How much difference will wider bars make?

DonDaddyD
DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
edited March 2010 in Commuting chat
Just wondering how much difference will wider bars make?

Lets say going from 44cm to 46cm.

The problem, pinched shoulders and pain behind the ears.

(Yes, go and get yourself fitted but other than that).
Food Chain number = 4

A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game

Comments

  • kelsen
    kelsen Posts: 2,003
    Wide bars help breathing. Narrow bars help aero position.

    Pain behind the ears possibly down to being scalped by someone perhaps?
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    kelsen wrote:
    Wide bars help breathing. Narrow bars help aero position.

    Pain behind the ears possibly down to being scalped by someone perhaps?

    Pain behind the ears = base of the neck have to look up while shoulders (pinched) are hunched into neck.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • el_presidente
    el_presidente Posts: 1,963
    Narrow bars help filtering. I have narrower bars on my commute bike than my normal road bike
    <a>road</a>
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    kelsen wrote:
    Wide bars help breathing. Narrow bars help aero position.

    Pain behind the ears possibly down to being scalped by someone perhaps?

    Pain behind the ears = base of the neck have to look up while shoulders (pinched) are hunched into neck.

    HAve you tried raising your bars a bit first? Would seem a cheaper/easier thing to try for starters
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    I run 44's you don't need 46's
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
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  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    will3 wrote:
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    kelsen wrote:
    Wide bars help breathing. Narrow bars help aero position.

    Pain behind the ears possibly down to being scalped by someone perhaps?

    Pain behind the ears = base of the neck have to look up while shoulders (pinched) are hunched into neck.

    HAve you tried raising your bars a bit first? Would seem a cheaper/easier thing to try for starters

    :lol: I think he's spent ages lowering them
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    Clever Pun wrote:
    will3 wrote:
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    kelsen wrote:
    Wide bars help breathing. Narrow bars help aero position.

    Pain behind the ears possibly down to being scalped by someone perhaps?

    Pain behind the ears = base of the neck have to look up while shoulders (pinched) are hunched into neck.

    HAve you tried raising your bars a bit first? Would seem a cheaper/easier thing to try for starters

    :lol: I think he's spent ages lowering them

    Well then, if you insist on steering by holding onto the front axle, don't come here complaining about a stiff neck :lol:
  • plumpy
    plumpy Posts: 124
    I went from 42 to 44, on the basis that my arms were angling inwards with 42's. For me, personally, it made a huge difference to comfort and control and I am really pleased I did it. Better breathing? Worse aero? No idea, still fat and slow.
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Clever Pun wrote:
    will3 wrote:
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    kelsen wrote:
    Wide bars help breathing. Narrow bars help aero position.

    Pain behind the ears possibly down to being scalped by someone perhaps?

    Pain behind the ears = base of the neck have to look up while shoulders (pinched) are hunched into neck.

    HAve you tried raising your bars a bit first? Would seem a cheaper/easier thing to try for starters

    :lol: I think he's spent ages lowering them

    Yes, yes. I've learnt that there is undoubtably a too low.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Try some of these bad boys. Should be plenty wide enough for you :wink:
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,373
    behind the ears or between the ears?












    thankyouthankyouimhereallweek
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  • Roastie
    Roastie Posts: 1,968
    Hey DDD, go for a proper fit session.

    FWIW, 46 sounds stupidly wide. I race road with 40s, cross with 42 - prefer 40 for the commute for filtering.
    David
    Engineered Bicycles
  • Roastie
    Roastie Posts: 1,968
    ps If you like such wide bars, why not just get a hybrid with bar ends? :P
    David
    Engineered Bicycles
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    Riding my new MTB this week felt like hugging GregT :P
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • _Brun_
    _Brun_ Posts: 1,740
    itboffin wrote:
    Riding my new MTB this week felt like hugging GregT :P
    Clammy?
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    itboffin wrote:
    Riding my new MTB this week felt like hugging GregT :P

    gay?
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Ok, well I bought 44cm Deda Newton bars and a 110mm Deda Zero 100 stem. Complete shot in the dark, I think I was freaking out about the Sportive and needed to buy bike stuff to calm me down... I have issues.

