Farr Aero bolt on v3

Getting aero

I’m not a speed demon but I do love to go long distances. So having multiple positions for my hands to remain comfortable has always been a focus of mine. So, I started dabbling in aero bars over the past year. I’m also a sucker for a clean cockpit, having just enough room for my Wahoo, bar bag, and lighting system. When I tried larger proper versions of aero bars I saw the benefit in them, but I also disliked how much real estate they took up on my bars. Then over the past year or so, I started to see Farr’s alternative, the aero bolt-on bars. They looked light, slick, and unobtrusive on a drop bar system but how efficient would they be? I contacted the great folks at Far and Wide Distributors here in Canada and inquired to see if they had what I was looking for. They suggested I try the Farr Carbon Aero Bolt-On V3 and within a couple of days I was mounting them on my bike. I had ordered the basic kit but noticed that you can also upgrade with a handlebar armrest kit and a GPS mount, which I could see the benefit of.

Once removing the bars from the recyclable packaging, the bars initially felt unbelievably light and strong and well-designed. The mounting was quick and unobtrusive with a 4-bolt system that could be mounted or removed within minutes depending on the situation. I also noticed the upgrades from the older versions of the bars with the grippier surface where your hands make contact and its hand-conforming shape. I also noticed they never interfered with bar bags that I would carry, as most straps were wide enough to go around them and were lower on the stem. But how would such a small addition to the bars ride on the road?

My initial feeling as I embarked with them was that I barely even noticed that they were there, which is a good thing. They were easy to adjust to and change back and forth from my drop bars to give a narrower ride. My hands never felt squished and the extra grippy sections were welcomed when things started to get wet. I never felt like I was in a super low arrow position like I would be on a larger aero bar because of their small size, but I knew they wouldn’t replace that sort of equipment. On the pavement, they felt secure and I managed the steering fine in that narrow stance. Downhills seemed the best for me to move my body back in the saddle and get into an arrow position, but I had to be careful when immediate braking was needed. On longer rides, I could only stay on them for 10 minutes maximum though before my arms and shoulders started feeling fatigued in that position. It was nice though on longer rides to have an extra hand position and give my hands a break. In stronger headwinds, there was minimal gain as your body is still in a semi-upright position though. Also, when things started getting dark, I appreciated the extra mounting space in the front for my lights, and didn’t get in the way of my hands.

Next, I was curious how handling would be on gravel and rougher off-road sections. On harder-packed surfaces, the handling was fine where minimal steering was needed. Slightly loose gravel surfaces were fine too, but once things started getting chunky and less packed, I would need to stay off them as steering would get quite squirrelly. Again, on steep down hills I needed to be on the hoods rather in a tuck position for safety’s sake.

Overall, these bars did seem to be what I was looking for. Minimal ergonomic design with an extra position for my hands to relieve them of strain. Were they great for an aero position? Not exactly as they were too small and short to try and compete with the regular-sized aero bars that are on the market. They weren’t quite set up to ride in for long periods but gave short reprieves when needed. As well, steering was fine as long as you weren’t in chunky gravel or on breakneck downhills. The price tag is a bit on the high side, but they are well crafted for what they are. I’m not sure how the armrests would have changed the system, but I appreciated the ease of having the Farr Aero bolt-on there when I needed it.

Pros:

Superlight carbon construction (Weight: 98g)
Ideal for longer rides and different hand positions
Compatible with MTB and road handlebars, 31.8mm bar diameter
Allows for a GPS / LED attachment

Cons

A bit on the expensive side
Not great for more than 10 minutes in the same position
Not meant for super rough or chunky gravel

Cost breakdown from Far and Wide distributors:

Carbon Aero Bolt On V3 $180, Arm Rest V2 Kit $120, GPS Mount $80.