Stems: Oversize or Standard?

billholding

Is there a benefit to having Oversize bar to stem clamping, rather than standard?

Just been to the bike shop to buy a new stem for the bike i'm building, and got given a standard stem rather than oversize, which i didn't realise until i got home. As i haven't decided on which bars to get yet, at this stage it doesn't really make any difference, but clearly if the oversize fixing is preferable i will need to get it swapped over. I guess most importantly, which will offer the most comfort in terms of flex/vibration control, if in fact there is any difference?

Also, i am going to be using flat bars on the road bike, so any suggestions as to which would be good bars to look for (NO riser / NOT carbon / reasonably priced), would be greatly appreciated.

Down the Road

Oversize bars are lighter stiffer and use beter materails.

Upgrade you'll never regret it

currieinahurry

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Oversize bars are lighter stiffer and use beter materails.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

how have you figured that out?
tikka

hi my name is adam... and i have a problem with posting on cycling forums.

Down the Road

I know this and can find numbers to show it and When did any manufacturer spend time building 26 mm bars as a new product.

currieinahurry

lol
tikka

hi my name is adam... and i have a problem with posting on cycling forums.

Unknown

[:D]

Mleh Mleh Mleh

domtyler

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Down the Road</i>
I know this and can find numbers to show it and When did any manufacturer spend time building 26 mm bars as a new product.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Are you for real?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Porridge not Petrol
________
ROLL A JOINT

woody-som

I always go for standard, acording to the easton website, the standard was lighter than oversize. makes sense really, less metal, but not as stiff, so depends on your strength and riding style.

monty_dogcp

Oversize bars are noticeably stiffer IME and you will notice road vibration more. If you feel that standard diameter bars are flexy, then go for it, but unless you're a powerful sprinter, most mortals have been happy with 26mm bars for ages.

pieinthesky

If you ride long distances and/or value comfort go for standard size bars as they have more give, particularly if you go for a lightweight bar. The oversize bars are aimed at the racer boys (and pretend racer boys) who seem to value stiffness above comfort.

Another factor worth bearing in mind is how long std size bars will remain available, will they be fazed out?

pieinthesky

Easton do a good lightweight flat aluminium bar, I have one on my MTB and I recon its worth a half inch of suspension travel.

cougie

Standard for me. More compatability for tribars and brackets and things. I never do bunch sprints so never noticed any floppiness in my standard bars.

Better materials ? Yeah - right...

billholding

Hi people, and thanks for all your advice. Not sure if it was clear or not, but when i am talking about oversize, i mean only the bulge in the centre where the stem clamps around it, so the rest of the bar is standard diameter. Anyway, all your comments are appreciated, thanks.

nmcgann

OS bars are a pain for attaching almost any accessories - the problem is that the bulge in the middle usually tapers down to normal width over quite a long distance so that kills almost all the normal space you would use on 26mm bars. Often there's not even a big enough usable area at 31.8mm to clamp anything next to the stem either.

I've got some nice OS bars in my parts box, but I haven't fitted them as I can't fit any accessories at all (apart from the computer that I have on the stem on that bike).

Neil

cougie

Bill - there are two sizes for bars - Standard is 26mm and OS is 31.8mm.

Both have bulges in the centre.