What Width Handlebars You Guys Using These Days?

[Ralph]

At a fitting a few months ago.....the fitter said "based on my shoulder measurements".....I should/could ride a 40 CM bar if I preferred (more aero)....instead of the 42's on the bike I had with me. And i'm not small in chest. I'm 5' 10" or so and around 155 lbs.

So I put on some 40's. Same bar except a 40 CM version. Hands definitely closer together, etc. But bike doesn't feel as stable (I'm an old guy and being stable is important), and I thought I could climb up a steep hill better with the wider bars. Otherwise.... the more narrow 40's seem OK. But 42's were more stable, and felt better. Do mostly group riding. Is there really any measureable aero advantage with slightly more narrow bars....for speeds us old guys ride.....usually between 16 and 20-21 or so MPH on flats. My mind says NO.

[KJMUNC]

Ride what feels best. This ain't a TTT so 1cm in either side won't amount to a hill 'o beans.

[loimpact]

I've only ridden 44 on my own stuff but I recently rode another guy's EVO who had 42's on it and I felt like I was going to fall sideways off the bike. I couldn't believe how different it felt. (Maybe a brand thing too between bars)

That said....I think one could adapt easily enough if only riding one size but I like a little width. I'm 6'2" and 190lbs so 44 definitely works for me.

[bigbill]

It's a trade off. I'm a little under 6'2" and have always ridden 44's. When I got my custom steel in 2011 it came with 3T Ergonova bars in 44 and it didn't feel right. I tried it for about a month before I measured the bars. They were 44 c-c at the drops, but around 42 at the hoods. I replaced them with some standard Rotundo bars and immediately felt comfortable. If I had ridden the Ergonova bars for a longer time maybe I would have gotten used to them, but unless I swapped out bars on all my bikes, it would always feel awkward on that bike.

Your body adopts to a position. I used to do 6-8 month deployments where I'd ride an hour or more each day on a spin bike. When I'd get back, it was several weeks before I felt comfortable on a road bike because of the Q-factor being so much more narrow on my bike versus a spin bike.

[Tony T]

I have Deda Zero 100 Handlebars (42cm x 31.7mm)
(I'm 2" shorter than you, same weight)
Since you and find the 42's were more stable, and felt better, I would stay with 42

There won't be any aero advantages with <1cm/side going 20-21mph (maybe > 30mph)

[Ed-B]

Bar width is a fashion - like hemlines.

We used to ride narrow, then we went wide, and now were back to narrower. It's aero, ya know :p

I started with 40cm bars, moved up to 42cm, and have since settled on 44's.

The 52-54cm bikes I like all come with 42cm handlebars, but I ride 44cm bars, and that's the first thing I change.

Years ago I went into a shop and held up a 43cm Sakae bar. The mechanic said "That bar is way too wide for you." So I put it back. I should have said "Gee, you think so?... Great! I'll take it!"

Ed.

[Dead Man]

Bar width is a fashion - like hemlines.

We used to ride narrow, then we went wide, and now were back to narrower. It's aero, ya know :p

I started with 40cm bars, moved up to 42cm, and have since settled on 44's.

The 52-54cm bikes I like all come with 42cm handlebars, but I ride 44cm bars, and that's the first thing I change.

Years ago I went into a shop and held up a 43cm Sakae bar. The mechanic said "That bar is way too wide for you." So I put it back. I should have said "Gee, you think so?... Great! I'll take it!"

Ed.

Yup... I think the ACTUAL difference it makes is less than negligible. If all the worlds handlebar manufacturers collectively agreed to produce only 42cm bars, everyone would be unhappy but nobodys performance would suffer.

For me, I like narrow bars. 38 for road, 40 for CX... my reasoning is aero and for keeping my bars off other guys', and because I like the way they look on my tiny frames. For racing, anyway.

For fun-only bikes, I really don't care.. I'll typically keep whatever comes on a bike, unless I have some other non-width reason for changingin. To me, drop and hook shape are the criteria that make a noticable difference, so all my bars regardless of width have about the same drop and profile.

Ride whatever you're comfortable on!

[weisan]

I ride 44. I am not super huge or tall but I've got wide shoulders. I didn't start off with 44 though. It came after a time of experimenting.

It's ok to consult someone or listen to alternative viewpoints - in fact it kinda defeats the purpose if you ask for advice or recommendations but you don't listen or take the advice.

