mtb handlebars

[mikemw]

how wide should mtb handlebars be. mine is 680 mm and feels way too wide

[stewie911]

then cut them shorter untill they feel right. Little bit at a time

[Nuffy]

Little little bit at a time. It's very easy to cut too much off, and then there's no going back.

 

It all comes down to personal preference. I have a jump bike and a XC bike and both bars are 710 mm wide. Any narrower and I feel proper dodgy on the descents. But I don't know any other XC riders who are even close to that, so I'm clearly not normal in that respect.

 

The narrower your bars are, the more twitchy your handling will be. I like having wider bars for big, sweeping carves through the singletrack and good stability. There's been a recent trend for downhillers to use super-wide bars (the Truvativ Boobar is 780 mm wide). So a lot also depends on your riding style ? wider for DH, narrower for XC, in general.

 

[kosmonooit]

Also with 31.8mm in the middle be careful about cutting off too much, not leavign enough 25.4mm for brake leavers, lock out levers etc (I learnt this expensive lesson)

[AndreZA]

Just move up your controls and use it like that for a while. Then you have fine tuned it, cut it only then. Remember, measure twice or even 11 times and cut once.

[Mackie]

Just make sure if they are risers, that you fit some bar ends...

[Headshot]

general rule - same width +- as your shoulders. Narrower is better for fitting down tree lined s/track but increases effort in getting the wheel round eg on switchbacks and will also feel less twitchy on fast jeep track descents.  

[AndreZA]

general rule - same width +- as your shoulders.?

 

 

 

On a road bike perhaps. There is not ways I'll be able to fit my controls on 42mm bars.

[Bos]

I was roosting down tokai on saturday...after having the Easton EA70's and neaver faulting them for almost 3 years, the 680mm suddenly felt to narow!! was so weird, right in the middle of going down some long singletrack and the more I thought about it the more it felt like they were shrinking! maybe something I smoked.. but then again, I dont.

 

just get long BMX grips and change your grip when going up, when the trail gets rough, Im sure youll want every bit of it.

 

Im convinced, I need 2 bikes.. a light 6'' trailbike and a lighter 4'' xc bike..and a better paying job

[Bos]

[quote=Headshot]general rule - same width +- as your shoulders. Narrower is better for fitting down tree lined s/track but increases effort in getting the wheel round eg on switchbacks and will also feel less twitchy on fast jeep track descents.  

 

Sorry for the double post, but headshot, you didnt think that one through bro

Most MTB bars are between 500-600m that would make us all Jonny bravo's

[parabola]

 

[quote=Headshot]general rule - same width +- as your shoulders. Narrower is better for fitting down tree lined s/track but increases effort in getting the wheel round eg on switchbacks and will also feel less twitchy on fast jeep track descents.  

 

Sorry for the double post' date=' but headshot, you didnt think that one through bro

Most MTB bars are between 500-600m that would make us all Jonny bravo's

[/quote']

 

I find a better approximation is that your shoulders should line up with the 'V' made between your thumb and forefinger on each hand. A bit wider for confident descending, a bit narrower for general XC riding. Its personal preference really.

 

[Bos]

[quote=Headshot]general rule - same width +- as your shoulders. Narrower is better for fitting down tree lined s/track but increases effort in getting the wheel round eg on switchbacks and will also feel less twitchy on fast jeep track descents.  

 

Sorry for the double post' date=' but headshot, you didnt think that one through bro

Most MTB bars are between 500-600m that would make us all Jonny bravo's

[/quote']

I find a better approximation is that your shoulders should line up with the 'V' made between your thumb and forefinger on each hand. A bit wider for confident descending, a bit narrower for general XC riding. Its personal preference really.

 

Cool mn, I really wasnt laughing at anyone here, more wiff all of you I hope. I think it will differ depending how much you like the technical stuff, but there are some exceptons, maybe Their moms had wider hips or sumin

[Domin8tr]

Use a pipe cutter not a hacksaw. Nice and neat aswell as straight!