Is the obsession with wide bars for gravel finally over?
I have always ridden 38cm for road, and when I bought my first real gravel bike I went 40cm with 6 degree flare. I had 42cm on original CX/gravel hybrid bike and hated how wide it was. Now, after a few years, I think I want to go 38cm at the hoods, with maybe 10 degrees flare for some extra width in the drops. I’ve noticed a lot of riders much taller and bigger than me doing 40cm bars, so I don’t think it’s unusual.
On that note, the majority of OEM manufactures are defaulting too wide of bars on all sizes of their gravel bikes as well as cranks that are too long.
Im on 44cm bars, with a gentle flare of the drops (not the wild wide mega flare you see on many).
I prefer those to 42 or 40 - the narrower ones are just to constricted to be comfortable for me - noting im 6ft tall but have fairly wide shoulders (about a 46/47 inch chest).
Same on the road bike.
Defo dont like the wide flares on some gravel bikes - the hoods angled in just don’t suit me.
I tried a friend’s TT bike with about 35cm bars - felt like a disaster waiting to happen to me - it was too twitchy and hard to control on bumpy decents.
Mountain bike bars have got ludicrously wide however. 800mm ? Or more. Bonkers. Think mine are 740mm on the full susser, and thats more than wide enough for me.
Doesn’t it depend on how you approach gravel and what “gravel” means to you?
The UCI “Gravel worlds” Pro has different needs than the “Adventure / Under-biker”. Multiply these needs by personal preference and we will have a wide-range of “best” options.
I think the thing we should be past is blanket recommendations without an understanding of individual needs and preferences.
I’m 6’2" and also have wide shoulders. I get argument for wider handlebars from a handling standpoint if you find you are riding technical courses. I don’t really get the constriction thing. When I’m training in the TT position my elbows are only a few inches from each other. I don’t care how narrow your bars are, you’re never going to be more constricted than when you’re riding down in the skis. FWIW I ride bars that are 37 at the tops on my road bike.
I use a flared Enve road bar in 40. Seems fine to me. A huge swath if locals ride a lot slower and aren’t exactly sliding around in the corners for fun or speed and use much more relaxed bar width and stacks.
No right answers. Maybe someone should buy cheapo alloy round bars of a couple sizes and try them then buy nice once you know your preference.
For gravel I use bars with 340mm measurement at the hoods, with further significant inward cant. Drops are 400mm, with low drop. I’m 186cm. Narrow bars are way more comfortable for me, and 400mm drops are plenty wide enough if things get too chunky. Just don’t pair them with a super short stem.
For the longest time I have used 40cm bars on everything. I use the Enve AR that is 40cm at hoods and 45cm at the drops. I am 5’10 and 145 lb.
In September I built up a road bike 38cm bars- I really like this setup and though it would be good for gravel.
I put 38cm AR bars on my gravel bike. I like the hoods position, drops if fine (even though it is narrower), but I do not like the feel of the tops. My hands go right to the outer corner of the bar.
I am going to change back to 40cm. The only run is that the bike internal in terms of hose routing, so it is a pain to change.