Width of handlebars for a hybrid

feisty
feisty Posts: 161
edited April 2012 in The workshop
Hi

I have a hybrid but took someones advice and had the handlebars narrowed (stupid I know). Now feels odd and I want to get back what I had before. But what is the correct width for handlebars on a hybrid? I am not wide shouldered?

Comments

  • susumilo
    susumilo Posts: 2
    range between 500-600mm would be fine i guess
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Whatever feels right! Theer are no hard and fast rules here. Sometimes is trial and error (as you found out).

    I use 600-640mm on all my bikes.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • feisty
    feisty Posts: 161
    I have 560mm at the moment.

    Trying to find a 600mm x 25.4mm (as my current handlebars are 25.4mm)

    Can't work out the difference between these two despite huge differencein price?

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KCNC-SC-Bone- ... 3cc3a5ccf9

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2011-Windspee ... 43ae92388c

    thoughts?
  • feisty
    feisty Posts: 161
    Or this but will carbon be too brittle for all my lights etc?

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Giant-CRC-car ... 3a67e6d411
  • jomoj
    jomoj Posts: 777
    As a guideline, measure (or get someone else to) the width across your shoulders with your arms at your sides from the outside to outside of the boney bits on the top of the shoulder joints. With your hands on the bars palms down as normal, the distance between the inside of your wrists shouldn't be any less than the shoulder width. Any narrower and it will compromise your breathing and control but you can go wider if you find it more comfortable. I know you see tiny bars on fixie bikes but that's just a fashion thing, it's not an ideal for a proper bike. :)

    As for carbon vs alloy, for a commuter bike I wouldn't bother with carbon. One crash or careless fall and you could trash the bar, metal is more resilient for day to day use.
  • team47b
    team47b Posts: 6,425
    Where you ride makes a difference, off road wider is more stable. I have 580 on my hybrid and, my shoulders are 420mm. I Just tend to move my hands in so probably a 480 bar would suit me better. IMO the bars should be wider than your shoulders and your comfort will decide by how much.

    Take some measurements and see by how much wider than your shoulders the bar needs to be.
    my isetta is a 300cc bike
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    http://www.carboncycles.cc/?s=0&t=2&c=69&p=615&

    £8, 176g, 580mm.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • gbsahne001
    gbsahne001 Posts: 1,974
    420 on the CX, 520mm on the BSO-hybrid and 600 on the MTB. It does feel strange going from the CX to the MTB but even the BSO feels very wide having been on the CX predominantly in the last month.

    Edit: thanks SS for the link to new handlebars, mine have just about rusted through, so have been looking for a replacement for a while
    Winter Hack
    Everyday Commuter
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    My Hybrid runs on 580mm bars (BBB Fibretop, 111g)

    Rusted.....RUSTED.....yuck
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • gbsahne001
    gbsahne001 Posts: 1,974
    The Beginner wrote:
    My Hybrid runs on 580mm bars (BBB Fibretop, 111g)

    Nice, too may pennies though, plus I want to shorten it down to 520, which is probably a bad idea on the CF
    Rusted.....RUSTED.....yuck

    It is yuck, the chrome is all bubbling off and rust spots are quite prolific, not bad for 16 years wear though.
    Winter Hack
    Everyday Commuter

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