Drop handlebar width.

[simongt]

I read some 'advice' or other some years ago, it was recommended that the width of drop handlebars should be about the same as one's shoulder width, thus allowing the rider to breathe properly as the chest is not constricted. Seems to make sense; my handlebar width is 44cm. which suites me fine, but a pal of mine has a bike which he used as a hack, but it has pretty narrow handlebars. When I observed this, he didn't seem to be aware of this recommendation.
Anyone else aware of this - ?

 

[Sterlo]

Your handlebar width should be whatever you feel comfortable with. I would use the shoulder as a guide maybe, if you look at new bikes, the bars tend to get wider as the bike gets bigger. Being honest, I couldn't tell you what size mine are.

 

[cougie uk]

GCN tells us that the narrower bars save watts.

If you look at the bars Ed Clancy raced on they were far narrower than his shoulders and he did ok.

I think there's probably a happy medium somewhere between the two stories but I've definitely heard of the shoulder thing before. It's probably fine if you're not after every last watt.

 

[Ian H]

For ordinary cycling the shoulder-width guide is a good start.
Those competing at a high or professional level will be contorting themselves into more extreme positions for aerodynamic gain. They will train to acclimatize to those positions. The rest of us don't need to do that.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I remember some years ago when I changed to wider bars, it had a definite positive comfort effect.

I am probably less aerodynamic but that's pretty much irrelevant. I don't suppose I go fast enough for it to make any difference.

 

[Fastpedaller]

I used to think the 'same as shoulder width', but have decided it's just a guide (like KOPS) and may be meaningless........ after all, there are those bits between the shoulders and the hands which bridge the gap, so unless the arms are crossed (not recommended) the chest won't see any change.

 

[Venod]

I ride road and MTB, the MTB bars are not excessively wide, but wide enough for me to feel more comfortable with 44cm on my road bikes

 

[youngoldbloke]

I knew about this 'rule' and have always specified bars that match my shoulder width. However I realise I spend quite a lot of time 'on the tops', hands quite close to the stem, so could probably use narrower bars. But I'd have trouble finding room for all the other stuff on the bars - light, bell etc

 

[Bristolian]

GCN tells us that the narrower bars save watts.

If you look at the bars Ed Clancy raced on they were far narrower than his shoulders and he did ok.

I think there's probably a happy medium somewhere between the two stories but I've definitely heard of the shoulder thing before. It's probably fine if you're not after every last watt.

Yes, but all of GCN's recommendations are based around improving performance (e.g. saving watts or going faster) for competitive cyclists. Ed Clancy was/is primarily a track cyclist so being comfortable isn't really an issue as races are shorter.

If your hands are closer together than your shoulders then your shoulders tend to rotate forwards and inwards, causing restrictions in your neck and eventually pain.

 

[Jameshow]

My mate (5'10") rides a 50cm Alez with 38cm wide bars.

I've tried it and hate it. It's like riding a kids bike or a BMX!

He's been influenced by gcn I reckon but he denied it!!🤣🤣🤣

 

[cougie uk]

My mate (5'10") rides a 50cm Alez with 38cm wide bars.

I've tried it and hate it. It's like riding a kids bike or a BMX!

He's been influenced by gcn I reckon but he denied it!!🤣🤣🤣

I looked at the benefits of watts gained and it's just not enough to make me change things.

 

[slowmotion]

I ride in busy London traffic. The original bars on my bike seemed hopeless wide for nipping about between cars. I changed them for ones that are 50mm narrower and it became a lot more fun. Just find the width that works for you.

 

[cyberknight]

My mate (5'10") rides a 50cm Alez with 38cm wide bars.

I've tried it and hate it. It's like riding a kids bike or a BMX!

He's been influenced by gcn I reckon but he denied it!!🤣🤣🤣

im 5 foot 7 , currently on 40s but i reckon a 38 would be better as my hands tend to rest on the inner part of the shifter

 

[vickster]

I ride a 38 or 40cm bar, I went narrower on advice from orthopaedic specialist as I was getting wrist pain/tendonitis from the angle of my wrists when on the corners of the bars which is where I usually have my palms. Prefer a 40 as 38 is rather narrow with cross levers and a light, have to find one with a narrow rubber fitting (Garmin on stem, I don't have a bell on the road bikes due to lack of space).
Unfortunately 54cm 'mens' road bikes always seem to come with a 42cm bar so I've got about 4 spares at the moment Manufacturers seem to assume that anyone around 5'10 must have wide shoulders (and don't seem to realise tall women don't necessarily )

 

[a.twiddler]

I don't know how drop bars for gravel bikes and the like compare with road bike bars (I suspect they're wider and shallower) but one of my considerations when setting up my steel tourer-cum-general purpose bike with a view to doing mild off road as well as road riding was to have enough width to have good control in those situations. I settled for some Nitto Randonneur bars in the widest I could get at the time which was I think 42cm measured centre to centre of the tops behind the brake hoods. The shallow drops splay out a bit further, but work well enough for me. I'm not particularly immense, larger riders would probably prefer wider bars.The tops are wide enough to take cross levers, which is a bonus. I can see how narrow bars could constrict your breathing, while too much width can have implications for reach and the need for experimenting with stem length. There is scope for trial and error, but sometimes familiarity, and riding what you're used to and comfortable with, counts for more than squeezing the last bit of performance from your bike. YMMV, of course. I think it's the best I can get it for me, and it's still comfortable as an invisible bike for local trips. For going further afield, a recumbent trumps it for comfort.