Ideal bar width

[2Loose]

Hi, since putting bar ends on my bike (rigid mtb) a mate has been castigating me about my bars being too wide.

His measurements tell him that I need to lop off nearly 8 inches from my handlebars, which sounds rather drastic to me, but if it gives me a better ride then it is all good!

I must admit that the wide bars seem great going up my daily hill, but I do definitely think I am spread to wide on the way down...

I can appreciate that the ideal width of my bars would be shoulder width if I had drop bars, but is there a formula for straight bars?

 

[Cubist]

Whoah...... very different considerations on a MTB for bar width. Shoulder width is fine on road, but if you ride off-road then you need width for leverage. Ask yourself how much off-road riding you'll be doing. If you do any serious trail riding leave the bars as they are.

 

[jig-sore]

i have two sets of bars for my hybrid. one "cut down" set that is the same width as my road bike, roughly shoulder width. these are on it most of the time as it's used for commuting but... they really don't feel too good off road.

so, i have another set that i can fit if I'm planing to use it for other purposes for any length of time.

it doesnt take long to swap them over.

the question you should ask is, what am i going to use the bike for most of the time ???

if the answer is road, you will be better off with cut down bars.

 

[2Loose]

It is my commuter, so 99.5% road use.

 

[Cubist]

Cut them down. About shoulder width apart I'd say.

 

[2Loose]

Is there a formula, or should I just take an inch off each end, try then repeat?

 

[jimboalee]

DON'T go chopping the bars down yet.

You know the rule about the front spindle being obscured by the handlebars when you are in optimum vertebrae position.

When this is achieved, the forearms should be about parallel. The arms act as a shock absorber for your upper body when riding downhill over stumps and roots, rocks and holes.

Look at the width of the handlebars on MotoX motorbikes.
In the days before BMX or MTBs, I used handlebars off a Yamaha 100 MotoXer with a shim of aluminium on a 2" reach stem.

The parts of the bars where you hold on to should be slightly on the downgrade from horizontal, so they are anatomically correct.
If the Metacarpels are sprayed outward, there is risk of ligament strain or even a stress fracture if the front end of the bike really gets a thump.

The vast majority of MTBs are set up wrong. Not the fault of the owner, they have never ridden a scramble motorcycle.

If the bike is for mainly road riding, the width across the centre of the wrist - between the Radius and Ulna - should be the same width as your shoulder socket outers.
That width is the same as the hoods on a race bike, but half way up the grips on a MTB.

 

[jimboalee]

If you have already chopped the bars too much, don't despair.

Mount the bars so the grips are on the downgrade. This will get the Carpels spraying out less. This is the position of narrow handlebared motorbikes - think 'AceRace' bars.

The bike is a non-susser, so your wrists will be taking most of the compression shocks from bumps and pots.
The wrist needs to be square with the forearm.