Handlebar question

[sevencyclist]

How do you know which handlebar is right or you. Most people recommend trying out the handlebar position, but how do you know which bar is right without spending hours on the bike? The bars all seem to be comfortable in the store and on short spins.

As I understand, the different dimensions include 1 shape(anatomic/classic), 2 width, 3 reach, and 4 depth. Any other dimensions that I need to worry about? Thanks in advance.

Anyone makes steel or titanium road handlebars?

[eddief]

no short cut to this one. I think you gotta install em, attempt to place the shifters in the right position, hope your stem length agrees with the bar reach, hope the top portion has the right amount of space and angle for your hands, know whether you want ergo or smooth, if you want ergo---are the ergos curved in a way you like, wrap em with your favorite tape, adjust the angle in the stem clamp, slip into your biking gloves and ride the crap out of em til you know.

I believe many of us spend much more time on top than in the drops, so that place just behind the levers is pretty impt. I'm addicted to that spot on Ritchey Pro or WCS in the ergo style.

Then when you know, you either keep em (for a while) or auction em on ebay. That's why all four of my bikes have exactly the same make and model of bars. And that's why there are so many damn bars on ebay.

By the way, my Nitto Rando will be up on ebay soon.

[Kevan]

with a lot of proper sizing mixed in as your foundation. Your fitter should be helping you narrow the selection based on overall bike fit. They'll be considering your reach, your shoulder width, hand size/grasp, and the extent of drop that is comfortable for you. After that it's trial and error. Which really means that with some talent working on your side you should be able to narrow your selection quite a bit to what works best for you. Further, comes cosmetics as to how you like the bar shaped/colored.

Aluminium and Carbon Fiber are the primary building materials today, but yes, you can find Chromed steel bars. Ti? Can't say that I've seen them.

[Fixed]

I agree with Kevan .ti mt. bars only ones I ve seen. Sometimes it takes years to find bars you really like and then they quit makin them.

[dirtdigger88]

dont forget clamp size and HOW the bars are measured- center to center or outside to outside -

jason

[Needs Help]

how do you know which bar is right without spending hours on the bike?
You don't.

[tch]

Think about the ramp, the area where the bar turns forward from the flat to the brake hoods. I really like a "square" turn so there's more room on the flats and then a really flat ramp to the hoods so I don't fell like I'm reaching down into a hole when I move to that position on the hoods.

That's me. You need to think about what YOU like.