Latest Thoughts on Bar Width?

[throet]

Curious what others have gravitated towards in terms of bar width on modern geo bikes these days. While it stands to reason that with a shorter stem you should go with wider bars, there is still the question of how wide. Also, has anybody taken a really serious look at the physiology behind it? I've seen some people suggest that your bar width should be equivalent to your most comfortable push-up position, which for me would equate to something close to 740mm, which is what I've been running on my two main bikes. With the longer travel bike that I bought recently though, I've kept the bars at 780mm and I'm experiencing some serious tendonitis on the inside of my elbows (golfer's elbow - opposite of tennis elbow). I'm jumping to the conclusion that it's got to be those wide bars and that I should cut them down to at least 760mm. Any reason I should have second thoughts before doing that? 

[TheX]

I run 740 and besides a few tree gate incidents getting used to them, they've been perfect for me.

[natas1321]

Mine are at 750/760 depending on which bike and just because it is a comfortable width for me.

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[Cafeend]

Why dont you swap the 740s over and see how you like that? You can then determine if you need to go 760 or the 740 might be fine.


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[jcarneytx]

New bike last year had 800mm bars. Tried it out a couple rides, but were much too wide. Since I wanted a carbon bar anyway, bought a new one of those and had shop chop it to 760. Now it's pretty much perfect.

[AntonioGG]

760 with 90mm stem.

[Ridenfool]

Bar width should never exceed the reach of the bartender.

[TheX]

41 minutes ago, Ridenfool said:

Bar width should never exceed the reach of the bartender.

Wisdom

[mack_turtle]

5'9" with a 760mm SQLabs x12 handlebar and 50mm stem on a hardtail with a 120mm fork, or rigid fork depending on the mood I am in.

Edited June 28, 2019 by mack_turtle

[jcarneytx]

2 hours ago, Ridenfool said:

Bar width should never exceed the reach of the bartender.

Should never exceed reach of bartender + reach of customer on other side of bar

[AustinBike]

I am still old school, 700, 710 and 720 on my 3 bikes. I don't get the whole wide bar thing. I believe 800's do give *some* people more leverage, but for many, spreading your arms out that far actually gives you less leverage, it really comes down to your "wingspan" as to whether or not it will benefit you. If we are going to have a discussion about bar width, it only makes sense if we are going to include a fingertip to fingertip measurement, their height and possibly their cockpit height as well.

So much of this is dependent on geometry of the overall situation. Without that data we're back to the 26" vs. 29" discussion with no indication of the relative advantage based on the rider.

And for the record I am 5' 11" and I'll measure my wingspan once my wife wakes up. If you know what I mean.

Edited June 28, 2019 by AustinBike

[mack_turtle]

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/finding-your-sweet-spot-handlebar-width.html

This is pretty accurate.

[Chief]

750/760 is the sweet spot for me. Wrist pain or tendonitis is probably more an effect of sweep. 800mm bars are more of a downhill bar from what I've seen, downhill bars have less sweep for the attack position when riding downhill. The whole rise sweep is another debate similar to saddle selection very person specific. My bars have a 9* sweep, I had some 3t bars with a 12* degree sweep on my last bike which were much more comfortable.

[ATXZJ]

1 hour ago, Chief said:

 Wrist pain or tendinitis is probably more an effect of sweep. 800mm bars are more of a downhill bar from what I've seen, downhill bars have less sweep for the attack position when riding downhill. The whole rise sweep is another debate similar to saddle selection very person specific. 

 

This^

 

I initially preferred bars with very little sweep but as my rides got longer, my wrist began to hurt. I'm currently running a 800mm carbon DH bar with 5* of sweep on my trailbike that i had to cut down to 780mm and will probably cut to 760mm. Its not a trail width/ tree gate issue, more of a hand placement issue where i found myself moving my hands closer inboard relieve pain. I also had to rotate them a bit to get more of a beachcruiser angle and add some ergons.

Have a trip coming up next week so we'll see how it works out.

 

 

Edited June 28, 2019 by ATXZJ

[throet]

2 hours ago, mack_turtle said:

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/finding-your-sweet-spot-handlebar-width.html

This is pretty accurate.

I've actually seen this before so thanks for reminding me it's out there. I think one of the key considerations as noted in the article is how much you pull up on the bars. The wider stance does seem nice when pointed down, but having to constantly pull up on the bar to get up and over obstacles is a key consideration as well. I probably need to just stop riding this bike at Brushy for a while see if going back to my 740 bars on my other bikes makes a difference with the elbow pain. I'll keep the wider bars intact for now on my long-travel bike, at least until I can take it out to Spider Mtn a few times and assess it there.  

[throet]

2 minutes ago, ATXZJ said:

 

This^

 

I initially preferred bars with very little sweep but as my rides got longer, my wrist began to hurt. I'm currently running a 800mm carbon DH bar with 5* of sweep on my trailbike that i had to cut down to 780mm and will probably cut to 760mm. Its not a trail width/ tree gate issue, more of a hand placement issue where i found myself moving my hands closer inbound to relieve pain. I also had to rotate them a bit to get more of a beachcruiser angle and add some ergons.

Have a trip coming up next week so we'll see how it works out.

I'll have to take a closer look, but I think the sweep is very similar to what I'm running on my other bikes. 

[Chief]

More sweep brings elbows in less sweep moves elbows out.

[Yosmithy]

I guess I haven't paid that close of attention to the sweep on the 800mm bars that came with my Yeti, but I they feel perfect for me. I went from 680mm to 760mm last year on my Camber, and was amazed at how much shoulder relief I got. Then when I got my Yeti, with the 800mm, it seemed like even more of a relief. I didn't see if you mentioned, but have you tried going to the extreme of a 800mm?

[rockshins]

I ride with 800mm bars on a 50mm stem, I could go wider for sure, 820mm would be nice, but trees already don't like me.  Had 740mm, 760mm and really short ones in the early 2000's and they just weren't wide enough.  With 800mm it is so much better, not sure how I rode with those short bars before.  For larger riders I think 800mm being easily available is awesome.

[notyal]

I remember upgrading to some "wide" 660mm bars back in the early 2000's. It would be hard to give those away these days. 

1 hour ago, rockshins said:

I ride with 800mm bars on a 50mm stem, I could go wider for sure, 820mm would be nice, but trees already don't like me.  Had 740mm, 760mm and really short ones in the early 2000's and they just weren't wide enough.  With 800mm it is so much better, not sure how I rode with those short bars before.  For larger riders I think 800mm being easily available is awesome.

 

[AntonioGG]

1 minute ago, notyal said:

I remember upgrading to some "wide" 660mm bars back in the early 2000's. It would be hard to give those away these days. 

 

Save those bars to replace the steel bars in little kids bikes.  No reason why a 60lbs kids' bike should weigh 30lbs.

[rockshins]

14 minutes ago, notyal said:

I remember upgrading to some "wide" 660mm bars back in the early 2000's. It would be hard to give those away these days. 

 

Haha yeah I had a Specialized Enduro that had 680mm "wide" bars.  Seemed perfectly fine.

[AntonioGG]

That sweet spot bar width article from LM is interesting.  I'm currently at about 1.7% less than the sweet spot.  Lee is riding at 1.3% less than his sweet spot. 

The bar width is easy to play with by moving the grips and controls in on a wide bar.   But what about rise and sweep angles?  Any similar rules-of-thumb for rise and sweep?

[JRA]

[JRA]

Just posted that pic for reference, not to take a poke at TJ. He's a fucking badass with any width handlebar, still.

Edited June 28, 2019 by JRA