38cm bars... going too far?

[spartacus]

I know aero and stuff, but even with 40 it seems a little less ideal climbng out of the saddle. I'm trying to decide if 38 is worth trying or if it's a dumb idea. Please advise. Am 5'11 riding a 56cm frame.

[Geoff]

Zakeen? is that you?

[CustomMetal]

It depends on your shoulder width... my hoods are 36cm apart and I climb and race on them. My drops are 42cm for control when descending. I use the enve aero bars to get the flare.

They key thing though is that my shoulders are only 38cm wide

[Hexsense]

Why do you need the bar to help climbing?
Most people actually put their hands on bar top when they climb, that's a whole lot narrower than 38cm apart.

If you have such special requirement, do what you feel comfortable with. Most people using 38cm bar or narrower only pull up the bar in drop for sprinting.

[spartacus]

I just mean leverage for out of the saddle.

[bikewithnoname]

I'd suggest getting some cheap Alu bars (Spesh short reach are agood option) and testing it out. Personally it just feels wrong to be narrower than 42cm for me, but different strokes for different folks

[Mcdeez]

Mesure you shoulders.

You wont get faster

[Hexsense]

Leverage for power output is over-rated. See track sprinters, they use 32cm bar and generate 2000+ watts.
Wider is great for comfort and control though. None of those are required in track sprint.

[c60rider]

Like many of the trends of recent years narrower bars is yet another tiny marginal gain if you're after every fraction of a watt. Probably such a fraction as to make no measurable difference. Narrower bars don't do much for comfort for me and some of the pros just look a bit strange with narrow bars. Marc Hirschi and Adam Hansen are two that come to mind. If you want to be aerodynamic just move your hand position to get your elbows tucked in but it's not going make much difference.

[bas]

Not necessarily more aero to use narrower bars if it causes you to round your shoulders and your head sits slightly higher and in the wind more


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[pmprego]

Leverage for power output is over-rated. See track sprinters, they use 32cm bar and generate 2000+ watts.
Wider is great for comfort and control though. None of those are required in track sprint.

I get the control part. Not the confort part. When I moved to narrower bars (in line with my shoulders) I was way more confortable.

[Hexsense]

Well, it's relative. I'm more comfortable on 38cm and 40cm bar than 36cm and 42cm. So, there is a range that work best for each person.

My post assuming the OP is about to go down one size smaller than what he used to. That can potentially reduce comfort because he already said 40cm is less than ideal for him.

[spartacus]

40 is good but less comfortable than 42 overall. I had 42cm bars on my "B" roadbike and 40cm bars on my "A" road bike. I sold my "B" road bike and have a new road bike that I am going to buy new bars for. Lots of people act like you're throwing away your mad aero gainz by not using the smallest possible bars so I was wondering if normal people aka weight weenies people think it's worth potentially compromizing (slightly?) on comfort for said mad aero gainz.

[TobinHatesYou]

5’10” with 37cm shoulders. I ride 38cm bars and only notice it as a hindrance when underbiking on my cx/gravel bike.

[efixler]

When I moved to narrower bars (in line with my shoulders) I was way more confortable.

Sounds like you found the right size!