    In any case they've arrived and now I'm unsure as to whether to send them back, exchange for a bigger size or exchange for something different or buy a bigger size stem keep the bars and exchange the stem. Or simply give the stem away. I dunno.

    I freaked out. I spend stupid when I do.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • Bassjunkieuk
    Bassjunkieuk Posts: 4,232
    DDD - When's the first sportive your doing? Only asking as swapping position could be a bad thing before a long ride. I've read you shouldn't really adjust your saddle height much more then 5mm at a time so your body can adjust to the change and then you can decide if that's the correct position, assume something similar with bars/stem?

    Heck I'm still not 100% sure that I've got my bars/hoods back on perfect and hope to iron out any niggling issues over a few long rides over the next 3 months before ride day.

    Out of interest do you still get the same pain when riding without a bag on your back?
    Who's the daddy?
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  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    Ok, well I bought 44cm Deda Newton bars and a 110mm Deda Zero 100 stem. .

    Mirrors my setup almost exactly!

    I like wide bars - more leverage!
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Bassjunkieuk wrote:

    Out of interest do you still get the same pain when riding without a bag on your back?

    Yeah.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • Bassjunkieuk
    Bassjunkieuk Posts: 4,232
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    Bassjunkieuk wrote:
    Out of interest do you still get the same pain when riding without a bag on your back?
    Yeah.

    OK, well in that case swap components around to see if you find something comfortable although I'd be tempted to try (if you can) one first then the other, so new handlebars with current stem and ride to see how it feels. Just to keep the number of variables down to hopefully find out what is causing the pains.
    Who's the daddy?
    Twitter, Videos & Blog
    Player of THE GAME
    Giant SCR 3.0 - FCN 5
  • Specialized Needs
    Specialized Needs Posts: 802
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    kelsen wrote:
    Wide bars help breathing. Narrow bars help aero position.

    Pain behind the ears possibly down to being scalped by someone perhaps?

    Pain behind the ears = base of the neck have to look up while shoulders (pinched) are hunched into neck.
    What do you mean by pinched shoulders? if you mean your back is bunched up, surely that indicates too wide bars (arms spread pushing shoulderblades together)? Or am I misinterpreting?
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    Specialized Needs wrote:
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    kelsen wrote:
    Wide bars help breathing. Narrow bars help aero position.

    Pain behind the ears possibly down to being scalped by someone perhaps?

    Pain behind the ears = base of the neck have to look up while shoulders (pinched) are hunched into neck.
    What do you mean by pinched shoulders? if you mean your back is bunched up, surely that indicates too wide bars (arms spread pushing shoulderblades together)? Or am I misinterpreting?

    that or his core is doing nothing and causing the shoulder to hunch as there's too much pressure on them.. probably cause he's too far down?
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    itboffin wrote:
    Riding GregT this week left me feeling like hugging my new MTB :P

    Fixed that fer yer. :twisted:
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    Greg66 wrote:
    itboffin wrote:
    Riding GregT this week left me feeling like hugging my new MTB :P

    Fixed that fer yer. :twisted:

    dude, that's disturbing
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • Levi_501
    Levi_501 Posts: 1,105
    I fitted bar ends to protect my hands !

    Not 100% of the width, fairly standard I think.
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Bought 120mm stem from Condor seems to have done the trick.

    Still gonna keep the 110mm just in case (or exchange it for something not sure yet) or sell it £30?

    Gonna add the new bars this weekend.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    Clever Pun wrote:
    Greg66 wrote:
    itboffin wrote:
    Riding GregT this week left me feeling like hugging my new MTB :P

    Fixed that fer yer. :twisted:

    dude, that's disturbing

    Never mind CP there's enough cuddles to go around, your turn will come :P
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.

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