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Handlebars width - how far apart are your hands?

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View Poll Results: How wide are your (MTB type) handlebars
My hands are spread wider than my shoulders
10
45.45%
My hands are spread as wide as my shoulders
8
36.36%
My hands are spread narrower than my shoulders
2
9.09%
I use flat drop-down handlebars
1
4.55%
I use butterfly handlebars
1
4.55%
Voters: 22. You may not vote on this poll

Handlebars width - how far apart are your hands?

Old 09-04-21, 11:00 AM
  #1  
gauvins
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Handlebars width - how far apart are your hands?

I've changed my handlebars following this summer's trip, from butterfly to flat. I am curious as to what width you settled in, and perhaps your rationale.

For context - I've had butterfly handles for the past 5 years and felt OK with them. This year (solo trip, riding 150+kms every day), however, I started to feel uncomfortable after the third week and tended to grip the handle at angle for some reason. I've searched a bit and found discussions suggesting that some backsweep makes things better. So I went ahead and indeed, backsweep + inner bar ends feel like it'll improve things, albeit I haven't tested this configuration on a long tour so it might turn out that any configuration may feel uncomfortable in the long run and that the answer is to raise the handlebars to reduce pressure somewhat.

I am asking because the width of flat handlebars vary quite a bit, apparently depending on the type of activity. For touring, I'd assume that wide as a drop-down bar is the more reasonable option, but I'd like to get feedback.

Last edited by gauvins; 09-04-21 at 11:04 AM.
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Old 09-04-21, 06:15 PM
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When I was using a flat bar on my MTB I cut it down so that it was the same width as the dropbars on my other bikes. I used t hat MTB on dirt and paved roads not tearing down hills on off-road trails. I like that width because it was more aero and I didn't feel like my hands were way out to the sides away from my shoulders.

Cheers
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Old 09-04-21, 07:38 PM
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I ride my drop-bar road bikes with my palms on the 'shoulders' of the top of the bars where they bending forward, thumbs-up and fingers pointing forward. Brake lever location is further forward/downward along the downward bend and is NOT conducive to riding 'on the hoods', but levers are at my fingertips if riding in the drops. Likewise, my barcon shifters are within reach of the heel of my hand and little finger if I slide them back when riding in the drops. Both hands are in contact with with the bars at all times.
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Old 09-04-21, 09:33 PM
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Hi gauvins, your experience with butterfly bars mirrors mine, although I haven't toured with them I've ridden them a fair amount. They work ok but the lack of sweep back bothers my wrists.
Ive always found that dropbars work best for me, and the slight flare out of the drops on my troll are the best drops ice used (salsa cowbells) and as I've mentioned often, I can ride this bike every day with no nerve issues, wrist or finger issues.

re sweep back, when I changed my commuter bike from butterfly to Jones h bars, I really found the sweep back to work well. Jones bars have a large 45 degree sweep back, and they work well, but I can see that less degrees would be nice too. Having some sort of forward facing bar end type things , similar to our hand position on the hoods, would be great also.
The surly moloko, and the rare Denham bars, look very interesting to me--what did you get, you didn't say?

it would be fun one day to talk about your trip,and hear of more details. You really did impressive daily distances.
cheers

oh, width for me gets more important the more I am on dirt and rough stuff, wider giving more control. My dropbars are 42cm, but the drops flare out more, which is nice.
The Jones are really wide, so are great for dirt, but mine are set up a bit high -- which Jones himself recommends. Just today I rode them with a good head wind and the forward position works well for this. My dropbars however work really well in headwinds in the flared out drops, and I've ridden a lot in really windy conditions, and really appreciate this.
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Old 09-04-21, 09:33 PM
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I have the Crazy bar and I think they are around 66cm wide. when going up a very steep grade in low gear or rough terrain wider bars make it easier to keep the bicycle going in the direction I choose.
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Old 09-04-21, 10:55 PM
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For a short time I toured on trekking bars but felt more comfortable going back to drop bars as all my other road and cyclecross bikes have drop bars. I spec every bike that I build with 44 cm width drop bars which is at least one size larger than any bike manufacturer would spec for my size frame, but I love wider bars for the greater leverage, so there.
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Old 09-05-21, 05:32 AM
  #7  
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I find it important that I am fitted and ride so that elbows are bent and hands relaxed, shoulders relaxed, and fingers loosely draped over the bar or hoods. If those conditions are met I find bar width becomes pretty forgiving. I don't obsess over it and generally have been okay with what came with the bikes. That means narrower than my shoulders.

