Bar Width....

iDad
iDad Posts: 68
edited April 2013 in MTB buying advice
Bar Width……

I’m 6’2” 17st….41yr old…am broad and tall rather than chubby.

I’m riding a fairly standard 2007 spesh FSR XC…..only upgrades/changes I’ve made so far are a set of XT brakes, a new saddle and Grips.
The bars seem a little narrow for me at 645mm so I’ve managed to get hold of some Nukeproof Warheads at 760mm wide (not fitted them yet) but they look miles wider.

What width of bars do you guys use and why?

Comments

  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    I'm a hair over 6ft and use Easton havoc 750mm bars, carbon on the Susser and alloy on the hardtail, great shape, perfect width and the quality is superb. The carbon ones are awesome, stiff but with a vibration damping side too, best bars on the market IMO. The Haven has the same shape but slightly narrower and are also great bars.
  • EH_Rob
    EH_Rob Posts: 1,134
    5ft 8, use 710mm alloy havocs. could probably go a bit wider i guess but it won't make me a riding god, and in any case i may not prefer it. plus i do ride a lot in fairly dense woodland, so any wider may create problems in that sense.
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    I'm 6'1" and 14.5 stone.
    I use 720mm bars for XC and 760mm bars for DH. I find wider bars a bit of a pain for XC, tend to clip trees too often. I always go for a low rise and very little spacing under the stem. A low front end always helps handling and control.
    Things like reach and stem length also effect the width of bars I find comfortable.
  • i'm a 6ft'er and run nukeproof 760's on my soul, ive relatively Broad shoulders too, i went up in increments though due to sales and cheap bars, 635- 690/710/740/760, had some 785 raceface bars on for a while on the village hack bike but they were simply Too wide for me!
    its all down to personal preference tough, what suits me may well not suit another rider of the same build, if you wanna go daft, grab a superstar Yardstick bar!! ;-)
    Timmo.
    After all, I am Cornish!
    http://cornwallmtb.kk5.org/
    Cotic Soul, The bike of Legends!:wink: Yes, I Am a bike tart!
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... 1#16297481
  • EH_Rob
    EH_Rob Posts: 1,134
    funny you should mention superstar yardstick in easter week, i believe jebus was crucified on one of them.
  • EH_Rob wrote:
    funny you should mention superstar yardstick in easter week, i believe jebus was crucified on one of them.
    :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
    Timmo.
    After all, I am Cornish!
    http://cornwallmtb.kk5.org/
    Cotic Soul, The bike of Legends!:wink: Yes, I Am a bike tart!
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... 1#16297481
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    635 on the zaskar carbon, 660 on the spesh, 580 on the zaskar le.
  • chez_m356
    chez_m356 Posts: 1,893
    iDad wrote:
    Bar Width……

    I’m 6’2” 17st….41yr old…am broad and tall rather than chubby.

    I’m riding a fairly standard 2007 spesh FSR XC…..only upgrades/changes I’ve made so far are a set of XT brakes, a new saddle and Grips.
    The bars seem a little narrow for me at 645mm so I’ve managed to get hold of some Nukeproof Warheads at 760mm wide (not fitted them yet) but they look miles wider.

    What width of bars do you guys use and why?
    try them and see what you think, they can always be cut down if they are too much, if you have lock on grips, you can always move them along the bars until you find what works for you
    Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc 10- CANYON Nerve AM 6 2011
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    640 on the Kraken (XC) 580 on the retro, 5'9" and medium build.

