And that they're hedge fund brats that blow stop signs and run over peds. I'm not trying to blow this into a hyperbolic debate, but I'm no fan of stereotypes based on appearance. The vast majority of genuinely bad cycling etiquette I see here is on single speeds, but the only thing I can tell from looking at a single speed is that it's a single speed. The only thing I can tell from looking at a janky bike is that somebody rides a janky bike.

This thread had me confused from the first post, and I've never recovered.

It's not that I'm trying to make all-encompassing stereotypes, it's that I'm observing what is happening around me and taking note. Read closely at the language I'm using.

Also, since we're in different towns I'm not surprised at the bad ettiquette you're seeing being different from mine. In Portland I saw a lot less of what I'm talking about above, and a lot more people on fixed gears running reds or whatever. In Eugene it's a whole different scene.

i dont get what the original poster's issue is. He doesnt like his current bars, thinks risers are too wide, but doesnt want to cut them, and doesnt like aluminum? He doesnt believe in stems rising either. strange.

BTW 17" is not too wide... If you want risers narrower than 17" (8.5" on each side), you'll just end up looking like a fool riding around with 2 hands together at the stem.

Truely you've never left SEA town. Risers are ALWAYS under 17 inch. 17 inch is wider than your pedals, no good. Plus, the wider = more crashes. you don't want flex with the stem, you want it tight.

When they first came out they were all just over 6" per side. that's 12 total, plenty.

Especially since no one ever uses more than one place on their handlebars. I dont even know why I have drops. Ha

You haven't read the thread - that's his sprinting stance.

This is the most baffling thread I've read in a long time. The OP sprints with his hands together - the most unnatural lung-constricting no-leverage position imaginable, hates aluminum handlebars, never uses more than one hand position, has had his stem and handlebar fuse together "stupid" fast, and doesn't want flex with the stem due to wide handlebars.

Also, when risers first came out they were all 30cm.

I'm going to pretend this thread has never existed because I'm feeling a dark void opening up in my mind that's threatening to crush my puny psyche.

Wow, i'm a big dummy. You're right . Please post a picture of yourself riding your bike with "risers" that have 6" of bar on each side.

honestly though, it's about the only semi-smart thing he's said. If you ride in seattle than of course you're going to need wider bars than someone like me that rides the flat flat streets of Richmond. I have about 6.5 inches of bar on either side of my stem and there's only one hill in town that makes me wish for a wider bar, and when I'm pumping that hill I'm not really thinking about the width of my bars. what has made me think about the width of my bars is when I'm splitting lanes and my bars just miss mirrors by an inch but the sides of my feet still scrape the wheels of the cars I'm passing.

the point is, you have different riding needs than someone in NYC or RVA. take that into consideration.

I snapped a chainstay on an 80's reynolds steel road bike frame.

It snapped about 1/8" away from the weld.

Just sayin'.

But the post emphasized disbelief at 12" risers. That has me a little confused as well: if there's any appreciable rise, is there room at the flats for your hands? Any bar of that length that I can recall seeing has been totally flat. So someone really should post a pic of such a bar to settle the point.

^^ Now I see it! Super-steep rise. Case closed.

This thread is amazing, I just wanted to throw that out there.

This

I think I see god maaaan....

exactly. his "12inch rusers" would have virtually no flats and i believe cant be done. i like to see a picture too.

i just made this my desktop wallpaper (stretched to full screen)... awesome!

Hey everyone! Let's feed the troll!

THOSE ARE MY BARS OMG

I don't see anything here that the OP is looking for... the only risers are 57cm wide, made from aluminum, and, besides that, slope back down, negating the rise...

i just put some easton ea30s on my bike and i ****ing love them.

Mountain bike bars are in no way bad. If they can withstand the mountain,they can withstand the street.
I recently comverted from drops to risers and I have one word, comfy. Three more words, sketchy in turns.

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Last night I flipped my risers so now they're...dropped I guess. SO much more comfortable. it might just be my risers because theyre old steel MTB risers but the curve fits my hand so much better now.

drag bars.

I think my face just exploded.

I rode with risers flipped down for ~ a week before I found it too uncomfortable for the long term.