Do you cover your aero road bars fully with bar tape?

[mrtkcmz]

Hello everyone,

Zipp SL-70will be my first aero road handlebar and its on the way. I also bought a Lizardskin 3.2 for it. Now I wonder if I cover it fully or till the shifters with the bar tape and left the aero part open? Any pros and cons about the subject? What is your opinion? I will appreciate any kind of advice.

Is it easy to use in "puppy dog" position with or without fully covered?
Will it be still aero if it covered fully?
Weight penalty?
And off course is it still look "hot" on the bike?

Here is how the pro's do;

http://road.cc/content/tech-news/225471 ... tel-bardet

[Pokerface07]

Cover past the hoods to where the flat part of the top of the bars starts (corner/bend of the bar).

Any more than that and they becomes too bulky for climbing plus I would think it completely negates any aero gains! (And looks pants)

[NiFTY]

It seems self evident doesn't it? Pro. Comfort on tops, less slippery. Con. Extra weight, less aero.
It will still be more aero than a round bar but less than uncovered, as the shape is the same but the width of the whole aerofoil is increased. Wider equals more surface area and drag is surface area x coefficient of drag.

[kode54]

like pokerface07, i wrap till the bend behind the hoods. palms rest nicely there without excess bulk.

[Renne]

Same here, I wrap my Easton EC90 Aero bar to just past the hoods. Any more would kind of be a waste of an aero handlebar...

[AZR3]

I'm running 3T Aeronova LTD bars and I do the same as the others, just enough past the hoods. I've seen pics of people that wrap their aero road bars as if they're traditional bars so I figure they want the added cushion while climbing....but then why get aero bars

[morganb]

SL70 Aero is far and above my favorite aero road bar that I have ridden. I leave the tops untaped and its fine for climbing, faux aerobar position is fine when my arms are dry but not good when sweaty. A friend of mine put gun grip tape on his tops on the Cervelo bars (with cutouts for the logos to maintain the look) and it lets him ride aero hoods comfortably without compromising the aesthetics or the aeroness. Its worth a shot if you find yourself missing traction on the tops.

[Vermu]

Got canyons own aerobar and those have clear markings where to stop with bartape. As the area that should be taped is a bit thinner - it leaves 0 options for deciding what to do.
So not fully covered. Apparently most have the option to go fully taped?

[mrtkcmz]

SL70 Aero is far and above my favorite aero road bar that I have ridden. I leave the tops untaped and its fine for climbing, faux aerobar position is fine when my arms are dry but not good when sweaty. A friend of mine put gun grip tape on his tops on the Cervelo bars (with cutouts for the logos to maintain the look) and it lets him ride aero hoods comfortably without compromising the aesthetics or the aeroness. Its worth a shot if you find yourself missing traction on the tops.

thats exactly on my mind. taping a 2finger wide area of the tops or gun grip tape them.

[bilwit]

Kittel tapes his all the way along with a few other pros:
http://road.cc/content/tech-news/225471 ... tel-bardet

[mrtkcmz]

Kittel tapes his all the way along with a few other pros:
http://road.cc/content/tech-news/225471 ... tel-bardet

yes thats why I share the same link in the first place. any other options?

[bilwit]

...well he just won a fourth time today so I don't think his covered aero bars are slowing him down. It's up to you wether or not you like the look aesthetically. Functionally, it's up to you if you're okay with holding or wresting your arms on the smooth flat surface (if you do that at all). I've seen some people put strips of foam on top but I think it looks bad and you might as well tape it all the way at that point.