![]() ![]() If you want eyeballs out, nose to the bar time trial efforts and tend to hold the bars close to the bottom of the drops, think traditional. If you're after fairly relaxed endurance rides, think compact. In the middle, are ergonomic bars: rounder than traditional bars, but they have a flat section in the centre which is ideal for hand positioning.Ĭhoosing the best handlebar shape for you comes down to your riding style. In recent years, compact handlebars have become more popular: these feature a straighter shape, which means the lower section of the drop is higher up. Traditionally, road bars had a gentle round curve, which created a deep drop, putting the rider in a low position when off the hoods. However, in the case of handlebar shape, it's much more down to personal preference. When it comes to handlebar width, though you can go up or down a bit depending on preference, there is a right and a wrong answer: too narrow or too wide will cause you pain and have bike fitters all over the world wincing. (Image credit: Dan Gould/Future) What is the best road bar shape for me? It's best to check what approach the manufacturer you have in mind takes. ![]() The standard approach is to measure from the centre of the drops, but some brands measure from the outside, meaning their 40cm bar could be a 38cm in the former approach. However, this will mean that you are having to move your arms out to reach the levers, causing your shoulder blades to collapse which can cause discomfort. Some riders like the stability afforded by slightly wider bars - so you could opt to go one size up - to a 40cm bar. If, for example, aerodynamics are important to you, perhaps opt one size down. However, personal preference and riding style play a role, too. This measurement gives you a baseline - if it's 38cm, look for 38cm bars - and so on. The rule of thumb when selecting the correct handlebar width is to measure the distance between the two bony bits on your shoulders - in more scientific terms the distance between your two acromioclavicular (AC) joints. To the contrary, narrow bars will make you feel cramped, but it's worth remembering that narrower bars will bring your elbows in, having quite a significant impact upon aerodynamics. This is particularly relevant for women who have bought a unisex bike over a female specific bike: most women have narrower shoulders compared to men of the same height so will want a narrower handlebar.īars that are too wide can put pressure on your neck and arms, and will make riding the bike feel a bit like driving a truck. The bars that come specced on a new bike are an estimate based upon the average shoulder width of the average person riding a bike in your size.Īs most cyclists will protest, none of us are truly average, so tailoring the bars to suit you is a good idea. The Best Road Handlebars Buyers Guide How wide should my road bars be? We found the position ergonomic, however, we weren't convinced the overall effect was that different when compared with just holding the centre of the bars. The bar allows you to adopt a time trial position, without full length extensions. However, if you're not likely to meet with the UCI rule book (which is most of us), then these are still an option. Initially, it was believed this was a UCI legal solution, but the UCI has been very clear that it's not. Well, this bar is something a little different.
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