With the highlight of the domestic season, the NZ club nationals now on the horizon we have been testing aero equipment that could make the difference between the top step of the podium and the propping up the bar. For the individual time trial, the race of truth, there is a huge opportunity to pull big time from your rivals just by improving the aerodynamics and set up of the cock pit. Two pieces that have been office ride favourites are the Profile Design T2 Cobra S bend bars and the Cobra carbon wing.
The first thing I noticed when setting up the new S bend T2 bars was the amount of power that was able to be drawn through the arms due to the position this locked the wrists into, I found this immeasurably beneficial everytime I hit a slight rise in the road and found I could stay seated and aero, and power my way through it.
The adjustability was almost infinite, and the carbon overhang after pulling the extensions in a little cut cleanly off, another clean feature was the internal routing of the gear cables running from the bar end shifters.
The ergonomic carbon mouldings at the hand position filled the hand and added to the grip and comfort over the test rides whilst the thermoplastic armrests also provided a cushioning effect taking out any of the harshness of the west Auckland roads I frequented on rides.
Perhaps the favourite piece of equipment fitted was the stunning Cobra Carbon Wing bar in its 12k carbon weave, the shape of this drag cheating piece of art certainly does live up to its name with the design being exactly drawn from a wing.
The round 31.8mm middle section on the bar made the fitting of the stem and mounting the aerobars a cinch with plenty of room for adjustment Width wise for the T2s. Once again every detail has been thought of with internal cable routing and perfectly angled exit holes for the brake cables.
The integration of the T2 Cobra and the Cobra wing was seamless and gave the look of a fully integrated system but allowed for the perfect personal adjustment that is critical for the TT bike.
Also supplied were the Profile Carbon Quickstop2 brake levers, these finished a full house for Profile Design and provided better than before experienced stopping power. The secret, an internal power spring that aided in resetting the lever after each pull. Often with the tricky routing of brake cables on TT setups the cable flow is compromised and affects the function of the brakes. These levers are a must for the perfectionist.
If you are looking for a front end upgrade and one that will deliver improvement, look no further than this combo.
