I think i need to get a new handlebar... I'm 220 and 6 foot. I've been riding the same steelframe schwinn ( all components upgraded from original setup) for an easy 8 years. It rides fine but it just seems to me that the handlebars are to narrow for me. I started riding when i was 195 pound swimmer in highschool so i was more narrow but as i got out of highschool and joined the military l i got bigger due to my job demands ( had to be stronger which equals more muscle mass. What is a good handlebar to get that is longer?? what do yall recommend? i usually ride a mt bike but i do like the distance rides as well, and with the handlebar i have now it doesnt feel right.
if you are worried about strength of the bar (flexing) go with an OS bar... anything labeled for freeride or all-mountian should the trick...
bar widths are a funny thing though... my 21" bar (from old 90's bike) feels SO skinny... my 23" bar is getting about right... the 25" bar that came with my redline is SO wide...
also might consider trying some of the "weird" bars.... titec H bar is interesting... little wide for me though... but only spent about 1 mile on the dirt with it and didn't have the shifter/brakes setup to my liking)... the on-on mary bar feels awesome on the road... haven't ventured off road with it yet (they sell a steel version which is what i'll get if i like it off road)... Groovy cycles Luv handle looks promising and you can get an extra wide version for a little extra $$$.
but for normal bars it's easy to find varying widths... just need to have your metric conversion calculator handy
My preference is wider (>26") but there's a Coke versus Pepsi thing going on with Wider versus narrow. To me, wider chests will be more comfortable on wider bars. Brands? I run Truvativ Hussefelt on most, Easton EC 90 on one. Mine are all 31.8 (the oversized mentioned already). You need a 31.8 stem as well to go that way. There are super strong bars in all widths for 25.4 bars (normal) at all pricepoints. A $30 DH/FR bar will be strong enough and cheap. They tend to weigh 25-40% more than light bars (give or take...) if that's a concern.
Pick up a set of Deity bars, they come in both 25.4 and 31.8 and are 28" wide. If you want something wider then they make the 30" bars also. http://www.deitycomponents.com/
the trails you ride also might help your choice... around here some of our trails get mightly narrow... even with my relativly narrow bars i sometimes have to make sure my bars aren't hitting trees or catching vines (spring is here in FL and vines are growing in force)... with a wider bar that is amplified even more... nothing quite as fun as flying down some tight single track and having your bike suddenly stop going where you pointed it because you tapped something with your bars...
on the plus side... if you go with fairly wide bars you can fairly easily shorten them...
before you order anything you might talk to some locals and see if they have any bars you give a tray... many people have been though a number of bars and have a bunch just sitting around from time experimenting... i've got 3 extras myself... i bought 2 bars recently from a club member for next to nothing because he had no use for em...
once you find what you want/like go spend the $$$ on a nice bar... but till then keep it cheap.
Oohh, I have Bontragers on my 'cross bike in 46cm wide with a pretty deep drop. It's a PITA to find bars wider than 44cm (center to center) for road. I lust after some badarse full carbon bars for the 'cross bike. Can't really justify $200 for bars on that bike.
Brock...
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