“both lock-on clamps need to be clamped to the bar or the grip will
spin.”

Not the case, not for light use. And also some have only one set of clamps anyway.

I reckon the current trend is almost entirely fashion driven

-1

I reckon some folk may buy them because their favourite mag has said they’re the next big thing, but unless you try them you’ll never know. They’re what some of us have been waiting for.

It’s all relative to the width of your shoulders, so it’s all relative to each individual riders build

+1

That to me is the issue – I’m 5’11” with a 46″ chest and wide shoulders. If I ride anything less than 710mm wide bars I feel like I’m squeezing a cleavage.

Funnily enough, I prefer to ride a bike that has top tube and seat tube dimensions that make it comfy for me, but also allow me to move around the bike quite a bit. I also buy trousers and shirts that fit me correctly – why shouldn’t I have components that fit good as well?

I have 720mm on the hardtail and 750mm on the full sus’. I’ve had Spike 777’s fitted but couldnt fit through gaps in trees, especially at cannock. They’re also a bit antisocial when riding in a group.

On my bike I have 685, while my buddie rides with 720. After a test of 720 decided I want wider bars, as I preffer more stable slower response to my cornering. To confuse people even more, my buddie preffers my 685 set up, as he likes the bike to be on a -Darty side with faster steering Sega Rally style.

Suppose choice of bars width depends on a style how you ride, some people steer handle bars and some push or lean on them, maybe that explains preference of width against body geo?

Ps I am wider than him too.

I don’t care what anyone says works for them, unless you’re running bars at least 710mm wide then you’re all just doing it wrong. The whole point of a thread like this is for everyone to tell you what you should be riding after all.

I’m riding 540 to 560mm bars, often with bar ends.

Thank you for this thread, clearly I need to get with the programme – 720mm Spank bars in wet white will look just so on the ’88 Stumpjumper.

careful big ted, cantis or V brakes on bars over 560mm will automatically kill you as the extra miles of cable needed to reach the end of the broom handle will put so much drag in the system that you will never stop.

Your boar chewed body will be found in the Forest of Dean as a testament to your sudden desire to not be retro.

Just say no!

I’ve got two sets of bars. 685 low risers which are still a bit wide for some of my favorite local singletrack (but I’m a big bloke, so much narrower feels uncomfortable), and 710 highrisers for more open rocky stuff. I rode singletrack with the wider bars the other day and the steering felt far too slow. Might just be psychological though.

changing to wider bars (745 mm) and shorter stem (50 mm) provided a definite improvement to my bike handling.