Pedaling Through Humpday: Aero is as Aero Does

I don't have clip-on aero bars for my bike. The way I look at it, if I'm racing in a dedicated time trial, then I'll ride a time trial bike. It seems to me that adding aero bars does two things:

1. Makes a bicycle made for (and good at) a specific purpose (road riding) into a mediocre TT bike.
2. Makes riders lazy in that they can prop their arms on the aero bars instead of using the muscles in the upper body to support themselves.

Perhaps my dislike of clip-on aero bars stems from the fact that there were a couple people using them during the race on Saturday who continually felt the need to scream, "INSIDE LINE!" (capitalization used for emphasis since there isn't a douche bag font) every time they were near me. I got it, you're racing and you're faster than me, but knowing this I rode in the middle of the track the entire time. I guess some people feel the need to let others know they are almost as awesome as they think they are.

Despite the lack of aero bars on most riders' bikes, it was easy to get into the drops and get on this guy's wheel:

By my rudimentary calculations, this guy's bar was about four feet off the ground; he was like a rolling wall. This guy is the opposite of aerodynamic, unlike Graeme Obree, the real-life rider whose life was the topic of The Flying Scotsman, who recently announced he was gay. This is about as non-news worthy as stories that proclaim an athlete is standing by his previous statements bad-mouthing another athlete. Clearly journalists have nothing better to do than track down athletes and ask them if they want to apologize for some dumb twitter post or ask about their sexuality.

In news on the home front, I've finished another single-speed bike, this time I used a frame that has cable stops for the rear brake cable. In the end I reused the cranks, bottom bracket, wheelset, brakes, and handle bar from the first bike I assembled:

To top it off I am using a light given to me for Christmas:

It's bright like a car's light - perfect for those times I ride home from the bar after dark.

Along with the single-speed build, I've also stripped down my Bianchi with the intent of cleaning and giving it a good overhaul:

I guess until I get it put back together I'll have to pick up one of these to ride:

No need for clip-on aero bars on that speed machine.