Handlebar Width

[Zakalwe]

Wider would feel slower, like a longer stem - the further from the pivot point, the more action required for the same degree of movement. Less effort required though.

[mpulsiv]

Just because a handlebar is advertised as 42cm, it doesn't mean that it's 42cm c-c. My Ritchey WCS curve is 41cm.

[BRM]

Corky (post 2 in this topic) had really said it all.

And of course this is just a returning topic . . . .
Here is another topic of 9 pages with mostly same kind of nonsense and bad insight.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=111066

[Lewn777]

I've got 3 sets of bars 40, 42 and 44.
I prefer 44. I ride road motorcycles on track days and mountain bike enduro and downhill. I love the climbs and the flats but my favourite thing is descending on mountain roads. To me a 44 bar feels just wide enough to inspire some full control high speed twisting descents, but I feel narrower bars are just too narrow for full control for the tiny if any aero advantages they aren't worth it - for me. Sure it could be psychological, but then again performance riding is a mental game, where believing in your bike and especially tires is vitally important.

[gtinut]

measure shoulders and pick width accordingly.
CX bike has 44 while road rig has 42. best is to get bike fit but not required.

[pdlpsher1]

Just because a handlebar is advertised as 42cm, it doesn't mean that it's 42cm c-c. My Ritchey WCS curve is 41cm.

Is the 41cm measurement done at the bar top or in the drops. I have always thought bars are measured at the top. But 3T measures at the drop. And due to the flared out drops on the 3T Ergonova, my 40cm wide Ergonova actually measure 38cm on the top and 40cm on the drops. It could be that your WCS is measured at 42cm in the drops.


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[Hexsense]

Is the 41cm measurement done at the bar top or in the drops. I have always thought bars are measured at the top. But 3T measures at the drop. And to the flared out drops on the 3T Ergonova, my 40cm wide Ergonova actually measure 38cm on the top and 40cm on the drops. It could be that your WCS is measured at 42cm in the drops.

and there is Enve who measure both.
for example,
"Bar Road Aero SES 40c-c drop 35c-c hood" is 35cm on hood and 40cm in drop like the name suggest.
I like this approach a lot better than measure only one place

[BRM]

my 40cm wide Ergonova actually measure 38cm on the top and 40cm on the drops.

To be precise: Your 3T handlebar is not 20 mm narrower on the top but 16 mm

[pdlpsher1]

my 40cm wide Ergonova actually measure 38cm on the top and 40cm on the drops.

To be precise: Your 3T handlebar is not 20 mm narrower on the top but 16 mm

Indeed. It's more like 38.5cm on the top Thanks.

[3Pio]

I just picked up the handlebar.This time everything fine and no crack . Posting the actual weight, its 203 or 204 gm. This days i'll install it on the bike and write an short review how i like it.

Seem like very stiff, but we will see.

[Lightweenie]

There were some posts about a narrower or wider bar changing the reach. If you do the (basic geometry) calculations you'll see that the reach difference for a normally proportioned bike when making the bars 2cm wider or narrower is negligible. You can safely ignore this when deciding on the width of your bars, and keep your stem.

[3Pio]

Installation in progress.Hope ill have a test ride today

[nom8099]

there is no right or wrong answer.

[3Pio]

Ok. Today i had a test ride, 65 km, 1350 meters of climb.

Easton EC90SLX3 Handlebar is very stiff, in same time absorb all road buzz/noise and it's definetly much better feeling compared to alloy i had. Also i fix the problem with bike beeing unstable on downhill and slow reaction in handling. Im not sure if this is because of a bit narrower width or because old handlebar was noddle (Zipp Service Course SL-80), but definetly today i really enjoyed the downhill (max speed 72 km/h according to Strava).

Also 42 cm in the drops feel very good, and comfortable.

Now bad things In the hoods it was not comfortable. Im not sure if the problem is that somehow i installed brake/shifter too low, so instead of going flat or a bit up, it's going down, so make me feeling uncofmortable. Tommorow i'll rotate the handlebar up to check if this gonna solve the problem, so if this solve, i just reinstall brake/shifters a bit more up.

Other problem. Since this is flared handlebar (42 cm in the drops, 40.5 in the hoods), i installed levers following this flare, and pointing inside. But this put my hands in not good position, so im thinking should i just install them straight and how this gonna compromise braking in the drops.

How u guys install levers on flared handlebars? Straight, or pointing a bit inside?

[stevec1975]

I just bought a 40cm Bar to test out a narrower position, if you are after a lightweight alloy bar for a good price, the Cinelli Dinamo is 223.8 grams for a 40cm Bar (C-C), and at £50 on wiggle, doesn't break the bank either.