# What width did you cut your handlebars?



## Bob Tilton (Aug 25, 2017)

Need to do this and seeking feedback before committing. Please list:

A Before width?
B After width?
C Your height?

ME:

*A Before width? 800mm
B After width? thinking 740mm
C Your height? 5' 7"*

At my height, 800mm feels extremely excessive.

Thanks in advance for feedback!


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## almazing (Jul 26, 2017)

After riding with a 800mm, riding my 760mm feels a little narrow. I’m 5’7 and 800mm doesn’t feel too wide after getting used to it. I also hold the grips a little more inward and space my brakes 30mm from the edge of the grips for both bar lengths.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

wide enough for me, but not too wide.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

No cut. Keep ‘em wide. Have you tried riding them at 800mm for awhile?

I’m 5’9” and my bars are 760mm.


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## drwx (Jun 4, 2011)

785 down to 745. I'm 5'8". I was getting some extreme hand pain with the wider bars. I did the "close your eyes and grab your bars where it's natural" thing. I temporarily moved my grips inward to this location and it happened to be right at 745. 20mm off each end really isn't much and it still feels like I have more than enough leverage. I've crushed my fingers into trees less too, so that's a bonus.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

The only way to know how wide is to start too wide and gradually move the grips/controls inward until you find the sweet spot. Take your time and move back and forth if needed, you can't glue it back on.

780mm, but I keep em wider so my pinky isn't right on the end.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

780-790 is my sweet spot... Could easily ride 800, but local trees didn't like it o_0

Sent from my kltedv using Tapatalk


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## terrasmak (Jun 14, 2011)

Started at 785 
Ended at 785
6’1


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

Currently using a 710 for a bit on my newer bike because I wanted to try/buy a cheap-o 'wider' bar for my 27 year-old rigid bike that has a 500 or something ridiulous/narrow. I was drawn to a wider improvement for that bike and could not resist trying a carbon bar that was $40. That orig old timer narrow thing is about on par for an 8 year old kid driving the bike.

I'll put it on the HardRock soon since the orig bar on my newer bike came as 780 and is just fine.


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

I used to ride regular riser bars at 740mm. My right wrist is funky from a poor quality surgical repair of my forearm and my wrist would kill me after long rides. 
I switched to 710mm Jones bars and have been happy and comfortable ever since. 
It's the sweep I like. I'm limited on the width since that's how they come. 

BTW, I'm 6'5".


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## LyNx (Oct 26, 2004)

As Travis said, the best way is to move your controls in on the bar you own and try each position for at least a few rides, then try moving them back out and only when you've tried it all, then cut them if you feel it's necessary.

Me, 6'2.25" tall knuckle dragging arms, started on 750, went to 785, found 760 on sale, can work, but prefer wider, so stick to 785mm wide, but also have an 800mm on my longest travel bike, but the have to slow down a tad in spots that are tight. Ride my 785mm bars like they're 800mm anyways, hand is slightly off the edge and grips I use extend a tad over the length. On my smallest bike I have, a size SM, bar is 710mm and people who ride that are normally <5'4" and no complaints, I wouldn't go below 740mm and honestly, probably more like 760mm at your height, especially if you ride in very rough, rocky, technical stuff.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

I had a 9-degree sweep flat bar on my bike at 760mm bolted to a 70mm stem. it always felt like my wrists were at and awkward angle riding like that. I think some combination of the following would solve that:
bar with more sweep at the same width
narrower bar with that sweep
shorter stem.

still experimenting, but I don't know how people with average width shoulders are riding such wide bars without destroying their wrists.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

I'm 5' 9", and recently cut a bar down from 785 to 680 mm. That was a tad too much, and I wish I had gone to 700 mm instead. I have several bikes with 680 mm bars, and it surprised me on this latest build that the same width feels just a touch narrow. 

I've tried 800 mm bars in the past, and did not like my arms to be spread that widely. I haven't played around much in between 680 and 800 though, and there might be some sweet spot in there that I'm missing out on.


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## LyNx (Oct 26, 2004)

If you have the right width bar and ride in the "attack" position, then you won't experience this, but if you just sit bak with arms fairly straight, you will. Take note that when you get up out the saddle ready to attack, it feels right, no issues, only when you're seated cruising along, so if you do a lot of seated pedaling, maybe a higher sweep bar would help,or just do like I do and change hand position.



mack_turtle said:


> I had a 9-degree sweep flat bar on my bike at 760mm bolted to a 70mm stem. it always felt like my wrists were at and awkward angle riding like that. I think some combination of the following would solve that:
> bar with more sweep at the same width
> narrower bar with that seep
> shorter stem.
> ...


