46cm nitto drop bars.
 

hey team,

i just picked up a set of 46cm aluminum noodle drop bars via rivendale bike on the interweb. they were suggested in that width because my height (6'4"). my first impression upon opening the box was, "wow, those are huge." and they are. they make my old bars look tiny. (my old bars being actually undersized for the bike.) so i guess my question is, should i keep the bars, because of my height? because i think they make the bike look kind of goofy (not the look i was going for.) also, what is a normal drop bar size, i heard the magic size was 44cm.) does anyone have an opinion on this? thanks!

crtten

Wow, that is really a personal preference. There isn't a "magic size" for bars, but whatever fits you best. For example, me personally, I like a 44cm c-c bar with a very shallow drop and a standard round drop. I don't like "ergonomic" bars one bit. I'm 5'9" and have ridden with this bar set up for about 15 years. I would try riding those new bars for a few days, see if they grow on you...if not, you'll have more info to make a decision with, i.e. "these bars are too wide...those one's were too narrow...what's available in the middle?"

How wide are your shoulders? That's the width bar that is recommended. My own shoulders are 46cm and I nearly ordered that size until I measured all my other bars. I believe 44cm will be just fine thankyouverymuch. :)

Here's a recent thread about them: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=303443

I have 44cm and find them comfortable, but I don't have a huge shoulder span. Some in that thread swear by the 46cm...others the 48mm!

that thread helps alot. it looks like most people find them to fit the vintage look, i was afraid they wouldn't. i think i'll keep the 46's for a while, and if i can't do them, then i'll probably give them up. thanks!

hey, just to butt in - i love my 46cm noodle. I have small shoulders, but the wide bar makes for relaxed riding and great handling. i say try them out and see. good luck!

46 cm is the width of choice for me. Nitto noodles are great handlebars!

I just put the first 10 miles on my new Nitto 44 cm Noodle and a Nitto Technomic Deluxe stem last night. That's up from a Cinelli 40 cm bar/Cinelli 1a stem. The stem gave me two more inches of height for a frame that's a bit small, and the wider bars allowed my to unpinch my shoulders a bit. My neck and shoulders thank me, and the aesthetics are undiminished. I'm thrilled. We'll see next how it goes after a 50-miler.

I rode for twenty years on bikes with 38cm bars that seemed to be the only size used on Paramounts and various English and European bikes of the 70's. I'm 6'2" with 44cm shoulders and picked up a pair of 48cm Noodles and couldn't be happier. The only problem is that you soon want to change all your bikes over to Noodles.

I'm 6 foot and I really like 44s

I rode 42s till I thought the seemed kind of narrow. I got some 46s and love them. I just picked up some Nitto Classic 45s a few days ago for my current project..