Handlebars

scrumpymonkey

Missus has got a new bike and whilst out for a ride today I had a look at how she is riding and we had a good chat about how she felt. This is her first ever road bike and so using the drops and gears have been a bit of a change after spending 20 years on a mountain bike. The only things that came up were;

1. Her arms looked quite spread when she is on the hoods. The bars are 420mm centre to centre.

2. She didn't feel like she could get her fingers onto the brake levers effectively to get a good pull (no jokes please). The levers are shimano tiagra.

I was thinking that getting her some narrower bars might solve the brake problem and clear up this little niggle. I was concerned that she wasn't going to enjoy being on a road bike but she surprised me when she said that she really enjoyed herself, especially being able to go so far/ fast so easily in comparison to being on he mountain bike.

So what are your thoughts?

desweller

Bars should be the same width as her shoulders. Shimano make shims that can be used to bring the levers closer to the bars for those with smaller hands.

scrumpymonkey

Thansk for the reply. I measured her shoulders and came up with 39cm using various methods described online. Should I go for a 380mm or a 400? I know coming from a mountain bike that a wider bar inspires more confidence as it feels more stable but I think that she is reaching around the outside of the lever to apply the brakes so putting too much strain on her wrists.

jameses

Narrower bars probably won't help with her reach on the brake levers, although 420mm is probably a bit wide (unless she is quite broad across the shoulders) and she might be more comfortable with something narrower.

As for the lever reach issue, you could try using the shims that should have come with the shifters; failing that, Shimano do the st r600 (9speed) and st r700 (10 speed) non-series levers (equivalent 105 or possibly ultegra level, I think) with a shorter reach.

Hope that helps.

scrumpymonkey

Many thanks will look the levers up.

MichaelW

Go for 380mm, also for shallow drop and consider the shape. 3TTT Ergonova is a nice one for smaller riders and Modolo Venus has a special bend to reduce reach to the levers. While you are there, check the stem length and height.

smidsy

Width does affect reach as you need to splay your arms out more on wide bars, so narrower bars can help with reach.

Shallow drop also sounds a good idea.

jameses

smidsy wrote:

Width does affect reach as you need to splay your arms out more on wide bars, so narrower bars can help with reach.

But not the reach from the hoods to the levers, surely? That should be related to the size of your hands/length of your fingers and the position of the shifters on the bars, so narrower bars won't help if you're struggling to get your fingers around the lever from the hoods.

smidsy

JamesEs wrote:

smidsy wrote:

Width does affect reach as you need to splay your arms out more on wide bars, so narrower bars can help with reach.

But not the reach from the hoods to the levers, surely? That should be related to the size of your hands/length of your fingers and the position of the shifters on the bars, so narrower bars won't help if you're struggling to get your fingers around the lever from the hoods.

Yes indeed. I meant overall reach, not ability to get to the bakes once you are in the drops.

The shallow drops may help with getting to the brakes though as the radius is smaller, thus putting the lever closer to the bar.

appletrees

I've got a couple of pairs of the reach adjustment shims in the garage - you are welcome to one of them.

PM me with your address if you are interested.

Cheers!

scrumpymonkey

Many thanks for all the responses. I think there are a combination of things causing her concern so I will probably change the bars and insert some shims to see how that works. I'd already fitted a shorter riser stem which made her riding position more comfortable. I think it is easy to under estimate how much grip strength it takes to apply the brakes from the hoods.