Back in the day when I rode a lot of tight singletrack with a lot of stuff to catch a bar or brake lever on I used to cut MTB bars real short. These days not so much.
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Old 09-05-21, 07:38 AM
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Originally Posted by staehpj1;22215724[u
]I find it important that I am fitted and ride so that elbows are bent and hands relaxed, shoulders relaxed, and fingers loosely draped over the bar or hoods. If those conditions are met I find bar width becomes pretty forgiving. I don't obsess over it and generally have been okay with what came with the bikes. That means narrower than my shoulders.[/u]

Back in the day when I rode a lot of tight singletrack with a lot of stuff to catch a bar or brake lever on I used to cut MTB bars real short. These days not so much.
Absolutely on the bent elbows, relaxed and loose grip, totally crucial to long term comfort.
re width, with drop bars my early Japanese touring bike 1990 era, had stupidly narrow bars, partly because of the times and probably because of smaller stature Japanese people. Now I'm slight, plus I didn't know any better, but years later when I got a newer dropbar bike (cyclocross bike) with wider dropbars, only then did I realize that wider waa much much nicer.

as for my Jones bars, they are jumbo wide, 720mm I think, but in most regular riding they are fine, but clearly have more sail effect with headwinds. And again they are set up a bit higher than my seat and have a cool upright position that I don't hate..... would I want them riding in Patagonia, hell no! (Super windy place btw in Chile) but on trails and dirt riding where speeds are lower, it's good.

I just got some wider dropbars, same salsa cowbells, but 46cm vs my 42cm. I reckon they'll be good too, with an advantage on gravel rides with gear, but should still be ok on road stuff. I'll find out.

oh, I've done some mtbing lately on my old mtb with average old school wide bars, and it was fine, but can see how wider bars with wider tires would be fun too, and this is pretty standard in the mtb world.
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Old 09-05-21, 11:36 AM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by djb
Absolutely on the bent elbows, relaxed and loose grip, totally crucial to long term comfort.
re width, with drop bars my early Japanese touring bike 1990 era, had stupidly narrow bars, partly because of the times and probably because of smaller stature Japanese people. Now I'm slight, plus I didn't know any better, but years later when I got a newer dropbar bike (cyclocross bike) with wider dropbars, only then did I realize that wider waa much much nicer.
...
I think narrow bars on drop bar bikes used to be a thing. My 1961 vintage Italian racing bike is size 59cm, so it is a larger frame size but came with stupidly narrow bars.

Most of the drop bars I buy now are about 44cm center to center, or maybe 45. They are wide enough that my bar end shifters are clearly out to the side instead of at risk of knee strike on my bar end shifter bikes.
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Old 09-05-21, 02:12 PM
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I clearly recall riding wider dropbars for the first time and immediately feeling, "hey, I dont feel scrunched up and I can breathe easier!" --but like I said, I really didnt know any better as I owned that Japanese bike for so long and it was my only dropbar bike so never had a chance to compare and realize how narrow they were.
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Old 09-06-21, 03:00 PM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by staehpj1
I find it important that I am fitted and ride so that elbows are bent and hands relaxed, shoulders relaxed, and fingers loosely draped over the bar or hoods. If those conditions are met I find bar width becomes pretty forgiving. I don't obsess over it and generally have been okay with what came with the bikes. That means narrower than my shoulders.

