Originally Posted by
Ferrous Bueller
Ok, I will.
You're talking about a bike's inherent stability. Which is important, but the topic of debate is the stability of the rider on top of it.
Here's my definition of that: Stability means the ability to absorb lateral forces. When standing, I'm stable with my knees bent and feet apart. When riding a road bike, it's when I'm in the hooks. If I have a side impact with another rider whose hands are tight to the stem, it's he who's going to be affected more. Feel free to call me a language twisting lunatic.
Again, I differ. And I'm not talking about the bike, I'm talking about the rider's ability to keep it upright. A chacun son gout, I suppose, but I like my definition more.
Going slow making steep turns, sure, wider bars. But on a road bike I'm typically going fast enough where most of my turning comes from my leaning and I barely turn the bars at all... lower speed handling is a small fraction of my riding. STILL I don't miss my wider bars, even when I make tight turns to get onto and around sidewalks/paths etc. Now if I was on a trail and needed to constantly turn at slow speed to avoid obstacles, make super tight turns around trees and what not... I could see why a wide straight bar would be advantageous.