Handle bar width

mathematics

Hi guys how do I measure my current bars?

They are upswept and back swept.

How do manufacturers measure? What does 700mm width mean? Is that a straight measurement of the bar width or is it the length if the bar before manufacture?

Thanks

Chris

Monty Dog

End-to-end

mathematics

Haha following the contours of the bar or as the crow flies, so to speak?

rockmonkeysc

Straight measurement from end to end.

mathematics

End to end straight across my old backswept riser 'zoom' bar measures 620mm does that sound right?

stuisnew

620 sounds right especially if they are older.

mathematics

very old about 12 years!!

Been looking on superstar and theyre all 700mm plus!! Think that might be a real culture shock to me.

rockmonkeysc

You can cut them down if they're too wide

mathematics

RockmonkeySC wrote:

You can cut them down if they're too wide

Never thought of that.

My current bars are probably high rise with a steep angled stem 90mm.

Im looking at 5 degree stem 60mm stem and a low rise bar probably 700mm - what do you think?

Is there a science to stems and handlebars of is it a test it thing?

KevChallis

My next upgrade is some wider bars, and mine are 680 lol,

if you get superstar bars at 780, get locking grips, then ride with them, and shorten after each ride if you feel they are too wide, this is what I am going to do, as mine aren't wide enough, but I don't know how wide I want them

rockmonkeysc

There's no science to it. You just need to find what works for you.
I have a 50mm stem and 780mm bars but a friend who is a similar size to me thinks its bloody awful and has a 120mm stem and 580mm bars with bar ends. I find his bike almost unridable.

mathematics

Thanks Gents - prob go with the longer bars then Kev and test the water

The Rookie

I've gone up from 580 to 640, which I find just right for me, more comfortable and better control, my daughter has 700's and they feel horrid to me, she says mine are old fashioned.

Biggest change I made was reducing the stem from 100 to 80mm, changed the bike's feel out of all proportion.

KevChallis

The Rookie wrote:

I've gone up from 580 to 640, which I find just right for me, more comfortable and better control, my daughter has 700's and they feel horrid to me, she says mine are old fashioned.

Biggest change I made was reducing the stem from 100 to 80mm, changed the bike's feel out of all proportion.

580 bars!!!! :O

rockmonkeysc

My r**d bike bars are probably wider than that!

jairaj

As said all down to personal preference on what you like but it is usual to reduce the length of your stem if you go for wider bars.

supersonic

As above. I seem best with 620-660mm. If they can be cut down, why not try wider and see how it goes?

bartimaeus

As above - before you cut down your new bars you should spend some time riding with the wider bars. You may find you grow to like them - but if not you can try moving your grips and controls inboard until everything feels right. Once you have a position that you are happy with you can cut the bars down, but if in doubt cut them slightly wide, as you can always cut again later.

Also remember that it's the overall position that well feel 'right' or wrong... so stem length, bar width, saddle position and seatpost layback all play a part. I cut the bars on my Anthem to about 730 - but now that I have an inline Reverb instead of a layback post I'd probably go slightly wider if I were doing it all again.

The Rookie

KevChallis wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

I've gone up from 580 to 640, which I find just right for me, more comfortable and better control, my daughter has 700's and they feel horrid to me, she says mine are old fashioned.

580 bars!!!! :O

I still have 580's on my commuter, any wider and it makes filtering much harder.

Most older bikes came with 580's as standard, no-one thought there was anything wrong with them then!

mathematics

Thanks for all your thoughts guys. Think I'll try some wider bars and shorten my stem and see how that goes.

If you see me selling handlebars and stem in a few weeks time, then you know I didn't like them :-)

Northwind

Remember there's sometimes a limit to how much you can cut a bar down!

It's even more complicated than personal preference... I like 710mm or so, but, I'm experimenting again with wider bars. I don't like it, it feels weird, but it only bloomin works. So I think I'm going to override my preference.