Worth getting narrower road bars?

[Sardine]

Hello. I hoping that some of you ladies can help me with this question. I'm getting a new road bike and have the option of switching to 36cm handlebars from 38cm if I want. This will be my first road bike in the sense of not a touring bike. I have a bike with 38cm bars as well as one with 40 cm bars (my first proper bike which I know is a tad large but I'm attached to it). The 38cm is comfortable, the 40cm is fine as I'm used to it. My shoulder width is 36cm. The reach on the 38cm bars is not an issue. I'm talking about drop bars.

There seem to be 2 main views as far as I can see. People who think that the bars should be the same width as your shoulders and those who think they need to be a bit wider for leverage, if that's the right word. I don't race and won't be putting luggage on this bike but I will ride hilly terrain (not mountains but maybe one day). It's my mid-life crisis faster and lighter bike. I aim to use it to build back to 50-60 mile day rides at a comfortable pace, ideally with pub stops, nothing serious.

I'd be interested to know what difference getting bars that are the same width as my shoulders would make, if any. Anybody with experience of switching to wider or narrower bars who can share?

Thanks for your help.

[indysteel]

Get the bike and try out the stock bars. If they don't bother you, keep them. If they do, then opt for the 36s. There's really no "right" answer other than personal preference. Before you buy anything, make sure you understand how bars are measured. Some brands measure their bars outside to outside. Some measure them center to center. Just make sure you know which is which--and what you need--before you order.

[indysteel]

I'd add that I my shoulders measure 35 cm, and I run Deda 4 Girls bars on my bikes. These measure 38 cm outside to outside; 36 center to center. At one time, I was on the search for narrow bars and ran into a couple of problems. Few manufacturer make bars that narrow and those that do often run out of stock such that they're hard to find. I have used 40 cm bars before without difficulty; I just like the overall shape of the Dedas more.

ETA: I keep thinking of additional things to say. Based on my own experience and having read any number of threads on bars over the years, I'd add that there's more to bars than just width. Finding a bar with the right reach, drop, and ergonomics can be challenging. Sometimes you have to compromise on one thing to get what you want on another. So, for that reason, I'd give the current bars a chance and see what, if anything else, you like/don't like about them before ordering anything new.

[Sardine]

Ah, didn't think about the different ways of measuring. Thanks. The bike I test rode had 38cm bars and it felt comfortable. If I switch to 36cm I'd have to get those myself though the shop will do the switch for free. Need to remember the measurement point if I buy online. I've never ridden a bike with 36cm bars as they're not that common. None available to test ride even in the big shops. I tested 6 bikes and decided on a Trek. 5 out of the 6 had 38cm bars. One in 40cm

[Sardine]

I have Deda 4 Girls on my tourer and they're comfortable. But the reach for the brakes on drops seemed easier on the Trek to be honest. I think that may be down to Shimano v. my campags though. You have a point about giving the current bars a chance. I was just thinking it may save me a bit of money and hassle if I have it done at the outset but then I would be going from the known and comfortable to the unknown, and may have to undo it all further down the line. Hmm, going to mull that one over. Thanks again.

[Norse]

I personally find that I need to stay with bars no wider than my shoulders - 40 - otherwise I get upper back/shoulder soreness. I swapped out the stock Bontrager that came with my Madone for a FSA model, suggested by a bike fitter, that measures 40 but the drops flare in ever so slightly making the tops a 40 but the drops more like 39.5, and this has been very comfy for me.

[Sardine]

Just wondering whether you worked out how the wider bars were causing the pain?

I'm learning new things about handlebars here and finding that my approach has been very one dimensional.

Thanks.

[Velocivixen]

I think that I've read about the leverage thing with wider bars is that if you're in the drops and you're like sprinting up a hill then the slightly wider bars will give you more leverage. Some say that wider bars "open up your chest" for better breathing and that smaller bars close your chest off. It's hard to say. If you're used to 38's then it might be fine OR you might be missing out on some great benefit (for you) of 36's.
I'll be interested in what you decide and how it works out. My shoulders are 40 and my Surly CC has 42 bars with the drops that slightly flare out. I've had the bike 3 weeks and have only tried the drops a couple of times.

