Wspsux

Is this just the new trend? I've been seeing more and more SS/FG bikes set up with what appear to be wide mountain bike risers. I've always liked my chopped risers in the crowded city traffic and I can't imagine the benefits of such a wide position.

Anyone using this set up, what are the benefits?

T13

When you are tunneling through traffic, splitting lanes, you can scratch both lines of cars. Also, shoulder pain.

Mumonkan

i got some risers from chainlove for $12 to try out a different setup on my track bike, they were super wide mtb bars

the handling was so twitchy with that leverage it was scary, i could barely ride with one hand. any slight movement and i was basically making a 90 degree turn

sheepdog84

SquidPuppet

That's weird man, cuz the math is the opposite. Wider bars slow steering down for equal amounts of grip movement.

Not saying you didn't feel uncomfortable, but it must be subliminal.

Huffandstuff

Wide bars are easier to climb on, I am rocking a pair right now on the GTB but they are cut down some.

prooftheory

The wider the bar, the less force is necessary to move it. The word twitchy is terrible because it always conflates at least three factors: the tendency of a bike to go straight; the amount of force required to turn a bike; and the amount of movement required to turn a bike.

Mumonkan

basically the handling was terrible (imo)

you get what im saying, did not like.

SquidPuppet

Exactly. Leverage is not equal to distance moved.

To me narrow bars feel twitchy. If I move my hands 1/2 inch the bike turns too much. (for my tastes). Plus, if a bike starts to get out of shape, I feel like I can gather it up better with a wide bar.

tuxxdk

I'm riding 52cm on my FG at the moment. That's very narrow for me and I'm not comfortable with any narrower. The narrower the handlebar, the more twitchy the steering get.

I don't know what your city traffic is like, but where I live there are dedicated bike lanes almost everywhere I go. So it's not a problem with traffic, only slow cyclists

franswa

Different strokes for different folks. Not everyone is slicing and dicing through NYC streets like a boss.

hairnet

Narrow risers are awkward as **** for me. I don't use it on the street much but I love the 30" bar on my mountain bike.

Scrodzilla

Huge MTB bars on fixed gear bikes is a fad. So many people riding around San Diego looking like idiots with their arms outstretched right now.

I blame Alonso Tal.

LesterOfPuppets

24.5" is the perfect width for me.

I got some 780mm risers on one bike that I ride around on some. It has a 130mm stem, though, which is WAY too long to pair with such wide bars. It's like steering a bus, have to push the bar SO far to make a turn.

Strangely riding one handed seems sketchier. Probably not used to weight distro, etc. Should probably grab bar farther in for one-hand ops, if I can live without brake.

My MB-3 has 22" bars. I gotta remember to reduce input when I'm riding that thing.

Biggest negative is how tough it is getting them though my apartment door. I'd probably have tomove into a place with a garage if I rode wide bars every day.

LesterOfPuppets

Sometimes I'm tempted to get some bars from Tick Oner cuz they look so hot, but DANG, they're WIDE!!!!

Kindaslow

I think that it started with the DH bikes, where you need the leverage at times. My new bars started at 800, and I cut them down to 780.

LesterOfPuppets

sounds about right. They wanted to run shorter and shorter stems to get more weight aft. Once yer stem gets stubby, wider bars help even out the steering again.

SquidPuppet

WOW!!!!!! And I thought the 28"ers on my beach cruiser were wide.

SquidPuppet

That's a nice Klunker.

Kindaslow

Yeah, on DH bikes it is less of a stem and more of a bar mount. Plus, the forks coming all the way up changes the dynamics.

hairnet

For SS standing grinding and mashing, the wide bar makes a huge difference. It originally had a 26" bar and it felt like I had no muscle over the bike going up hills.

SquidPuppet

And you are tall, so your wingspan is wider than average too.

Do road drop bars feel weird to you? I find narrow bars kinda spooky on fast descents.

Mumonkan

i really wanna try a mtb with wide bars to see how it translates to the trails since my experience on the track bike was such a polar difference

Muffin Man

What bike is that? It says Epic in your sig, but that looks like an Enduro, but has a double crown fork???? So confused

Kindaslow

My Epic WC is my favorite bike ever, and of course I am rather fond of my Langster. My DH bike is an Enduro Evo Expert 650b. It comes stock with an Ohlin's shock and Boxxer fork. It is truly amazing to ride on DH trails, but there is no uphill riding on this bike! It is one of my two other bikes.