However, if your personal experience doesn't quite line up with what you are told, instead of suffering through it quietly and being too trusty of your source, give them some user inputs or feedback, see what they say, ask for further clarification or questions, keep trying on your own, in the end, trust your own instincts, don't settle for less.

[regularguy412]

I've always ridden 42's c-c on all my bikes.. That is up until I built up my fixie. I had a set of 40's that weren't being used, so I loaded those up. They're still on the bike but , I really don't feel as comfortable on those as I do my 42's. Prolly just have wayyyyy too many miles on the 42's over the years.

Mike in AR:beer:

[earlfoss]

I got the ENVE Smart aero handlebars in size 40 and I love them. 37 at the hoods, and 42 at the drops. The little bit of flare in the drops is very comfortable. They are definitely worth taking a look at!

[Dead Man]

I got the ENVE Smart aero handlebars in size 40 and I love them. 37 at the hoods, and 42 at the drops. The little bit of flare in the drops is very comfortable. They are definitely worth taking a look at!

How have I never heard of this bar.. that sounds friggin rad.

Looking at the website, the 40/35 option looks bad to the a double s

Thanks for sharing

[Elefantino]

42 c-c for as long as I can remember. 6-5, wide shoulders, but 42s they all are.

The only real experimentation with bars has been reach and drop, and ergos.

[guido]

6'1" wide shoulders. 44s just work. Once I tried a set of 46 Nitto Noodles per the fit charts at Rivendell and it felt like I was a human parachute. They weren't any more comfortable either. I tried 40s once, they were comfortable but they left no room for a front bag.

[JWDR]

I got the ENVE Smart aero handlebars in size 40 and I love them. 37 at the hoods, and 42 at the drops. The little bit of flare in the drops is very comfortable. They are definitely worth taking a look at!

I've got some ritchey evomax which are like this on my AWOL. It's hard to they are flared mounted up.

[pbarry]

Same build as OP and I went from 40cm to 42cm a decade ago and will not go back. The "aero penalty" is nonexistent for a recreational rider. Head tilt, flatness of back and saddle to bar drop contribute more to aerodynamics than 3/4 of an inch wider bars. :)

[berserk87]

I've been on 40's for years. By the "book", I should be on 46's.

Some of my racing buds convinced me to go narrow during the "first" narrow bar craze. It was aimed at being able to shoot gaps better in a pack. But regardless, I got used to a 40cm bar and never went back. It's comfortable now.

[mhespenheide]

6'4", 190#, 16' dress shirt, 44 suit jacket.

I ride 46's and love them. I rode 44's for a decade or more, tried 46's and liked them with a very short adjustment period. Thinking that more might be even better, I tried 48cm Noodles and didn't like them. 46's hit a sweet spot for me. But I agree that they're a pretty personal thing; not like seat height or top tube length.

[OtayBW]

6ft tall and 44 c-c for me...except on my De Rosa which has a set of 3TTT 42s. I feel kind of 'tight' on 'em....

[soulspinner]

Interesting the numbers are all over the place. A highly respected fitter said I should be on 38 to 40 width bars. Immediately switched to 42 wide center to center with no flare.They just feel right.

[HenryA]

Go with comfort and a wide open chest for easy breathing. I've ridden 46 forever and perfectly happy with them. By coincidence, I wear a 46 dress coat.

[witcombusa]

It depends! I ride different width bars on different bikes. From 39cm on some early bikes '64 and early 70's, then some with 40, 42, 44 and one 46.
Low trail bikes don't like too much leverage sometimes too...
In my experience, it's not just about bike fit.

[giordana93]

ride what you feel comfortable with; it's ok for a fitter to suggest something that seems to fit your build but it is not an absolute. I'm in the "started with 40s, tried 42s and back to 40 now" crowd. 5'9" 160, average to slight shoulders. I don't think the aero counts for much. but then again I don't think the supposed opening of the chest for breathing or additional leverage counts for anything either. I do feel more of a pinch in my neck with wider bars it seems, and of course one may have to adjust overall reach when changing widths. I like to run a good bit of drop to the bar and that does seem easier without the reach outward. but it is a minor thing.

do make sure that you remember that some bars measure outside to outside and other are c-c, so a 42 could measure out to close to a 40 depending on brand (deda are narrower, for example)

[Hindmost]

This was just posted on another tread:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P-QynImMuo


Provides some helpful info. If you aren't paid to tow a peloton or ride within same, then comfort and personal preference are the main considerations.

