I’ll admit that I used to be fairly reluctant to place a set of those big Perpetrator CCSR armrests onto the light-weight aero bar setup I bolt onto my gravel bike for ultra-distance-style endurance using. They’re greater than 300g heavier than the minimalist Deda setup I used to be already utilizing, and a lot bulkier that it nearly appears foolish to match them.
However I did it, and I rode the bike with the CCSR setup. And the development in consolation and management with the Perpetrator Carbon Composite Pace Rests put in is night-and-day. A lot so, that it’s a lot simpler to spend extra time on the aerobars, and I really feel rather more justified in having them on the gravel bike within the first place.
Perpetrator CCSR Carbon Composite Pace Rests aerobar improve
I first wrote about Perpetrator’s unique CSR carbon armrest improve 4 years in the past, and so they now promote for $210 a pair. The advantages sounded stable, however many (most?) cyclists had a tough time wrapping their mind round paying a lot to bolt a heavier set of armrests (CSR claimed weight of ~314g with pads) onto an aerobar setup which they in all probability already have been usually glad using.
The Perpetrator lengthy arm cup idea was easy:
Additional-long aerobar armrests unfold your weight over a bigger space for improved consolation
Increased curved arm cups offer you extra floor to push in opposition to laterally for improved management
Extra bolt-on positions permit riders to place and angle armrests of their excellent ergonomic place
All of which lead to a rider with the ability to keep of their most aero tuck place longer for much less wind resistance
So, Perpetrator went again to the drafting board to determine learn how to make them extra inexpensive – and on the similar time much more versatile. They settled on injection-molded carbon-reinforced composite. And have been capable of get the identical size, form, power, and adjustability at only a slight weight penalty – claimed round +20g.
In actual fact, the brand new Perpetrator CCSR armrests have much more place adjustability (32 vs. 24 bolt holes) and even taller supporting sides to the arm cups (max 52mm peak vs. 36mm).
Tech particulars and precise weight
The newer Perpetrator CCSR armrests are every 210mm lengthy general and 116mm extensive on the widest level. They’re 64mm extensive on the flat spot below your forearms by means of the center of the arm cups, then taper to 36mm extensive nearer to your wrists. The inside facet of the cup is 36mm & outer facet 52mm tall general, measured from the bottom. The bottom of the cups is 8.5mm thick the place they mount to your aerobar brackets, however with 4mm recessed holes so all the things sits flush.
In truth although, the true widths really feel a bit narrower, facet heights a bit decrease, and the radii of its curves wider when you connect the soft 12mm thick arm pads.
There’s an nearly mind-boggling 32 bolt holes – for most traditional 2-bolt mounting – which supplies large adjustability. And with alternately horizontal or longitudinal outsized slots, you may simply tweak their remaining angle with just about any aerobar mounting.
Perpetrator claims a weight of 318g for the two arm cups with out pads or bolts – primarily the identical as the unique carbon model with its pads. Mine weighed an actual 324g, however you aren’t going to make use of them with out pads.
Their precise weight was 404g for the pair with pads (no bolts). I didn’t embrace the 30g of bolts that Perpetrator despatched, as a result of I didn’t use any of them, and also you’ll almost certainly use no matter inventory bolts you had, identical to me.
So how do they examine size-wise to one thing extra standard?
Beginning off, I had a clip-on Deda Fastblack2 aerobar for my long-distance gravel bike setup, that are nice really.
They’re easy, not loopy costly for what they’re, and are light-weight – weighing simply 394 in whole – for carbon extensions, bolt-on bar clamps, alloy arm cups & pads.
Its curved alloy cups are 91cm extensive, simply 95cm lengthy, and max out at 32mm excessive. Then, they’re topped with 7mm thick formed pads, and weigh 87g for the pair of cups & pads. Additionally they have 16 bolt holes and no rotational adjustment.
Evidently, they’re a fraction of the dimensions (<1/2) and weight (<1/4) of the Perpetrator CCSR setup. And I used to be high-quality using them.
At the very least till I spotted that I may very well be extra snug…
Why I’ve aero bars on a gravel bike within the first place
I do know aerobars on gravel bikes look bizarre, bordering on ludicrous. And there’s actually legitimate debate that they might not be a secure thought for gravel racing, particularly not in mass-start occasions. However the cause that I’ve aerobars is just to present me extra, and extra snug hand positions for extra-long distance using (and doubtlessly racing) over a mixture of easy & tough terrain.
I get pleasure from using a gravel bike – even loaded down with baggage – throughout some gnarly terrain. However my fingers and wrists can actually undergo, to the purpose after a number of days that I might need to cease for prolonged durations of time simply to present my fingers a break. I haven’t personally skilled it, however I’ve had multiple shut buddy come again from an ultra-distance off-road race with nerve injury, tingling fingers, and an absence of feeling of their fingers for weeks on finish.
