nashvillwill

So, I hear about many people shortening their flat bars. I'm a flat bar commuter and have wondered about doing this, but am having trouble seeing the advantage.

I know that many do it simply for aesthetics (hipster wannabe bike messengers), but is there any real gain from it?

My Globe Vienna 3 came with flat bars of a certain width. I've heard that the general rule of thumb is to have bars as wide as your shoulders. By this standard, I could probably shave about 1-1.5" off each side. But if I did, what would be the gain? The only thing I can guess is a more responsive "feel". Then again, I'm afraid it might "feel" less stable.

It seems like there would still be plenty of room for my shifters/brakes if I did so.

Has anyone done this? Any thoughts?

JiveTurkey

The shoulder bar width rule is for road/drop bars. For flat bars you want something at least a little wider because they're measured end to end (rather than center to center) and having your hands horizontally requires the bars to be a little wider to get the arms out straight (as opposed to squeezed in like the hipsters you mentioned).

Road bars come in varying widths to fit different people. Flat bars of a particular model usually come with one size. You can cut it to fit you better. For commuting, there's an aerodynamic advantage in having your arms coming out straight or a little wide versus the generally unnecessary leverage advantage of wider bars.

fietsbob

The rule of thumb, you refer to, actually applied to drop bars,
flat bars can be wider.

[ though I got a discarded Bull Moose set which I cut down from super wide,
To what I was used to having as widths on other bikes.. but still wider than my road bars..

Cut the bars narrower to split the lane in heavy traffic.

and bike polo players cut them down, because they have to ride one handed,
and not hit the bars, on their own bike, with the mallet handle .

you can push the controls, and grips in , fit wider grips,
[or Ergon combo bar-end grips, use the extra width]
and see if the narrower bar really is what you wish.

No, the arms don't make a significant difference
your torso is the big aerodynamic drag ..

bending way down into an uncomfortable crouch
is the sacrifice to aerodynamics, , if it matters,
then you go to drop bars..

Retro Grouch 

Measure twice, cut once.

1 1/2" off each side (if you can really do it) would be a pretty drastic change. 3/4" is a good amount for starters. You can always cut a little more off but, if you decide it's too short, you can't put it back. If it was my bike I'd move the levers and grips inward and ride it around like that for awhile to see how I like it before cutting. A screw type hose clamp makes a good saw guide to help you get a nice straight cut with a hacksaw.

I've never liked real wide handlebars so I've frequently trimmed mine down. If you're doing real mountain bikeing, a narrower bar will make it possible to fit between more closely spaced trees. Couriers like narrower bars because they can fit between into narrower spaces between cars. Honestly, I've never felt any significant difference in handling or control with wider or narrower handlebars.

johnny99

You can shift your grips inwards without cutting the bars. You can try that for a few hours and see how comfortable it is. If you're already grabbing the inside part of the grips, you probably already know that your bars are much too wide. For most people this is more of a comfort issue than anything else. You didn't buy that flat bar bicycle for speed.

CACycling

Make sure you leave plenty of room for your brake levers and shifters in addition to your grips. Some types of bars limit how far in you can move them as they widen near the clamp.

3alarmer 

Like skinny jeans, this appears to be a fashion/street cred issue.

But they are, of course, your bars to do with as you see fit.

nashvillwill

Thanks for the responses. I haven't heard anyone mention any real (for me) advantage to doing so, which is what I expected. I'm not very concerned with aerodynamics, and I couldn't give a flip about image.

I certainly ride in traffic, but I'm not trying any death defying squeezes. I guess the only place narrow bars would give me any advantage is on a crowded train, but what is 2" going to matter.

I'll probably take the good advice about moving everything in without cutting and see how it feels. Odds are, I probably will end up leaving as they are.

I guess I was just wondering if anyone had enjoyed a better "feel" after narrowing. No, my bike will never be fast, but that doesn't mean I don't want it to feel more fun. I'll report back what I decide to do after a trial or two.

Cheers!