[withm]

Remember that different manufacturers quote measurement differently - some are center to center, others outside edge to outside edge, and many are not consistent from one model to the next. Thusly be sure you are comparing with this in mind, and confirm the actual measurement outside edge to outside edge.

[Sardine]

@Velocivixen: Yes, I was wondering whether the leverage thing is that much of an issue for the sort of riding I'll be doing. The only thing I thought was it might help with hills (cranking up slowly). But it doesn't look like I'll find out what 36cm bars feel like unless I commit. Haven't seen a bike on show yet that has 36cm bars on.

withm, thanks for pointing out inconsistencies too. Wasn't aware of that either. Good grief. OK, even if I decide to go for 36cm bars I'm definitely not getting one off the internet. I'll get the bike shop, which is small and friendly, to confirm the measurements for me first.

[Sardine]

My shoulders are 40 and my Surly CC has 42 bars with the drops that slightly flare out. I've had the bike 3 weeks and have only tried the drops a couple of times.

Oh, nice. Saw one of those in the shop on Monday. Enjoy!

[Kathi]

My shoulders measure 34. I had the Deda 4girls on my old bike but when I built my custom frame, and found out how narrow my shoulders are, my bike shop got the Modolo Venus in a 34. I love them, my arms are more in line with my shoulders when riding on the hoods. The best part, which is part of their design, is I can reach the brakes from the drops even though I use Campy Record.

There isn't much room on my handlebars for accessories but I don't miss the shoulder pain I used to have.

[Sardine]

Thanks Kathi. I guess you were going from 38 to 34 cm? I just looked up Modolo Venus and I'm not sure how easy it would be to get them here but I'll keep that brand in mind. And I'll look at the shapes of a few bars too before I decide.

[pll]

My shoulders measure 38cm and my bars are 40cm. In my old bike, I had 38cm bars. I love the top of the new bars (some FSA "wings" model) and I find them more comfortable than the 38cm ones, since I have more surface on the top to place my hands.

[roo4]

When I was bike shopping, one of the guys put me on a 60 cm bike (eventually bought a 56) and after I rode it I commented that the handlebars felt too wide. He gave me this story about opening up my chest for better climbing. Um...thanks, but I think I'll try another store.

This has nothing to do with the original question, sorry.

[OakLeaf]

I ride on the hoods a lot of the time, so it's easy for me to tell.

If the bars are the wrong width, then my wrists get tired because my hands aren't in line with my arms.

If my wrists break to the inside when they're tired, then my bars are too wide ... if they break to the outside, then the bars are too narrow. :)

If you like to ride on the tops, then you'll need bars at least another couple, probably four, centimeters wider.

[emily_in_nc]

Wider bars will give you more room on top if you mount various gadgets on them. On my Bike Friday, I have a computer, air horn, and Halt holder, and barely enough room for my hands. Since I do a lot of utilitarian rides, I wish they were wider on top as I do like riding on the tops quite a lot.

My handlebars were 38cm Salsa Pocos, but when Bike Friday cuts them to make them foldable, they lose a cm, so are around 37 cm C-to-C. My shoulder width is around 36 cm.

Narrower bars are also a bit more twitchy; wider bars are more stable.

I would size up just a bit (within reason) due to the above. YMMV, of course.

[KnottedYet]

Stand straight and tall, and put your arms out in front of you with your thumbs up. Hold 'em out in what seems like a "normal" distance.

Ask your assistant to measure the distance from the web of one thumb to the web of the other while you hold still.

Treasure that measurement, that is your neutral. If you wanted a bar that was the same width as your neutral arm position, it would have the same center-to-center distance at the point where you like to place your hands as your web-to-web distance.

If you want something wider for leverage, add a some centimeters to your neutral width.

