pdxn8

I'm starting up a new build. I just purchased a 2020 Soma Fog Cutter, which as best I can determine is a modern equivalent of my current bike (2003 Soma ES or 'Extra Smoothie'). I'm partly embarking on this due to gear acquisition syndrome, and rationalizing at least part of the expense by building up a new bike with disc brakes. I ride year round in Portland and the brakes on my old bike make me nervous on cold wet winter days in traffic...

I have the frame, headset, and fork so far. Next up I'm looking at handlebars. My current set are 44cm, but I'm thinking about going to 46 or even 48. I'm 6'4", 220lb, with moderately broad shoulders for my height. I prioritize comfort over aerodynamics and was seeking feedback on others who may have gone with a broader handlebar width? Did you like it, would you do it again, etc.

Thanks in advance.

Nate

ETA: I looked closer, and my current set is 46 (not 44 as noted above).

jsigone

you can get flared bars like Salsa Cowbells or similar. 44cm are wide for me (6'1) and use them only on my singlespeed for more leverage when going up hills.

check this link out

https://bikepacking.com/index/gravel-bars/

base2 

I've always understood the rule of thumb to usually be: Handle bar width should be the same width as the bony protrusion (outer edge to outter edge) on your shoulders.

How much that applies to you is up for debate based on you & whatever bike you have & what you are using it for. Comfort is the be-all/end-all only criteria that matters.

Nevertheless, if it is too wide, you'll end up with neck pain, pain or soreness at your upper back and/or headaches. If it's too narrow your elbows will flare out or rest uncomfortably restricting chest/lung volume. Longer rides usually expose this better than short rides.

On a related note when it comes to handlebar reach (saddle to controls) Too far away & you'll probably get lower back soreness from flexibility issues. Too close & you're hands or your wrists will hurt, get numb fingers etc. Some combination of too close/too high & you can add hotspots under sitbones & lower back soreness from gravity/weight bearing into the mix.

Different bars themselves have different reach, so once you find bars you like, that have nice comfortable curves, drops that you can use, brakes you can reach, etc...then control of reach can be accomplished with selection an appropriate stem. Bike shops often have boxes & boxes of discounted "take-off" stems for this reason.

In short everything is figured after the pedal to seat relationship is established & can take several iterations to get right before you decide to apply bar-tape for the first time. Lastly, don't apply bar-tape until you've got at least a half dozen happy comfortable rides & you are sure this is the best you can do. There is no sense in unwrapping or throwing away perfectly good bar tape for what would otherwise be a minor adjustment or bar swap.

Good luck!
edit:
So, OP: How wide are the bony protrusion (outer edge to outter edge) on your shoulders?

pdxn8

Thanks for the replies thus far.

I should have mentioned that my existing bike was fitted recently (last spring), and I've ridden approximately 1500 miles on it since then. My new frame is the same geometry and size of my existing one. My plan is to use it as a template for seat positioning, reach, etc.

The one variable that I have been debating is whether going a little wider might help - I'm going back and froth between "if it aint broke don't fix it" and "it could be a little better if...".

I also edited my original post to reflect that I'm currently using a 46. I will most likely stick with that.

Thanks again.

Nate

cyclist2000

Are the 46's comfortable?

pdxn8

base2 - I am right at 18.5" (47.5mm)

cyclist2000 - They seem fine. My longest ride last year was ~50 miles so I can't comment on longer than that.

ups

I have a set of 44s that seemed pretty wide. I'm 6-1 as well.

base2 

Then 46's or 48's seems like it would be in range.
Some makers do center to center others may not. It seems that every manufacturer has their own way of measuring. I would choose center to center measurement width at the hoods (where you probably spend the most time) to negate the influence of flare at the drops or marketing shinnanigans.

I think you're on the right track.

rollalongnow

I’m 6’3” with somewhat broad shoulders. I’ve never gone above a 44, but everyone is different.

howie2wheels

I am most comfortable with 44cm road bars the width of my shoulders plus a few centimeters. Offroad is a different story where several centimeters wider works for me.

TugaDude

Bar width is obviously a personal issue, however there are caveats. One caveat is to bear in mind that if you go zipping in-between cars a lot, wider bars are problematic. For that reason, many urban riders go with narrower bars. The other caveat is maneuverability. Wider bars provide greater control. As implied above, offroad use benefits from wider bars.

So I would choose the widest bars that allow for the type of riding I would be doing. 46cm is not too wide if you have wide shoulders. You can also get a little more width by going with 46cm bars that flare. Salsa Woodchippers would be a good choice.

TK LP

When I went through fitting, I was told to go with the widest bars I could find. I’m 6’-4” and am using Nitto Noodle 48cm. They felt big the first time I rode them, but after about 5 minutes,I was sure they ere right for me. very comfortable.

tallbikeman

I recently built a drop bar bicycle after not having one for over 30 yrs. I bought a used 46cm Velo Orange drop bar on Craigslist and am very happy with it. I am 6ft 5in so a wider bar does work much better than the old narrow bars I used to have. Shoulder width and bar width are definitely correlated for comfort and control reasons. I use 29in, (73.6cm) wide flat bars on my allroad bicycles after trying many widths and found it the most satisfying. Next year I will have a different opinion on the subject no doubt but that is how it stands right now.

Kobe 

I am 6'6" and my favorite drop bar is the Soma Highway One in 46cm. The shallow drops make it much easier for my 57 year old body to get to them.

SethAZ 

Oops, I was going to add that I switched from a 42cm to a 46cm handlebar a few years ago and would do it again in a heartbeat. I'm 6'2", reasonably broad in the shoulders, and I find it definitely more comfortable. I'm a fan of that width, definitely.

Paul J

I'm a bigger guy, 6'2" 225, and like wider bars. I've been riding 46ctc and wanted to try something wider to open up a bit. 48's in standard drop bars are hard to come by. I picked up a pair from Zinn which are by JK. Here is the link. https://www.bigandtallbike.com/JK-wi...C-C_p_169.html

Miele Man

I can remember when the suggested handlebar width was the same width as the distance of your shoulder bones. That was back in the days of KOPS. Is that handlebar width still used?

I also remember that you wanted the handlebar width to be wide enough that your knees didn't hit your elbows when you were riding in the drops of the handlebar.

Cheers

tallbikeman

I'm 6ft 5in and hitting my knees on drop bars is a real issue for me. Appropriately sized frames and stems to stop that issue. Recently I bought a 46cm Velo Orange drop bar and installed it. What a beautiful size bar for me. Since I have a frame that is more appropriate for my size I would really have to drop the handlebar a lot to hit my elbow with my knee and my current frame won't allow that drop. I know that even wider bars work also. I use 29 inch wide flat bars on my other bicycles and I love that size also. 29 inches is roughly 73cm. Being larger than average height and weight creates so many problems for me when trying to get properly fitted bicycles. My drop bar bicycle is an old lugged steel Nishiki Sebring in the 68cm size. This works really well for me. I don't hit the bars with my knees. The handlebar stem does not have to be way out of the steerer tube to be right for me. I do notice that fairly tall professional european road racers run very small headtubes with their handlebars way below their seats. I imagine they get used to the closeness of their elbows to their knees. The bicycles also may have longer top tubes and stems to counter the shortened head tube. My drop bar is an inch or so below the saddle height so this will never be a problem for me. O course I'll never go as fast as a pro road racer either.