Road Cycling - Handlebar Question

Is it better to have a shoulder width handlebar than a smaller one? I have heard mixed reviews and i hope you can help me with this problem, thanks.

In addition...

what type of handlebar should i buy, i am thinking about getting a new one, and if i do should i put foam under the grip tape? thanks again.

well, I like mine shoulder width..

foam under the tape? I don't put foam under there, but I wrap a thin handlebar tape first, then I wrap on top of it with my favorite handlebar tape... This would make it softer, but not too soft..

I would select a bar that is just as wide as you shoulders, which is the measured distance between the shoulder joints. A wider bar opens your chest for better breathing and provides more leverage, but makes you less aerodynamic. Going too wide (hands outside your shoulders) can make your arms sore and tired very fast. A narrower bar creates a smaller profile aerodynamically but at the same time will restrict your breathing. I found smaller bars can also make it a little more difficult to steer because you will feel a little jammed.

As bars go, I like Richie, 3TTT or Cinelli. I use the oversize bars (31.8) because they don't seem to flex as much as the standard size bars. I am 190 Lbs and don't bend my Richie bar (WCS) at all.

Padding under the tape is preference, I have found if you have a carbon fork it really dapens the ride and padding is unnecessary. I have friends that swear by carbon handlebars and that they add even more "softness" if you are looking for a real smooth ride but are expensive. I have stayed away from carbon bars because I have heard some horror stories about them snapping when putting a lot of force against them (like climbing out of the saddle).

Snowblower

I find that if I can "wear" the handlebars around my shoulders, it works pretty good for me. As far as padding goes, I have small hands relatively speaking and already wear padded gloves plus my handlebar, fork and steerer are carbon so I thought padded bartape would be overkill and might make the bars a bit too thick for my liking.

You need a Goldilocks fit: not too narrow, not too wide.
Check out the different styles of bar at 3TTT. The drop radius is another variable, some like the touring Morphe bar have a smaller radius than the racing models.

Thanks very much everyone! I didn't expect anyone to answer, and you have certainly helped me in my decision.

as for the padding, i think that cinelli makes "anti-viration pads" that you can wrap under bar tape. take a look at their site for more info.

I don't think there is a definite answer. If you have access to a few bikes, the best would be to do a trial run with a few bikes to see what you like.

Current "wisdom" calls for handlebars shoulder width or even slightly wider than shoulder width. One recommendation I read called for handlebars that you could wear (like a coat), which means 1-2 cm wider than your shoulder bones. For makes, that would mean 42-48 cm wide bars (at the drops)... and there even are a few 52-cm bars for sale.

However, 20-25 years ago, I'm not sure how was defined the standard, but 38-40 cm bars were the norm.

Pros and cons:

- narrow bars are slightly more aerodynamic;
- with narrow bars, it's easy to ride through tight spots;
- with wide bars, there is more steering control, especially on windy terrain or when towing a child;
- if you ride from the tops, the interesting measurement is the width at the top curves, where you typically ride; that's rarely measured in catalogues;
- too narrow bars might impede hard breating;
- too wide bars and there is more stress in your shoulders.

I have two touring bikes. One dates from 1980 and has 39-cm bars and the other dates from 2000 and has 46-cm bars. I enjoy both equally. I don't feel any pain with either, even when I ride for a long time, but I think, in hindsight, that "perfect width" would be approximately 44 cm.

Thanks for the input, also should i go with a drop that has the kink in it that fits your hand better. I think they call an ergonomic handlebar.

Originally posted by Radical 9000
Thanks for the input, also should i go with a drop that has the kink in it that fits your hand better. I think they call an ergonomic handlebar.

I prefer less curves for some reason so yes I'd cast my vote for ergobars. I have the Easton EC90 which doesn't really even have a curved transition from the tops to the hoods. The straight sections seem to fit my grip style better.

I don't think you need padding if you use cork wrap.

I tried the ergo bar with a flat section on the drops. I never liked it. My hands kept sliding down the slope. With a curve, I can jam my hand in and stay there.

My hands cramp in the traditional drops on my bianchi.

The shoulder wide handle bars came with my Lemond that I purchased earlier this year. With my old bike, which I rode for 15 years, the handle bars were much narrower. It wasn't until I got the Lemond that I realized how much more comfortable and less pain the shoulder wide handle bars could be especially when in the drops.