I’ve been putting off fitting a wide bar and short stem for ages through fear of wrecking my bike’s handling (too much listening to Richard Cunningham), but yesterday I fitted a 50mm stem and 780mm wide bars on my Banshee Scirocco hard tail with 150mm forks. Previously I was running a 80mm stem and narrow by today’s standards bar.

I was afraid that I wouldn’t have enough weight on the front wheel, and wash out in the corners, and not be able to climb really steep bits. These are my impressions of the loop I just did with long fire-road climbs with steep, loose and rocky singletrack descents.

Just riding along – Couldn’t detect any difference in my weight distribution on the bike. Yes the bars are closer, but the wideness always seem to make me naturally have a slight bend in the elbow, whereas before just cruising on flat ground my elbows would probably have been straight. In no way did I feel cramped (I’m 5’11”, the the bike’s top tube is only 22.5″”)

Steep climbs – Didn’t seem to have any trouble keeping the front tire on the ground. Getting my chin low over the stem was just really easy thanks to the extra space between my hands. Didn’t have any steering issues.

Fast, loose, steep rocky descents – Blown away by the difference. Seems much easier to get in a low attacking position. Very mellow experience on a pretty sketchy section of trail where I would previously had to really concentrate. The front wheel was just planted, and not getting deflected off line, needing a lot less input from me. Probably the fastest I’ve ever gone on that section of trail, particularly on the bottom bit which is very steep with lots of off camber rocks. All of the violence coming through the bars was getting directed straight into my shoulder muscles, rather than having to soak some of it up through my elbows. Just felt more in control than I ever have, and didn’t have that “death grip” kind of feeling in my hands that I sometimes get after long gnarly descents. It also seemed easier to get the bike leaning over into the corners.

Basically I am very happy about the change. I anybody else is having doubts about such a set-up I say go for it.

Summary: he likes it

Did you need to move any trees?

I was late to the sort n with Dr party too, but wouldn’t go back now

If only I could get an at with 780 mm bars commuting in London all my bikes would be rocking the look

Is this a post from 2008?

I had some 780mm on my Lurcher as they were going cheap when I bought the frame they felt awful chopped them down to 710mm much better

Yes I do like it.

I’ve gone 670&100mm (XC HT) to 670&60 (XC HT & LT HT) to 711&50 (LT HT & 6″ FS) and now 750&40* (6″ FS). The 40*mm stem is the same 50mm stem but the new 750mm bars are 10mm higher rise and rotated back to get the same grip height and thus grips 10mm further back. Loving it! Shocked that another 40mm width (~5%) can make such a difference.

I’d go wider but our local trails have the tightest tree gaps in the UK (unless someone can prove otherwise!)