How do you work out the correct size (drop) handlebar on a road bike. Mine are too narrow and instead of just wandering in asking for some wider bars… it would be nice to know more of less what size I need to look for.

?

General consensus is your arms 'about shoulder width apart'.

I'm pretty sure there is a formula for working it out but I can't find it currently.

Thanks…. that's a start! 🙂

Big then basically! 440mm probably.

Different brands measure different, either centre-centre, or outside-outside, check which! 2cm increments generally too.

Yeah, when riding on the hoods you don't want your arms pointing out to the sides (bars too wide, less aero) or pointing inwards (bars too narrow, restricts your breathing).

Some sensible replies there folks, well done!
Significant progress has been made since the days of "which 800mm riser for my darkside bike?" 🙂

No wonder I cant get bars wide enough!
Just measured my shoulder width with the duct calipers in the workshop…

54cm 😮

Think Ton & Big Pete would be even worse off!

It really is going to have to be 440s – armpit to armpit measurement is 480mm. I just went to my local LBS and looked at a pair of FSA (compact) bars. I wasn't sure that it felt right, so we compared how they felt, where my hands rested on a bike in the shop (420mm) and then fitted the 440mm bars to the bike. There was no difference thus proving njee20's comment about different manufacturers and sizing. They will be getting some Giant bars in for me to look at (I have some Giant 440mm on my fixie and they feel much "better"). I'll try them and see what happens.

Bontrager Race Lites are a nice bar, and come in 46cm if that's any use?

I always find it a bit annoying that all the important measurements aren't listed. i.e apart from width I like to know depth and reach. It would be nice to have a measurement for the drop section of the bar that returns toward you?
Watch those Giant brand bars, the ones I saw had silly reach and no return (almost pistol-grip like drop sections)

Those 46cm Bontragers might be even better!

And to keep oldgit happy, they tell you all this too.

Aren't some 46s measured "outside to outside" and therefore the same as 44s centre-centre?

Some manufacturers do give measurements for drop and "throw".

IME the wider the better for comfort & breathing.

Is this a modern thing as I know my 70s road bike at my parents has shockingly narrow handlebars – they must be a good 10cm narrower than my normal ones on my Trek.

Joe

Is this a modern thing

Kinda. Back then aero was where it was at and naroow = aero on that basis. Now we do things differently.

I ride 42cm FSAs, but then I only have a 40" chest.

oldgit – pretty sure FSA provide all the measurements.

There are different bars for different types on the mtb, risers, straights, wide, narrow.

Go with what feels comfortable, and think about reach as well, as you'll be riding most of the time with your hands on the hoods

Handlebars up to the early eighties were 40cm and track were 39cm.
When I got my old Gios back in August the bars were so narrow they gave me clevage 😯

Kore also do 460mm c to c bars at about £50 so that's two products I can look at. I'll give my LBS a chance to get some for me and then look on t'interweb if they can't help!

Nitto Noodle are available up to 48cm, On-one Midges and Salsa Bell laps wider still on the drops.