[shovelhd]

40

[11.4]

There have been some very long threads on this subject on this and other forums.

A few thoughts:

1. When talking about shoulder width, the appropriate place to measure from is the center of the ball joint at the shoulder. You may have six inches extra on each side on the outside of the joint, but that's just bulk and there's no particular logic for why that bulk should factor into the equation.

2. In a big study done, I believe in Italy and repeated in Japan a couple decades ago, that ball joint to ball joint measurement was an interesting one (one of several in the human body) that simply doesn't vary all that much from one person to another, regardless of build (things like the weight of the pancreas and the length of of the pubic symphysis). The fairly universal measurement (a very tight bell curve with not too many outliers) was just under 39 cm.

3. It's only because of bogus theories in the Italian CONI manual that this measurement by matching shoulder width came up to begin with. There's no real theory or rationale behind it. If you're riding with straightened elbows one might imagine some relationship, but that's not very good posture on a bike. If your elbows are bent, there's the question of what to do with your elbows. You don't want your elbows to be digging into your rib cage as you bend your arms, and if your hands are slightly inboard your elbows naturally go slightly outboard. Which works just fine.

4. Going to narrower bars is only half of the equation. At the same time you're increasing your reach slightly, so the idea is to go a couple or more centimeters narrower and add perhaps 1-2 cm to your stem. This has the effect of putting you more into a position like on aero bars, plus allowing more suspension in your arms to reduce shoulder pain, and can reduce excessive twitchiness caused by too short and too wide a cockpit.

5. Going narrower and longer lets you extend your torso a bit as well. This raises your rib cage so your diaphragm isn't impeded and you can both get lower and have more room to breathe.

6. And yes, you can pop through smaller holes and ride closer in a peloton or training group.

In all the quantitative analysis that has characterized the past ten years or so, it's reasonable that styles would tend to fade and people would be looking at verifiable ways to improve performance. This is one of the results that has been reflected in the pro peloton and finds its way into amateur and non-racing ranks as well. The numbers are pretty convincing and the basic rationale makes more sense than what preceded because it doesn't rely on premises that are often without merit.

[zmudshark]

I've ridden Cinelli 64-40's on every bike I've owned except one with threadless.

I think I'm stuck in that position.

[shovelhd]

I rode 38 Cinelli Criterium back in the day. I've stretched as I've aged.

[nesteel]

Road bike that sees almost nothing but pavement gets 44's. Gravel riders get something wider, such as old school nitto tandem stoker bars (WIDE with turned out drops) or something along the lines of a Gary 2. I like the extra stability on suspect road surfacs.

[pinoymamba]

36 c-c for two and half years... deda zero 100

Currently 38 c-c for both road and track. Deda newton shallow

[ultraman6970]

My take to his problem with the bike being less stable... lower the stem like 2 mm and see how it goes, if you are riding with the stem going up, clearly a flit that stem will fix the problem.

[berserk87]

Go with comfort and a wide open chest for easy breathing. I've ridden 46 forever and perfectly happy with them. By coincidence, I wear a 46 dress coat.

I have always questioned the validity of this. There is no evidence of which I am aware for increased oxygen uptake from wider bars (a couple of cm difference per side).

Why wouldn't riding with elbows flared outward accomplish the same thing, if this were legit?

[11.4]

I have always questioned the validity of this. There is no evidence of which I am aware for increased oxygen uptake from wider bars (a couple of cm difference per side).

Why wouldn't riding with elbows flared outward accomplish the same thing, if this were legit?

Precisely. Even further, even if your rib cage is very flexible, the great majority of your breathing comes from the lowering of the diaphragm. This is where raising the rib cage to clear the diaphragm becomes so significant. Just stand vertical, slouch, and breathe in and out deeply; then stand upright, spine straight and stretched, so your rib cage is lifted higher off your abdomen, and try again. You'll see you have a lot more breathing capacity.

And it's natural for elbows to flare outwards slightly with narrower bars. With wider bars, as your elbows bend they push into your rib cage and actually confine your chest. It's only people who incorrectly ride with ramrod straight arms that think they breathe better with wider bars.

[fishbolish]

46 for me

[MagicHour]

I've always ridden 42 c-c bars-Deda 44/Ritchey 42 on my 2 current bikes.
5'11", 160lbs, thin/medium build with ~38" chest size.