LesterOfPuppets

You could experience a change in "feel". Shorter stems and shorter bars can result in a perkier feel. The same amount of movement at the end of the bars will result in more front wheel turning movement when you have shorter stem and/or bars. You may or may not enjoy this change in feel.

I've found I like my bars at 24" without barends, 25" with barends. I ran uncut 28" bars for a while but they made steering a bit sluggish and they were a bit of a pain getting through my front door, a threshold I cross 2-8 times per day. I cut about 1/2" at a time 'til I found the happy spot.

I remember back in the day when everyone was running 22" bars and 150mm stems folks claimed the cut bars down short for tree clearance.

Of course with 31.8 clamp bars you generally have less room for controls on short bars than if you have 25.4 bars.

One other nice thing about short bars is that a bike with short bars is much easier to lean up against a building and have stay put.

frantik

i like my flat bars "flopped and chopped" with bar ends added.. it feels more ergonomic to me

JiveTurkey

It's all relative. Asking if a narrower bar is better, is incomplete. Narrower than what?

Bars come in many different widths, some very wide and some not so wide, and many manufacturers expect they'll be cut to fit the rider best (something that is not possible on other types of bars).

Re-positioning grips, shifters, and brake levers without cutting sounds like a good plan. It'll be much easier with clamp-on grips. Ergons are great.

The advantage of an "appropriate" (not "wider" or "narrower") width bar is better for comfort, control etc.

davidad

You will get less leverage if that is important to you.

Looigi

It's really whatever feels and works the best for you, and perhaps what appeals to your sense of esthetics. With drop bars you can ride with your hands on the hoods, on the tops at various distances from the stem, in the drops, etc.. They all work fine with respect to handling. With flat bars, the options are much more limited. Wide bars provide a bit more leverage which you might find beneficial negotiating really gnarly terrain on a mtb, but otherwise wouldn't make a significant difference.

leob1

I did it to almost all the flat bars I ride. They are simply to wide for my comfort. I use a pipe/tube cutter to cut the bars. You can get one at Home Depot or Lowes for about $10. Since the shape of each bar is different, make sure you can still fit your brake levers, shifters, and gips before you start cutting. I usually cut ony 1/2 inch at a time. Mark each side, then cut. Use a file to smooth out any ruff edges, or if you are too agressive with the cutter it can flare the end of the bar(ask me how I know this).

Retro Grouch 

How much leverage do you think that you need to turn your bike's fork?

Chris Chicago

if you are going to do it, don't *****foot around it. go all out

Retro Grouch 

I might need more leverage than that but it does allow the bike to lean up against the wall nicely.

LesterOfPuppets

I'm still waiting for a pic of an uncut steerertube with a lockring and an Oury grip pushed onto it

pat5319

nol advantrage other than clearance, or if you have wider bars your get moer lerverage and your lungs "open up" better

Chris Chicago

that would be awesome. perfect for the one armed rider with a vice like grip

LarDasse74

The 'clearance' thing is the classical explanation to explain couriers cutting their bars... but I have a theory that if you are riding between a streetcar and a bus closer together than the width of your shoulders, you are in trouble regardless of your handlebars.

The same explanation used to be used when most mountain bikes had very narrow bars, but when people started riding the same trails with wide riser bars the myth was, IMHO, debunked.

Chris Chicago

to confidently debunk it, I'd like to see a limbo contest of sorts. different width handlebars attempt to ride through an increasingly narrow space... with conga music playing

flatlander_48

One note that no one has mentioned about the Shoulder Width/Handlebar Width rule of thumb:

If you get the Handlebars too narrow, it works to close up your chest cavity and it restricts your breathing...

3alarmer 

Do you ride much around street car / light rail / urban train tracks ?

Try it some time and you may grow to appreciate leverage.

Retro Grouch 

What's a "street car"? I live in the midwest.

I've wandered into some pretty deep ruts on some mountain bike trails, but I solve that problem either by stopping my bike or by falling over.