Do smaller sized handlebars effect handling?

[wc1934]

40cm is my normal handlebar width.

I tried riding 42 as an experiment (for me, the wider bar did not offer an improvement in breathing capacity).

I then tried a 40cm fsa compact wing pro which actually measures closer 38. These bars seemed to dramatically change the handling of the bike - very twitchy - and standing while riding with one hand was challenging. Was it my imagination, or do smaller sized bars effect handling?

The head tube angle on my bike is 71 degrees and HT length is 14cm.
Do these get added to the stability equation?

[prototoast]

The further the handlebar puts your hand from the steering axle, the more your hand has to move to steer, and vice versa. So yes, they do affect steering, though in my experience the effect is usually fairly small--for example, going from a 42 to a 38 is a much smaller change than going from the goods to the tops, which I regularly do.

Another potential issue is you may have overtightened the headset when you switched bars. Any overly tight headset makes a bike feel twitchy.

[m_sasso]

Originally Posted by wc1934

40cm is my normal handlebar width.

I tried riding 42 as an experiment (for me, the wider bar did not offer an improvement in breathing capacity).

I then tried a 40cm fsa compact wing pro which actually measures closer 38. These bars seemed to dramatically change the handling of the bike - very twitchy - and standing while riding with one hand was challenging. Was it my imagination, or do smaller sized bars effect handling?

The head tube angle on my bike is 71 degrees and HT length is 14cm.
Do these get added to the stability equation?

Yes, bar width will affect handling. The further away you move a lever from the centre of rotation the larger that movment needs to be to have the same affect.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by wc1934

Do smaller sized handlebars effect handling?

Unequivocally.

[zmudshark]

Originally Posted by robt57

Unequivocally.

indubitably.

[Ken Robb]

Wider bars and/or longer stems tend to slow steering a bit.

[madsciencenow]

Was the reach the same on all the bars? Seems like that could a factor as well?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[charliedid]

Yes

You can stand and pedal and have just one hand on the bar? I'm not sure I could do that...

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by charliedid

Yes

You can stand and pedal and have just one hand on the bar? I'm not sure I could do that...

Sorry for the misleading statement - I am not pedaling. Just standing/coasting with one hand off the bar - usually adjusting my bibs - haha

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by wc1934

Sorry for the misleading statement - I am not pedaling. Just standing/coasting with one hand off the bar - usually adjusting my bibs - haha

Haha okay good, I didn't want to feel compelled to try that as I know it would end badly.

[Blue Jays]

My preference is for narrower bars. Just a comfort thing. They are typically Ritchey bars and stems.

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by charliedid

Haha okay good, I didn't want to feel compelled to try that as I know it would end badly.

haha - I hear ya. I've always wanted to be like Marco and climb standing while in the drops.

[fogrider]

Originally Posted by wc1934

40cm is my normal handlebar width.

I tried riding 42 as an experiment (for me, the wider bar did not offer an improvement in breathing capacity).

I then tried a 40cm fsa compact wing pro which actually measures closer 38. These bars seemed to dramatically change the handling of the bike - very twitchy - and standing while riding with one hand was challenging. Was it my imagination, or do smaller sized bars effect handling?

The head tube angle on my bike is 71 degrees and HT length is 14cm.
Do these get added to the stability equation?

One ride? I don't think that's a fair test. give it a couple of rides. With road bikes, you really don't steer by turning the bars, you lean the bike. But the human body and fit is an odd thing, some people can adapt...some can, but it takes time.

[marciero]

Originally Posted by charliedid

Yes

You can stand and pedal and have just one hand on the bar? I'm not sure I could do that...

I do this sometimes when climbing out of the saddle in order to wave to acknowledge a motorist who has afforded me some courtesy- typically letting me pass through an intersection- and I dont want to slow down. Not hard once you get used to a sort of undulating motion with your upper body. OTOH I cant even do a track stand

[Dave]

Many people don't realize it but a bicycle is steered with the bars, just like a motorcycle. The bike will lean to the right and turn right if you counter steer by pushing on the right side of the bars. The big difference is the small amount of force required, compared to a motorcycle.

The steering arm length is a straight line between the point of hand contact with the bars or brake hoods and the center of the steering tube. Reducing the bar width, the bar reach or the stem length will all shorten the steering arm length.

It should only take a ride or two to get used to a change to the steering arm. No small change should ever make a bike difficult to steer or negatively impact handling.

I've had two of the same bike and used 38cm bars on one and 40cm on the other. It didn't bother the handling a bit. I did decide that the 38cm better fit my shoulder width and eventually changed to that size on both bikes.