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

LyNx said:


> If you have the right width bar and ride in the "attack" position, then you won't experience this, but if you just sit bak with arms fairly straight, you will. Take note that when you get up out the saddle ready to attack, it feels right, no issues, only when you're seated cruising along, so if you do a lot of seated pedaling, maybe a higher sweep bar would help,or just do like I do and change hand position.


I ride singlespeed on trails that don't allow a lot of sitting. I feel much more fast and confident attacking the trails with my hands set just a little wider than my shoulders, which puts the ends of my grips (which are about 5" long each) at 28-29" apart. I want to like big bars, but I just can't. there's probably an interesting reason for that and I'd like to know why.

I have also enjoyed riding a cyclocross bike with drop bars on the same trails, but after a few miles, the drop position, which gives me the most confidence, hurts my back and the lack fo tire volume beats me up.

I think my "attack" position is more elbows down than elbows out. maybe it's an upper body strength (or lack thereof) thing. maybe I am really a dirt roadie at heart, although I have never been a road roadie. I'll go review some videos of Jeff Jones riding and see what his position is with those super-sweepy bars.


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

Travis Bickle said:


> The only way to know how wide is to start too wide and gradually move the grips/controls inward until you find the sweet spot. Take your time and move back and forth if needed, you can't glue it back on.
> 
> 780mm, but I keep em wider so my pinky isn't right on the end.





LyNx said:


> As Travis said, the best way is to move your controls in on the bar you own and try each position for at least a few rides, then try moving them back out and only when you've tried it all, then cut them if you feel it's necessary.
> 
> Me, 6'2.25" tall knuckle dragging arms, started on 750, went to 785, found 760 on sale, can work, but prefer wider, so stick to 785mm wide, but also have an 800mm on my longest travel bike, but the have to slow down a tad in spots that are tight. Ride my 785mm bars like they're 800mm anyways, hand is slightly off the edge and grips I use extend a tad over the length. On my smallest bike I have, a size SM, bar is 710mm and people who ride that are normally <5'4" and no complaints, I wouldn't go below 740mm and honestly, probably more like 760mm at your height, especially if you ride in very rough, rocky, technical stuff.


I'm 6'-3" but 760mm felt crazy. Another guy my size agreed. It also didn't fit down most of our trails. I moved my controls, as described above, and took 2 small cuts before I arrived at 710mm (28").

That helps, right? :???:

-F


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## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

If you have a nicer handlebar i'd discourage cutting it down- they're tuned to flex at a comfortable frequency, and cutting them raises it. Cut down bars ride harsher.

6'3, longer than 760. Not too picky.


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## Phlegm420 (Oct 30, 2013)

Do a comfortable pushup. Measure the width of your hands from outside edge to edge. Adjust from there.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

^ I have heard the pushup method before. It sounds ninfty but it doesn't get you very far. It might work for some people, mostly coincidentally. My pushup width is several inches narrower than my preferred handlebar width.


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## JMac47 (Apr 23, 2004)

There's alot of info in here too:

http://forums.mtbr.com/california-norcal/what-proper-width-bars-norcal-1042661.html


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## VTSession (Aug 18, 2005)

I'm 6'2", bars are 800 mm and aren't getting cut.


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## Geralt (Jul 11, 2012)

5'7" and I think 730mm is probably about the width limit for me. 740mm is where the push-up method puts me, but using a 740mm (with a stem that I knew was at least a cm too long) gave me persistent elbow pain which has lasted for months even after I stopped riding. That was on a rigid bike which I'm sure magnified the problem. I put a 720mm with 20° sweep on that bike, and it's working much better for me.

I think I'm going to tempt fate by trying the 740mm bar (with a stem of the proper length) on my full-suspension bike. At the first hint of worsening elbow pain, the 740mm will be replaced with something narrower.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

It's not your height, it's shoulder width. Dress shirt is a 17 x 36" sleeve. 28" bars work well for me. I find 15 to 20 degrees sweep to be comfortable too.