[Spdntrxi]

39 .. canyon h11 .. love them


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[saab2000]

42 C-C bars for me but that's changing. I have some Ergonova bars that are 42 at the drops and 40 at the levers. They're really nice. And I got some Deda Zero 100 40 C-C this summer. I like them for everything except out of the saddle climbing, and that is just a matter of getting used to it.

I won't ever go wider than 42 C-C and may be getting more 40s and even a 38 for my single-speed.

[cadence90]

44 o-o and 57 o-o.

[oldpotatoe]

At a fitting a few months ago.....the fitter said "based on my shoulder measurements".....I should/could ride a 40 CM bar if I preferred (more aero)....instead of the 42's on the bike I had with me. And i'm not small in chest. I'm 5' 10" or so and around 155 lbs.

So I put on some 40's. Same bar except a 40 CM version. Hands definitely closer together, etc. But bike doesn't feel as stable (I'm an old guy and being stable is important), and I thought I could climb up a steep hill better with the wider bars. Otherwise.... the more narrow 40's seem OK. But 42's were more stable, and felt better. Do mostly group riding. Is there really any measureable aero advantage with slightly more narrow bars....for speeds us old guys ride.....usually between 16 and 20-21 or so MPH on flats. My mind says NO.

Put 3 people in a room and ask about handlebar width and get 4 opinions. If the 42s 'feel' better, use 42s..2cm, less than an inch total width.

Measureable aero advantage? No..lost in the noise. Wider better breathing? My aunt matilda's mustache.

Comfort is king..where you touch your bike, saddle, pedals, handlebars.

Put the 42 back on. I am narrower than you. Went from 42 c-c to 44cm c-c..why? Cuz they felt better.

[flydhest]

Put 3 people in a room and ask about handlebar width and get 4 opinions. If the 42s 'feel' better, use 42s..2cm, less than an inch total width.

Measureable aero advantage? No..lost in the noise. Wider better breathing? My aunt matilda's mustache.

Comfort is king..where you touch your bike, saddle, pedals, handlebars.

Put the 42 back on. I am narrower than you. Went from 42 c-c to 44cm c-c..why? Cuz they felt better.



You didn't say what color. I read recently(don't remember where) that the color is almost as important as the width when tested in real-world conditions.

[Vonruden]

6'2" wide shoulders - 44's

[classtimesailer]

At a fitting a few months ago.....the fitter said "based on my shoulder measurements".....I should/could ride a 40 CM bar if I preferred (more aero)....instead of the 42's ...

So I put on some 40's. Same bar except a 40 CM version. Hands definitely closer together, etc. But bike doesn't feel as stable (I'm an old guy and being stable is important), and I thought I could climb up a steep hill better with the wider bars. Otherwise.... the more narrow 40's seem OK. But 42's were more stable, and felt better. ...

I have found that changing bar width will make you less stable on the bike at first. This happens going wider or narrower. Sometimes, I'll go weeks riding a bike with 38s and when I get on my bike with 42s, I feel a little sketchy. Same thing happens when I only ride the bike with 42s and then go back to the bike 38s. I get the same sketchy feeling. Ten or fifteen years ago, I went through similar sensations when deciding between 44s and 42s. After a short time, they both feel great. Your mind/body reacquaints itself with the different handling characteristics. Me next bar purchase will be 38s or 40s. Narrow bars look cool. An Armani 42R fits me well.

[ahumblecycler]

SuperX 53cm (54cm TT). Salsa Cowbell2 46cm with EA90 120mm stem

Custom Ti (55cm TT). 3T Ergoterra Pro 44cm with VCRC 120mm stem

SWorks (54.9cm TT). FSA Omega 44cm with stem TBD (likely a 130mm)

I am 5'10 with bulging disc in L3, healing left clavicle, and arthritis in right wrist (Camry took me out in 2010).

[fuzzalow]

Two quick comments:

Re: Wide bars in helping breathing is a complete fallacy. Breathing is not done via chest cavity expansion but by dropping the diaphragm to draw air. Belly breathing. However, very many riders are setup incorrectly on the top part of the bike that they cannot expand forwards of the pelvis/lower abdomen anyway, so they think breathing happens up top. This is of course wrong but besides having a bad setup they are only guilty of not knowing what they don't know and can't know because the way that they are doing it can't be done. (Whew! Say that 3 times fast.)

Re: Handling differences from stem or bar width is only true as paper theory but not in actual practice as an athletic input. The premise that this behaviour is built on is completely wrong. Riding a bike is not vernier in the sense you turn to bars 10 degrees left to turn left. In actuality, a riders turns the bars to the extent necessary until his eyes and inner ear tell him to stop turning and the bike has initiated the turn.

