Handlebar width and stem length

[Brian Fantana]

From Bike Magazine Blog:

 

http://www.bikemag.com/blog/friday-five-bar-width-and-stem-length/

 

Bar Width

 

 

A 710-millimeter wide carbon Easton Haven bar and a 810-millimeter wide Funn Fatboy bar. Both widths have their merits, just choose the right one for the right purpose.

 

In recent years handlebars have got wider and wider, and this is a good thing because wider bars offer you more control, open the chest for easier breathing and contribute to providing a more stable position. This makes you more stable and slower to fatigue. However, width is relative. For riders that ride small, medium and large frames, we would consider the following widths as suitable, respectively: 680-730 millimeter, 720-760, 740-780 millimeter. Anything wider than 780 millimeters is influenced by discipline – downhill or freeride – and personal preference.

 

The objective of using the correct width bars is to create a sturdier upper body framework but not stretch oneself across them like you are being crucified. Some people, despite their other body measurements, have different shoulder/arm measurements so will need to proportion their bike to their own body. Too wide and you will compromise strength, too narrow and you will have reduced strength and control. Tara Geach (model shown) is 155 centimeter and \”upgraded\” the bars on her size small Specialized Safire to from 680 to 700-millimeter wide to help her with the technical terrain she rides.

 

 

The objective is to create a strong A-frame with your upper body.

 

I personally suggest more riders use wide bars. Not gargantuan bars, but something a little more roomy perhaps. The advantage of a wider bar is increased leverage, meaning steering and force resistance requires less force. In a balanced and poised ‘neutral position’, a slightly wider bar will give you a stronger body position which will also reduce fatigue.

 

For example, try doing a few push-ups with your hands underneath your chest with thumbs touching. Then try doing some with your hands inline with or wider than your shoulders. Which is easier and feels more stable? This shoulder/arm position in a push up is very much like the position you have on your bike and a rough downhill run is actually very much like a series of push-ups. Fatigue will increase the chances of poor line choice, likelihood of crashing and just slow you down. Your choice, wider or narrow bars?

 

Now try to do some press-ups with your hands out wide. What feels easier?

 

A wider bar isn’t just good for descending duties, it also helps with climbing duties. A wider bar may also give you more leverage while climbing (both seated and standing), provide more control on technical climbs and open up your chest for easier breathing.

 

Consider the purpose of your riding and the types of terrain you often find yourself riding. Higher speed trails will feel more stable with a wider bar but perhaps if you spend a lot of time on slower, more technical trails a really wide bar will begin to feel a little unwieldy.

 

As you widen your bars consider reducing the length in your stem if necessary. An older belief was that longer stems make a bike more stable, however, with the changes in mountain bike geometry in recent years (longer wheelbase, slacker headangle, longer cockpit) the idea of a longer stem being appropriate is now obsolete. Long stems are just band aids for bikes that are too short.

 

 

Set your bike up to provide more control for riding off-road and not necessarily what is correct for road bike standards.

 

As you increase the width of your bars then your reach will increase, necessitating a shorter stem. If you have moved from 680 to 700-millimeter bar, and you have a 90-millimeter stem – consider reducing stem length to 75 millimeters. As your bars become wider then reduce the stem length accordingly. This setup allows for poise, control, and strength in the widest range of off-road situations.

 

Mountain biking is a dynamic activity that requires a rider to move around on the bike and move the bike under them, rather than be fixed into position throughout their ride. In future installments of Friday Five we will be going through some basic skills and techniques and expanding on why it is time to ditch that half foot of stem you have been carrying around since the last millennium.

[Wil6]

Good read. Im on a large and currently riding 680mm and it made a huge difference in control from my previous 600mm. Getting my 810mm next week!

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Good read. Im on a large and currently riding 680mm and it made a huge difference in control from my previous 600mm. Getting my 810mm next week!

 

you SURE about that? Sure it's not 710mm?

[BrandonF_]

810..!! Better come with a mouth guard

[RockCoach]

Great read. Particularly like:

 

"Set your bike up to provide more control for riding off-road and not necessarily what is correct for road bike standards."

[Brian Fantana]

Very insightful, something every mountain biker should read.

 

In my XCO racing days, I would always go for a small frame(shortish top tube) with a long stem and narrow handlebar, almost mimicking my road bike fit.

 

Now I prefer a longer top tube frame, short stem and wide handlebar. The handling characteristics of a short stem and wide bar combo cannot be disputed.

 

I get very frustrated when people say that they fit a longer stem to "slow the front end down" or for "more control"

Edited June 28, 2013 by Brian Fantana

[Wil6]

 

 

you SURE about that? Sure it's not 710mm?

Yip 810 flat bar with a 8 degree back sweep

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Yip 810 flat bar with a 8 degree back sweep

 

Sjoe. What bike is it going on? Reason I ask is that I have pretty wide shoulders and I find a 760 / 780 to be perfect.

 

Stem length?

[Wil6]

 

 

Sjoe. What bike is it going on? Reason I ask is that I have pretty wide shoulders and I find a 760 / 780 to be perfect.

 

Stem length?

Just messing around. Going on a SS I'm building with 90mm stem.

[Ryanpmb]

Yip 810 flat bar with a 8 degree back sweep

That's wide! Must be riding in open grassland - definately not plantations...

[Wil6]

That's wide! Must be riding in open grassland - definately not plantations...

Haha. Wish we had that in Bloem. But if you see me selling a very wide handlebar in the near future, you will know it did not work out!

[Ryanpmb]

Haha. Wish we had that in Bloem. But if you see me selling a very wide handlebar in the near future, you will know it did not work out!

Beauty of starting wide is you can always trim them down to the perfect width.

[Flippa]

I was a fan for 600mm bars until I built an SS 3 years ago. I couldnt understand why I got less fatigued on the SS until I started experimenting. Now, the sweet spot for me seems to be 700mm with a moderate backsweep

[Brian Fantana]

I was a fan for 600mm bars until I built an SS 3 years ago. I couldnt understand why I got less fatigued on the SS until I started experimenting. Now, the sweet spot for me seems to be 700mm with a moderate backsweep

 

Same here. When I built up my single speed 29er in 2007 (frowned upon then) I used a 720mm bar. I soon realised that I had more confidence on drops, jumps and tight corners with the rigid ss, than with my racing harftail.

 

You can read all you want, but at the end if the day experience is the best lecturer in MTB'ing. But to accelerate your experience the basics must be correct!

[DR ◣◢]

780mm on a 45mm stem. Lot more direct steering a lots more confidence lying the bike flat in corners.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Just messing around. Going on a SS I'm building with 90mm stem.

 

With a 90mm!? Fark bro. That's lanky as heck