New wider bars - give them time?
Discussion
Fitted some wider bars to my MTB, having spent years riding (possibly) ridiculously narrow bars that I cut down to about 620mm.
Ive now put on 780mm and increased the length of my stem slightly (I was a bit too hunched).
It feels very very strange, is this something that I will get used to, or are 780mm a bit on the wide side for general commuting (with the occasional off road excursion)
Ive now put on 780mm and increased the length of my stem slightly (I was a bit too hunched).
It feels very very strange, is this something that I will get used to, or are 780mm a bit on the wide side for general commuting (with the occasional off road excursion)
Even my MTB doesn't have bars that wide, mine are around 720 I think and my commuting bike has even narrower bars as I find wide bars a bit of an issue on busy streets, getting past cars and things like that. I find it's more important to be nimble and narrow.
It could be the MTB tracks here in Holland, but they all tent to include some dense woodland singletrack where wide bars will hinder rather than help as the trees seem to be around 750mm apart on occasion
It could be the MTB tracks here in Holland, but they all tent to include some dense woodland singletrack where wide bars will hinder rather than help as the trees seem to be around 750mm apart on occasion
I recently went from circa 680 to 760, and reduced my stem from 100 to 50mm. I've ridden it a fair bit, offroad, onroad, with a trailer, with a child on the back and ripping some gnar down some singletrack.... It felt a bit odd to start with but now I can see the reason why it's such a popular thing to do. Especially on the singletrack.
As has been mentioned before. Wider bars require a shorter stem, like for like. So if you went wider AND longer, you probably feel like you are hugging a large bear whilst cycling.
As has been mentioned before. Wider bars require a shorter stem, like for like. So if you went wider AND longer, you probably feel like you are hugging a large bear whilst cycling.
What bike is this on?
My dh bike I run 780s and my trail bike I've trimmed the same pair down to 760.
Try the shorter stem and running your hands further inboard to see if it feels more comfortable.
If you trim them and take too much off, can always run your grips off the edge slightly anyway (if they're lockons)
My dh bike I run 780s and my trail bike I've trimmed the same pair down to 760.
Try the shorter stem and running your hands further inboard to see if it feels more comfortable.
If you trim them and take too much off, can always run your grips off the edge slightly anyway (if they're lockons)
Two years ago I bought a new MTB with 740mm bars having not ridden for over 20 years on my 1990 Marin Palisades Trail with bar ends! I'm still struggling to cope with the new way of doing things. I find myself spending a lot of time with my hands on the inner edges of the grips overlapping the shifters/brakes.
Everytime I'm out riding I think about cutting a couple of inches off either side and fitting bar ends. I then go and read some forums and decide I'm obviously getting something wrong and should accept the 'expert' advice that the modern wide-bar approach is better.
Everytime I'm out riding I think about cutting a couple of inches off either side and fitting bar ends. I then go and read some forums and decide I'm obviously getting something wrong and should accept the 'expert' advice that the modern wide-bar approach is better.
Wider bars are great, on bikes that can take full advantage of them. Older MTB geometries seem not to suit them, though, so I'd never retro-fit them without a great deal of thought.
They can be a massive hindrance, though. I once was pitched off my new bike when I ran a gap between two trees. I'd done it loads of times on my old GT, but there just wasn't the space for my new wider bars on my Giant. Fortunately I somehow managed to avoid smashing my fingers into pieces when the left hand grip smashed into the tree hard enough to twist the stem on the head tube.
I'd say give them time, but perhaps with the old shorter stem? As someone has said already, the extra width opens your arms and chest up, and pulls you (relatively) closer to the bars. A shorter stem would allow you to get more upright, perhaps closer to the position on the bike that you were used to before these new bars?
They can be a massive hindrance, though. I once was pitched off my new bike when I ran a gap between two trees. I'd done it loads of times on my old GT, but there just wasn't the space for my new wider bars on my Giant. Fortunately I somehow managed to avoid smashing my fingers into pieces when the left hand grip smashed into the tree hard enough to twist the stem on the head tube.
I'd say give them time, but perhaps with the old shorter stem? As someone has said already, the extra width opens your arms and chest up, and pulls you (relatively) closer to the bars. A shorter stem would allow you to get more upright, perhaps closer to the position on the bike that you were used to before these new bars?
780mm seem extreme for commuting, they're usually the preserve of the DH bikes. 740mm is 'enduro' or trail riding standard.
It's all fashion though, bar width is as much about matching to body shape, I haven't seen a hard and fast rule yet - Gregg Minnar measures the distance between the inside of his elbows with his arms outstretched, which is as good a measurement as any.
One of my Mates gets into a push-up position, wherever his hands are being a good indication of spread he needs to give him the most amount of power.
It's all fashion though, bar width is as much about matching to body shape, I haven't seen a hard and fast rule yet - Gregg Minnar measures the distance between the inside of his elbows with his arms outstretched, which is as good a measurement as any.
