Road Cycling - Handlebar width

Can anyone tell me how wide handlebars should be. I was measured online, and read that it directly correlates with your own shoulder width. Does this sound right? The handlebars on my new Cannondale seem a little narrower than my shoulders: by 2 inches. Concern warranted? Opinions welcomed.

Thanks for all your help,

Urbanmonk :D

Handlebar width is dictated by shoulder width - as a general starting point. I like wide bars - I ride 46cm width and these are a touch wider than my sholders. Wider bars give you more places to place your hands and I find that gives more options for comfort. The downside is that they allow for less aero position if riding on the hoods or in the drops. That said, I race on these bars and haven't found them to be hindering. Personal preference is the rule here - try some wider bars - you might like them.

Just went from 42" on my old road bike to 44" in my new one and although I have not had it on the road yet I like it. I always felt a little restricted in my chest when riding. I think this will prove to be a positive change. All you can do is try it. Buy some cheap bars to start with and you can upgrade later if a different size works for you.

Make that centimetres, please (unless you really arethat wide)!

I believe there is some fashion in it too. My 1980 commuter (it started its life as a touring bike) has handlebars that were considered normal for any good-size adult in those days: 39 cm centre to centre. They also have a "non-anatomical" shape (i.e. a single round) and are relatively shallow. My 2000 touring bike has 46-cm (centre to centre) handlebars with a deeper crve.

I find I tend to be faster, a tad more "aggressive" on my old bike whereas I am more relaxed on the new one. I tried to swap bars and realised that I definitely need wider bars with bar-end shifters. Pros and cons:
- I ride more nervously with the narrow bars, but I'm afraid it's simply because I am not as comfortable as I am with wider bars. Average speed might be 1 km/h higher with narrow bars, but I will get tired a few hours sooner.
- I can't say about any difference in hill climbing ability. The two bikes have different frame design issues and different gearing (especially in the low end), and I rarely use the commuter when fully loaded. Besides, I tend to climb slowly.
- Wider bars mean more stability with a tandem, trailercycle, heavy loads, strong crosswinds, etc.

That being said,my shoulder width is close to 42 cm, and I feel my "ideal" width would be 44 or 45 cm. IOW, 46 cm is a tad wide, but much more natural than 39 cm.

I use a 44cm handlebar.. My shoulder width is 42cm. I like it slightly wider becuase I climb a lot.

Since the specs. in the manual didn't go as far as to tell me the width, I will take it to my LBS and have them measure while I try a few other bars in the shop. It's not killing me or anything, it's just not as comfortable as my old Motobecane (15 yrs. ago; never knew the bar width either). It may be, as some mentioned earlier, that I need to get used to the new compact design of this bike, and this is one aspect of that.
Thanks; greatly appreciated!

Urbanmonk

Theory says shoulder width but comfort is usually served by being 2 cm wider : advice from the bike shop guy , but for racing go for narrow and hang comfort .