamping system for their aero road bars,
and there should be other companies
who would have them I guess.
But please don't go with like an off the market solution
for an aero bar
which doesn't have the perfect fit whatsoever.
If you want to do it,
please make sure you use a handlebar
with a dedicated clamping system.
- Yeah.
- I guess it can get quite,
I mean you've got a lot of experience
in making things - Yeah
- out of carbon fiber.
I guess it, I mean,
how easy is it to crack things
if you clamp them incorrectly on carbon?
- Very easy.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, yeah.
- Carbon fiber, like the word is saying,
is made out of fibers.
And what I always say, you can't push with a rope,
if you know what I mean,
which is the same for carbon fiber when it's.
The fiber is strong when you pull with it,
so when the fiber is,
the load on the fiber is like a pulling load
then there's no worries at all.
When you go clamping or whatsoever,
I wouldn't suggest to do that, no no.
- Cool.
Right, well thanks very much for answering the questions
and coming in Edwin.
- Thank you.
- It's been great chatting to you man.
- Okay.
- And if you've got any questions about time trial bars
or getting aero and custom carbon,
then fire them in and we'll try
and get them answered next week,
using the #askgcntech down below
for next week's tech clinic.