Any differences in actual steering geometry handling is quickly adapted to by the brain in readjusting to the altered response characteristic. It is called learning and it happens whether you want it or not. Try A-B-ing between a Brompton and a road bike: the first time is a hoot which quickly fades to nothing with each successive ride between the two.

[Black Dog]

Two quick comments:

Re: Wide bars in helping breathing is a complete fallacy. Breathing is not done via chest cavity expansion but by dropping the diaphragm to draw air. Belly breathing. However, very many riders are setup incorrectly on the top part of the bike that they cannot expand forwards of the pelvis/lower abdomen anyway, so they think breathing happens up top. This is of course wrong but besides having a bad setup they are only guilty of not knowing what they don't know and can't know because the way that they are doing it can't be done. (Whew! Say that 3 times fast.)

Re: Handling differences from stem or bar width is only true as paper theory but not in actual practice as an athletic input. The premise that this behaviour is built on is completely wrong. Riding a bike is not vernier in the sense you turn to bars 10 degrees left to turn left. In actuality, a riders turns the bars to the extent necessary until his eyes and inner ear tell him to stop turning and the bike has initiated the turn.

Any differences in actual steering geometry handling is quickly adapted to by the brain in readjusting to the altered response characteristic. It is called learning and it happens whether you want it or not. Try A-B-ing between a Brompton and a road bike: the first time is a hoot which quickly fades to nothing with each successive ride between the two.

Fuzz. Not entirely true. The ribs lift and move outwards to expand the chest cavity when inhaling due to the pull of the intercostal muscles (these muscles are the meat you eat when you are dining on ribs). The drop of the diaphragm does the majority of the expansion of the thoracic cavity but the volumetric increase from the movement of the ribs is not insignificant. However, your point about bar width effecting respiratory volume is correct. A few cm plus or minus does not matter since the small change in the angle of the arms does not interfere with the motion of the rib cage.

[Hilltopperny]

I have been enjoying wider bars over the past year or so. Started out with 42cm and they worked great, but have switched to 44cm on road bikes and 46cm on my gravel bike. I'm 5'9ish with a broad chest and wide shoulders. Ultimately it all comes down to comfort as stated by OP:beer:

[wpod]

46cm compact bars for me. I'm 5'11" with broad shoulders.

[fuzzalow]

Fuzz. Not entirely true. The ribs lift and move outwards to expand the chest cavity when inhaling due to the pull of the intercostal muscles (these muscles are the meat you eat when you are dining on ribs). The drop of the diaphragm does the majority of the expansion the thoracic cavity but the volumetric increase from the movement of the ribs is not insignificant. However, your point about bar width effecting respiratory volume is correct. A few cm plus or minus does not matter since the small change in the angle of the arms does not interfere with the motion of the rib cage.

Roger that. There's all kind of physiological interaction that a conversational statement can gloss over talkin' about breathing (yikes! Danger, danger, bike nerd alert.).

What a great sport cycling is. Can just enjoy the sun on your face and breeze in your helmet. Or get down into the weeds in endless minutiae. I like the detail as much as the riding, the paradox is that the more skill you develop the less the details matter anymore. I'm a bike nerd - no one rides for a lifetime without being a little off kilter.

[Mzilliox]

42s on the roadies, 44 on the rando, May go 42 all around. for the more upright position, the wider bars are fine for extra hand positions. when im road riding i find i don;t actually change hand positions all that often, so i prefer a bar thats right at my shoulder width. 42 seems to work best, while 40 seems too narrow. think its really about comfort first, your aero gains (or losses) will not be significant enough to matter

[HenryA]

Precisely. Even further, even if your rib cage is very flexible, the great majority of your breathing comes from the lowering of the diaphragm. This is where raising the rib cage to clear the diaphragm becomes so significant. Just stand vertical, slouch, and breathe in and out deeply; then stand upright, spine straight and stretched, so your rib cage is lifted higher off your abdomen, and try again. You'll see you have a lot more breathing capacity.

And it's natural for elbows to flare outwards slightly with narrower bars. With wider bars, as your elbows bend they push into your rib cage and actually confine your chest. It's only people who incorrectly ride with ramrod straight arms that think they breathe better with wider bars.

If what you wrote was true, you could also define the width of shoe that is proper for me to wear. My discernment of proper fit would be insignificant compared to your expert opinion.

