The Profile Aero II bar can be installed without the removal of shifters or brake levers. This bar is an uncomplicated way to add the stretched out aerodynamic function many riders desire. It is an adjustable, bolt- on bar for use with standard drop bars, though Profile in their 1994 product brochure also illustrates it being used for Mountain riders, which might work over smooth lengthy terrain. Shifting for a Mountain bike rider might be awkward because complete upper body re-orientation would be required to shift. The Aero II has a 6 inch width and clamps to the handlebar at both sides of the stem. The curved tube that the rider grips has a 22mm outer diameter. Two clamp pieces fasten the Aero at each side of your stem. This clamping style allows easy adjustment of the Aero's upward angle by revolving it up or down, before cinching it in place. The upper clamp piece has a hollow extension, resembling the quill used to cinch a stem in the fork steerer, that the aluminum grip tube slides over. The clamp and quill tube have a steel expander bolt passing through them, that anchors into a machined aluminum wedge in the tube end. The aluminum quill tube, with expander bolt, and wedge slides into the curved grip tube. Tightening the expander bolt cinches the outer grip tube in place. This ability to slide and fasten the grip tube in place, permits it to extend as little as 6 inches from the stem, and up to 10 inches, (when measured to the end of the upward bend). The top of the upper clamp/quill piece has a hole, tapped with threads, that an aluminum support for the forearm rest bolts to. The aluminum support cantilevers, to the outside, the cupped plastic armrests. There is a choice of two positions for the arm rests, one is 5/8" from the clamp center, the other is 1 1/8" from clamp center. The armrests are made more comfortable by a die-cut 1/2" thick vinyl foam pad which has a self adhesive back and covers the cupped rest contour. A hole drilled through the apex of the grip tube allows the Profile SwingShift shifter bridge to be fastened to the head of the Aero II. With the SwingShift in place, Road riders using braze-on shift levers can shift their bikes from the streamlined position, (read more about in the shifter section). The bar Aero II is made with the grip tube in a choice of two colors, Black or Gun Metal Blue, (Blue Grey). The steel expander bolts have 8mm x 1.25mm threads, are 145mm long, with a 6mm hex fitting and weigh 51.5 grams. Titanium replacements can be found in the Stems section. The two bolts witch hold the clamps together have 5mm by .8mm threads. One is 17mm long (4 grams), and the other is 11mm long (3 grams). These are water bottle cage bolts, and Titanium replacements for these can be found in the Bottle and Cages section. With steel bolts the Aero II weighs 484 grams. Made in USA.
Color-B-BK $ Price in Catalog
Profile's Breeze clip-on bars are a non-extending, or non-telescoping version of the Aero II bar. Like the Aero, the Breeze can be installed without removing the shifters or brake levers. The Breeze, intended for a drop style bar, permits the rider to tuck into an aerodynamic crouch for increased speed or, while riding more casually, permits the forearms to be used for steering while resting on the raised cups giving your palms a break from being clenched around the handlebar. The aluminum grip tube has an outer diameter of 25.4mm (1") made slightly larger by its Black paint. The Breeze is fastened using two clamp pieces, an upper and a lower, 4 1/4" on center, at both sides of the stem. This clamp fastening allows easy adjustment of the Breeze's upward angle by revolving it up or down, before cinching it in place. The clamp pieces are made of aluminum alloy. The upper clamp piece has a cylindrical protrusion that slides into the and of the grip tube. Each of the inserted cylinders has two grooves cut around their circumference. Once the upper clamp pieces are inserted into the grip tube, the grip tube is crimped in the grooves, permanently fastening the grip tube to the upper clamp pieces. The lower clamp pieces have recesses for the heads of the bolts that hold the clamp pieces together. The bolts pass from the bottom up into the upper clamp piece. Near the grip tube, the top of the upper clamp piece has two holes drilled and tapped for the bolts the hold the forearm rest cups to the Breeze. The side by side holes allow two symmetrical widths of 8" or 9" for the arm rests. The Breeze uses the same contoured arm rest cups from the Aero II with the same self-adhesive vinyl foam pads. The extension to the upward curve of the grip tube measures 7 1/2". The curve of the grip tube adds 2 1/2" more forward length and there is 4" of rise to the apex of the curve. The Breeze foolishly lacks the necessary diameter hole drilled through the apex so the Swingshift shifter perch can be used. This may be a way to manipulate the handlebar buyer into one of Profile's more adjustable clip-ons. However a small pilot hole has been drilled at the apex and enlarging it to the needed 9.7mm diameter will allow the SwingShift to be used with the Breeze. The four clamp bolts are 5mm by .8mm pitch with an 18mm length, a 4mm hex head and weigh 3.5 grams. Titanium replacements would be the long version of the water bottle cage bolts in our Bottle/Cage section. The Breeze is made in just one size, only in Black and has an on the bike weight of 432 1/2 grams. Made in USA. $ Price in Catalog
The Airstryke is a highly complicated variation on the Aero II. All of its complexity derives from pivoting the arm rests out of the way so the rider can use the top of the drop bar as a hand position. Notice the price difference between the two as you evaluate their differences. The Airstryke, like the Aero II, uses two aluminum clamp pieces to cinch the clip-on bar to a drop style Road handlebar without removal of the brake levers or shifter cables. The lower clamp piece creates a quill assembly, with an aluminum tube that slides over a hollow protruding cylinder on the front on its front. The quill tube has a machined aluminum expander bolt that tightens into an aluminum wedge flaring the quill tubes end. One of these quill/clamp assemblies slides into the each end of the grip tube. The quill permits up to 2 1/4" of extension of the grip tube. The grip tube has a 7/8" outer diameter with a 1.25mm wall thickness. The grip tubes as they depart the drop bar have are spaced 2 1/2" on center apart. The extension to the upward curve of the grip tube measures 4 1/4" The upward curve and forward loop, of the grip tube adds 5 1/2" more forward length and there is 5 1/2" of rise to the apex of the curve. A hole drilled through the apex of the grip tube allows the Profile SwingShift shifter bridge to be fastened to the front of the Airstryke. With the Swingshift in place, Road riders, using a downtube shifters, can shift their bikes from the streamlined position, (read more about in the shifter section). Now the complexity, the upper and lower clamp pieces are fastened using two clamp bolts. The bolts pass down through the upper clamp piece leaving the heads relatively recessed. On the top of the upper clamp piece is a spring loaded swing arm which the forearm rest is bolted to. Remember the on the Aero II the arm rests were directly and rigidly bolted to the upper clamp. The swing arm is made of aluminum and held in place by a steel pin driven through the upper clamp and swing arm. The steel pin operates as a pivot axis. Two springs pressing against the top of the upper clamp hold the swing arm up. A slot milled down the middle of the swing arm allows the forearm rest to be down anywhere along the 1 1/2" length of the slot. The springs holding the swing arm up are not very powerful. We found that complete compression of the springs occurred with less than a pound of effort measured against our digital scale. So what are these spring loaded arms for? The pivoting feature allows the rests to swing up so the top of the bar can be clenched. The foam vinyl pads are held in place on the cup with adhesive backed Velcroª hooks that grab a loop structured fabric on both sides of the foam pad. The four clamp bolts are 5mm by .8mm pitch with an 18mm length, a 4mm hex head and weigh 3.5 grams. Titanium replacements would be the long version of the water bottle cage bolts in our Bottle/Cage section. The Airstryke's grip tube is available in three colors, Lightening Blue, Black, or Silver. The Airstryke requires some assembly time as well as a 2.5mm, 4mm, and 6mm hex wrench which aren't included. It has an on the bike weight of 530.5 grams $ Price in Catalog
