Vision Metron TFE Team Edition Extension Installation Tips and Info
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- By Tri Town Crew
- Posted in bicycle fit, bicycle repair, bicycle tech
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The Vision Metron TFE Team Edition Extension has quickly become our favorite aerobar upgrade. This blog post answers many of the tech and assembly questions before purchasing this hard-to-find extension.
(Editor Note, 2/3/2025: This post is in development. Expect regular updates for the next week)
The Vision Metron TFE Team Edition Extension has quickly become our favorite aerobar upgrade for most triathlon bikes. This post provides detailed insight into the fit and compatibility of the TFE Team extensions to help you make the most informed purchasing decision. Of course, if you find this information helpful, please consider purchasing the extensions from our site, as that directly supports our staff and business.
There are five reasons why these extensions have become our go-to for upgrading most triathlon bikes:
- Comfort: They provide a significantly larger armpad and surface area compared to most stock options.
- Aerodynamics: They "close the gap" between the extension itself and your forearm, improving airflow at the front of the bike.
- Weight: They are the lightest full-arm, one-piece aerobar extensions we have seen.
- Cost: At $740, they are some of the most affordable full-arm, one-piece extensions on the market.
- Simplicity: The most basic setup can be installed in about an hour.
LENGTH, WIDTH, AND SIZING CONSIDERATIONS
The TFE Team extensions come in three sizes:
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- 300mm "Small"
- 320mm "Medium"
- 340mm "Large"
For this post, we used the medium size. Vision measures the medium extensions at 320 mm long, measured from the back of the armrest to the base of the grip.
Another way to measure the length of the extension, which may be more meaningful for most riders, is to measure from the back of the extension to the top of the grip. Measured this way, we measure the medium extension at 380mm.
To determine your size, we simply have a client hold an 8mm or 10mm allen key at an approximate 45-degree angle. We measure from the back of the elbow to the web of the hand (where the tool exits the top of the palm). In the image below, professional triathlete and Tri Town mechanic Travis Wood measures out to 360mm, which would put him in the "small" extension. That is the size he actually uses on his Cervelo P-Series, and he finds the fit just about right. Our experimentation indicates he could also fit the medium extension if he preferred more reach.
We measured the minimum and maximum armrest width once installed on a Cervelo P5 with the EX10 pad mount. The stock Cervelo armrests can be set to a minimum width of 12cm (measured center-to-center of armrest), and a maximum width of 22cm. The twelve mounting holes on the Metron TFE Team extensions provide the same 12cm to 22cm measured center-to-center range.
The armrests pads and the carbon fiber support area is identical across all three sizes. The walls of the armrest support measure 11 cm across, and the outside walls are approximately 5.5cm tall, measured from the highest point of the wall to the center of the armrest pad (image below).
The back of the armrest to the tip of the extension grip rises approximately 15cm in the medium size.
As a point of reference, here is a stock 2024 Cervelo P5 Disc with one stock extension installed on the left, and a Vision Metron TFE Team extension on the right:
WEIGHT CONSIDERATIONS
We found the TFE Team extensions to weigh slightly more than the weight posted on the FSA/Vision website. Nonetheless, these are the lightest full-arm, one-piece extensions we have come across. The extension weights are posted below, with the "full system" weight including velcro, pads, bolts, and cyclometer mount in parentheses.
- Small pair: 422g (546g)
- Medium pair: 475g (599g) (shown below)
- Large pair: (not yet available)
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
These are some of the most forward and simple extensions to install. They are Shimano Di2 or SRAM AXS (wired Blips are okay) specific, and we are not aware of a good way to run mechanical derailleur cables through the extensions, though with some creativity it could theoretically be possible.
Two M5 bolts with conical washers mount the extensions to your armrest support. The bolt spacing is 1.5cm (exactly the same as found on the stock Cervelo P5 EX10 extension and pad mount). There are a total of 12 mounting holes, and half these holes are drilled in an oval pattern to provide some bolt spacing flexibility.
Di2 or SRAM Blip wires run straight through the extension, with a generous exit holes. We typically use a standard derailleur cable with a brake ferrule on the end to pull a Di2 cable through.
A rubber spacer fills the gap for the mounting plate and hardware. This rubber spacer also has a few grooves to hold your Di2 or Blip wire.
This all fits in nicely, and the extension has a relief groove in it to remove any chance of your electronic wire being pinched under weight. The armrest pad holds the rubber spacer in securely.
Travis is a mechanic at our shop and pro triathlete who uses the Vision TFE Team extensions on his LTD edition Cervelo P-Series. He pairs the extensions with the Vision Metron pad mount and a Profile Design base bar.
