Bar width

[elSid]

Considering a handlebar with unflared drops and standard hood placement (straight ahead, and not inward or outward):

The thinking is that hand placement in the drops lowers the center of gravity of the rider+bike, right? (compared with riding in tops or hoods).

My assumption is, since drops and hoods are equidistant (horizontally) from the headset, there wouldn't be any differance in steering leverage between drops and hoods, and therefore no difference in input to move the wheel.

Neglecting small changes due to variations in bar flex, is there another variable affecting 'control' between hoods and drops?

Anecdotally, I've always found riding in the drops to be more stable.

[X5SAE]

I see the Prime Primavera Aero bar is now availible in a 36cm bar. I'm considering swapping out my round 42cm bar with a 38cm version. I ride a 56 and they always come with 42cm bars so I've never ridden anything else. I'm thinking of trying some narrower bars to see how they feel and these don't break the bank.

Those bars are great IMHO. I am riding the 40 cm version. Wish they'd have some flare, though.

[pmprego]

There's a 115mm stem length option for 38cm width as well. The sizes are sorted by stem length first. Still too short for many racers though.

I wish this were true but 36cm options are few and far between.

I find that oddly located 38cm width weird. Let's see if it's not a typo.

So far the best option seems to be the "new" factor integrated bar for road/gravel. For me it would be something made in heaven if it'd be 75mm reach (due to my fit needs) but I understand 80mm is the better option. They are indeed rather heavy for the product (some 50gr heavier than a standard integretad bar) but I don't worry about 50gr if that means they are more robust (enve product are also usually not that light).

The enve ses bars and the new unreleased integrated bars (which I assume follow directly the enve ses bars) will also be an obvious contender.

[Miller]

I wish this were true but 36cm options are few and far between.

I see the Prime Primavera Aero bar is now availible in a 36cm bar. I'm considering swapping out my round 42cm bar with a 38cm version. I ride a 56 and they always come with 42cm bars so I've never ridden anything else. I'm thinking of trying some narrower bars to see how they feel and these don't break the bank.

I got the Prime alloy bar to try 38cm, replacing 42cm. The 38cm is definitely a twitchier riding experience. Faster? Who knows.

[pmprego]

I wish this were true but 36cm options are few and far between.

I see the Prime Primavera Aero bar is now availible in a 36cm bar. I'm considering swapping out my round 42cm bar with a 38cm version. I ride a 56 and they always come with 42cm bars so I've never ridden anything else. I'm thinking of trying some narrower bars to see how they feel and these don't break the bank.

I got the Prime alloy bar to try 38cm, replacing 42cm. The 38cm is definitely a twitchier riding experience. Faster? Who knows.

David Arthur just posted a yt video comparing the enve SES at 37cm wide (aero) vs the enve round bar at 40cm wide. Thus, results aggregate not only width but the move from round to aero. The end result points to 10w at 30kmh. This is a speed I can relate to in my rides and increasing 10w for the entire ride is something I'd definitely feel.

[gorkypl]

Neglecting small changes due to variations in bar flex, is there another variable affecting 'control' between hoods and drops?

Anecdotally, I've always found riding in the drops to be more stable.

No, I think it's weighting the front wheel only. You can test by bending arms when on the hoods, the steering becomes more stable.

[Karvalo]

Neglecting small changes due to variations in bar flex, is there another variable affecting 'control' between hoods and drops?

Anecdotally, I've always found riding in the drops to be more stable.

Your hands are more secure holding the drops than the hoods - particular with fingers covering the brakes - so most people don't over grip and tense up as much on the drops.

[garbageman]

There's a 115mm stem length option for 38cm width as well. The sizes are sorted by stem length first. Still too short for many racers though.

I wish this were true but 36cm options are few and far between.

I find that oddly located 38cm width weird. Let's see if it's not a typo.