So, I’m completely satisfied to journey round with these foolish issues strapped to my bar in hopes of avoiding that. And in actuality, they’re solely on the bike a few months of the 12 months, and are simply eliminated for normal gravel using.
My setup
Now, again to their setup. The large positioning adjustability allowed me to put in the brand new Perpetrator CCSR armrests a bit wider than my unique cups, whereas additionally barely angling them inward so I might hold the aerobar extensions slim like I like. They’re additionally a bit additional again, so I don’t need to lean fairly to this point ahead (therefore the extensions slid again too, which I’ve but to trim down.)
Collectively, that places my elbows a bit wider, so I’ve a significantly better steering management whereas leaned ahead over the bar.
And regardless that these prolonged cups are large, I nonetheless have ~3cm between their underside and the highest of my bar tape, so there’s nonetheless loads of room for my fingers on the tops.
Evaluate: Driving on the Perpetrator CCSR armrest setup is simply higher!
Ultimately, the carbon composite Perpetrator CCSR armrests actually do all the things they promised they’d. The lengthy, extensive & delicate pads are so snug that I’m capable of journey an nearly infinite period of time leaning ahead – not less than inside my scope of mixed-surface using. They aren’t there to journey off-road actually, so it’s just about only a spot to put down and relaxation my fingers on sections of tarmac and smoother gravel roads.
With my elbows wider and supported by the excessive cups, I’ve no downside steering the bike by means of corners, so long as I can see far sufficient by means of the exit of the flip to know I received’t must brake. However even after I do want to come back out of them at excessive pace to decelerate, the upturn of the cups makes for a snug and managed transfer from the aerobars again to the brake hoods. There’s no sense of wobbling like I keep in mind from often using tri bikes. Though, a few of that additionally comes from further dealing with stability of a gravel bike within the first place.
Finally, I spend extra time on the aerobars with the Perpetrator CCSR setup than I did earlier than. And which means extra time in a extra aerodynamic place, financial savings treasured watts.
So I name {that a} win!
Plus, it helps me really feel higher about placing aerobars on the gravel bike within the first place.
Use past gravel
Gravel is definitely an edge case for aero bars to begin with. However I anticipate that these similar advantages will apply simply as a lot (or extra!) to time trial and triathlon riders who wish to spend a better share of time on the aero bars. Everyone knows aero good points imply extra watts saved at increased speeds. And cyclists really racing in opposition to the clock are going to care extra about these seconds saved, when it might make a distinction whether or not they win or not.
Merely with the ability to keep longer in your most aero tuck because of the additional consolation & management with the Perpetrator CCSR Carbon Composite Pace Rests is difficult to argue with.
The downsides
Whereas it seems like a reasonably glowing assessment, there are nonetheless just a few cons to the CCSRs, too. The Perpetrator Carbon Composite Pace Rests are actually heavy relative to traditional setups. I really selected my unique Deda setup due to its light-weight and hand place adjustability. And switching the cups out to CCSR cups added 317g. That’s an 80% weight improve, to not point out the elevated value.
Let’s be trustworthy although, that weight achieve is lower than half a water bottle or a few spare gentle butyl inside tubes. It’s actually not a lot.
The essential thick foam pads additionally aren’t as refined as most aerobar setups. They’re snug. However there are simply 12 tiny 2mm perforated holes extra for swat drainage than air flow, with no airflow channels, and my forearms did get sizzling and sweaty staying in the identical place on lengthy, heat rides. Plus, the material face of the pads is delicate, and might get caught on sharp edges like a watch. Considered one of my pads has a small scrape, but it surely hasn’t frayed in any respect and nonetheless appears to be like fairly good.
And lastly, the pads are held securely in place with velcro caught onto the composite cups. And it holds so securely that after I needed to take away and reposition the pads, I needed to be very cautious to not simply pull the velcro away from the cup. Cautious rolling/peeling the froth pads away principally labored. And when it didn’t, I used to be capable of simply stick the velcro again to the cups and it nonetheless holds securely.
Perpetrator CCSR – Pricing, choices & availability
A set of composite CCSR lengthy armrests sells for $128 in Perpetrator’s webshop, plus delivery & import prices since they’re despatched immediately from Taiwan the place the corporate is predicated. For a really restricted time now, additionally they are nonetheless providing a Black Friday particular the place you may get two units of Perpetrator CCSR armrests for $200, presumably so you may share these supply prices with a buddy who additionally would profit from an improve to their aerobars.
The Perpetrator CCSR armrests aren’t UCI authorized (as a result of they’re too lengthy), however Perpetrator does provide a chopped-down model that’s nonetheless extensive and cozy however simply 128mm lengthy, for a decrease $108.
Their lighter costlier carbon CSRs are additionally at the moment on sale in a bundle with Perpetrator’s personal extensions if you happen to really feel the necessity for padding all the best way to your fingers.
Get ’em all now, immediately from Perpetrator.
CulpritBicycles.com
