Is there any advantages with going with the narrower basebar if it is offered in 40cm, 42cm & 44cm? Aero? Weight? Or, is it just based off what is most comfortable?
Narrower is going to be slightly faster just because of less frontal area, but I would go with the same width as what you use for road bars. The marginal difference in width can make a huge difference in terms of comfort…
You use the basebar enough that it makes a difference in comfort?
In races? No. In training? Yes. Though I actually haven’t really ridden anything other than a tribike for the past three years, so I suppose if I bought a road bike, I’d go with 42cm for the bars. I actually think that is the width I used to ride. But both of my basebars have been 42, but coincidentally. I started riding basically aerobars only before I sort of knew to think about the difference. But I’m certainly happy having 42cm since I do a fair bit of group riding with my training partners, and then I do need to use the hoods.
My training TT bike has a wider base bar for climbing during training. Most of my races are much flatter then where I train so I use a narrower base bar on the race TT bike. Slowman did an article/post on this recently where wider basebars are better for climbing.
Since I have only one TT bike it sounds as if the 42cm would be the best for “all-around” racing, training, hills & flats. Thanks Zipp & Rapp!!!