Mountain Bike Narrow Handlebars
For xc bikes using a longer stem gets you in a better position on the bike to put out more power efficiently.
Mountain bike narrow handlebars. Mountain bike handlebars started off narrow but over time they have become wider and wider. In case you were wondering all mountain bike handlebars have a diameter of 22 2mm where the grips are attached so you do not have to worry about your new bars being compatible with your existing. They come in at 580mm at the wide point and 550mm at the narrow cross section. A few brands also offer handlebars with 35mm clamp sizes for even more stiffness.
The 10 best mountain bike handlebars reviews with buying guide. Look at a sprinter s bike in a track race and you ll notice it has very narrow handlebars. The bar is extremely sturdy and durable made from aluminum alloy that is 31 8 mm thick to provide extra stiffness to the bar note that you will need a large diameter clamp to fit these handlebars. Handlebars on mountain bikes are wider because they offer more stability and control.
Similarly if you notice that your elbows are pointing outward and your grip is narrower than your elbows than it is an indicator that your mountain bike s handlebars are too narrow. Although a lot of people may not be concerned about what handlebar is mounted on their mountain bike. Material choice is primarily a budget consideration with aluminum mountain bike handlebars typically costing less than their titanium or carbon cousins. Why are mountain bike handlebars so wide.
If you ve been around mountain biking for a while then you know what a radical change it has been when it comes to handlebar width. A narrower bar tends to suit that longer stem. These flat handlebars from outad are as equally suited for a mountain bike as they are for a commuter ride. This makes them ideal for easy navigation.
On average it s common to see the narrowest mountain bike handlebars on cross country bikes and the widest on downhill bikes. But if your elbows are nicely aligned with your hands when you grip the handlebars then congratulations you have a perfectly sized handlebar. Amongst other things this included narrow handlebars. The evolution of mountain bike handlebar width.
One problem that you run into though is that it isn t as simple as wider is better. Because mountain biking evolved from road bikes they initially borrowed a lot of bike design concepts. Choosing the best mountain bike handlebars involves several key considerations including intended use construction material flat versus riser width clamp diameter and backsweep. Now you can find handlebars that are 31 inches wide giving you a lot of options.
British cycling and chris boardman were among the first to exploit the aerodynamic benefits of narrow.