Originally Posted by
nashvillwill
So, I hear about many people shortening their flat bars. I'm a flat bar commuter and have wondered about doing this, but am having trouble seeing the advantage.
I know that many do it simply for aesthetics (hipster wannabe bike messengers), but is there any real gain from it?
My Globe Vienna 3 came with flat bars of a certain width. I've heard that the general rule of thumb is to have bars as wide as your shoulders. By this standard, I could probably shave about 1-1.5" off each side. But if I did, what would be the gain? The only thing I can guess is a more responsive "feel". Then again, I'm afraid it might "feel" less stable.
It seems like there would still be plenty of room for my shifters/brakes if I did so.
Has anyone done this? Any thoughts?
I have shortened my handlebars and I found it made a big difference. When you pedal, you're pulling on the handlebars and you can pull more effectively if your hands are straight ahead and your arms are parallel with the bike. Try moving in your brakes and shifters without cutting your bar and see if you notice a difference. Also, if you do shorten your bar but find you occasionally want the leverage that wider bars provide, then you can add bar ends (horns). I've done that and they can be useful when standing up while climbing hills.