What size handlebars does my bike take?

[Jezston]

Mmy bike is a Kona Dew Plus (2009) and I'm thinking of fitting bullhorn/aero style handlebars to it to replace the current flat bars, so I get a more racey position without having to get new shifters, oh and I think they look cool

However, can't seem to work out what size bars my bike will take - it looks fairly adjustable, but not seeing any numbers anywhere. Any ideas, or info on how I find out?

 

[HLaB]

I would guess you'll have the oversize bars (31.8mm dia), most bikes do these days; some bikes (less common) have the standard 26mm. There's other spurious sizes but they are pretty rare.

 

[Jezston]

I'm not sure I do ... chap in Evans (although he may be wrong) reckoned the Charge Slice would be a perfect fit, and that's apparently 25.4mm.

Only info I can get off Kona's website is the following, if this means anything to anyone:

Handlebar: Kona Riser (20mm Rise, 620mm Wide)
Stem: Kona Control (8°± , 45-49=70, 52-56=90, 58-62=100mm)

Annoyingly I don't have a flexible enough tape measure to get the diameter myself!

May see what I can find at work tomorrow.

 

[HLaB]

Your stem is the thing that controls the dimension, its easier to measure IIRC, no flexible tape needed.

 

[Steve Austin]

if its the same as this
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmadrigal/2430169651/in/set-72157600027780884/

it looks like 31.8

 

[Steve Austin]

if it looks the bars don't really get much bigger in the centre, it'll be 25.4

 

[Jezston]

Thanks chaps, I think I've established it's 25.4 ... after phoning round a few bike shops found one shop very close to where I live that I didn't know about which said I could pop in late Friday evening and if they don't have anything suitable they'll chop up some drops to make me some bullhorns and charge me significantly less than I was originally looking to pay! Don't mind that this may well involve second hand parts really, it's just a bit of an experiment so should be cool.

 

[Rob3rt]

Just take your bike to Evans or whatever bike shop you wish to buy from and compare the size. Or measure the diameter using a piece of string wrapped round it, mark the string, then measure how long the string is when straight with a ruler then calculate diameter, you wont get decimal point accuracy but you will be able to tell the difference between the 2 main size options. Rough guide, if it gets fatter in the centre its 31.8mm, if it doesnt its 26mm.

If you are buying bullbars/aero base bars they are usually 31.8mm and the wide area extends further out than normal road bars to accomodate clip on aero bars.

 

[Headgardener]

Try taking the bars out of the stem then put the stem back together and measure across the hole. Simples skeeck.

 

[jimboalee]

The difference between 1" bars and 1 1/4" bars is visible at first glance.

I won't ask you to do any of my plumbing...

 

[andrew_s]

Rough guide, if it gets fatter in the centre its 31.8mm, if it doesnt its 26mm.

Unless it's a flat bar, in which case it is either 25.4 or 31.8
There are a few 25.4 drop bars, but I'm not aware of any 26.0 flat bars.

A 25.4 bar can be shimmed to fit in a 26.0 stem, but a 26.0 bar won't go in a 25.4 clamp (if it's an open face clamp and you try, you will either crimp the bars or the face plate will break at some stage).

 

[Rob3rt]

Unless it's a flat bar, in which case it is either 25.4 or 31.8
There are a few 25.4 drop bars, but I'm not aware of any 26.0 flat bars.

A 25.4 bar can be shimmed to fit in a 26.0 stem, but a 26.0 bar won't go in a 25.4 clamp (if it's an open face clamp and you try, you will either crimp the bars or the face plate will break at some stage).

Thats good to know, thanks Some did mention that there were some other sizes in between 26 and 31.8. non of which im specific with, hence the blanket statement.