Changes: Are Your Bike's Bars Right For You?

Getting your bike to fit you correctly is a chase worth pursuing as fit is paramount.
‪@oldguyandabike‬ has been swapping some parts around and trying to answer the question, "Why do my bars feel too wide?"
Did he find the solution in a 20mm narrower handlebar? Or did it just lead further down the rabbit hole???
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[@oldguyandabike]

UPDATE: As one or more commenters suggested, lowering the bar 10mms did the trick as far as getting the reach right...no new stem needed. Canceled that order! I have such smart viewers! gg

[@jayobannon5359]

I just installed the wcs skyline on my road bike. It replaced a 3T ergo bar. The ritchey feels so much more natural. I feel really great in the drops.

[@Enigmavelo]

I have found 40cm Zipp service course 70 are fantastically comfortable.

[@siy01]

It helps to specify if you are talking about center to center or outer to outer. As with most things bike industry, nobody can be consistent. When you look at new bikes online they barely ever specify which measurement they are using. I've tried bars 38, 40, 42, and 44 wide (center to center.) I'm 6ft with fairly broad shoulders, id definitely say the sweet spot lies around the 40, 42 width. 38's while comfortable seated, feel like you have a lot less control peddling out the saddle. The opposite can be said for 44's that feel like im steering a boat when seated, and also makes my reach extend forward too much. Ultimately I'd say a 42 width bar with the shifters turned inwards to a small degree gives the best fit, whilst putting your hands in the most ergonomic position for comfort. This width also works better for gravel where youll be making some sharper turns than on road.

[@oldguyandabike]

Indeed. Ritchey seems to measure center-to-center. But it even is more complicated than that. You need to know where on the bar, front to rear where they measure because now with all the flare and such, it varies. I also run my controls tilted in...feels natural on the wrists. I cannot imagine running a narrow bar for gravel. But we do such mountain biking-ish stuff here on the gravel bikes that the extra leverage and stance trumps sharp turns IMO. gg

[@jstar1000]

I prefer wider bars 46 cm seems to be a good fit for me. I hate narrow bars with a passion. I'm an old guy with several bikes, I don't race, only care about comfort, not into speed in anyway. I want to take my time, spend more time on the bike and enjoy the ride. I don't wear any of the bike racer garb, no butt pad only gloves and a helmet but regular shorts, flat wide pedals etc. I do wear moisture wicking clothing but not bike specific.

[@kubackjeee]

46cm bars are not comfortable for sure or healthy

[@jstar1000]

@@kubackjeee They sure seem good to me, I have my bars above me seat by probably a few centimeters also if that makes a difference. I went from 44 to 46 and like the 46 better. How on earth is it unhealthy? Look at modern mt bike bars, they are so wide its stupid in my opinion. Not everyone fits the same so for you to say they are not comfortable or heathy may be correct for you but surely is not for me. I'm 5'11", weigh 212 and am 62 years old. Your probably sub 150lbs and way younger so you have no clue what makes me comfortable compared to you. I've been riding bikes for over 40 years so I have experience with a lot of different set ups.

[@DickSpencer1954]

Hello, Neil Stanbury is Australian.

[@oldguyandabike]

Ahhhhh…thanks for the correction gg

[@thomaskuhn6541]

At the start of the video, when you alluded to what narrower bars might lead to next, I thought you were heading in the direction of shorter cranks. I'd like to experiment with narrower bars, not that I have any discomfort with the 44's on my Revolt. But having Di2 on the bike makes it more complicated than it used to be in the mechanical age.

[@oldguyandabike]

I have been thinking about trying 170s. I have to see if I can borrow a crank somewhere first. gg

[@impaledface7694]

I bet the stem is perfect since you lost 5mm, but also got a narrower bar by 2mm. The narrower bars do "reduce" your reach a little since the hands are closer together. I have run vintage 38mm to 42+mm bars and honestly once i get used to it I am fine. On the narrower bars I tuck in and sometimes grab the outside of the hoods for another position. One even has a bent lever inwards kind of like a flare.... and that feels reasonably nice too. Maybe I will find out on a century if my fit is off or not, but so far I can adapt and ride most of my bikes well. I am not about the ergo drops, but I do like modern bar tops that go straight into the hoods unlike old bars that curve down.

[@oldguyandabike]

I thought about that exact thing...narrower leads to less reach...body sits up more...but I never said it on camera. So you are right on there. What I am finding is that the 10mm reduction in bar height, at least based on one ride after I shot the vid...has me thinking I am good on the stem. gg

[@BrianRPaterson]

Aha. I'm caught up in the exact same decision loop. Longstanding mountain biker. Running a 44cm curly bar. And i I've e seen James the English bikefitter say the most common bar he recommends by far is a 40cm. I dont know anybody at Ritchey, so I'm considering getting an inexpensive alloy Uno 40cm bar off AliExpress to see what that does to the cockpit. It'll be interesting!

[@oldguyandabike]

Wow! 40? Big jump in sizes. But the AliExpress plan seems like a good one. Let me know how it goes. gg

[@jamessher6956]

I’m old enough to make you look like a young guy on a bike. I just put drop bars on my mtn bike, riding less singletrack, and went from 760 down to Ritchey Beacon XL 52cm. Damn they are narrow.

[@oldguyandabike]

See my Project Curly videos...drop bar MTB conversion. gg

[@jamessher6956]

Interesting video good information. My Lynskey Live Wire has a relatively short reach so it was easy to get a good fit. Went from 80 to 60 stem length and moved my saddle forward a bit. Put an Enve carbon fork , 2.1 tires on and now own a fun do it all unable to categorize bike.

[@mcndjxlefnd]

What kind of neck exercises are you doing?

[@oldguyandabike]

I've been working through some chronic stiff neck and upper shoulder issues (likely a stenosis type thing) that was threatening my cycling future. And sometimes it would lock up and just make me barely functional. But with quality chiropractic care and some aggressive and consistent home therapy ( like foam rolling, but more focused), followed by stretching...I can now ride pain free even at a lower bar height and I am not living on the razor's edge for the next loss of function session. I was thinking about doing a video on that...if it is of interest. gg

[@MrChieftan]

​@@oldguyandabikeThat would be great!! At times I would get neck issues with pinching on the right side and both traps are super stiff