Anyone make the jump to a narrower road bar? I typically ride 42cm and I’m thinking about going down to a 38cm bar. I have held a 38cm in my hand, felt a little “awkward” in terms of feel and being different than what I am use to. Not that it would be bad. You guys think that is something that I could get use to? Just an average size guy, 5’10."
yeah. i hated it. actually, i moved from a 44cm to a 40cm. not by choice. in a product review. if you’re a 42cm, and it feels appropriate, leave it.
I have a 38cm base bar on my TT bike. It’s fine for that, but no way would I want one that narrow on my road bike. I think I have a 42cm c-c bar on now, it might even be a 44 c-c. I’d have to check, got it so long ago now that I forget.
Is 38cm really that narrow? It didn’t feel bad. Was just “different.” Maybe awkward was the wrong term. Kinda like when you go to a foreign country and the first day or two everything feels a little “awkward” or “different” as the door knobs sizes might be different or the door openings. Not bad. Just not what your body is use to.
The 38cm is only going to be 3/4" narrower on both sides (1.5" total) than my current 42cm. Doesn’t seem like much once my body gets accustomed to it.
Well, on the tri bike, I’m never 100% comfy on the base bars like I am on the road bike. Many moons ago I went to the wider road bar from a 40cm bar, and it was instantly more comfortable with no acclimation period.
42 on my roadie actually feels a tad wide for me, I think my shoulders are freakishly narrow. I would totally try a 38…
So I made that exact change and it’s completely fine, but points to factor in…
I haven’t had it outside yet as all my riding has been on the trainer with the lousy weather we’ve been getting here, (so I’m only speaking to fit and not handling yet). It did feel strange/different at first but after a week of rides, maybe 4 or 5, it was totally normal and felt fine so if you’re going to try it, give it a few rides at least to adjust.I’m smaller than you. I am somewhere between 5’8" and 5’9", (I wear a small in tri-clothing for example) and probably would be seen as someone with a runners build maybe.
Best of luck
fyi, I’m 5’10", with average to slightly wider than average shoulders. I think the last suit I got was a 44 jacket. might’ve been a 42 though, I recall trying both.
Thanks. Do you have any reason to think that it might negatively affect your handling?
Interesting… Most of my business suits are 38R or 39R. The one that fits the loosest is a 40R.
A 38 bar might be fine for you then.
Yeah, I went from a 42 to a 38 a long time ago. I did this after getting hooked in a crit and breaking my hip–the added aero is just a side benefit. It felt really weird at first, but that went away quickly. There are track guys running bars far more narrow than 38cm, and they seem to be able to handle their bikes just fine… One think you may find is that you have to go 10mm longer with the stem to maintain the same basic position. This will actually help reduce some of the “twitchiness” you’ll initially encounter. But either way, after a few rides the handling will probably feel fine. It’s way easier to move into tight spaces w/the narrow bars.
Our Slowtwitch live-in aero weenie Jackmott runs a 38 and he’s not a small guy either.
I personally run a 42 and I can’t afford to keep buying and swapping bars to go down to 38…lol.
No, I don’t have any reason to think it will negatively affect handling, (could actually make it better), but I figured it being Slowtwitch someone would get on here and bust my ass about it, so I threw that caveat in 
Seriously though, it’s a narrower bar so I can imagine that it could theoretically be a little more twitchy. I don’t expect it actually will be, but until I get it outside, I can’t say for 100% sure.
Hope this helps.
jackmott is on the tall side I think, but he isn’t “big” (based on what I recall of photos he’s posted).
I’d ridden 10K+ miles on a 42cm bar. I’m 5’-11 and skinny. Narrow as well.
I bought a new bike and didn’t even realize it came with a 44. It felt GIGANTIC to ride the bike. Swapped to a 42 and I’m all better. I really would like to to very narrow for the aero benefits, but again since I have re-cable each time it’s not fun.
5’7 dude here with shoulders on the wider side for my height. Went from a 42 (Zipp Sl) to 38 (3T aeronova) and it felt very very weird for 2-3 rides. Feels normal as now. The great think about the aeronova is that the drops are flared 2cm relative to the hoods… 38cm across the hoods and ~40cm on the drops.
I ride 38s, 40s and 42s. I don’t have any issue moving between them. I am a thin build 6ft dude. Adam Hansen is a decent sized pro at 6 ft and rides 38s. I was using 42s for years until I starting finding 38s and 40s on sale…
How long did you give it? Did it the 40 grow on you at all?
“How long did you give it? Did it the 40 grow on you at all?”
i have a pretty good idea how i want my bikes to fit and handle. lowering my saddle height 4cm isn’t going to grow on me either, regardless of how long i give it. it’s not an identical, symmetrical analogy, but it’s the same principle. things fit or they don’t.