It's not oddly located or a typo. Like I said, the sizes are ordered by stem length first and width second. As such, it comes after 110x440 and before 120x400. The two shorter 38cm-wide sizes are listed first because they have the shortest stem length and the second shortest stem length with the narrowest width, respectively.

[MilesG813]

I am currently running 42cm roval rapides with a 110mm stem on my SL7, I eventually (once back in stock) want to move to a narrower bar (38cm), specifically the new roval rapide cockpit. They offer it in 115x380, is that enough additional stem to compensate for the additional reach I'll gain moving from 42cm to 38cm?

The only other option is 120x400, my concern is that might be too long for too little reach gained.

I am very comfortable on my 42cm with 110mm stem but when putting in hard effort in a aero position (arms parallel to ground on hoods) I notice my arms are angled outwards and I am cocking my hands out to hold the hoods while trying to roll my shoulders in. I feel I would definitely benefit from the narrower bars but want to ensure I do not over stretch or end up cramped.

[robbosmans]

Does not follow. Why do straight lines drawn on a picture mean correct wrist alignment? Are our arms only designed to reach directly in front of us?

This isn't really a problem on narrower bars.

But your picture say narrower bars are a problem. Do you agree they are a problem, or is your picture wrong? After all, the lines aren't straight, so what does it say about their wrists? It must be doing something bad to them, right? Or not....

And again, this picture has nothing to do with flare, nothing to do with technical riding and nothing to do with being able to use the brakes.

Still don’t understand it huh, maybe you understand it in video format?
https://youtu.be/woCy3cz6nuQ

[Karvalo]

Does not follow. Why do straight lines drawn on a picture mean correct wrist alignment? Are our arms only designed to reach directly in front of us?

This isn't really a problem on narrower bars.

But your picture say narrower bars are a problem. Do you agree they are a problem, or is your picture wrong? After all, the lines aren't straight, so what does it say about their wrists? It must be doing something bad to them, right? Or not....

And again, this picture has nothing to do with flare, nothing to do with technical riding and nothing to do with being able to use the brakes.

Still don’t understand it huh, maybe you understand it in video format?
https://youtu.be/woCy3cz6nuQ

Did you understand the bit where he specifically said wide bars with flare mitigate the problem with wide bars? Or was that too technical for you to grasp?

Funny really, that's two sources you've posted now and you disagree with both of them. Wanna try for strike three?

[spartacus]

Neglecting small changes due to variations in bar flex, is there another variable affecting 'control' between hoods and drops?

Anecdotally, I've always found riding in the drops to be more stable.

No, I think it's weighting the front wheel only. You can test by bending arms when on the hoods, the steering becomes more stable.

100%

[DHG01]

Does not follow. Why do straight lines drawn on a picture mean correct wrist alignment? Are our arms only designed to reach directly in front of us?

This isn't really a problem on narrower bars.

But your picture say narrower bars are a problem. Do you agree they are a problem, or is your picture wrong? After all, the lines aren't straight, so what does it say about their wrists? It must be doing something bad to them, right? Or not....

And again, this picture has nothing to do with flare, nothing to do with technical riding and nothing to do with being able to use the brakes.

Still don’t understand it huh, maybe you understand it in video format?
https://youtu.be/woCy3cz6nuQ

Great video.

[tarmackev]

I don't think this is as critical as people say it is. I ride everything from 38cm to 46cm, and all of those are fine.

Agreed 100%.
I rode 38cm road bars when nobody else did (beacause carbon ones were cheap).
I can rode super wide MTB bars, a TT position, MTB bar ends, skinny or wide road bars. Its all meh.

Basically thinner road bars are slightly more aero but also a little more twitchy.

I'm currently riding a 650 wheel 1995 road bike. Amazing how much more nimble the handling is.

[C36]

I was hesitant in sharing this link cause it's inconclusive, inconsistent and has poor explanations but maybe a member has other data points or will point something I missed
https://silverstonesportshub.co.uk/2023 ... idth-blog/