Road handlebar width?

I’m building up a roadbike and i need to buy some bars. There’s some great deals on 40cm wide ones.

I’ve always ridden 42cm ones before and i’m just wondering if i’d notice the difference?

Thanks, it’s a dull question i know.

Yep, you’ll notice the difference probably when you get cramps and aches in your shoulders

Thanks, that’s what i suspected (but not the answer i was hoping for 😆 )

Just gone from mega narrow old bars on a second hand winter bike – sub 40 to 44 – majorly more stable and opens my chest – It all depends on your frame size – 44 for me (6 ft and chest size 38″) fit perfectly 🙂 I knew it would be better as I already had a 44cm bar on my race bike 🙂

Yeh I wouldn’t go there – not if your used to 42 – I’d go 44 but not 40 if I were you 🙂

You might want to check the manufacturers measurement though. Some measure inner to inner, some outer to outer.

Then again you might be fine riding a narrower bar. it all depends on your shoulder width. small shoulders, narrow bars, big shoulders big bars GuRrr

I was thinking, go back to the 1980s (and maybe early 1990s, i don’t know) and all road handlebars were <40cm wide. So it can’t be that bad…?

You might want to check the manufacturers measurement though. Some measure inner to inner, some outer to outer

True – and also some C-C

Finbar – yes it was that bad!!! I have proof if you want to try some sub 40cm bars!

(6 ft and chest size 38″)

Tall but scrawny..!

(5’7″ – 40in chest). I ride 42cm FSA bars.

Ah nuts, i’m going to have to spend an extra tenner.

Which is why I tend to get cramped up shoulders 6’3″ 49″ chest even 46cm bars seem tiny.

be worth it finbar – by cheap buy twice 😉

BTW what your chest size?

I take a 36″ chest in suits ( don’t know what the actual measurement is, about 35″ i guess), so i’m not exactly broad.

Hmmm…not to confuse matters futher, finbar, but I’ve just looked in my box of ‘bits I should get rid of soon’ and found a pair of ITM Millenium handlebars and matching stem which I’d be prepared to sell on if you’re interested?

Stem is 120mm
Bars are 46 (measured outer to outer)

Cheers Roadie_in_denial, if i was planning to ride downhill on this roadbike i’m building i might go for 46cm wide bars but i think i’ll pass !

Still think you prob wouldn’t suit (get it 😉 ) 40cm bars 🙂

Finbar – they used to ride with a beef steak in their shorts not the complex pads we have today. Would you want to go back to that? Just because things were done one way in the past doesn’t always mean it was better than things are today. And just so you know – I am the sort of grouch who thinks things were “better” in the past generally. Oh and by the way I started riding seriously mid 80’s and my bars were 44 wide then, I prefer 46 now that these are occasionally available. I think the idea was that narrow was aero so worth going for. I used to ride 18mm tyres too as that seemed to be the done thing. This was before people realised that comfort (wider bars, bigger tyres) could actually make you “quicker” over a race distance and that there were also performance advantages ( wider bars could allow the chest to open more improving breathing, bigger tyres roll better as they have more subtle carcasses that adapt to a surface rather than being deflected and losing energy).

And to be fair as I don’t, and never have raced, I realise setting up my big to be comfortable is far more important than having the very latest racing format, whatever that might be.

should bars not be measured by shoulder width rather than chest size?

Omar Little – Member

should bars not be measured by shoulder width rather than chest size?
Very probably but if you look at my previous post the situation is even worse for me as my shoulders are even wider than my 49″ chest would suggest!
26″ across or to put in bar size 57cm 😮

I have been riding with 46cm bars for several years now. I’m not particularly broad (42 chest: broader back than front) but I find anything narrower really uncomfortabel on long rides. I have just got a new road bike and trying to source 46 centre to centre bars was a real struggle. Also, why is there not a standard way of measuring them for goodness sake?