There is way too much emphasis placed on the elite athlete's lab results. To apply those results to other people of perhaps huge physiological and morphological make-up is a big mistake. As big a mistake as having only one size and style of shoe to choose from for every person.

This is not personal, but I am very much saying that your conclusion and that of the post above yours is simply wrong. I instead advocate for applying wisdom to the situation and accepting that within a reasonable range of body and machine dimensions that there is a range of acceptable combinations that work. And that each rider (and fitter) should exercise independent and broad judgment regarding his or her fit on the bike.

Otherwise we'd all be tucked into the tightest time trial position for all our riding - comfort be damned. Raise your heads and look around! Literally and figuratively.

[false_Aest]

I did a switch from 42cm to 40cm earlier this year because 2 fitters have recommended it over the past few years.

It seemed less stable but after 500-1000 miles I got used to it and was back to carving some of the decent descents around. I'm riding at higher speeds and didn't notice any real difference in efficiency.

What I did notice is that my hands and wrists didn't like the position.

[Tickdoc]

Goldilocks handlebar range here from 44 to 40:

One 44 for when I want to feel "manly"

3 42's that are just right

One 40 set that also feel great.

I think I am not super handlebar picky just like I am not saddle picky.

My handlebar preference is non ergo shallow 42 with the now hard to find civia Emerson being the all around best bar for me.

[bicycletricycle]

I usually do 46

Got a couple bike with 48 noodles and I like them as well

[Duende]

42 c-t-c, little bit wider than the 42 cinelli bars I grew up on which are measure o-t-o, but not so much that I feel the need to go 40.

Standard road bars, couldn't jive with compact bars. I like more of a drop for descending. :). Plus they just look weird to me. To each his own.

[Erik_A]

67cm ...

Produced by Crust:

https://www.crustbikes.com/products/wide-load-bar?variant=28423107981


Designed by Benedict:

http://www.bicycling.com/culture/people/ultra-romance-man-left-normal-life-behind-find-adventure

https://www.instagram.com/ultraromance_mach2/
https://www.instagram.com/ultraromance/

[cmbicycles]

Ive been on 44 bars for 20+ years, it's just what usually comes on 60+ cm bikes. I've contemplated switching to narrower bars as I don't have a particularly wide upper body, but 44 seems to work so I've stuck with it.

[bicycletricycle]

66cm is very wide , mr romance looks silly with those.

[Black Dog]

Roger that. There's all kind of physiological interaction that a conversational statement can gloss over talkin' about breathing (yikes! Danger, danger, bike nerd alert.).

What a great sport cycling is. Can just enjoy the sun on your face and breeze in your helmet. Or get down into the weeds in endless minutiae. I like the detail as much as the riding, the paradox is that the more skill you develop the less the details matter anymore. I'm a bike nerd - no one rides for a lifetime without being a little off kilter.

Great sentiment. Love the details and the broad strokes of the sport too. Kinda, like being an astronomer and a microbiologist at the same time. Skill is automated complexity, frees the mind to enjoy the beauty and the suffering. 30 years of riding for me and off kilter would be a diplomatic way of describing my connection to riding.

[Erik_A]

66cm is very wide , mr romance looks silly with those.


I think that the idea is to use the same hand position as 71cm MTB bars, when riding on the hoods of the 67cm drop bars.




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[unterhausen]

I usually ride 44mm and got some 40mm for my gravel bike because they were cheap. Scared the hell out of me for a while, now I can't tell the difference. Funny how that works.

I might go with this size in the future

[bicycletricycle]

I think the idea is to test the torsional stiffness of stems.


I think that the idea is to use the same hand position as 71cm MTB bars, when riding on the hoods of the 67cm drop bars.




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[Erik_A]

I think the idea is to test the torsional stiffness of stems.



My guess is a short MTB stem is needed at that width. But no worse than MTB'ing with flat bars that are now pushing 80cm wide.



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[Erik_A]

Wider drop bars are only beneficial for off road, cyclocross, or "monster-cross". Read: https://www.bikejames.com/strength/how-wide-should-your-handlebars-be-try-this-test-to-find-out/


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[bicycletricycle]

Beach cruisers are coming with pretty wide bars these days as well. So I guess these handlebars do make a lot of sense.

:)

My guess is a short MTB stem is needed at that width. But no worse than MTB'ing with flat bars that are now pushing 80cm wide.



