Originally Posted by eatdirt22
I am in the market for a new stem. I ride an 05 Fuji Roubaix and it says on the spec sheet that the handlebar width is 420...what the heck does that mean and what does that mean when I'm buying a new stem? It seems 26mm is the standard, but if I have learned anything in cycling it is that there is no standard. Any knowledge into this would be a great deal of help. Thanks.
The 420 is the width of the bars in milimeters (so the bar is 42cm wide). Be aware that some bar manufacturers measure their bars from the centre of one side of the bar, to the centre of the other side of the bar. Others measure from outside-edge to outside-edge. Check the manufacturers site to see how they do it.
There are two common standards at present for road bar clamps: 26mm and 31.8mm. The thicker bars supposedly have an advantage in stiffness, but don't take that as gospel.
Good Luck!