Determining Handlebar Width?
- Thread starter ire
- Start date
I think the outside-to-outside of your shoulders is a decent start. You're a racer, yeah? So maybe more narrow? Too bad TJ is dealing with a family crisis or I'm sure he'd have good info for racing setup.
anywho, brilliant fitting guide basics
anywho, brilliant fitting guide basics
armpit to armpit make sfor the best fit on the hoods
Thanks for the link. I'll check my current bars and then measure my shoulder width and arm pit width and make a determination from there.
Speaking of handlebars, do you guys have any advice or links on how to tape a road handlebar? I've only seen it done once and that was 7 or so years ago. My memory just isn't that good.
cuz of aero or comfort?
My pit measurement suggests 40-42cm, but outer arms are more like 46-48cm.
Handlebars (bullhorns) on my new single-speed are 46cm out-to-out and I like the width a lot.
Those are both backwards from the way I do it. I start in the middle, and wrap towards the rear. Making sure to pull tightly. Overlap about 1/3, and wrap the hood bases good, and finish in the ends, and tuck the end under the bar plug. Eliminates the usage or electrical tape.
Anyway, back to the thread title I was wondering the same thing. I use 42cm bars, but I am sure something else might be better. I feel it is more of a personal preference thing really. I do see allot of the bars listed on ebay are 40cm, or 42cm, and they are saying they went wider. So maybe wider is the way to go. I was gonna try some 44cm next time around. Although I don't see where the additional leverage would be advantageous on a road bike.
As for taping wrapping, the biggest thing is to just pay attention, go slow and wrap tight. I like to get the wrap really thin and tight- it's really just patience more than anything else. Go fast and you're bound to screw it up if you haven't done it much.
As for width, most average sized riders seem to run a 42cm for general road riding. It seems like that width is comfortable for a large number of people. I used to run a 42 and it was fine for the road. Since I ride a CX bike on the road and use it for dirt sometimes, I switched to a 46cm. I am about 5'9" and have fairly broad shoulders. It is way wider and I feel more comfortable on dirt and in rough sections, but, to be honest, its not necessary at all for the road. The width feels fine on the road (particularly since I ride mtbs with 28" bars mostly) but its not needed at all. If you're unsure, I'd say go for a 42.
As for width, most average sized riders seem to run a 42cm for general road riding. It seems like that width is comfortable for a large number of people. I used to run a 42 and it was fine for the road. Since I ride a CX bike on the road and use it for dirt sometimes, I switched to a 46cm. I am about 5'9" and have fairly broad shoulders. It is way wider and I feel more comfortable on dirt and in rough sections, but, to be honest, its not necessary at all for the road. The width feels fine on the road (particularly since I ride mtbs with 28" bars mostly) but its not needed at all. If you're unsure, I'd say go for a 42.
I can bum my friends pimp'd out Scott TT bike...so its not as big of a concern for me.
<edit> I did just watch the Flying Scotsman, think I could do a five hour ride with my chest on my hands?? I bet it makes downhills fast and scary as hell
Racelite Carbon. I know this because we are both in the market for them. 179g of pure German greatness.
Hell yeah! and I can get a deal on em
Those things are damn expensive
Wider bars also open up one's chest more, making it easier to breath (up to a point). Demonstrate it for yourself if you want: touch elbows together and take a big breath, then spread them apart and do the same.
The trade-off is that wider bars also increase one's frontal area, thereby increasing wind resistance. So the optimal bars are ones that are the ones that provide the best balance of comfort and easier breathing with reasonable frontal area.
Wider bars might also provide additional leverage for sprinting, but I don't know if die hard sprinters actually bother to switch to the next size up...
The trade-off is that wider bars also increase one's frontal area, thereby increasing wind resistance. So the optimal bars are ones that are the ones that provide the best balance of comfort and easier breathing with reasonable frontal area.
Wider bars might also provide additional leverage for sprinting, but I don't know if die hard sprinters actually bother to switch to the next size up...
I had mentioned it earlier but my coach told me for road it should be armpit to armpit on the hoods. most ergo for long distance and best all around performance.