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[Gabuyo]

I was on a 40cm bar for a long time and it never really felt great. I downsized to 38cm and it felt much better. I even went a step further and gave 36cm a try and width itself felt just right. Unfortunately not in my preferred bar shape. I like the traditional/classic shape which I was able to find at 38cm, but no one makes a traditional shaped bar down to 36cm. I think that would be my ideal.

[Erik_A]

---

[Erik_A]

http://theradavist.com/2017/01/benedicts-crust-bikes-romanceur-26-touring-bike/#1

[etu]

Use 44's, but I just got a new low trail fork with a porteur rack and bag so installed a nitto noodle 48's for brifter/bag clearance. Feels fine, although used only on a short commute so far.
I get the idea behind 66's = flat bars with barends. I think they even made some with a drop curve back in the day.

[nooneline]

I was on a 40cm bar for a long time and it never really felt great. I downsized to 38cm and it felt much better. I even went a step further and gave 36cm a try and width itself felt just right. Unfortunately not in my preferred bar shape. I like the traditional/classic shape which I was able to find at 38cm, but no one makes a traditional shaped bar down to 36cm. I think that would be my ideal.

What bar did you find in a 38cm, traditional bend?

I use some Control Tech Viento bars that are labeled 38, but are really 39. I'd love a true 37 or 38cm traditional bend bar for track racing. I used some Zipps but wasn't a huge fan of the bend, and I'm getting some Deda RHM01 "40 cm" (oto) bars that will wind up being about 37.5 ctc. Hopefully the bend will work for me both in the drops and in the sphinx position.

[RC.]

This was just posted on another tread:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P-QynImMuo


Provides some helpful info. If you aren't paid to tow a peloton or ride within same, then comfort and personal preference are the main considerations.

That was definitely an interesting watch.

The "Profile Drive System" mentioned about 3/4's of the way through also picked the type of bars I was looking at.

[Ralph]

Was using 7050 aluminum 26 mm Ritchey Classic 42's with Ritchey WCS stems. Finally just decided to use 40 MM on the bike I use for faster group riding around local area, and 42's for my travel (mountain) and hilly riding around here (we do have some 15 degree short hills). Both are comfortable to me, but feel like I can climb slightly better on wider bars. Being an old guy, need all the help I can get.

Making sure the aluminum bars and stems are as light as possible....made sure they were from 7050 aluminum, not the heavier 6000 series aluminum. Quite a bit of difference. 7050 about same weight as CF.

And since I'm also cheap.....just bought 31.8 Cannondale C1 Compact bars and C1 stems. They are from 7050 aluminum....very light......Other Cannondale bars and stems (C2, C3, etc) are made from 6000 series aluminum. C1 Cannondale bars and stems about 1/2 price of other brands (E bay), and I like the compact bar shape. Don't mind mass production brand if they get the job done.

BTW....Got some real nice no marks or scratches 26 MM 110 MM Ritchey stems left over I don't need. One -6 and one -17 (parallel with ground). 1" adaptor also.

[Gabuyo]

What bar did you find in a 38cm, traditional bend?

I use some Control Tech Viento bars that are labeled 38, but are really 39. I'd love a true 37 or 38cm traditional bend bar for track racing. I used some Zipps but wasn't a huge fan of the bend, and I'm getting some Deda RHM01 "40 cm" (oto) bars that will wind up being about 37.5 ctc. Hopefully the bend will work for me both in the drops and in the sphinx position.

Same bar actually, the Viento CL. Now that I think about it, they seem just a smidge wide in the drops, but at the hoods they feel true to width. Guess I'll have to remeasure later to confirm or not.

I have the Deda RHM01 and Zero100 RHM setup on a couple of my bikes. Sphinx position was very nice. Drops, not so much.

[stephenmarklay]

s
I am 6’0 with medium shoulder width. A 42 jacket Fits. 44cc bars are comfy and feel great standing and climbing. However, on a 42 I naturally keep my elbows in and “feel tight” so this is the bar for a go fast bike. I don’t like them standing and climbing as well but it’s a trade off.

One thing I have thought about is measure the way you would naturally do a “plank” exercise in the gym. Do the version with elbows on the ground. A soft mat that shows your indentations is a good choice. In that exercise you will tend to support yourself in a bio-mechanically advantageous way. You would not tend to splay your elbows out nor bring them in very narrow as you would start to get fatigue in muscles either on the outside of the shoulders (narrow) or inside (wide). I like this since on the bike in a bent over position supporting your torso. Naturally, I would want to be in my strongest position so as not to fatigue the shoulders.s

This puts me on a 40cm. I have not tried a 40 yet. For being aero with more forward weight a 42 is way better than a 44 for mes

[stephenmarklay]

Here is an decent article on the subject of advantages/disadvantages of bar width.

"The benefits are purely aerodynamics but not necessarily in the way that people think. It’s not just about making yourself narrower; it’s what happens to the air once it hits your arms. What you are trying to do is get your arms closer to breaking the air over your legs and the rest of your body…”


http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/would-you-benefit-from-narrower-handlebars-199446

[Kobe]

I am tall, 6'6" and like widest bar possible with a shallow drop. 46cm Soma Hwy's but would like to try a similar bar in 48.

[echappist]

I have Deda Zero 100 Handlebars (42cm x 31.7mm)
(I'm 2" shorter than you, same weight)
Since you and find the 42's were more stable, and felt better, I would stay with 42

There won't be any aero advantages with <1cm/side going 20-21mph (maybe > 30mph)
there would be about 1/3 of the aero advantage you see at 30 mph.

the old trope that aero gain is a step-wise function that magically appears only at 25 mph or above really needs to go
Yup... I think the ACTUAL difference it makes is less than negligible. If all the worlds handlebar manufacturers collectively agreed to produce only 42cm bars, everyone would be unhappy but nobodys performance would suffer.

For me, I like narrow bars. 38 for road, 40 for CX... my reasoning is aero and for keeping my bars off other guys', and because I like the way they look on my tiny frames. For racing, anyway.

For fun-only bikes, I really don't care.. I'll typically keep whatever comes on a bike, unless I have some other non-width reason for changingin. To me, drop and hook shape are the criteria that make a noticable difference, so all my bars regardless of width have about the same drop and profile.

Ride whatever you're comfortable on!

yep

also see this re: savings when going narrow

I personally use a 40cm Zipp Vuka Sprint with classic drop. One of the few aero-shaped classic round bars available (the others being integrated set-up by Ritchey and Canyon, and the 3t bar that has an absurdly long reach)

[bikingshearer]

I am 6'3". I wear a size 50 suit/sport jacket. My shoulders are rather broad. My drop bars are all 46 or 48 cm Noodles. I like them.

[kunfuzion]

Race bikes are 38 center to center, and 40 for all other.

[Dead Man]

Race bikes are 38 center to center, and 40 for all other.

Narrow bar riders unite

What size frame you ride?

[Erik_A]

Boonen is the leader of the narrow-bar club:

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/article/tom-boonen-specialized-roubaix-pro-bike-paris-roubaix-2017-49605/

[Gblumenstock]

6'4" with broad shoulders and been on 44s. Always feels like I am hyper extending my wrists. Will try 46s.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Frikki]

Am 6'2 with narrow shoulders, ride 38cm ritchey evo curve on roadie and 40cm salsa cowbells (so flared drops) on the crust cargo fork monstrosity when out for costco rides, it might not be as wide as the guy in the radavist article, but it's wide enough to hold paper towels and toilet paper for ~months so it's good enough for me

[enr1co]

44 outside to outside has felt comfortable and stable for me since the race days in late 80's to non race riding of today. Never gave a thought to trying less width than this with the recent skinny width trend for aero gains.

[fiamme red]

I don't have a skinny cyclist's build any more, but I still commute with 37 cm bars, which are very useful for weaving through narrow spaces in midtown Manhattan traffic. On a road bike, any wider than 42 cm feels wrong to me.

[Powerfibers]

I run a 54cm frame at 5'9" and just bumped down to 40cm Zipp bars. Much nicer handling, and a little less shoulder fatigue on super long rides. Fitter said I could live with the 42s, but 40 would be ideal. He was right.

[Ralph]

I finally installed 40's on the bike (CAAD 10) I do group rides 2-3 times a week, and 42's on my solo...travel...hill climbing.....and all around riding bike (custom steel). I think I prefer 42's for just riding around.

Wanted to stay with Aluminum ....but wanted to use light 7000 series aluminum, not use cheaper heavier 6000 series aluminum bars and stems like so many use. Instead of using my very light Ritchey Classic WCS (7000 series) bars and stems....went to much cheaper (E bay) and just as light Cannondale C1 Compact bars and stems. Cannondale C2 and up bars a lot heavier 6000 series aluminum. Not sure how many folks know the Cannondale C1 bars and stems are premium stuff.