The comfort of narrow handlebars.

[Toybota]

I've put some 36cm Liv handlebars on a 3T Strada with the levers bent in slightly, narrow but you do get used to it and I run narrower on the track. Use the bike for road bike TTs as well as fast group rides.



We did some aero testing recently on banned positions, as well as bending the levers in etc., there are improvements from narrower bars but how you hold them is of course more important:

https://aero-coach.co.uk/uci-road-bike- ... rodynamics

Is that a Giant Stealth stem?
Any issue with fitment? Have you had to do any modification?

[one60]

Q for XAV...Are the advantages of aero bar positions consistent with the position to generate optimal/maximal power? IIRC, engaging glutes occurs at back angles greater than 40 degrees? What are the biggest trade-offs we should be keeping in mind?

[iheartbianchi]

Q for XAV...Are the advantages of aero bar positions consistent with the position to generate optimal/maximal power? IIRC, engaging glutes occurs at back angles greater than 40 degrees? What are the biggest trade-offs we should be keeping in mind?

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/233570519.pdf

This study (which is highly cited) indicates that 50-75% produces greatest power. This has to be carefully considered with aerodynamic drag, however.

Also, many other factors and variables, such as knee and ankle angles. Not to mention, adaptations necessary to maintain aggressive hip angles.

Also, this is part of the reason why pros generally want to (but aren't allowed to anymore thanks UCI) tilt their saddle noses way down. This lets them achieve highly aerodynamic positions, while mitigating somewhat the "excessive" hip angles closer to the "more optimal" power ranges by reducing the hip angle (saddle nose up increases hip angle, saddle nose down decreases hip angle).

Generally on a bike, the lower you can get, the better, when factoring in aero. You may lose some power at say 100 degrees, but you can get more speed per watt due to lower drag.

[xav]

Hi Xav, Tom Sturdy is building me something special.. if you DM me a number (can't find one on your website) I'd love to discuss... however it won't be finished for Mid May, but your road bike series was one of the main reasons for the commission!

Plenty of time for the rest of the season, I heard a rumour there'll be an official road bike champs that the CTT are running but no more than a rumour so far. Maybe one of the classic series.

Is that a Giant Stealth stem?
Any issue with fitment? Have you had to do any modification?

It's a Contact Aero stem off a Propel yes. In order to get the Liv handlebars to fit (they're smaller than the normal Contact Aero handlebars) I had to manufacture a shim to go in the stem. Inside the stem is a JC41 and both hydraulic cables, one of which goes down into the steerer tube for the front brake - I modified the top cap and expander plug to allow it - and filled in the external hole on the fork and painted it over. The rear hydraulic hose goes out the back of the stem and I cut a slot out to give it space for when the bars turn. I might do a thread in the bike section on here detailing how I've done it if that would be helpful.

Q for XAV...Are the advantages of aero bar positions consistent with the position to generate optimal/maximal power? IIRC, engaging glutes occurs at back angles greater than 40 degrees? What are the biggest trade-offs we should be keeping in mind?

For road cycling aero wins, the differences for most riders between a very upright position (eg. tops) and an aero position are <10% in terms of aerobic power output but the aero differences are always way more. Comfort is the big one though - I have back issues from a young age so can't hold a dramatic position for too long and have to pick and choose where to do it. Over time we will see riders choosing breakaway bikes in pro races for specific days, with special setups, and then back to normal bikes for regular days.

[FLtrooper]

Any updates or new additions to the narrow handlebar options? I would love a sub 36cm setup for my flatlander build.

[VvM]

I've recently moved from 420mm bars (C-C) to 380mm's. Was skeptical about the difference it would make, but oh my...It's a massive difference and for me it's a (very) positive change. My bikefitter/physio recommended narrower bars based on my shoulder width. Other than that I feel much more comfortable on the bike, my hands are less numb, my shoulders/upper body is less achy when finish a long ride, and feel simply more "planted" on the bike. Bit of a hassle to get them changed (internal hydro cables, Di2) but very glad I got them changed.

