MTB Handlebar width?

[TCRCARBON]

I have always ridden a 600mm handle bar 0n my cross country bikes.  Got the new Anthem X Advanced SL0 and it has a 690mm bar.  Felt sooooo wide to start with but I have heaps more confidence on this bike.

Anyone know what the thinking is behind bar width.....

[Taps]

I've found Bar One's to be getting narrower & narrower.

[dirtrider]

You just need space for your hands , bar-ends , Lights , Garmin , Tracking device , mascot and maybe a mirror . Anything left over must be cut off .

[splat]

Wider bar = more lever arm = bit more control (easier to steer)

For example: Downhill bars are super wide compared to Cross Country race bars.

[Bike Mob]

Ja cos in cross country races you never have to steer... 

[TCRCARBON]

I've found Bar One's to be getting narrower & narrower.

But despite the Bar Ones getting narrower, they still make my hips wider.... Makes no sense.

[Terminator]

The solution is: wide enough for comfort / control & narrow enough to get through the trees!

[TCRCARBON]

Is there some sort of standard width for a specific discipline?

[TitusTi]

Is there some sort of standard width for a specific discipline?

 

 

No, in a World cup XC race, you'll see the stinky euros lining up with 560mm wide flat bars and the crazy canucks lining up with 680mm wide riser bars.

It all depends on what you're comfortable with.

 

 

[splat]

I just looked at the Race Face range.

Atlas is 785mm wide and the Next is 660mm

[AndreZA]

and please don't believe this crap about it has to be as wide as your shoulders. You do not get MTB bars that narrow.

[TCRCARBON]

So 690mm is not waaay out then?

[Guest coenie]

 

Is there some sort of standard width for a specific discipline?

Yes the "standard" is you sit on you XC bike and swing your arm forward the with at wich you then grab the h-bar is YOUR width...and that is where you should put your grips then add on a bit on side for barends etc.

 

[cat-i]

when i got the trance, i wanted to cut the handlebars off. a friend suggested i ride with it for a few weeks, then cut it off. i much prefer the wide handlebars - you learn to (sometimes) miss trees on twisty tree-y tracks.

[Headshot]

Its the same principle as car steering wheels. Small ones are nice for race cars but make the steering far more twitchy and effort filled. If you want to slow your steering down a tad - and feel more secure on the fast gnarly descents, run a wider bar. Simple really.

[anselan]

Doesn't the width also have a bearing on aerodynamics? But guess this is not as crucial with MTB as with road bikes?