Should I get aero bars for my road bike?

I going to complete my first half ironman distance triathlon the end of this season. I have a good road bike and thought I might buy a pair of clip on aero bars to increase my speed and efficiency. However the triathlon store i went to said not to bother, that they would be uncomfortable and of questionable value, and I was actually better off just using the drops in my road bike to acheive a more aero position. What's you thoughts on this?

Aero bars, even clip ons, will make a big difference to your time. You will have to shop around, same as everything else, to get the set that is best for you, some aren't as adjustable as others.

Make sure you get plenty of practise with them before the race, it's a bit different to riding on drops.

Aero bars will definitely allow you to ride faster since you will be more aerodynic if you are riding a time trial or bike portion of a triathalon.
The cost of buying a separate time trial bike is too great for most people who already have a decent road bike and just want to do a little better in a triathalon.

The key is to set things up right and to practice on the bars before the event. Typically time trial bikes have the seat a little higher and a little farther forward than a standard road bike. Steering and control is compromised a little so you need practice. That is also the reason why the bars are not allowed in bunch start road races and you shouldn't use them when riding behind another rider.

Bottom line is that an aero postion can increase your speed by 1-2mph depending upon your setup and ability.

I would think about taking my business to a more knowledgeable bike shop. In a perfect world you would have a dedicated time trial bike. But, we can't have everything. Assuming you can't or don't want to buy a TT bike you can do several things to make your road bike (and you) faster.

For your bike, aero bars are a no brainer. I'm shocked that a bike shop would say otherwise. Yes, they might not be comfortable and a road bike doesn't necessarily have the same geometry as a TT bike but that's why you put them on well in advance and spend time adjusting your position and getting used to riding in the bars. You might also think about water bottle cages that mount behind the saddle instead of on the frame. If you want to spend even more, get trispoke or deep section carbon wheels or a disk rear wheel.

To make yourself more aero, get a TT helmet. They sure look goofy but lots of wind tunnel tests have shown them to be the one piece of equipment that makes the most difference. Also, don't ride with gloves and get booties to cover your shoes.

A TT for such a long distance will be all about pacing. The most important rule is don't start too fast. The second rule is don't start to fast. That's also the third rule. Concentrate on maintaining the same power for the duration of the ride.

Good luck!

I use aerobars and I have to say for most riders they will be of questionable value. They'll make a comparatively big difference to a proficient cyclist who can maintain a high tempo and who wants to shave a few tenths of a second off their time but they won't make an average cyclist into a good one- don't fit them in the expectation of seeing a marked improvement in performance and the the advice you received probably wasn't too unrealistic.

all i have to say is try a set. when i get in the bars i gain .5 to 1mph with the same effort. the difference is undeniable. i dont know who told you it wouldnt help, but they obviously havent ridden w/ the bars much.

Short answer: Greg Lemond, '89 Tour de France. (in case you don't know the story, he won that tour by 8 seconds due to being aero, unlike the guy he beat, Fignon)