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.

[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.