38cm bars... going too far?

[themidge]

I’m confused about the leverage talk WRT climbing. Are we talking about throwing the bars side to side? Because if we are, then wider bars probably result in less real-world leverage. The wider stanced your arms are, the more your scapula and pectoral muscle has to work to push inward.

Yeah I'm not sure leverage is really the right word, but riding out the saddle feels a lot better on slightly wider bars (eg. 40cm vs 38cm). Think how unstable you feel if you try to ride out the saddle whilst holding the tops. Maybe it's just a frame geometry thing, it feels like on some bikes narrower bars 'slow down' the steering, while on others it speeds it up.

[TobinHatesYou]

Yeah I'm not sure leverage is really the right word, but riding out the saddle feels a lot better on slightly wider bars (eg. 40cm vs 38cm). Think how unstable you feel if you try to ride out the saddle whilst holding the tops. Maybe it's just a frame geometry thing, it feels like on some bikes narrower bars 'slow down' the steering, while on others it speeds it up.

The times I do climb out of the saddle, I don’t throw the bike around or “steer” that much. Some people go way overboard with the pendulum motion IMO.

[themidge]

The times I do climb out of the saddle, I don’t throw the bike around or “steer” that much. Some people go way overboard with the pendulum motion IMO.

Even up really steep gradients? On most hills I agree, you just kind of let the bike swing how it wants underneath you, as you said like a pendulum. But on steep hills I definitely pull on the bars enough to want enough width to feel stable.

[Shrike]

Interesting reading through all that.

Remember when trying to work it out for myself too - heard about the aero benefits and wanted to see how far I could go. I have broad shoulders, and a hair under 5ft 11 so it wasn't advised when I'd asked about it back then.

Really like what one of the posters said earlier, try and see on some cheap bars.

My experimenting meant that I'd now not ride anything other than 38cms (currently on Aerofly II 38cm), but it's all personal preference. I ride out of the saddle a lot, I mean a lot - 10 minute + efforts at times just for kicks, I enjoy it. Wouldn't bother looking to pros or other riders for examples of how your own experience might be though, there will always be trends and outliers. Just give it a shot and see. I got an Cannondale Topstone not so long ago and the bars that came on it were hilarious. Felt like they were 50cm wide! Probably just 42 or 44cm but it felt silly to me. One of those things, you get used to something and start to like it and start to dislike it any other way. People are very adaptable though.

Looks awesome too to my eye.

[callemacody]

Has anyone been able to find flared bars like the Enves Aero (say 35cm hoods 40 cm drops) at a cheaper price?

I was about to order some off Ali, but the stock ran out before i got to it. I am currently riding 38cm wide bars, but would really like to try something even narrowed with a slightly flared drop for sprinting.

Thanks

[CustomMetal]

I think FSA do some

[pmprego]

Interesting reading through all that.

Really like what one of the posters said earlier, try and see on some cheap bars.

My experimenting meant that I'd now not ride anything other than 38cms (currently on Aerofly II 38cm), but it's all personal preference. I ride out of the saddle a lot, I mean a lot - 10 minute + efforts at times just for kicks, I enjoy it. Wouldn't bother looking to pros or other riders for examples of how your own experience might be though, there will always be trends and outliers. Just give it a shot and see. I got an Cannondale Topstone not so long ago and the bars that came on it were hilarious. Felt like they were 50cm wide! Probably just 42 or 44cm but it felt silly to me. One of those things, you get used to something and start to like it and start to dislike it any other way. People are very adaptable though.

Looks awesome too to my eye.

Yeah...The adaptable part is really on point. Moved from 42 to 40 and liked it. The fitter said I should be on 38 (based on my shoulder width). Got some cheap 38cm and I liked it even more. Now I have the 40 on the trainer and I think they should be narrower. Maybe my brain also trying to justify things (and mostly justify the upgrade to some nice 38cm carbon bar - i'm still using the 38cm but are really cheap bars) I even prefer them look-wise. My buddies tell me it's my kids bar but i really enjoy them. Nonetheless, the upgrade one I want will have some flare that will put the drops close to 40cm.

[DaveS]

If you regularly have to pull on the bars to get up hills, you could use some lower gears. I tend to ride some moderate slopes, out of the saddle, just because it's faster. If a steep slope is short enough, I may ride that standing. My steepest and longest sections are done seated.

[Mr.Gib]

I’m confused about the leverage talk WRT climbing. Are we talking about throwing the bars side to side? Because if we are, then wider bars probably result in less real-world leverage. The wider stanced your arms are, the more your scapula and pectoral muscle has to work to push inward.

Yeah I'm not sure leverage is really the right word, but riding out the saddle feels a lot better on slightly wider bars (eg. 40cm vs 38cm). Think how unstable you feel if you try to ride out the saddle whilst holding the tops. Maybe it's just a frame geometry thing, it feels like on some bikes narrower bars 'slow down' the steering, while on others it speeds it up.

I think the superior leverage of wider bars is applicable when you use your arms to contribute to downward pedal force. You tend to pull up on one side and push down on the other in effect tipping the bike to the side. Any steering is incidental or to aid forward momentum by reducing the gradient. The physics suggest a relationship between the pedal, bar, and contact point of the tire of the road. A wider bar simply gives a longer lever reducing the amount of force needed to tip the bike from side-to-side as you climb.

My sense is the advantage of a wider bar is almost nil until you are on extremely steep slopes and just moving forward becomes a wrestling match with the bike.

[StanK]

"Aero bar" from 1973.
And it's aluminum.



I can't say with 100% certainty, but I think I had the same on my bike in the mid 80's (same manufacturer).
How much is this? 32cm, 34cm, 36cm? It isn't more than that, surely.

[TobinHatesYou]

If you’re out of the saddle on a climb, it ain’t that steep.

[tonytourist]

ENVE SES Aero 42cm here, 37 at the hoods. Somedays I wish I would have gone for the 40.

[themidge]

If you’re out of the saddle on a climb, it ain’t that steep.

Eh? If anything it's the other way around .

[Mr.Gib]

If you’re out of the saddle on a climb, it ain’t that steep.

Eh? If anything it's the other way around .

Yeah, don't quite get this. There comes a point, depending on gearing of course, where even full body weight dropped on the pedal is not enough power, that's when the pulling on the bars begins. And damn right it's out of the saddle. I've been on some gradients in the high 20's, maybe 30%. No way to handle those in the saddle short of mtb gearing, maybe some can, but not me.

[spartacus]

If you’re out of the saddle on a climb, it ain’t that steep.

dude wat