Shoulder width vs. bar width

[Thorn]

Towards the end of the season when our mileage was getting higher, I started to have problems in my upper back. I just assumed that my bike was too long. I'm 6' tall but only have an arm span of about 5'6".

When I started riding on a trainer a couple weeks ago with a 20+ year old racing bike, I noticed how much more comfortable that bike was than my newer road bike. So this weekend I got out the tape measure and discovered it was actually just a tad bit longer between saddle to handle bars. Hmmm...

But after searching old posts (note: there are some good back threads on this one) I found the shoulder width == handlebar width. Sure enough, the old bike has 40cm handle bars and the new bike has 44cm. When I do the measurement on my shoulders I am at 38cm. Looks like I'll be looking for new handle bars. I just haven't decided if I should go down to 38 or go with 40. Dropping 6cm seems a drastic change.

These forums are awesome!

[SouthernBelle]

This is something I have been wondering about myself as I tinker with bikefit a little this winter.

I've searched a little for a 38 cm bar on the 'net, but they seem to be hard to come by. 40s a bit more plentiful. Which ones have others used?

[Trekhawk]

I have 38 on my older road bike and 40 on my new one. I actually prefer the 40. Most of the long distance cycling books I read say in general the width should equal your shoulders but recommend a slightly wider bar for long distance stuff as it opens your chest for breathing.

[spokewench]

I have 38s on my road bike and cyclocross bike - I have pretty narrow shoulders so this works quite well for me.

I also run a very narrow mountain bike bar (don't know the exact measurement) but since mountain bike bars do not have a lot of places to put my hands and sometimes I like to be wider for climbing, I have bar ends on the end of my bars for another place and position to put my hands.

When I started riding mountain bikes, it was the norm to have bar ends. Now people make the choice. I really have a hard time riding without them so I love them.

I tried riding riser bars on my mountain bike and that was a disaster. First thing I did was crash - and then I was determined to ride them to see if it was because I was not used to them so I rode them for 2 weeks. It did not get better. That is, my bike handling was horrible so I went back to narrow straight bars with bar ends and love them.

[GLC1968]

My first road bike had bars that were too wide. It was a 49cm bike but it had 44cm bars. Even the bike shop guys were amazed at how wide the bars were for such a small bike. They measured my shoulder width at 39 cm and my new bike now has 38 cm bars. I no longer have back, shoulder, elbow or hand pain! I didn't notice any handling differences even with a 6 cm change...and the change in comfort was totally worth it!!