Different width bars & cleat adjustment

milese

I was looking at some bike fit stuff last night and saw about bar width, that I hadn't previously considered.

I took my shoulder measurement, from armpit to armpit at 38cm.

The bars on my giant centre to centre at widest point is 43cm, and on the spesh 42cm.

Are bar width specs centre to centre of widest point? If so I suppose I should have some 38s.

Question is am I really going to notice the change? Has anyone changed to wider / narrower bars and had a comfort problem that they hadn't ever really noticed solved?

I get stiffness between my shoulder blades but thats probably more to do with having a desk job then the bike.

Any ideas of weights of standard bars on a Giant SCR 1.0 and a Spesh Tarmac?

While we're here, any advice on how to set cleats side to side, ie how wide apart your feet are? I suppose you want your feet to be square to your hips, but how to measure that?

Thanks.

John.T

Most bars are measured C to C but some makes use total width.
The way to measure which size you need is often given as the width between your shoulder notches. I have no idea what these are and have never found mine. I measured between the centre of my shoulder joints as this should produce parallel arms when on the bike. I do not like my arms to go inwards when riding as it restricts breathing a little. Better the other way. I would say that your bars will not be far off.

There is not a lot of side adjustment on cleats. Just make sure you are not rubbing on the cranks. As regards heel in or out I start by making sure my ankle clears the crank and fine tune from there until I feel comfortable. There is more adjustment here but mostly heel out and not many want to go too far that way.

Steve_b77

I've just bought a new set of 44cm bars as the ones on my bike felt too narrow on longer rides and when out of the saddle.

I noticed this more after riding my new SS with 44cm Charge Slice bars.

Subsequently the FSA Energy ones will be up for sale very soon, I'm more than certain they're 40cm.

dennisn

IMHO I wouldn't make to much of bar width. I doubt you'll notice much if you change and even if you do it won't be anything dramatic. I feel like I breathe a bit easier with wider bars than narrow ones and I use 42's, although I have used as narrow as 38's in the distant past. Not worth worrying about. Go with what you've got, unless you've got money burning a hole in your pocket.

SCR Pedro

Assuming the bars are the standard Giant A3 Alu' 44cm bars, they weigh 325g

pedro