Anyone go with slightly narrower handlbars?
08-04-15, 01:48 PM
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Anyone go with slightly narrower handlbars?
I'm 6' 160lbs so fairly thin with narrow shoulders. I measured and from the center of my shoulder joints I'm 38cm across. Right now I've got 42's but I feel like when I get down low with my arms flat on top of the hoods my elbow are narrower than my hands are.
Current set up
S-works Ergo 42cm 79 Reach and 136 Drop
S-works stem 120mm
Planned new set up
Ritchey Neo Classic 40cm 73 Reach and 125 Drop
Ritchey C220 130mm
I went longer on the stem due to shorter reach and narrower width but maybe its too much?
Current set up
S-works Ergo 42cm 79 Reach and 136 Drop
S-works stem 120mm
Planned new set up
Ritchey Neo Classic 40cm 73 Reach and 125 Drop
Ritchey C220 130mm
I went longer on the stem due to shorter reach and narrower width but maybe its too much?
08-04-15, 02:34 PM
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I ride 44s and my shoulders measure around 42mm. the reach diffrence of 7mm with the new stem could or could not be a factor but not very big. Its hard to tell what will be the straw to move past a threshold is. you also will losse some depth in your drops with the new set up,but That is if the stems are the same angle, .although maybe you have spacers under your stem that could be moved? its hard to know lots of a bike fit is personal thing no golden rule. Hope this helps somewhat. Maybe you have local bike shop who has some trial bars if difrent width so you can feel the diffrence in person.
Last edited by Damien09; 08-04-15 at 02:39 PM.
08-04-15, 02:54 PM
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I ride 44s and my shoulders measure around 42mm. the reach diffrence of 7mm with the new stem could or could not be a factor but not very big. Its hard to tell what will be the straw to move past a threshold is. you also will losse some depth in your drops with the new set up,but That is if the stems are the same angle, .although maybe you have spacers under your stem that could be moved? its hard to know lots of a bike fit is personal thing no golden rule. Hope this helps somewhat. Maybe you have local bike shop who has some trial bars if difrent width so you can feel the diffrence in person.
08-04-15, 06:09 PM
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08-04-15, 06:16 PM
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My '87 Fuso had 38cm handlebars which was popular back then. Way too narrow for me and I'm just 5'8", average build. I prefer 42-44cm.
I gave them to someone who builds bikes for the cool kids.
I gave them to someone who builds bikes for the cool kids.
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08-04-15, 06:16 PM
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I'm 6' 160lbs so fairly thin with narrow shoulders. I measured and from the center of my shoulder joints I'm 38cm across. Right now I've got 42's but I feel like when I get down low with my arms flat on top of the hoods my elbow are narrower than my hands are.
Current set up
S-works Ergo 42cm 79 Reach and 136 Drop
S-works stem 120mm
Planned new set up
Ritchey Neo Classic 40cm 73 Reach and 125 Drop
Ritchey C220 130mm
I went longer on the stem due to shorter reach and narrower width but maybe its too much?
Current set up
S-works Ergo 42cm 79 Reach and 136 Drop
S-works stem 120mm
Planned new set up
Ritchey Neo Classic 40cm 73 Reach and 125 Drop
Ritchey C220 130mm
I went longer on the stem due to shorter reach and narrower width but maybe its too much?
08-04-15, 07:13 PM
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Could it be more of position issue than a handlebar fit issue? I say this because I ride 44 cm bars on the road and 38 cm bars on the track. I have never felt uncomfortable riding either one. Narrow bars are easier to stick through holes and the wide bars allow better breathing. Track riders tend to have a more narrow bar on their track bikes than their road rigs.
08-05-15, 07:59 AM
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Could it be more of position issue than a handlebar fit issue? I say this because I ride 44 cm bars on the road and 38 cm bars on the track. I have never felt uncomfortable riding either one. Narrow bars are easier to stick through holes and the wide bars allow better breathing. Track riders tend to have a more narrow bar on their track bikes than their road rigs.
08-05-15, 08:05 AM
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Just swap the bars for a start and see how that goes. If you don't like it, order the stem. A stem can be swapped in 10 minutes. Bars, shifters, cabling and tape is the PITA part.
Just leave a cm or two extra cabling so you can monkey with it until you get it nailed down.
On the road, I go with 42s and they are exactly my shoulder width from AC to AC.
I have 44s on my tandem and don't like it and plan to change it. The 2cm difference makes it wrong.
Last edited by andr0id; 08-05-15 at 08:08 AM.
08-05-15, 09:49 AM
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A 125mm stem would be ideal if your brake levers were in the perfect spot before. Looks like those are rarer, but not impossible to find...
I think my ideal handlebar width is probably around 40cm. My shoulders measure about 38cm, and I have various 38cm and 42cm bars mounted on my bikes that feel fine. I wouldn't want to go any wider than the 42cm bars, and the pair of "randonneur" style handlebars I just took off one bike only measured about 35cm where the brake levers mounted thanks to the extreme flare from the top to the drops -- too narrow and twitchy feeling at times, and the top positions were a little awkward because of how far in I needed to bring my hands. I was surprised that the aforementioned 38cm bars measured so narrow (they came with the bike), but they work out because there's only minor flare to the drops. Hmm, was that ramble-y enough?
I think my ideal handlebar width is probably around 40cm. My shoulders measure about 38cm, and I have various 38cm and 42cm bars mounted on my bikes that feel fine. I wouldn't want to go any wider than the 42cm bars, and the pair of "randonneur" style handlebars I just took off one bike only measured about 35cm where the brake levers mounted thanks to the extreme flare from the top to the drops -- too narrow and twitchy feeling at times, and the top positions were a little awkward because of how far in I needed to bring my hands. I was surprised that the aforementioned 38cm bars measured so narrow (they came with the bike), but they work out because there's only minor flare to the drops. Hmm, was that ramble-y enough?
