Today at the IRONMAN World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Profile Design revealed their new Zwift Ride Supersonic Aerobar setup, the first dedicated aero bar setup for Zwift Ride. Let’s take a closer look…
Aero Bars on Indoor Bikes
While some may scoff at mounting aero bars on a dedicated indoor setup, anyone who races time trials will tell you training in the aero TT position is crucial to maximizing performance. Add to that the fact that riding a TT setup outdoors can be daunting, particularly in traffic or on twisty roads, and it’s easy to see why many time trialists do much of their training indoors.
Riders have been mounting aero bars on the Zwift Ride since it was first released, but there are a few gotchas:
- Bar tape needed to be unwrapped, shortened, and rewrapped to make room for the aero bar mounts
- USB charging cable clamps needed to be removed or at least repositioned to make room for aero bar mounts
- Aero bars had to be mounted wider than many riders prefer, due to the 100mm width of the Zwift Ride tray
- Controllers for virtual shifting and game navigation didn’t mount cleanly onto aero bars
Profile Design addresses these issues with a complete aero cockpit package.
Supersonic Aerobar Integration Details
The Supersonic Aerobar from Profile Designs includes the following key components:
- Supersonic Bracket System: Allows for extended pad and extension adjustment range
- Ergo+ Armrest: Expanded surface with reduced pressure points for enhanced comfort and secure arm position during long rides
- 52A Aluminum Extensions: Ergonomic ski-bend for natural hand positioning, with pre-installed heat-shrink wrap for comfort
- Zwift Integration Package:
- Zwift Click v2 controllers for easy virtual shifting and game control from your TT position (the Clicks connect to Zwift concurrently with your Zwift Ride controllers for easy control from both positions)
- Zwift Click mounts for bar ends
- 50mm (actual measured width: 45mm) Zwift Tray and supporting hardware reduces width, allowing the aero bars to be mounted in a standard position
- USB-C covers to replace the Zwift Ride’s stock clamps/covers
The aero extensions have a stack height of 42mm, and the width can be adjusted by 37mm.
The Supersonic Aerobar assembly is not compatible with the Zwift Tablet Holder accessory.
A Fit Hack (But An Expensive One)
I set up the Zwift Ride v2 a few weeks ago, and soon discovered a downside to its new geometry and increased adjustability. With my saddle clamp moved forward to a more neutral position and the Ride v2’s shorter top tube, I found the insides of my knees hitting the edges of the tray assembly when riding out of the saddle.
While that assembly is soft rubber on top, it’s hard (even sharp) plastic underneath. Not something you want to whack your legs against repeatedly.
So I stripped off the tray assembly and silicon taped the steel rail to keep sweat at bay. I also wrapped an unsightly headband around the stem, because this portion is rather sharp, and I didn’t want to hit my knees on it either. Bonus: this modified setup lets more air hit my face from my fan.
The new, slimmer tray solves my problem while keeping the cockpit clean. And while the new 45mm tray is useless for holding phone (or pizza, or donuts), it can cradle a bottle. Zwift/Profile had a bit of fun with it, changing the icons on the tray (which is also 25mm shorter than the standard tray):
There’s just one problem: it looks like the Zwift Ride Supersonic Aerobar will be sold exclusively by Profile Designs, and there don’t seem to be any plans to sell the narrow tray assembly separately. Hopefully my fit issue isn’t a widespread one that many others will encounter. But if you do, you may have to take the “strip it down and tape it up” approach for now.
Your Thoughts
What do you think of this, the first aero bar setup created for the Zwift Ride? Share your thoughts below!