    Surely bar width is a function of the person (shoulder width) mixed with the nature of the bike itself and a dash of personal preferance on top?
    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.
  • iDad
    iDad Posts: 68
    [/quote]
    try them and see what you think, they can always be cut down if they are too much, if you have lock on grips, you can always move them along the bars until you find what works for you[/quote]


    I've lock on grips so i think thats a good thought there.
    Cheers
  • snoopsmydogg
    snoopsmydogg Posts: 1,110
    5'11 and using 665 low rise bars but think I may be going wider in the near future, used to use 620 but didn't like the way they handled when descending.
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    Surely bar width is a function of the person (shoulder width) mixed with the nature of the bike itself and a dash of personal preferance on top?
    Errr no have you been under a rock? You're not allowed to be accepted by the mtb community unless you ride bars of at least 750mm and at least 100mm wider than your shoulders are supposed to take. That's the rule.

    Anyway i use 680mm bars on my stumpy.
  • WindyG
    WindyG Posts: 1,099
    Go with whatever suits the bike and you and your riding style. I'm 5'6 and have Easton 685mm bars on both my bikes, tried shorter bars and hated the handling but I think anything wider for me wouldn't suit XC use and I'm too short anyway.
  • fat_homer
    fat_homer Posts: 470
    I'm 6' and currently have 711mm Havens. I've been doing so demoing recently and have really liked the wider bars, 740-750mm bars on the bikes I've ridden. So have bought a set of 750mm Havocs for my new build.

    Like above, I'd suggest trying some and seeing what you like.
  • Levi_501
    Levi_501 Posts: 1,105
    580 and 590, but long stem.
  • bartimaeus
    bartimaeus Posts: 1,812
    6ft... 745s on a 65mm stem on my HT, and at the moment 730s on an 80mm stem on my FS, but I am still playing about with that to get it spot on.
    Vitus Sentier VR+ (2018) GT Grade AL 105 (2016)
    Giant Anthem X4 (2010) GT Avalanche 1.0 (2010)
    Kingley Vale and QECP Trail Collective - QECP Trail Building
  • CommyAdam
    CommyAdam Posts: 70
    I'm 6ft and recently changed to Funn Fatboy DH Bars at 785mm (from 760mm on my Meta SX) and i'm never going back.... amazing control, can really get low into corners. Only thing ive found is i dont like my arms being so wide apart when in the air, perhaps i need to improve upper body strength more but feels slightly untenable and using different muscles (or the same muscles differently) when landing....small complaint and love the width of these bars.
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    6'4" and wide. 711 Ragley Wiser on the hardtail 29er. 740mm Crank Brothers Iodine 11 carbon on the Bandit.
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • clamps81
    clamps81 Posts: 315
    Scrawny as, 5'7 and I run 710mm mid rise Funn bars and a 50mm stem. Wouldn't go any wider TBH, but thinking about going with a lower rise (or just removing a spacer) to see what effect that has.
    Nukeproof Mega AM


    Tomac Snyper - Now sadly in pieces
  • iDad
    iDad Posts: 68
    Well the 760's are about 2" a side wider but riding they don't really feel it, comparing them to the old bars these new ones do feel more comfortable and maybe give me a little more control although probably not really enough for someone of my limited skill level to really notice....its probably a confidence thing, if some thing looks and feels good it must be! lol

    anyway 28miles yesterday around the local trails and sherwood forest certainly did feel better with the extra width although the headwind on the way home was not good with tired thighs. but i've changed the grips and the brakes too and first outing for all so could be just combination of them all.
  • iDad
    iDad Posts: 68

  • Giraffoto
    Giraffoto Posts: 2,078
    6' 4", about 690mm on a 70mm stem. The WIP bike will have 685mm bars when it finally turns up
    Specialized Roubaix Elite 2015
    XM-057 rigid 29er
  • NUkeproof Yelloow is a bit YELLOW isnt it!!
    IMG-20130204-00384_zps8a1d833f.jpg
    Timmo.
    After all, I am Cornish!
    http://cornwallmtb.kk5.org/
    Cotic Soul, The bike of Legends!:wink: Yes, I Am a bike tart!
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... 1#16297481
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    iDad wrote:


    Try moving your brake levers inboard a bit. Better single finger leverage and much more space around the grips generally.
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris