What's with the wide bars

[BiknBen]

I'm currently pondering this topic quite a bit.

The advantages for technical riding and leveraging a bigger gear on my single speed are attractive.

But, I'm also wondering about the point of diminishing returns for bar width. I'm not a very wide guy. I wear a 36 jacket. At what point does the bar become too wide and limit my dexterity/flexibility/etc. ?

I often use this example below at clinics to help others ponder their bar width choices. Actually, I use it to get people to keep their elbows out but it could apply to bar width too.

Drop and give me pushups until you are fatigued....to failure. During this time, vary your hand position. Moving hands closer and further apart. See what you prefer. Where do you feel strongest? The width you are at when you can't do any more is a good starting point to determine your preferred bar width. This should be the width that utilizes the most muscles in your arms, chest, and back.

When I first started riding 29er, I had stupid narrow bars. After races, my hands would be destroyed with blisters but I didn't figure it out. When I finally went to wider bars (after noticing how much narrower my bars were compared to others), my hand issues were gone. I didn't have to wrench on the bars as much.

 

[Robson]

I think bars should be 4-6 wider than your shoulder for optimal control and comfort.

 

[liong71er]

It help especially your rocking singlespeed rig.

 

[jumpa]

It help especially your rocking singlespeed rig.

Row row row the boat up every single speed climb.

But this is true as well. Seems like i always pull up on the bars on the same side that I'm pushing down the crank. Don't knownifnit does anything but it just feels right.

 

[Paul H]

Curious to know what width bars everyone is running... And flat or risers for xc.

 

[Dave Taylor]

740mm renthal carbon lite flat

 

[Johnny Utah]

740 Enve Flatbar for XC

Full width Chromag Fubar for DH, 1.5" Rise (retired).

 

[Juggernaut]

730 Thomson flat for the FS XC and the Rigid SS, 800 low rise Enve on the Fatty and 800 low rise Spank on the AM bike.

 

[mattybfat]

SS ragely Carnegie 685mm

Fat answer 20/20 720mm

DH renthal fatbar 780mm

 

[Magic]

785mm Kash Money for the bling, .5in rise. I love wide bars and these are awesome for everything, but a little wide for Jungle Habitat and racing. Will probably chop to 750ish.

 

[Off The Road Again]

My Santa Cruz Solo came with 760 bars, but after a few near-misses/hits clipping trees since I wasn't used to the wider bar, trimmed them down to 710. Feels much more comfortable yet not too skinny. Riser is flat, stem is 55/60 mm. Shout out to Halters- they made great simple adjustments to the bar rotation angle and stem spacers that made riding the SC so much more plush.

 

[Mountain Bike Mike]

680 - 690 with a slight rise is my sweet spot and the carbon feel is just wonderful

 

[MadisonDan]

So is 5-degree sweep, 580mm width no longer cool? 😱

 

[Glenn Rides After 4 PM CST]

740mm renthal carbon lite flat[/QUOTE

mine are 20mm rise, great bar .

 

[EJphotos]

I like the feeling of the wider bars, simply because they are more comfortable lol. However, I do like how shorter bars are more flickable.

 

[Mountain Bike Mike]

So is 5-degree sweep, 580mm width no longer cool? 😱

if they are on a 26er, then you're fine because it's a period correct configuration.

 

[merritt]

My 2 pennies.

2012 first 29er ht, 680 bars 8°sweep, 75mm stem felt very wide, got used to it and loved it. ..

2015 new bike, full sus, 700 bars 8° sweep, 90 mm stem felt very wide and again got used to it and loved it..
Currently.....just swapped them out for 720 bars 5° sweep and 70mm stem. .. this setup feels the best by far.

 

[terrabike01]

740 mm on Giant and 750 mm on Jamis...both low rise

 

[MadisonDan]

if they are on a 26er, then you're fine because it's a period correct configuration.

Yeah... my '02 Stumpy. Weighs more than most fat bikes. So need to make that happen.....