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Cockpit setup

Cockpit is an obvious term for the front of the bike, handlebars and controls.  Although there’s a bit of variation amongst riders, there are also a few common elements.  Most on the TA have Aerobars, raised forward-pointing bars that you can lean your forearms on to tuck your body in and lower wind resistance.  I think they originated in Triathlon, so they’re also called tri-bars.  They give you alternative hand and body positions to help avoid stiffness and RSI.  A useful bonus from using these is also to give you more space than just your handlebars offer for gear and devices.  I have my sleeping gear (tent and bag) strapped to them for example, a simple solution that avoids mounts and harnesses for those things. Many, like me, have a bike computer mounted between the Aerobars and others mount watch and or phone, or just paper copies of guide books and/or maps.  

If you don’t have Aerobars, you need to manage handlebar space another way, and things can get pretty tight.  Some use handlebars that include a loop like this Jones bar , or attachments like this Fred bar which is quite popular. 


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