I've got bars that match my neutral on my go-fast bike. On my commuter/hauler/trailer-puller I've got moustache bars that are a good bit wider than my neutral on the tails. Looooove them, and had to do some searching for relatively narrow moustaches that were close to my neutral on the forward curves.

Knowing your neutral at least gives you a place to start. :D

[Sardine]

OakLeaf, like you, I ride on hoods a lot but I really like drops, especially outside the city and if I'm honest, would probably use them more if the reach for the brakes was really easy. But hoods when I'm tired , which goes back to pll's point re surface area and comfort. It seems there are bars with different top/drop widths to accommodate this though.

Emily, things I may want to mount on the bars didn't even occur to me. I just have a light, but a GPS is definitely a possibility if I can work out which one stores routes/how to do it.

Knotted, thank you! I've done the measurement and my neutral position is not 36cm, but a shade under 34cm? Can this be? My head now hurts but I'm glad I've learnt this given its importance. This will be my starting point for the decision. Thank goodness the bike is only due mid-Sept.

Ladies, thank you for your valuable insights. You've made me realise that over the years, I've got used to my bikes the way they were set up for me without giving things much thought apart from saddles. I've been commuting since the early 90s but really got interested in cycling about 6 yrs ago. My bikes were bought around that time and I relied heavily on the advice of shops I used, which were independent and reputable. I was also fitted for the tourer. I haven't ridden other bikes since. Hence the one dimensional approach to handlebars and no doubt a whole lot of other things. I have a lot of food for thought. TE is a great forum.:)

Btw roo4, you made me laugh. Happened to me too when I was a lot younger but I was daft enough to buy it.:o

[OakLeaf]

OakLeaf, like you, I ride on hoods a lot but I really like drops, especially outside the city and if I'm honest, would probably use them more if the reach for the brakes was really easy.

I like the drops and the hooks too. I think ideal bar width is pretty much the same for drops/hooks vs. hoods - so if you like both, you'll want bars that don't splay out too far.

On reach to the brakes - if you don't already have the short-reach Shimano shifters, it would be less expensive to swap just the shifters than to take your whole drivetrain to Campy. But little tweaks can make a lot of difference in that department too - moving the levers up or down on the bars, changing the tilt of the bars - or since you're considering different bars, trying a different bend.

[KnottedYet]

Oh, thanks! I just did it, and can see even without an assistant that I hold my arms quite wide naturally. :)

The anatomical measurements are nice (acromnion span, outer deltoid span, etc) but they really only tell you the dimensions of part of the body. They don't tell you where your arms like to be.

Where they like to be is often where they are most efficient, as well.

What if I have narrow shoulders, but my lungs and ribcage like to expand outwards a lot? I'm going to naturally hold my hands a bit wider, and a bar that matches my shoulder span might not put my arms at the width that lets me breathe most efficiently. Or maybe I've got tremendous pect strength, and my shoulder girdles are most stable slightly protracted. Putting me on a bar the same width as my shoulders might cause me to lose the strength and stability I get from bringing my arms closer.

Function is key! :D

[tzvia]

OakLeaf, like you, I ride on hoods a lot but I really like drops, especially outside the city and if I'm honest, would probably use them more if the reach for the brakes was really easy.

I have the same issue-If I setup the hoods top surface to be a nice flat horizontal extension of the top of the bars, the reach to the levers when in the drops was wayyy too far for my stubby little fingers. I use Shimano Ultrega SL shifters btw. Specialized makes reach-wedges for Shimano shifters- that fit between the lever and the shifter body, basically partially 'pulling' the lever and decreasing the reach. I use them on my commuter and my Ruby and they have made it possible for me to really be confident in the drops, without having to buy two new sets of short-reach levers. I don't think they make them for SRAM or Campy, however.

Yesterday I was in such a headwind that going downhill the wind was slowing me down so much I was pedaling hard; it felt like I was going back uphill! Having those drops available and being able to use them confidently and tucking in my arms and knees made things much easier. Sometimes the silliest little things make a huge difference.

