Handlebar width, what's the go?

[hifiandmtb]

685s on 70mm on my tallboy .... I feel inadequate with the current trends ...

I *was* there on my Tallboy.

Now running Thomson flat 730s. Heaven.

 

[Skydome]

Depends on your size.

If you've got broad shoulders or a larger body in general, 800mm are probably the go.

For any other body, between 720 and 780 is probably a sweet spot.

 

[pharmaboy]

Depends on your size.

If you've got broad shoulders or a larger body in general, 800mm are probably the go.

For any other body, between 720 and 780 is probably a sweet spot.

You won't get through any of the trails my friends build - that is our chief defence against motos, because they generally run 800 to 900 bars to provide leverage of the weight of a motorcycle, so tree gaps are deliberately made for a mountain bike .

I still don't get the 800 wide bars in trail or xc use - at best it is a way of putting a shorter stem on a bike not designed for it and still keeping the same upper body position but a loss of responsiveness. Can't help but think it's a response of people who want to think they ride gnarly rock gardens and drops on their trail bike

 

[The Duckmeister]

I run 750s to keep hands at about shoulder width and allow me to be tricky on the jumps. And wider and its hard to crank an x-up! Plus you need Mega wide trails....

You must be built like bloody King Kong if your hands are at shoulder-width on 750s, given the average range for adult male shoulder width is in the region of 400-450mm. With my scrawny 400mm shoulders, anything more than about 650mm just feels horrible & cumbersome.

 

[PLUGGA]

Fu@k there's some big numbers being thrown around here! Obviously depends a lot on where you're riding. I spend most of my time at Wombat, and could never run 800's or the like around there. 710 carbon havens are spot on for me at under 6ft tall.

 

[sarge 575]

As wide as possible.

Got a few bikes. Hardtail race bike and a yeti sb66. Been running a 660 flat bar on the race bike and a 680 3/4 riser on the sb66.

Been thinking about trying wider bars. Is there a general rule for how wide, style of bike, shoulder width? Yah de dah?

Thanks


Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

Having recently purchased a COMMENCAL AM 29 er rig with 730MM bars - have to say - love em - actually upgraded to "3T EXTENDO CARBON 740's" - even better!!!! - today rode my other 29er. SPECIALIZED PRO CARBON CAMBER which has 680mm bars and it felt so WRONG. my tip is wider the better and if you don't like the feel you can always trim them down.

As others have mentioned though it also depends on the nature of the trails you ride -

 

[mitchy_]

For anything other than DH 1.5 X shoulder width should be on you money.

I run 750s to keep hands at about shoulder width and allow me to be tricky on the jumps.

You must be built like bloody King Kong if your hands are at shoulder-width on 750s, given the average range for adult male shoulder width is in the region of 400-450mm. With my scrawny 400mm shoulders, anything more than about 650mm just feels horrible & cumbersome.

my thoughts too Duck... i thought i had wide shoulders at ~440mm. using knuckles' formula (which seems plucked out of the air) that is only a 660mm wide bar for me...

high 600's to mid 700's seems the average... some people must think they carry the world on their shoulders with their bar widths!

 

[FigBo0T]

It's a bit like saying "what shoe size or type is the best?"

Obviously the one that fits and suits the terrain. I love my 800 s. I had problems with clipping trees with 740s, but the 800s feel better. It's 30 mm extra per side. Bugger all. I pull the front wheel up and turn my bars when things get tight.

Having said that, I find my kids bike with 660s much more controllable at low speed in tight stuff.

If you're not trying to win a race, why would it matter?

 

[teK--]

Fu@k there's some big numbers being thrown around here! Obviously depends a lot on where you're riding. I spend most of my time at Wombat, and could never run 800's or the like around there. 710 carbon havens are spot on for me at under 6ft tall.

One part at Wombat my 750 bars hit at both ends. Now I have 780s

 

[PLUGGA]

One part at Wombat my 750 bars hit at both ends. Now I have 780s

Jesus! Tipping there's some mad braking happening before those tree's!

 

[kiwiinmelb]

My bike came with 90 mm step and 690 bars , I rode with that for 6 months or more and then went to 70mm stem and 730 bars , im not so much wide across the shoulders but wide across the chest,

Could not believe the difference it made , it felt like I had so much more control , now Ive got the urge to go a bit wider .

 

[dusty_nz]

Well, Chucked some 740 Nukeproof bars on my SB66 for the ride yesterday. This is with a 60mm stem.

My shoulder width is 440 so whatever I suppose.

Felt wide to start with but didn't really notice after a while, Bit close on a few gaps but nothing clipped.

Not sure if its a the right width for the XC bike thou? maybe something around 700 would be better?

 

[mrricho]

Was watching this thread with interested as I've never rode with bars wider then 680mm (all riser bars).Scored a set of 750mm fun fatboys of a member and wow what a difference it has made. Now chaseing up a short stem to see how that feels?

 

[JTmofo]

Was watching this thread with interested as I've never rode with bars wider then 680mm (all riser bars).Scored a set of 750mm fun fatboys of a member and wow what a difference it has made. Now chaseing up a short stem to see how that feels?

Glad you like them.... Short stem will also make a big difference.

 

[mrricho]

Can't believe I waited so long as I've been talking about it for ages.All ready ordered the matching silver 45mm stem!

 

[maxpowers]

Got a few bikes. Hardtail race bike and a yeti sb66. Been running a 660 flat bar on the race bike and a 680 3/4 riser on the sb66.

Been thinking about trying wider bars. Is there a general rule for how wide, style of bike, shoulder width? Yah de dah?

Thanks


Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

Hi mate,

What size sb66 do you have? I have a medium which in my opinion is a little too big for me as I am 5"6' which is right on the border and when I got it, it had a 680mm carbon bar and a 80mm stem. after a while I found it difficult to steer and couldn't pull up on jumps. I think it was definitely set for xc. so I got a 740 Ragley bar and a 45mm stem. I was tossing between a 50mm or 45mm. it's definitely made a difference and it has made the bike much more responsive and easier to jump. the only downside is when I'm climbing it's a bit more front happy. oh well there's always a trade off.

 

[Ridenparadise]

My last bike (7 year old Ibis Mojo C) was built with a 100mm stem and 680 bars. I dropped the stem ages ago to 70mm and it was better. In the last week I built a new Ibis SLR - same size as the previous frame, with 800mm Race face 35mm SixC bars and a 60mm Atlas 35mm stem. It's awesome. For reasons I cannot understand it allows more room for climbing and is light years better in terms of cornering. Also very comfortable until used through 740mm wide tree gaps! Fortunately I have only encountered one gap too narrow to negotiate on the local trails so far.

 

[moman]

Tried and tested

I reckon you've got to just try and see what works best for you on your particular bike on your particular trails. My trend has definitely been up though - 680 -711 - 740 and about to try 750!

As I've gotten used to it I'm definitely liking wider.

Trade off is climbing but I've learnt to tuck my elbows in and lift my thumbs on top of the bar. At worst I just slide my hands in a little to help uphill.

Downhill it's just open up those elbows and let the bike loose

 

[Salival]

My Zesty came with 711mm bars with a 20mm rise on a 75mm stem.
I just purchased these.

Looking forward to getting them on.

I'll ride with these on the 75mm stem for now and go shorter if need be.

 

[FlyingRV]

I had 777mm but had to cut it back because of where I ride, I got tiered of clipping trees and was always conscious of them whenever riding. I cut them back to around 747mm and they're sweet as now.