From the front, the extensions blend well with the rest of the bike.
A photo from the rear shows the clean setup when paired with SRAM AXS Wireless Blips.
Lastly, here are 45-degree angle photos from both the front and rear.
For triathletes wishing to use a between-the-arms (BTA) bottle, a clever solution can be conjured up using components sourced from TriRig using the TriRig Universal BTA Adapter Plate in conjunction with the BTA Riser + BTA Spacer kit. We used one of the angled wedges to run the bottle in the reverse position. Lastly (not pictured), a TriRig Polymount with the reversed bottle creates a centered bottle GPS mount.
Marko,
Sorry for the delay in response. For mounting these extensions on a Shiv, you have two options.
Options 1.) Mount directly where the pads would typically mount and remove the standard extensions. This leaves an awkward gap where the aerobars would typically insert but can be filled by a cut section of aerobar and plugs.
Option 2.) Use an aftermarket company like Fast TT that makes an adapter plate which creates a more clean interface with the aerobar and may be more tilt compatible.
Reach out if you have more questions. We have a Shiv Disc at our shop currently, and I’d be happy to provide photos of an extension mounted on the cockpit.
Best,
Travis
Hey Mantas,
This is about as low as the Profile Design Tri Stem goes. The cable routing of this particular stem and basebar is absolutely phenomenal and easy to work with, so it is my first choice even though it is not flat with the bento box. My second choice would be the TriRig Alpha One. This would form a very clean profile and practically turn this bike into a P5. You would loose the ability to run the front hydration (Profile Design Aeria). Email me ([email protected]) for more details!
Hey. What adapter would i need to use for s works shiv TT disc? Thx
Hey, Travis,
Very lovely setup that you've got there. I was actually looking into building something similar out of the updated P-Series frameset which led me to this brilliant blogpost - generally I am wondering which frontend would suit best. I see that you're using the new PD Tri stem, my question is - does it go lower than what you have in the pictures so that it sits flush with the bento box? Also, have you considered alternative cockpits/stems to be used with the frame?
Briac,
I'm glad you enjoyed it! They do not provide significantly more reach than a stock Cervelo cockpit, but they do give an upward tilt that can be a limitation on a P5 cockpit. To accomplish a more extended reach, consider using the TriRig Wingspan Extenders. This piece can extend pad-reach fore and aft (Y plane), not just width (X plane).
Hey Emil,
With your height category, you should be able to run these with Shimano shifters. I recommend cutting off 1.5-2cm of the grip for extra clearance. Also, consider using the 76 Projects Shimano adapter with the Shimano SW-R9150 shifter for a better-feeling lock and increased grip cut length.
Hello,
Thanks for the article, does it allow more reach than stock Cervélo p5 extensions ?
Hi, I am in UCI category 3 (above 190), will I be able to use these extensions in medium with shimano? or do they build more than 14cm? I have an Orbea ordu and do not have the possibility to forward tilt my bars
Hi Arne,
Depending on the official, our best estimate is the middle of the main lower pad that cups the elbow will be used for the measurements, as the upper pad is more of a forearm support and is a separate pad. The lower pad is ~12cm in length, meaning the center point is about 6cm from the bottom of the extension. The pad's center point is also the rubber insert's center point. The commissaires would likely measure with the pad removed. The pad is roughly 1cm thick.
Hi,
Regading UCI-rules; when measuring the extension height, where exactly on the pads do you have to measure from?. The pads here are indeed long and it is not exactly obvious where the middle point is.
We hva a TFE Pro extension where it is only one pad at the back. Thanks!
Hey Peter,
I have some photos of my bike with a BTA option. I used components from TriRig to accomplish a pretty clean setup. I will upload photos to the blog today along with the TriRig pieces I used.
Any thoughts on a BTA hydration set up with these extensions?
Hey Quinn, these extensions are UCI legal, but of course, the height from the top of the extensions/shifter to the pad becomes the limiting factor based on your height category. For someone like myself who is under 180cm, I would need to forward-tilt my bars and trim down the extension grip to get within the 10cm limit. The grip is about 8cm long, with about 5cm of that having a circular shape. Remember that Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 1-button shifters need about 3cm of insertion, and LEAP component adapters need about 2cm (likely similar to 76 Project adapters). The max cut I recommend for the extensions becomes about 3 to 3.5cm. I hope that helps with your calculations!
I am absolutely amazed you guys have these, they have gotta be the only 4 sets in the western hemisphere. For those of us who are unfortunately stuck racing under UCI regulations, how short does it look like the grips could be cut while still being able to fit an expansion style shifter in the end. It looks like the bottom of the grips become square, but are still a similar internal area as the circular section.