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\u201cMr. Speedbar\u201d himself \u2014 founder Edwin van Vugt. Photos by Kevin Mackinnon<\/p>\n
If you have a triathlon bike, go take a look at the aero bars. There are a lot of pieces to them, right? Bolts, clamps, spacers and more. You might see this as a perfect design, with each component carefully placed to make the best bars possible, but Edwin van Vugt sees a problem \u2014 maybe just potential problems, but a lot of them. Van Vugt says most TT bikes will have 14 to 16 bolts in the aero bar setup, and all of these pieces are where the problem lies.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s 16 times an opportunity for something to go wrong,\u201d he says. \u201cFourteen to 16 bolts that can be overtightened, that can rattle loose, that can be corroded with all the sweat.\u201d <\/p>\n
So, van Vugt came up with a solution: create a bar that is just one piece. Almost a decade later, his company, Speedbar, is the industry leader in cycling, and he is now turning his attention to triathlon.<\/p>\n
Speedbar Origins<\/p>\n
Before Speedbar, van Vugt and his wife, Barbara, ran a carbon fibre repair company, adjusting and fixing wheels and bike frames daily. Van Vugt\u2019s expertise in this field garnered him attention from professional cyclists, and he would often be hired to repair and improve the bikes of some of the world\u2019s top riders.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s how I first got in contact with most of the teams,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n
Van Vugt started entertaining the idea for Speedbar after the 2016 Olympics in Rio, where Australia\u2019s Rohan Dennis broke his aero bars during the time trial event. Dennis had been in medal position up to that point, but the mishap led to him needing to switch bikes \u2014 a moved that ultimately dropped him to fifth place. <\/p>\n
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One of van Vugt\u2019s many connections in the world of pro cycling was Dennis\u2019s mechanic. The pair started discussing the possibility of a single-piece TT bar that would help cyclists avoid (or at least lower the possibility of) future incidents like the one in Rio. <\/p>\n
\u201cTT bikes only come in three or maybe four sizes, depending on the brand, so to come to a good position, you need some adjustability,\u201d van Vugt says. \u201cThe adjustability is created with the system \u2014 with all the bolts, all the clamps, all the spacers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Van Vugt decided to \u201cget rid of all these connections\u201d and, when he did, he saw that this new design came with multiple benefits for riders.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found out that, because it\u2019s just one piece, it\u2019s lighter \u2014 you don\u2019t have all the connections \u2014 and it\u2019s more stiff \u2014 you don\u2019t have all the connections,\u201d he says. He also made the bar\u2019s arm-bed \u201cas long as possible\u201d to give the rider more support.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used a drain pipe as a mold to create a longer arm-bed, and it extended all the way to where his wrist was bending,\u201d van Vugt says. With the prototype developed, next came the testing. Van Vugt went to Spain, where Dennis and his BMC teammates were training. It was a windy winter day, but that didn\u2019t affect Dennis and his brand-new aero bars.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was actually the only rider of the team who could maintain his aero position,\u201d van Vugt says. \u201cThis was like the lightbulb moment that we\u2019d created something that was lighter, stiffer and gave him more control over the bike at the same time.\u201d <\/p>\n
That was the birth of Speedbar, and it didn\u2019t take long for the rest of the cycling world to buy in.<\/p>\n
Starting At the Top <\/p>\n
It is not lost on van Vugt just how unique it is to start a business or launch a product with someone of Dennis\u2019s status. When Dennis first tested those aero bars in Spain, he was the current world champion. <\/p>\n
\u201cNormally, when you start out a new business or a new plan, you start from the bottom and you work your way up,\u201d van Vugt says. \u201cWe started at the top.\u201d <\/p>\n
One might think that starting at the top left Speedbar nowhere to go but down, but that was not the case. Belgian cyclist Victor Campenaerts heard about the new aero bars Dennis was using and wanted to try them for himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had a plan in mind to do an hour record attempt,\u201d van Vugt says. \u201cHe contacted me and said, \u2018I saw your project with Rohan. Could we do something similar with my track bike?’\u201d <\/p>\n
Van Vugt said yes, and in April 2019, Campenaerts rode 34.2 miles in an hour, breaking the world record using Speedbar aero bars.<\/p>\n
It was his work with Campenaerts that really put Speedbar on the map. The hour record attempt was broadcast on Eurosport, van Vugt says, so everyone saw Campenaerts\u2019s new and unique aero setup for that ride. <\/p>\n