Back in the day when I rode a lot of tight singletrack with a lot of stuff to catch a bar or brake lever on I used to cut MTB bars real short. These days not so much.
As narrow as these on my fun bike? Great for getting through really tight spaces. LOL




Cheers.
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Old 09-06-21, 03:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Miele Man
As narrow as these on my fun bike? Great for getting through really tight spaces. LOL
Nope, none of mine were that narrow
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Old 09-06-21, 03:52 PM
  #13  
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now thats just goofy Senor Miele! (neat though, but goofy)
once in a blue moon I see some young dude with something like this here in Montreal and I really wonder how sketchy it must feel riding it.
Kinda like when I see a Harley with ridiculously high ape-hanger bars, I wonder the same thing.
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Old 09-06-21, 04:40 PM
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Originally Posted by djb
Kinda like when I see a Harley with ridiculously high ape-hanger bars, I wonder the same thing.
I rode one owned by a friend back around 1970 or so. It was a hard tail with a crazy extended fork and fidiculously high bars. It was a very strange ride. It took a lot of room to turn it around.
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Old 09-06-21, 08:24 PM
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Originally Posted by staehpj1
I rode one owned by a friend back around 1970 or so. It was a hard tail with a crazy extended fork and fidiculously high bars. It was a very strange ride. It took a lot of room to turn it around.
geez, a hardtail to boot!
ya, as someone who has always liked really good front end feel (motorcycles or bicycles) I've always figured a bike like that 1970 one must have felt like driving a clapped out loose goosey old car that going straight down the highway, you could wiggle waggle the steering wheel 4-5inches and the car would keep going straight.

take care there easy rider. (Probably haven't seen that flic for 40 years)
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Old 09-07-21, 05:16 AM
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Morning gauvins,
specifically about width, one factor that comes into play for me is the type of grips you use. Ive used ergon grips that for my hands, really feel nice and reduce pressure points, although like bar angle, grip angle also makes a difference.
On my Jones bars, I have ergons also, but using good foam grips will allow you to move your hands up or down the longer grip area.
So what bars and what grips are you using now? I figure that on rougher dirt roads, we are moving our hands and body around a lot more than easier road riding, so we are often changing the pressure points of hands. That said, even with my dropbars and paved roads, i switch hand positions quite regularly, even do it with the jones bars (but really don't spend that much actual time riding that bike)

and yes, I would try raising your bars a bit if you feel you should, at least to try anyway.

show us some photos of the new setup sometime
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Old 09-07-21, 03:35 PM
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Originally Posted by djb

show us some photos of the new setup sometime
quick and premature The red arrow points to the shifter's mount. I've ordered the I-Spec kit such that the shifters will be mounted on the brake levers mounts.

Position 1 -- hands resting on the Ergons, is wider than the shoulders.
Position 2 -- hands grabbing the inner bar ends, is shoulder width
Position 3 -- hands on the segment between the stem and the controls, is narrow and not really comfortable atm. Perhaps when I've been able to remove the shifter mounts.

