FastTT Time Trial Aero Bars

One of the most important aspects of any time trial bike is that of the cockpit, the control room of the bike, responsible not just for steering, braking and shifting but also for letting you get into a slippery aerodynamic position. The trouble is, stock components don't work for everyone; the aero riding position mixed with varying body types and limited flexibility mean bike fit is crucial, and usually involves parts needing to be swapped out, which can become very costly. That's where the FastTT Time Trial Aero Bars come in – a three-in-one aftermarket solution that bolts to your existing base bar and offers impressive levels of adjustment along with a superlight weight and top class ergonomics, all at a good price.

I've been using them for the past six months in a variety of settings, ranging from training rides to traditional British 10-mile and 25-mile time trials to find out how they stack up against the best aftermarket aero bars for triathlons and time trialling, a fast-growing market flooded with extensive and often complicated options.

> Buy now: FastTT Time Trial Aero Bars for $945 from FastTT

The FastTT Aero Bars are constructed from top-shelf pre-preg carbon fibre and tested to 3.5 times the ISO/UCI required testing forces. The full set comes with both left and right integrated bar units, two foam elbow pads with Velcro for easy removal, mounting brackets and bolts (38mm M6 bolts in my case), an adjustable Garmin/Wahoo computer mount and a small syringe of anti-seize thread compound. That's a comprehensive list of items some rivals charge for as optional extras. The only item you may need to buy separately is the adjustable angled riser kit for $160 (around £130).

The Aero Bars are available in two options – raw carbon weave or gloss black. I prefer the former as the visible weave of the cloth layup adds a distinct contrast to the brazen colour scheme of my Cannondale SuperSlice Disc bike. I would assume this is the most popular choice, though gloss black will also complement most colours.

In terms of aesthetics, there's nothing particularly loud and proud here. If anything, it's rather stealth-like in appearance, save for a solitary FastTT logo and web address bookending the outside of each bar.

As far as weight goes, these aero bars are some of the lightest on the market. The full set without arm pads and bolts is just 302g (left 144g, right 158g). The right side is heavier than the left as it incorporates the computer mount into the monocoque. The bar ends can be cut to size to conform with UCI regulations.

I originally tested the non-drilled version of the bars which, as the name suggests, required me to drill the bolt holes myself before mounting them to my base bar. While it was a pretty nerve-wracking exercise, I managed just fine and the setup was rock solid. The Vision Metron TFA cockpit on my TT bike uses proprietary spacers but this posed no issue for the supplied spacers, which slotted into place like Lego bricks.

Company owner, Wayne Attwell, then sent me a set of drilled bars, which took fitment from easy to ridiculously easy – it's a foolproof setup that can be done by anyone.

The balance of the installation is pretty straightforward, especially the Shimano Di2 shifters, which plumbed through with ease thanks to the handy guiding tool FastTT includes in the box.

The extensions are compatible with Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo electronic shifters, but not manual shifters; this is probably their only downside, given there's still a sizeable pool of time triallists who use mechanical setups.

Getting low, feeling pro

While many of the current aero bar systems offer tile angles ranging from 15-30 degrees, I opted to set the FastTT Aero Bars at 25 degrees, which is the maximum angle on offer; this is neither too aggressive nor radical in terms of aesthetics but rather something that works for me and my body type. I also angled the bars in a 'toe-in' position (the bars provide a 40-degree inward or outward angle of adjustment).

The holes in the drilled versions also allow significant adjustment and fine-tuning, which can be further tweaked with the use of various brackets. I kept things pretty simple and merely mirrored my existing layout, the only change being an increase of 10 degrees in the bar angle.

This was a huge gamechanger for me as it reduced the gap between my hands and face, allowing me to focus and use my hands as a sight, thereby letting me hold my position for the duration of 10- and 25-mile TT distances. Often, what tends to happen if there's a sizeable gap between your head and hands and there's nothing to focus on, is that you tend to lose your shape and your back starts to relax after a while. I found it easier to stay aero, and the ergonomic shape and forearm support helped in this regard, too.

Whether or not these bars are indeed faster than anything else I've tested is hard to quantify without the use of a wind tunnel, but the setup did feel fast. Looking at my real-world testing, my times across both the 10- and 25-mile distances were more or less in line with my personal bests, but the thing that stood out most for me was the way I felt during these sessions. I felt fast and my position was notably more disciplined and aerodynamic. With the many newly resurfaced chip-sealed courses and slow conditions this season, I wasn't able to have a proper rip at the 10-mile distance, but I did beat my 25-mile personal best – twice. According to FastTT, independent aero testing showed a saving of 11-16W over standard cups and extension poles at 43-50km/h. I improved my 25-mile time by over a minute at the same wattage as my previous personal best, which is pretty much in line with these claims.

> How to get into time trialling: simple tips for racing the clock

While there was nothing particularly scientific when it came to my testing, the improvements and on-the-bike feel were tangible, and I expect many riders using these aero bars will improve in terms of performance, speed and comfort.

Value

At £745 ($975), the FastTT Time Trial Aero Bars represent a significant outlay, but should be seen more as an investment than an extravagant upgrade – especially considering the level of adjustment and customisability they afford. That said, they're still not the priciest option around.

British brand AeroCoach offers a professional setup of carbon aerobar extensions called the Ascalon for £795, but that's just for the extensions – you'll need to pay extra for items such as the armrests, bolts and computer mount, which push the price up to £1,095.

The Carbon Wasp Aero Bar System makes a strong case for itself, with a £795 sticker price, but it's not the prettiest option around nor the most user friendly, though it does also provide a decent level of adjustability, allowing you to get low and secure thanks to the ensconcing arm cups.

In terms of mainstream options, Vision has the J-bend extensions at £250. These work very well but only offer a maximum rise of 15 degrees, and unless you already own a complete Metron TFA cockpit, items such as the bridge, armrests, spacers and bolts will have to be bought individually, which will hike the pricing to £510, though that's still significantly cheaper than anything else listed here. The full Vision Metron TFA costs just £765; adjustability and customisability are limited, however.

Conclusion

Overall, it's hard to fault what FastTT has produced here with its Time Trial Aero Bars. They're refined, superlight and offer a level of adjustability that is hard to beat. They're compatible with practically all standard base bars and relatively easy to install. Having tested several of the front runners in this category, the FastTT bars are leading the charge and firmly occupy the top step on the podium.

Verdict

Aerodynamically optimised time trial bars offering impressive levels of adjustment at a good price