[wooger]

I moved from 44cm gravel bars (plus even wider flared drops ) to 42cm (sold as 44cm) Deda Zero compact bars, and now down to 40cm centre to centre, no flare. I prefer it in every respect, it's far more comfortable on my hands when in the correct postion on the tops (no numb hands), and makes the reach for all positions a little less.

I'm a big guy, wide shoulders, 195cm, 120kg. I have no clue how many people are truly better off with a bar wider than 42cm but it must be vanishingly small number of people. I am the tallest, longest armed and broadest shouldered person in my cycling club by some margin.

The manufacturers are way off with their default bar widths, and selling bikes with 44 or even 46 for larger sizes is just insane.

[spartacus]

I switched to 36cm and they are super comfortable and the position really does feel more aerodynamic. Would highly recommend it.

[Weber]

Is there really a correlation between the size of the shoulders and the width of the handlebar for road? I have 42cm of biacromial

I'm thiking to go down from 40 c-c to 38

[LedZeppelin007]

I use 38s and am 189cm. Very comfortable for me.

My SL7 came with 42s. Felt like riding a mountain bike before I changed the bars to 38s.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Mr.Gib]

Has anyone gone narrower and NOT liked it?

Yup.

Used 42 cm bars on most of my bikes for years. A damaged shoulder prompted a nearly two year experiment riding 40 cm on my main good weather road bike. Just switched back to 42. I prefer the better steering precision in hard cornering, and better stability and leverage in hard out of the saddle efforts with the wider bar vs any potential aero gains of the narrower.

Even with the 42's, and my elbows tight by my sides in a good low aero position, my forearms angle inward toward the levers a fair bit. Probably due to my levers being angled in a bit. The knobs at the end of the hoods where my hands spend most of the time (really long arms) are each about 2 cm inboard from the bars. That would equate to a 38cm bar with straighter levers. Very happy with the setup and wouldn't want my hands any closer together.

Worth noting is that I spend a few weeks each summer in purely mountainous terrain - nothing but big time climbing and descending. For that I have 44cm bars, and as soon as I hit the first descent I am glad I have them. Much more control throwing the bike around in the twistys.

I do wonder about scale. Me, 183cm and very wide shouldered, using 42cm bars, would not that be the equivalent of smaller narrower riders using 38 or 36 as far as how the body interacts with the bike?

[TobinHatesYou]

My shoulders are 37cm between the acromion processes and I find that 37cm grips/ramps work best for riding on the hoods, but I do prefer the drops to be flared out quite wide for better control during sprints. Also I'm full subscribed to the crosseyed levers look now. It brings the arms even closer together and rotates the wrists into a more neutral position. It's the best way to ride in the Sphinx for long periods without special bars like those banned Speeco bars or the Coefficient Wave RR, which I also run on certain bikes.

[eins4eins]

I went back to 39cm after two years with the 35cm Enves. Both with hoods turned inwards. Wider just feels better for me in most situations. As my elbows are in the same position, aero disadvantage is very very small or non-existent.

with the 35cm my elbows stuck out quite a bit
https://abload.de/img/stigukdn.jpg

[Mr.Gib]

Also I'm full subscribed to the crosseyed levers look now. It brings the arms even closer together and rotates the wrists into a more neutral position. It's the best way to ride in the Sphinx for long periods...

With Shimano on my Black Inc bars "crosseyed" seems to be the only way I can get my hands and wrists fully comfortable. And yes indeed, also seems to put the forearms in a nice spot on the bar tops for the "Sphinx".

With older Sram mechanical I am quite happy with straighter hoods.

[cheapvega]

I have a question about narrower bars and stem length. Basically, do I have to compensate for narrower bars with a longer stem? I'm guessing I'd have to compensate for half the bar width, so going from a 42 to a 40 would require a 10mm longer stem. I'm also a little worried about knee to elbow interference as I already have some with 42cm bars.