Originally Posted by
downwinded
Thinking about cutting the width of the handlebars on my hybrid. I have to agree with some of the comments on the Aero thing in the thread about hybrid vs road bike.
They measure 25.5" wide. 1" off each side does not seem like it would be too much. LBS advised against it. I don't think it would adversely affect anything.
I'm sure some one has done this. How did it work out?
What reason did your LBS people give for not advising this? I've seen some Easton(?) flatbars in my LBS that have cutting marks inscribed right on the bars. When we bought our Raleigh Coupe tandem it came stock with 25" wide Truvativ flatbars. I substituted 27" wide Truvativ riser bars and had the LBS cut an inch off each end before I even saw the bike. This was no fancy bike shop with a guru chanelling Sheldon Brown in the back but they could cut an inch off the end of some aluminum handlebars without too much trouble. Personally I say go for it and cut off an inch. You won't even feel 1/2" enough to know whether you are going in the right direction or not. Just to be clear though... cutting your bars will not do terribly much for your aero. Road bikes get their aero from the way they position your torso when you are on the hoods and in the drops. You can have crazy narrow flat-bars like the hipsters rock, and if they are sitting up at seat height or higher... you'll still be slow.
H