Quick Poll: How wide are your handlebars?
Handlebars are getting wider. There’s definite trend for mountain bikers, from cross-country racers to downhillers, to choose wider bars.
And it seems manufacturers are rushing to release wider bars. Recently USE brought out a new 710mm wide carbon fibre flat handlebar, aimed at XC and marathon riders. We’ve seen a flurry of 750mm bars from Nukeproof and Easton, popular choices with trail riders leaning towards maximising fun on the technical downs.
Why go wider?
I’ve been riding 750mm bars on most of the recent test bikes for the past few months, and haven’t looked back since. My riding has improved immeasurably. I fell more confident pushing the bike through fast techy corners, and I’m having more fun as the increased leverage makes it easier to sling the bike around and muscle it faster through corners.
Getting them through some tightly packed tree-lined trails can raise objections however, but generally I’m getting on well with them.
How wide are your handlebars?
I’m loving the 710mm USE Atom flat bar, I can still get a low, XC position but they’re a real benefit on anything technical. Will be getting some on all my bikes in the future.
I was originally planning to cut them down to 680mm or so, but thought I’d try out the wider setup and now they’re staying uncut.
600mm flat bar, awesome for pinging through trees awlays used to dab the brakes with wider bars but now just apply more ‘body english’
720mm. Perfect! A bit tough in the trees though!
540 mm, 99 grams – less is more…
600mm. I’d rather use skill and finesse than brute force.
But, wider bars give more steering leverage. Therefore, the narrower the bars, the more ‘brute force’ you are having to use!
750mm – Great fun but where it’s open but a challenge as things narrow down
720mm – A happy medium (could go wider but already a bit tight in the trees on natural Enduro descents)
685mm – As wide as you can get away without having to worry about how close the trees are
21.5″ (545mm) on all my bikes (bar DH).
Old skool rules!
711 easton haven been using for 6 months superb will never look back
Race Face SIXC – 725/730mm great, so wonder whether an extra 10mm each end is worth spending money on !!
Riding a 800mm flat on my chumba HX2 singlespeed.
Needed some leverage… otherwmise a carbon syntace vector 12° 740mm (219g) plus thick barends makes me happy on my trailbike.
700mm just right.
745 on my hardtail, with a 65mm stem. Not I’ve seen how good this is I’ve put a 750/80 cockpit on my Anthem – but the bars are coming down to 730… and then maybe to 720.
680mm, on 29er. 650mm best suited for my 26er. Not that broad shoulders don’t need too much of the bar.
Race Face SIXC – 725mm – perfect for now !
685mm Easton EA70 XC Wide on a 29er hard tail
Quite happy with them but interested in what a 700mm bar would be like.
680 monkey lite alls good
I’ve had an Easton carbon Monkeylite 685 on a 29″ AM hardtail about two years. I recently got a similar second bike and put on an Answer Pro Taper Carbon 720. Great handlebar and I prefer it. I may have to slow down a bit between tight trees but so what, the rest of the time control feels better.
Been using a 685 Easton Monkey Lite on my Orange 5 but just switched to a Race Face Atlas 725 . Much more control and raises the bar in how fast and agressively you can throw the bike around in the tight twisty single track. 40mm makes all the difference !!
Just back from Cwn Carn on my 29er, my 700s are out and will try 750.
Use 620mm slightly raised, on 85mm stem. They were 640,
but took 10mm off each end. More comfortable, better control,
no problem with trees.
Answer 720 carbon (won in a competition..so light I thought they’d float away)..and they really do have just that little bit of ‘give’..
725mm
635 mm and find them very comfortable.
Nuke proof 750′s cut to 720mm with a nuke proof warhead 70mm stem – MAGIC! Started with 110mm stem which was good but finally yielded to the hype for a shorter stem – wish I’d done that ages ago combo of wide bars and short stem is so much better climbing singletrack & downhill!
I’m running FSA SLK 620mm carbon flat bars on my hardtail and still manage to shred the trails quicker than any of my mates, up or down. I’m quite narrow in the shoulder and find anything too wide gives my an uncomfortable arm position, and i can’t use my arms as efficiently to aid the suspension.
Race Face SIXC – 725mm, spot on.
733, now i wish i didn’t cut them
740/70 cockpit on my main LTHT. Actually prefer 710 but wanted some flat bars and have a slight phobia of cutting bars down.
685/55 on my second bike and will soon finish a SS street/fun HT that will probably run 780/55.
Answer 780 DH’s on my SX Trail…felt odd at first but like the extra width. So far they haven’t been too bad between the tress (I’ve only had one knuckle / tree interface to date).
They make my 711mm wide Reverse bars on my other bike feel narrow!
710 mm Truvativ Holzfeller, 50 mm rise. Been using it for more than 3 years now and I am more than happy with it. Great control on any terrain. I am also riding daily through town so don’t want to go any wider as this seems to be the limit when darting between cars.