Wide Risers, how wide?
 

So I've watched too many Mash videos and wanted to try some wide risers. I've always cut mine down for maximum squeezing between car abilities.

What's a reasonable width to get the benefits of wider risers? I've seen new, uncut ones as wide as 720 mm but that seem just ridiculous for the city.

Yes I'm jumping on the trendy, bar width bandwagon. Looking for thoughts of those who ride them, not opinions on the current state of fixed gear fashion.

My MTB bars came at 800, but I cut them down to 760. I run the same bars on my Langster and hybrid Venge, but I do not do much city riding on these bikes.

Mount the bars and ride around for a while. Your hands, wrists, elbows and forearms will tell you what is right for you.

The mtb trend is super wide risers and a very short stem, like 60/70mm. I have a SS mtb that came that way, and I hated the wide bars. They came off right away, and I went with some bars I had from a full suspension 2010 Stumpjumper. Even those were too wide for city riding so I got a pair of the Cinelli Pepper bars and run those. Much much better even with the shorter stem.

You don't want people to comment on the current fixed gear fashion, yet what you are wanting to do is follow that same fashion. Wide bars work for some people, and they don't for others. Not sure what you are expecting to gain by this. The handling is greatly affected and they can be uncomfortable for your arms and shoulders.

Was just wondering about average width that people run as a guideline. Figure there is sort of a minimum width to get the benefits people talk about.

Threw some old Ritchey Rizers I have which are cut to about 630mm and see how they go. First ride think I actually prefer my taller, narrower, cut down Spank risers but I'll give them a go to see how they handle differently for a bit.

Forgot what a pain it is to switch bars in a quill stem. Those Ritchey's get thicker in the curves which make for a b*tch to mount in quill stem.

there is no benefit to be gained by running 3 foot wide risers on a pseudo track bike in the inner city other than looking like someone that watches too many mash videos

Personally, I hate the trend of super wide risers. I just don't understand it, and it looks ugly as hell.

http://i.imgur.com/ZU13HmI.jpg

I'll stick with risers chopped down to a grip width. The grips end right where the bars start to slope down.

^^^what if you decide to add a front brake? Where's the lever gonna go? Just buy new bars? Or never run a brake?!

This is insane advice! It's always much better to ask a bunch of people on the internet, then disagree with everyone's conflicting opinions and do nothing at all.

If he had to he could trim the left grip enough for a lever. Not too big a deal. Some BMX levers will also slide down a bit and still work.

Almost 10 years with no brake, I don't see why I'd add one now.

I also have a wide variety of bars & stems I can swap out at any given time.

Duct tape two 800mm flat bars together, this gives you the leverage and the added benefit of cars being unable to pass you.

The MASH gang runs them uncut with a BMX stem.

Of course they do.

Come here for the comic relief, please do not try to ruin that with logic, logic does not belong on the Internet (Gore even put that into writing after inventing the Internet, you can check his Wikipedia page if you want).

not even uncut riser bars are as offensive as going out in public in full lycra and skate shoes.

I got some 780s and I just don't get it, not even on trails.

640 or so is just about right, rather 25", since I always measure in inches, cuz that's the way it was done in the 80s and early 90s, before MTB got too Euro ;)

So you're saying you can only wear cycling clothes if you run a clipless pedal/shoe system? That's a little arrogant. So I ride with platform pedals, cages, and leather straps...doesn't mean I want to wear non-breathable cotton t-shirts and non stretch, no breathable jean shorts. C'mon man.

yeah, its a bad look. especially paired with your 650c front wheel.
if youre gonna commit to wearing a clownsuit, why are you gonna halfass it?

your legs arent even shaved.

You have that reversed.

Cotton is the most breathable fabric. Fact. It also has the best moisture wicking capabilities. Cotton is vastly superior to Lycra/spandex in regards to both.

Lycra/spandex are among the worst fabrics for breathing and moisture wicking. The worst for both is polyester which actually repels water. Lycra/Spandex dries quicker than cotton which is actually a bad thing for sports wear. As you probably know, sweating is your body's (necessary and healthy) way of cooling off. Altering that natural process is a bad thing. Lycra/Spandex and polyester also fail miserably at releasing bacteria where cotton excels. This is why a person wearing Lycra/Spandex or polyester smells like hell after their clothes dry.

Lycra/Spandex is strong for how thin it is and is also used for biking because of it's superior stretching ability. Baggy T-shirts are not aero, and that matters if speed is important.

All these high tech "moisture wicking" sports fabrics are snake oil designed by the same folks that bring us GMO crops. It's all about the logo. They sell a $2.50 shirt for $85.00 because people believe the hype and the "Science".

youre confusing cotton with wool.

Well I'll tell you one thing, riding in a cotton t-shirt that feels like 10 pounds because it's weighed down by sweat feels a lot worse than a cycling jersey that feels like the same weight on your body as when you first started riding. Plus, the padding in the shorts/bibs makes being in the saddle a lot more comfortable than regular jeans/pants.

I do not, and will not ride in certain things, such as cotton t-shirts, jeans, jean shorts, or tennis shoes. I have, and will never again. Somehow this went from wide riser bars to what people wear. Doesn't matter what they wear, if they are comfortable, then go for it. Just like if you are comfortable on a ridiculously wide 800mm riser bar on your sw8 fixay trying to audition for the next MASH film, go for it.

No, I'm not.