Handlebar Width

[Aggie_Ama]

I got my shoulders measured a lunch, I should be riding a 38 by that school of thought. She recommended a turn my hoods in slightly to bring my wrists to straight. I will try that first before investing in new bars.

[GLC1968]

Amanda - so when you ride your 38's, your hands kind of flare out to the sides (if your arms are straight) when you are on the hoods? That does sound a little like a hood positioning problem.

But, I can see how if your chest makes your arms spread wider than your shoulder width, then measuring your shoulders wouldn't be the right width for you. Do your elbows point out to the side when you ride, or are they pointing down? That might might point to what it is that's causing your arms to be wider. If the elbows point down, I would think your shoulders are wider, but if they point out, it would be the chest causing it. This is totally non-scientific. I'm sitting here at my desk trying to figure it out using my own arms, so it's only a guess.

I ride 38cm bars. My first bike had 44cm ones and while an open chest is good for breathing, it's not so good for aerodynamics. I felt like a sail with my arms spread so wide! I was also having upper back pain. As soon as I switched to the 38's, it was instantly better. I put the same width bars on my commuter, and it definitely works for me (but I am not chesty at all).

[aicabsolut]

Amanda - so when you ride your 38's, your hands kind of flare out to the sides (if your arms are straight) when you are on the hoods? That does sound a little like a hood positioning problem.

But, I can see how if your chest makes your arms spread wider than your shoulder width, then measuring your shoulders wouldn't be the right width for you. Do your elbows point out to the side when you ride, or are they pointing down? That might might point to what it is that's causing your arms to be wider. If the elbows point down, I would think your shoulders are wider, but if they point out, it would be the chest causing it. This is totally non-scientific. I'm sitting here at my desk trying to figure it out using my own arms, so it's only a guess.

I ride 38cm bars. My first bike had 44cm ones and while an open chest is good for breathing, it's not so good for aerodynamics. I felt like a sail with my arms spread so wide! I was also having upper back pain. As soon as I switched to the 38's, it was instantly better. I put the same width bars on my commuter, and it definitely works for me (but I am not chesty at all).

Good point. I guess I should add that I could go slightly narrower with my bars because I definitely don't have boobs getting in my way. It was more comfortable to me with the way I like to hold my arms and have my upper body position.

The hoods are slighly ergonomically shaped, but you can tweak that with positioning them. Also, have you thought about looking at whether the hoods are at the right height on the bars and if maybe you need to rotate your bars downward or upward to make your position on the hoods feel more natural?

[Aggie_Ama]

GLC- the first way you described is what my hands do.

I am going to try moving the hoods (it is cheaper!) but I may get some 40 cm. And yes my chest honestly is in the way of my arms but I don't know if it is enough to get wider bars. A woman helped me today (also fitted my bike), I would think she would have noticed the chest issue. I was a little too embarassed to say anything since a couple of the guys were hovering. I didn't want to go "So, do you think the fact that I am busty might be a reason to abandon the shoulder rule?"

[tattiefritter]

I had 38cm bars initially on my road bike, they seemed alright in the shop but in practice were too narrow and my boobs also got in the way. I found the bike teetery when I stood up to climb and just got fed up with squashing my boobs. I persevered with it for a year as I am a mountain biker and my MTB handlebars are 26inches wide, they were always going to feel narrow, but I had to change them in the end.

I have changed them to 42cm Deda 215 Shallows (I think, definitely 215 shallows, manufacturer escapes me) and the difference is amazing. I have real leverage when standing pedalling and my boobs don't get squashed, much more enjoyable riding experience.