Handlebar Width

[Aggie_Ama]

Currently my Cannondale has narrow 38 cm bars. My commuter has 42 cm bars and it is a very big difference. ON my Cannondale my wrists are bent when I ride on the hoods. It is uncomfortable to keep a nice, relaxed straight line with them. My commuter ones feel big still but they really open up my chest and I can keep a straight line with my arms.

How do you know what size to use?

I have narrow shoulders but am top heavy, maybe that is why my Cannondale is hard to hold straight. My boobs get in the way? I find on it I mostly ride on the top of the bar instead of on the hoods and in control of the shifters/brakes.

[OakLeaf]

Years ago I had 42s on my road bike, and it was a big adjustment, and a rather long one, to my Cannondale that came with 38s like yours. But actually I've grown to like it. I ride on the hoods now - which gives me a lot more control than riding with my hands on the corners of the bars as I tended to do with the wider bars.

The weight that's placed on my hands, goes on the meat and webbing of my thumbs. My wrists are actually outboard of the levers, and my palms face in - as though I'm holding a box between my hands. So my wrists are straight but my elbows are bent, and my hands are always in position to shift or brake when needed.

You've had that bike for a while now, yes? Have you experimented with different stems? Do you feel like you've given the bars enough of a chance to be sure?

[batsheva]

I also had 38cm cannondale bars-- last friday I swapped stems and the new stem required different diameter bars and they measured me at the shop by holding the bars up so it was the same as my shoulder to shoulder width and that was the size they put on the bike - 40cm - made such a difference and opened up my chest from being constricted by my hands going too much in front of me and so is a big improvement just from that 2cm wider bar--

[Aggie_Ama]

You've had that bike for a while now, yes? Have you experimented with different stems? Do you feel like you've given the bars enough of a chance to be sure?

I have had her since December 2006 and never really thought about the narrow bars. But I notice a huge difference in the 42's. I am thinking a 40 cm might be a happy medium but am timid about changing the bars.

I cannot comfortably ride with my hands like you describe yours. Can you be fitted to bars? I mean is there some science to it like bike fitting or is it trial and error. The 38 cm seem like what a narrow shouldered woman would like but my wrists sure don't work with them.

[kelownagirl]

On wrench science bike fit website that wahine posted, I measured my shoulder width from the end of one bony protusion to the other. Mine was 38cm. My bars are that wide and they fit great.

[malkin]

On a tandem, stoker handlebars should be wider than the captain's bum by at least the width of a thumb.

[jennrod12]

Can you be fitted to bars? I mean is there some science to it like bike fitting or is it trial and error. The 38 cm seem like what a narrow shouldered woman would like but my wrists sure don't work with them.

Here's what my fitter described (only it was in person, so easier to demonstrate than to write, but I'll give it a try). Stand with your arms hanging down, comfortably. Without really thinking about it, bend both arms 90 degrees at the elbow (kind of like a cowboy drawing both guns) with your palms facing towards each other, fingers straight out in front of you. Now measure the distance between both hands. This is the size handlebar you need. It's not quite the same as your shoulder width, because some people naturally move their hands either inward or outward as they bring them up.

I have very narrow shoulders and I use a size 34cm bar, and could try a 32cm if they made them that small. To me, 38cm sounds really wide! So it's whatever works for you, don't get hung up on the number.

Good luck! Jenn

[Becky]

Here's what my fitter described (only it was in person, so easier to demonstrate than to write, but I'll give it a try). Stand with your arms hanging down, comfortably. Without really thinking about it, bend both arms 90 degrees at the elbow (kind of like a cowboy drawing both guns) with your palms facing towards each other, fingers straight out in front of you. Now measure the distance between both hands. This is the size handlebar you need. It's not quite the same as your shoulder width, because some people naturally move their hands either inward or outward as they bring them up.

I've used both the "shoulder width" method and Jenn's method- each one indicates a 38 cm bar for me.

[aicabsolut]

Get someone to measure your shoulder width from behind. I was something like 39cm, and I went down to 38cm bars. Very comfy for me, but most people I know prefer a slightly wider bar.