Years ago, I had such a hard time finding narrow enough bars, but last month I went into an LBS and fouind Torelli bars in 34, 36 and 38 just hanging on the wall...

[Bethany1]

How do you measure your shoulders? If I go from the outside edges of my shoulders behind my back I run 45cm. It looks like that measurement from my thumbs as well maybe a little smaller.

I have a Madone with the stock bars. How do you measure the bars and what would you look for if they are too small/large?

[Kathi]

Knotted, thank you! I've done the measurement and my neutral position is not 36cm, but a shade under 34cm? Can this be? My head now hurts but I'm glad I've learnt this given its importance. This will be my starting point for the decision. Thank goodness the bike is only due mid-Sept.

My neutral measurement is 33 cm. The 34 cm bar puts my hands slightly wider than my neutral. I also have short arms, which I would think affects the reach to the hoods, and 1st grade sized hands which affects my reach to the brake lever while in the drops. Modolo Venus bars are designed for smaller hands so I can use campy components.

BTW, the handling of my bike is not twitchy and I don't have a problem breathing while climbing. I comfortably ride in the hoods and drops, and can reach my brake levers etc. The smaller bars have really helped my confidence on downhills because I've learned to descend while in my drops and I know I can reach my brakes for slowing or stopping..

When I had the Deda 4 girls I didn't feel comfortable in my drops and couldn't reach my brake levers. I mostly rode with my hands on top of the bar because that is where I felt more comfortable. I used my brakes from the hoods so I had less power braking. Even though my frame was correct size and fitted I still had shoulder soreness and rode with stiff elbows.

Here in Colorado I've ridden some really scary terrain. The smaller bars make the difference between riding vs walking or sagging down.

The Modolo Venus bars aren't fancy but they do their job and I'm very happy with them.

[Sardine]

I just wanted to let you know that following your helpful responses, I decided to swap the handlebar on one of my existing bikes to a 36cm one. Kathi, I was interested in getting a Modolo Venus after your recommendation but couldn't source one and ended up with a Salsa bar which also helps me reach the brakes easily. It's really made a difference to my comfort level and the ride is much nicer. I've decided to leave the stock bars on the new road bike which is coming in next week to see how that goes before I make a decision as I figure I should at least give it a chance. But now I know that 36cm bars work for me.

Thanks again.


P.S. Thanks also to Indysteel for your response on another thread to do with rust in one of my steel frames. Your views consolidated my own concern and I took it to my bike shop. It wasn't a major problem but there was a tiny hole in one of the welded areas where the tubes join near the bottom bracket and that was letting moisture in. It's now been sealed.

[Kathi]

I just wanted to let you know that following your helpful responses, I decided to swap the handlebar on one of my existing bikes to a 36cm one. Kathi, I was interested in getting a Modolo Venus after your recommendation but couldn't source one and ended up with a Salsa bar which also helps me reach the brakes easily. It's really made a difference to my comfort level and the ride is much nicer. I've decided to leave the stock bars on the new road bike which is coming in next week to see how that goes before I make a decision as I figure I should at least give it a chance. But now I know that 36cm bars work for me.

Thanks again.


P.S. Thanks also to Indysteel for your response on another thread to do with rust in one of my steel frames. Your views consolidated my own concern and I took it to my bike shop. It wasn't a major problem but there was a tiny hole in one of the welded areas where the tubes join near the bottom bracket and that was letting moisture in. It's now been sealed.

Thats exactly what I did bought the Modolo Venus put it on my old bike. Liked them so much I put them on my Serotta. Glad the smaller bars are working for you.

[Miranda]

Glad you got your bars worked out. And yes, TE is a wonderful place for information! Don't know what I'd do without it.:cool:

Just throwing in the bar thread here that I never thought I'd be one to ride on the tops until I upgraded to a carbon bar that happen to have flat tops. I have kinda wide-ish palms, and the flat tops are nice and comfy. Though I'm still more on the hoods and some drops. Just never the tops until I got the flat surface.

Good luck with your new bike.:)