One of my Mates gets into a push-up position, wherever his hands are being a good indication of spread he needs to give him the most amount of power.
Extra wide bars are like 1x drivetrains. Some people seem to think they "must" use them.
All they are, are options that improve riding for some people.
Saying that, the width you chose is for full on downhill manoeuvrability and stability, and adding a longer stem will just make the whole experience horrible.
I would have though you could cut them down to about 700 for a more manageable commuting width, and add that shorter stem back on.
All they are, are options that improve riding for some people.
Saying that, the width you chose is for full on downhill manoeuvrability and stability, and adding a longer stem will just make the whole experience horrible.
I would have though you could cut them down to about 700 for a more manageable commuting width, and add that shorter stem back on.
Thanks, great info from every single post, answers some questions, raises a few more!
Its an old frame, everything updated apart from the frame, crank and handlebars (well, until this week).
I purchased the handlebars as I was constantly riding off the end of the bars, and felt a bit hunched up. So, having purchased the bars I then found out they wouldn't fit my old stem. Thats when I bought the stem...
Chucked them both on and yeeesh!
Just measured the old bars and they are 600mm, new ones 780mm. Thats a massive difference. Having read this thread I might go down to 740mm, then 700mm if need be.
Its an old frame, everything updated apart from the frame, crank and handlebars (well, until this week).
I purchased the handlebars as I was constantly riding off the end of the bars, and felt a bit hunched up. So, having purchased the bars I then found out they wouldn't fit my old stem. Thats when I bought the stem...
Chucked them both on and yeeesh!
Just measured the old bars and they are 600mm, new ones 780mm. Thats a massive difference. Having read this thread I might go down to 740mm, then 700mm if need be.
My stumpy came with 750 flat bars. Thought I'd change them for a wider riser bar so went 780 and +25.
Had a days tuition with Tony Doyle with some friends and showed me how overly wide bars slow the steering on berms when you're leaning the bike hard, especially for short people like me!
I subsequently stuck the risers on my wife's bike and have been running 720 flats.
Oddly I changed my forks for ones with 5mm more offset and it's super stable with the narrow bars.
Had a days tuition with Tony Doyle with some friends and showed me how overly wide bars slow the steering on berms when you're leaning the bike hard, especially for short people like me!
I subsequently stuck the risers on my wife's bike and have been running 720 flats.
Oddly I changed my forks for ones with 5mm more offset and it's super stable with the narrow bars.
Dr Murdoch said:
is this something that I will get used to
NoDr Murdoch said:
or are 780mm a bit on the wide side for general commuting
Yes.I bought a 29er with very wide bars a couple of years ago. I use it for commuting and (a) found it turned like an oil tanker and (b) it wouldn't fit through gaps.
Got the hacksaw out and the're now the same with as my 93 Diamonback (650mm or something?).
Steering is way quicker and I can filter again.
AC43 said:
Yes.
I bought a 29er with very wide bars a couple of years ago. I use it for commuting and (a) found it turned like an oil tanker and (b) it wouldn't fit through gaps.
Got the hacksaw out and the're now the same with as my 93 Diamonback (650mm or something?).
Steering is way quicker and I can filter again.
CheersI bought a 29er with very wide bars a couple of years ago. I use it for commuting and (a) found it turned like an oil tanker and (b) it wouldn't fit through gaps.
Got the hacksaw out and the're now the same with as my 93 Diamonback (650mm or something?).
Steering is way quicker and I can filter again.
Quick update, I've cut them down to 700mm and tilted the bars a few degree further forwards. I'm now really happy, my hands don't try and move off the end of the bars and steering is sharper (although not as sharp as when I had 600mm bars).
I think I'll stick with this compromise between comfort and agility.
Thanks everyone for your help
Everyone is different, I took to wide bars immediately on my full suss (785) with little adjustment, and things improved further in terms of comfort when I dropped the stem from 60 to 35. Bike is long, so this set up feels totally spot on.
When I got the Whyte hardtail recently that came with 760 which felt nice, but having a set of carbon 785's to match the ones on the full suss I stuck those on. I thought at first the 50mm would need to be swapped for something shorter as the Whyte is even longer than the Process, but so far its been ok.
When I got the Whyte hardtail recently that came with 760 which felt nice, but having a set of carbon 785's to match the ones on the full suss I stuck those on. I thought at first the 50mm would need to be swapped for something shorter as the Whyte is even longer than the Process, but so far its been ok.
I went from 680mm + 90mm stem to 760mm and 60mm stem and found it odd to begin with too. Now I find it more comfy, stable and gives me more command of the bike when doing technical stuff or climbing out of the saddle. I was a bit worried it'd be harder to thread it through trees but I've not had any bother, infact I feel like I can better judge my clearance with a wider stance.
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