I've ordered a different bag (Ortlieb free 5L), being fed up with the closure system of the Compact. And I am very happy with my watch acting as my bike computer.
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Old 09-07-21, 03:53 PM
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Turns out wide swept back bars work better for me. I ride Jones with Ergon GC3 grips. I've pretty well found I don't really feel the need to move my hands all the time because they work so well. Only time I'll move them is with a raging headwind, where I'll use the aero position on the front bars. The downside is mounting a handle bar bag like an Ortlieb means it's really far forward, you can't open it easily while riding. I'm tempted to get some Koga Denhams just so the handlebar bag would be further back, but you've gotta stop collecting bars sometime, right? Right?
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Old 09-07-21, 05:30 PM
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Gauv, I have similarly angled bars on my mtb, although I think yours have more degree of angle. I really do find that this makes a difference.
I'd be very curious to see how those bar end things feel. Ive used traditional bar ends and am familiar with how they feel, but have never tried ones like these mounted inboard on the bars like these.
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Old 09-07-21, 05:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Trevtassie
Turns out wide swept back bars work better for me. I ride Jones with Ergon GC3 grips. I've pretty well found I don't really feel the need to move my hands all the time because they work so well. Only time I'll move them is with a raging headwind, where I'll use the aero position on the front bars. The downside is mounting a handle bar bag like an Ortlieb means it's really far forward, you can't open it easily while riding. I'm tempted to get some Koga Denhams just so the handlebar bag would be further back, but you've gotta stop collecting bars sometime, right? Right?
chuckle. I was sorely tempted to get a pair of Denhams, but at the time I was thinking of this, you could only order them from Europe and with shipping etc, they would have been well over 200 Canadian, and I just wasnt willing to spend that much on something I really didnt need.
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Old 09-07-21, 06:40 PM
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Originally Posted by gauvins
I've changed my handlebars following this summer's trip, from butterfly to flat. I am curious as to what width you settled in, and perhaps your rationale.

For context - I've had butterfly handles for the past 5 years and felt OK with them. This year (solo trip, riding 150+kms every day), however, I started to feel uncomfortable after the third week and tended to grip the handle at angle for some reason. I've searched a bit and found discussions suggesting that some backsweep makes things better. So I went ahead and indeed, backsweep + inner bar ends feel like it'll improve things, albeit I haven't tested this configuration on a long tour so it might turn out that any configuration may feel uncomfortable in the long run and that the answer is to raise the handlebars to reduce pressure somewhat.

I am asking because the width of flat handlebars vary quite a bit, apparently depending on the type of activity. For touring, I'd assume that wide as a drop-down bar is the more reasonable option, but I'd like to get feedback.
Sounds like you have a wrist angle issue, more than in problem with bar width. I had that problem on one of my motorcycles. The bars swept back too much and my wrists were at an un-natural angle. I replaced the bars with a set that allowed my wrists to be straighter to my grip when riding. MUCH better!
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Old 09-07-21, 11:02 PM
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I don't use flat-bars on any of my bicycles.. I prefer drop-bars that are the width of my shoulders.
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Old 09-08-21, 04:56 AM
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Originally Posted by Cougrrcj
Sounds like you have a wrist angle issue, more than in problem with bar width. I had that problem on one of my motorcycles. The bars swept back too much and my wrists were at an un-natural angle. I replaced the bars with a set that allowed my wrists to be straighter to my grip when riding. MUCH better!
it's the opposite here. He had butterfly bars, trekking bars, where the "hands on controls" position is pretty much straight across, ie no angle at all.
with my trekking bars this straight part bugged me, just as it did in the past with mountain bike bars that were straight.
changing to a slight angle like he has on these new bars, and a few bars that I have with varying angles (the extreme are my Jones bars with a 45 degree angle) just feel better on the wrists rather than straight across.

now I can't speak for gauvins, I'm just relating my experiences.
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Old 09-08-21, 05:43 AM
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I have three widths ...

position A- about the same as Miele Man's fun bike at 7"/18cm. Awesome mtb braking power up here!
position B- my go-to spot on the hoods at 16"/41cm, my approximate shoulder width
position C- the rarely used drops at 17.5"/45cm

All above are measured to center of palm contact.

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Old 09-08-21, 06:01 AM
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And this year's winner for best graphics in a BF post about handlebar width goes to.............
BOB G !!

pretty much the same for my dropbar tourer, including the intterupter bars.
I would add an additional position, that slightly inboard spot of putting palms at the corner of the tops, before the hoods. Brings hands back 3, 4 inches and inboard a smidge. Nice back and neck positional change.

I admit a bias with bobs photo because of the genevalle shifters, I love mine.
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