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Aero Bikes: All You Need To Know About
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Apr 1, 2025
Aero road bikes are some of the most futuristic, cutting edge bicycles available. Their wind cheating properties and mind bending shapes leave little to be desired for those after the fastest road bikes. However, that isn't to say they don't come with a cost. Sam Gupta explains exactly what the reality is of owning an hyper bike in todays world both good and bad.
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0:00
The Tour de France always brings out the best road bikes, and quite often the most spangly and
0:05
bling bikes in the peloton tend to be the aero bikes. They look incredibly striking with their
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otherworldly tube shapes and wind slicing profiles. They hold a great deal of intrigue
0:17
over the casual observer, and they often seduce many into wanting one themselves
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However, they do not come without warning, so I'm going to lay it bare for you and explain
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what the grim reality of owning an aero bike is really like
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First off, you need to get your hands on one. And of course, this means going through the painful
0:43
process of removing money from pockets. There is no doubt that these bikes are expensive
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Even if you get yourself an aero bike, which sits at the better value end of the spectrum
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you're still going to be shelling out thousands. And then, of course, it will be no surprise that
1:00
aero bikes make up the vast majority of the most expensive bikes on the market. There's no way
1:06
around it. These bikes carry a premium that you have to be willing to stomach. Sadly, it's not
1:13
just the purchase of the bikes that can pinch, but maintaining them can also be a bit of a drain
1:19
Now, of course, many jobs are as simple as they would be on any other bike
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So changing your chain and cassette and swapping in some new brake pads are the same as they would be anywhere else
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And these are all things that we can learn to do with some pretty basic tools
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However, it's when you get into the realms of setting up and bleeding brakes
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trying to diagnose electronic gearing issues or just adjusting your position that the headaches really start to materialise
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when things of this genre go wrong you want to ensure that you have a really good relationship
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with the mechanic in your local bike shop. Perhaps you might be able to fix the issue yourself but
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I'm sure it will be those of you who already have some mechanical know-how that will be the ones that
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actually have some success. I'm sure for the majority some pretty hefty service bills could
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end up being swallowed. The very point of aero bikes is that they are built to be fast
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And it's this quest for speed that often means that sacrifices need to be made in other areas Generally that comfort Despite everything you hear from bike brands when they hark on about compliance the fact is a bicycle is made up of two triangles which is famously the strongest
2:40
shape. Also, aero bikes are built to be incredibly stiff, and this results in a really large bottom
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bracket shell and a frame which doesn't really have much give at all. And it's all these factors
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which create a fairly hard ride. So if you are susceptible to back pain or you just don't want
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all of that feedback coming up through the road, then perhaps a slightly softer endurance bike
3:04
is the way to go. As is pretty well known, the rider makes up the largest proportion of
3:15
aerodynamic drag. So any good modern aero bike will feature a more extreme position to help you
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cut through the air as cleanly as possible. And this is done by usually adopting a low front end
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and you may be a little more stretched out and the steering itself can be quite direct
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For some, this won't be an issue and if you have good flexibility, then contorting yourself into a
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more racy position will actually come quite naturally. The flip side of this though is that
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if you don't possess the flexibility needed and you aren't riding in fast-paced scenarios
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then an aero bike will likely make for a pretty dismal riding experience
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Your back will probably ache because there are some things that not even a bike fit can save
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And the fast steering could just leave you feeling a little bit out of control
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If you're a smaller and lighter weight rider like myself, then there is one unique problem that can crop up
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In the same way that deep section wheels are susceptible to crosswinds, the flat
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aerodynamically optimized tube shapes of an aero bike are as well. And since aero bikes are
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generally paired with deep section wheels, this can lead to a pretty sketchy setup
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I've lost count of the number of times that I've been blown across the road when riding aero bikes
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with deep wheels. Even aero bikes with shallow wheels. It's something a minority of people need
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to be aware of because if you aren't expecting it or are a slightly nervous
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rider then you can end up in a pretty precarious situation. So to all my
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fellow lightweight riders rather than an out and out aero bike I instead consider an all road bike with midsection wheels somewhere between 40 and 50 millimeters deep and then just really optimize your position
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So far, I've painted a pretty dark picture for AeroBike ownership, but the fact is
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they still sell incredibly well. So why do people keep on buying them
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Well, for starters, just look at them. They look fantastic. The deep sculpted tube profiles in
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alien shapes just scream speed. Aero bikes are mesmerizing to look at, and I feel like they do
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carry a bit of a placebo effect, that when you're on one, you just want to push that little bit
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harder and really lean into their ethos. Placebo or not, one thing is for sure, they really are
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fast. Despite not being the most comfortable bikes in the world, the compromise is worth it
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if you want to go out and beat your personal records. The speed increase is genuinely very
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tangible. There's nothing quite like pouncing on the pedals and then feeling the power transfer
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between your legs and the resulting acceleration. What's more, when you tuck up and really start to
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push down the road, you'll find that the speeds you're able to hold will be a couple of miles
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an hour higher than you might otherwise be able to hold on a non-aerobike
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One of the most satisfying things that you can enjoy when you're pushing down the road
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is the sound that the bike makes. It's this weird combination of a whooshing and whirring sound that
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then echoes through the frame and the wheels. If you've ever watched a race go by or had a rider
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whiz past you, then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. But it's this sound that just really
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adds to the experience of riding one of these rocket ships. even though i previously referenced the direct steering as a potential negative for those who
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may be a little bit more timid or just want a more relaxed riding experience the effect of such
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fast steering is really something to behold when accustomed to the feeling and how the bike can
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react underneath you you learn to slow down your inputs and just let the bike do the work then when when you in scenarios when you really do need to react you can be less frantic with your movements and just
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trust the bike will go where you want it to. Of course, the speed of steering is on a sliding scale
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with some bikes being more aggressive than others. The feeling can also be impacted by the width of
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the handlebars fitted. So, for example, the Trek Madone's handlebar width has actually been really
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well thought out, meaning that the smaller sizes do have narrower bars fitted from stock. And then
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this does result in much less aerodynamic drag, but it also means that the speed of the steering
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can be amplified compared to a bike of the same size with wider bars. It's not just the width of
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the bars, but the feeling tends to stem from the head tube height, length, and angle. So perhaps if
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you do find a bike that feels too fast, then maybe try looking for an alternative with a slightly
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slacker head angle, and it could mean that you find your own sweet spot. It's an acquired taste
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but if you do start riding bikes with fast steering, they are really hard to move away from
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because the feeling is fantastic. As mentioned, one of the flagship features of any aero bike is
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a pretty large bottom bracket shell. The manufacturers do this to introduce stiffness
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around what is a pretty high stress area. This stiffness and any lack of give means that the
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power transfer between your legs and the wheels is second to none. Pair that with the characteristically
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short chainstays that most aero bikes have and it's a recipe which results in a bike that feels
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really snappy and eager to respond. I believe that when you boil it down, aero bikes create a
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game of compromise. If you're willing to sacrifice the comfort that can be found on softer bikes
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happy to absorb the cost of running such machines, and you're confident in your ability to ride in
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the crosswinds, then yes, go and get an aggressive aero race bike. But if you're unsure about any of
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the attributes that come along with going fast, then I think it's best that you steer clear and
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opt for something which is a little bit better suited to your riding style. Let me know down
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below, if you own an aero bike, how do you feel about it now? If you enjoyed the video
10:00
then please do drop it a like, subscribe to the channel for more content, and I will see you again
10:04
very soon
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