Handlebar width: are yours too small?
 

The dumb rule of bike fit is to get handlebars that are as wide as your shoulders. What are the consequences of having your bars too narrow? It would seem to have some significant aerodynamic advantage not to mention a small effect on weight. It would also seem advantageous to have a more narrow profile when your riding group turns into a scrum.

Are there any serious downsides to having narrow bars? Are your bars too narrow otr too wide and are there any negative consequences?

My two main bikes are 46 and 40 and the 46 seems crazy wide. The 40 is fine but a bit narrow. My shoulders are 45 wide between the ends of the shoulder protrusions.

harder to breath evidently.

I find narrow bars to be uncomfortable and I don't like the way the bike handles as much.

I run slightly narrow bars. I've used from 40 to 44 and currently use 41's.

Narrow bar positives (for me):
1. Easier to rock bike back and forth hard (i.e. sprint)
2. Easier to thread through gaps

Negatives (for me):
1. Less hand positions, esp on climbs
2. Less reach to bars since narrow bars are closer than wide bars
3. Fewer choices

Since I don't care about honing my climbing, the positives outweigh the negatives. I use a 43 cm bar during the winter when I don't care about sprinting.

cdr

What's a shoulder protrusion? That's my problem with figuring out bar width. I could measure 38 or 46 depending on the points I pick to measure between.

Pick up the handlebars and put them on your shoulders with the drops wrapping around your arms. If it's a snug fit, get them.

http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bike_fit1barwidth2.jpg

Less leverage for sprinting or standing climbs.

Slower riders sometimes want their bars to be wider than their shoulders since that gives them a bigger platform to rest their upper body on. Faster riders usually want their bars barely as wide as their shoulders, for improved aerodynamics and faster handling. Sprinters sometimes get extra narrow bars to they can squeeze their bike through small spaces in the pack. Breathing shouldn't be an issue if you have an adequate top tube + stem length.

Mine probably are. But they're comfortable.

Harder to breath, which is why I'd rather have bars slightly too wide than slightly too narrow. I can get pretty aero by tucking and pulling my elbows in, but while climbing (when it counts) I can't do much to get my chest more open.

Slide your butt back on the saddle and sit up higher. Even the pros do this on long climbs, often with their hands on the tops of the handlebar (where handlebar width doesn't matter).

^ I've heard that, but doesn't sliding back while on an incline sacrifice leverage on the cranks???

Sliding back on the saddle increases leverage on the cranks. Pull up on the handlebars and push your back muscles into each stroke. Since your leg extension increases slightly when you slide back, you can now more easily push the pedals over the top of your stoke. This riding position is not as aerodynamic as the drops, but that's not so important when climbing.

Not sor some people, I.E: me.
My shoulders are wide enough for a 44, but I prefer a 40-39cm bar. I'm a freak ho, call me sick.:D

Does it matter when your running flat bars? Just spec them really wide, and then slide your hands end as appropriate.

Here's one... I've become very accustomed to my vintage bike, it has bars that are narrower at the top of the bars than down on the drops, so from front or rear on they might look like this:
____
./ \.

Is there anydownfall to this shape, more importantly, does anyone still make bars like these? I find them great for sprinting and when I climb the hills, my arms are open enough so I can breathe well I think.

ahh poop, I'll get picture...

I think it was some Cinelli that was like that, and a lot of people (ViperX has them on his Colnago) say they're the most comfortable bar ever.

My 'vintage' ride with 40cm classic bars has one major drawback: I bash my knees on the ends when sprinting. I measure for 46cm and while more comfortable, I don't seem to have any issues adapting to other sizes. Good thing, 46's aren't as common.

Edit: I have those vintage Cinelli bars. GREAT bars to ride the drops in. Just plop down on 'em and chug away.

There are a few bars aimed at the cyclocross market that are set up that way; look for a Salsa Bell Lap. I think there's a Ritchey model that's similar.

Kablam!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...n/PDR_0069.jpg

Thanks, I was missing the throwing your back into it. I'll try this next time and see if I don't see an increase in power rather than the decrease when I was doing it wrong.