Wide flat handlebars.

[Devonhills]

A lot of the hybrids I’m looking at seem to have pretty wide handlebars. I’ve always gone with about the width of my shoulders. Maybe a bit more where I naturally reach out and grab the bar. My current rather old bike has a bar 600mm wide. My hands probably sit between 580-600. Feels about right.
Most of the bikes I’ve looked at so far have bars 680 or more wide. Seems a lot to me. Is this just the fashion now that’s come over from mountain bikes or is there a comfort or ride benefit to the wider bars which I’m not aware of. It’s been a while since I’ve bought a bike!
Do most people use them or get the hacksaw out?

 

[Kingfisher101]

Don't know, but you do what's best and most comfortable for yourself, that's all that matters.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

My ebike has pretty wide handlebars
I reckon I could take 2 inches off each side and not miss it!

but I have got used to it and it is useful for the general stuff that I have attached to it
(maybe I don;t NEED 4 front lights???)
and I don;t even have a phone mount for it!!!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Do most people use them or get the hacksaw out?

I've got narrow shoulders: did get the pipe cutter out!
I've got a narrow door too, with the handlebars their original length the bike wouldn't have fitted through the door

 

[Mo1959]

I lopped a couple of inches off both my mountain bike and hybrid’s handlebars. I find wide bars uncomfortable and unwieldy.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

I find wide bars on hybrid bikes cumbersome. Especially at this time of year when all the hedgerows alongside cycle tracks go wild.

 

[Cycleops]

There are now many types of hybrids. The leisure/exercise and MTB lite type tend to have wider bars but those with aggressive geometry generally go with narrower bars as usually used for commuting to thread through traffic.
Bars are not expensive so perhaps try a few and see what suits you.

 

[Devonhills]

That’s not a bad idea at all. Has anyone any recommendations of brands or outlets that stock a good range of bars?
I’ve been looking at a couple bikes in the Giant range but I didn’t see too much choice in the way of bars in their spares site.

 

[vickster]

Try a more MTB focused retailer like Singletrack
https://www.singletrackbikes.co.uk/m7b0s421p0/Components/Handlebars_-_MTB