Just purchased a Vitus Energie CX bike. Would like to set it up with some sort of educated guidance! The bars feel a bit narrow (yes they aren’t 750s but any advantage going 440/460), CX bar just a compact road version? Any pointers or websites I should be looking at for getting the right fit? Thanks.

i just use a standard road compact bar on the CX, a wider bar will give you the tiniest bit more control when tackling tricky off-road stuff

as you’ve just bought the bike and are used to 750s then you’ll need some time just to get used to it, do that before you make any changes

This would be a good place to start for all sorts of information about cyclocross … http://www.fluentincross.co.uk/

and here … http://crossjunkie.blogspot.co.uk/

Same guy, but the first website is the new location/format.

I’m not really qualified to hand out cx advice, so I’ll leave that for others. The only thing I’ll say is that like you when I was setting up my cx bike the main purpose was for doing the 3 Peaks, and I had the same bar width dilemma.

In the end I went for a 44cm Salsa Cowbell 2 bar as I wanted it fairly wide for off-road handling. This bar is too wide for my shoulder width really, but it gave me some confidence initially.

Thanks, will have a look through the website. Disconcerting not having as much brake cover/bar leverage over and down technical stuff. Need to keep getting used to it and remember its not a MTB 🙂

I’ve usually run a shallower drop bar, so went with the Fizik Bull rather than my usual snake, as the drop was less and slightly less reach, but they make a 46 centre to centre which is lovely and wide, couple with a short stem, it’s becoming a very playful cross machine.

I use these in 46 flavour.

http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/salsa-cowbell-3-cyclocross-road-bars-318mm-os-1716-p.asp

I felt happier with my CX after I’d changed to a shallower drop bar.

Must measure up the Vitus bar and go from there, thanks for the suggestions.