\u201cCycling is a very simple sport: the winner is always right,\u201d van Vugt says. \u201cHe was using something new, he broke the record \u2026 and from there, it sky-rocketed.\u201d <\/p>\n
Since then, Speedbar has worked with Tour de France, Giro d\u2019Italia and Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a winners, European cycling champions, world champions and Olympic gold medallists. With all of these accolades under his belt, someone told van Vugt that he had \u201cdone it all\u201d in cycling.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018You\u2019ve finished the game,’\u201d van Vugt recalls them telling him. \u201c\u2018You have the yellow jersey, you have the pink jersey, you have the red jersey, you have the rainbow jersey.’\u201d <\/p>\n
With one \u201cgame\u201d complete, he decided to move to another.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow it\u2019s the time to concentrate on triathlon,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n
Speedbar Takes Triathlon<\/p>\n
If something works in cycling, triathletes are bound to use it, too, so it didn\u2019t take too long for Speedbar to make an impact in the world of multi-sport racing. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been on the podium in Kona, we\u2019ve been on the podium winning T100 races,\u201d van Vugt says. \u201cChallenge Roth was won with Speedbar. So, yes, we\u2019re quite a way [into it]. But the market in triathlon is way bigger than it is in cycling.\u201d <\/p>\n
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Van Vugt poses in Eidfjord, Norway, where he was supporting a Speedbar customer at the Norseman Xtreme Triathlon. <\/p>\n
The process of customizing aero bars for triathletes is also very different for van Vugt compared to when he does it for cyclists. For time trial specialists, comfort is, of course, important to a certain degree, but the cyclists will not be in their aero position for nearly as long as some triathletes, nor will they need to be fresh when they get off the bike.<\/p>\n
\u201c[For triathletes], it\u2019s always about finding a balance between getting as aerodynamic as possible, but also being able to do the running afterwards,\u201d van Vugt says. <\/p>\n
So many of the triathletes van Vugt has worked with will ask him some version of the same question, and it\u2019s always about wattage.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first question I\u2019m asked is, \u2018If I go for a Speedbar, how many watts will I save?’\u201d he says. \u201cThe bar itself doesn\u2019t make you faster. The bar isn\u2019t more aerodynamic. The main benefit is that it take a lot less energy to maintain your position. The energy you save with it can be used for the running.\u201d <\/p>\n
Some people think all they need to do is put a Speedbar on their bike with their regular setup and they\u2019ll immediately be faster, but van Vugt says that\u2019s not the case. Instead, he takes athletes through a serious testing process to help find the optimal position and setup for them. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe best way to do it is to combine it with an aero test,\u201d he says, noting that this can be on the track or in a wind tunnel. \u201cThe bar can be whatever you wish it to be, so in terms of stack, reach, angle, position, length, the shape of the grips, the shifter location. Everything is customizable. It would be a shame to only take the measurements from your current setup and say, \u2018Well, this is what I like right now, so this is how my bars should be on the bike.’\u201d <\/p>\n
In these tests, van Vugt will have the athlete ride a number of reps at a specific speed. He will watch the power output, and if the athlete is holding the prescribed pace while pushing lower power, the better the position. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a little bit more calculations and science behind it, but that\u2019s the basics of it,\u201d he says. The power output will be different for every athlete, and it\u2019s not the focus of what van Vugt is testing. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo, when the question is how many watts you\u2019ll save\u2026\u201d he says, trailing off. He tosses his hands up in a shrug. \u201cI don\u2019t have a clue. It\u2019s not about saving the watts, it\u2019s about saving the energy in the end.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Speedbar process is much longer than anything you\u2019ll find with other aero bars. It used to be longer (van Vugt would design the bars on his own, and a single set took him 20 hours), but 3D printing has allowed him to quicken production. It\u2019s the testing that is the most time-consuming, but that is what makes Speedbar unique, as it is entirely customized. That\u2019s also what makes these bars so pricey, as they come in at \u20ac3,000 (about US$3,500). Van Vugt recognizes that this is not a cheap option for age groupers, but he stands by the cost. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn my opinion, if you choose a brand like this, it\u2019s because you want to go all the way,\u201d he says. \u201cSpeed is for sale. We sell it.\u201d <\/p>\n
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