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.