How much does this REALLY matter? I've been using 660 - 670 width bars on my past few bikes, but I've read a few bike reviews recently where such size bars have been changed for 700+, making me feel impotent and inadequate 😳
Does it really matter that much and is it worth changing???
I got some silly wide bars (760mm) just to try out and I do prefer them - think I will end up cutting them down a tiny bit though. Very stable at speed. Worth trying I reckon - get on the bandwagon 😉
I think how well you get on with them depends how broad your shoulders are as well.
The leelikesbikes.com wisdom is to go for bars that match your preferred i.e. strongest) hand spacing when doing push-ups. Makes sense to me!
I recently went from 685mm down to 650mm for height reasons. I gave the lower narrower bars a fair chance; 4 or 5 rides and just felt a bit too twitchy/wandery/wobbley when lofting the front or in the air etc.
So I got some low wider bars. 760mm! Felt crazy wide at first and I am slowly coming round to them but I just don't feel as in control as I did with my 685mm bars. It feels as though I just can't 'chuck' the bike about as easily. It's more of a passive, swoop about feeling rather than a duck the shoulder and dig the front wheel in. Plus I keep smacking them into things!
So the bar cutters are coming out and I'll take them down in sections and see where the 'sweet spot' is....probably 685mm!
I went from Easton EA50 mid-rises to nukeproof 760mm flats.
All the benifits and all the drawbacks of big bars, stability and control, but a horrible position for climbing in.
Specialized OEM on the pitch are 710mm and feel like a good comprimise.