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

750
690
5'9"


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## LyNx (Oct 26, 2004)

Well, check out the SQ Labs sweep bars, they might suit you better, good review here. Also with dirt drop bars, you need to run them a lot higher, so when you're in the drops, you're not that bent.hunched over, so maybe try a higher rise stem and/or spacers.



mack_turtle said:


> I ride singlespeed on trails that don't allow a lot of sitting. I feel much more fast and confident attacking the trails with my hands set just a little wider than my shoulders, which puts the ends of my grips (which are about 5" long each) at 28-29" apart. I want to like big bars, but I just can't. there's probably an interesting reason for that and I'd like to know why.
> 
> I have also enjoyed riding a cyclocross bike with drop bars on the same trails, but after a few miles, the drop position, which gives me the most confidence, hurts my back and the lack fo tire volume beats me up.
> 
> I think my "attack" position is more elbows down than elbows out. maybe it's an upper body strength (or lack thereof) thing. maybe I am really a dirt roadie at heart, although I have never been a road roadie. I'll go review some videos of Jeff Jones riding and see what his position is with those super-sweepy bars.


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

I'm 5-8 and can comfortably ride 740-760 without even giving it a 2nd thought. I've demo'd bikes with 800mm bars...no bueno for me. I have no desire to "get used to" something I don't like. I currently have 750 bars on (2) bikes and 760 on the other.


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## Shadow4eva (Jul 11, 2017)

.


Sent from my iPhone via Tapatalk


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## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)

I'm 5'8" with a slim build.

Trail bike: Enve RSR 760mm stock length
XC bike: Enve SWP 720mm cut from 740mm

Wides I've tried was a 780mm. I didn't really like it.


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## Bob Tilton (Aug 25, 2017)

Excellent feedback - thanks all! Leaning towards trimming mine down to 760mm based on above info, palm pain, wide fly push ups vs shoulder width push ups.

Also, 400mm steering wheels got changed out to 350mm steering wheels back in the 60s. That might make sense to vintage car owners.

800mm... ain't got time to get use to them.


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## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

Bob Tilton said:


> Excellent feedback - thanks all! Leaning towards trimming mine down to 760mm based on above info, palm pain, wide fly push ups vs shoulder width push ups.


Sayin it again-

move the grips/levers in and see if you're happier. If so, and you're running a fancy carbon/alloy bar, consider buying one that's the length you want and unloading the long one. An uncut bar is almost always more comfortable than a cut one.

Cheap bars are overbuilt- cut away!


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## BrianU (Feb 4, 2004)

I am 5'6", built up a Kona Unit earlier this year and put a 740mm carbon bar on it. Left it at this width for quite some time, while I experimented with several different stem lengths. Finally settled on a 70mm stem and started experimenting with width by moving my grips in 10mm increments. It always amazes me how different 10mm can feel when tweeking a cockpit. Finally pulled the trigger this past weekend and cut them to 730mm.

Repeating what has already been said several times, move your grips and ride, before cutting. Of course this is assuming you are using some form of lock-on grips. If not, might be a good time to start.

One more piece of advice I would add that has not been mentioned yet. Once you think you have the width you desire, ride different types of terrain. A relatively flat, fast flowing trail that has you spending the majority of your ride seated and spinning, is going to put you in a different riding position than say a technical trail that frequently has you out of the saddle.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

If you cut to 760mm without experimenting, how do you know it's ideal? Regarding the pushup method, I'm sure it's fine for finding the easiest pushup position.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

I'm 5'8. Mine are 720mm uncut. Answer 20/20 bars, and they only came in that width. I also like the sweep. The trails I rode at the time were super twisty and narrow, and that width felt good. I recently moved, and the trails are more wide open. I'm feeling like I could use a wider bar, so I'm considering a new one. My wife got a new bike recently, and I cut hers down from 780mm to 740mm. She's 5'3, and she's really liking 740mm.


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## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

I find 560mm to be kinda wide.
Everyone is different.


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## jeremy3220 (Jul 5, 2017)

Travis Bickle said:


> Regarding the pushup method, I'm sure it's fine for finding the easiest pushup position.


Many people don't have a good pushup form anyway.


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## Phlegm420 (Oct 30, 2013)

**** it then, just cut the bars with whatever random method you want! Obviously it's all whatever you want to do, why even go to the internet for advice!


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## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

Bob Tilton said:


> Also, 400mm steering wheels got changed out to 350mm steering wheels back in the 60s. That might make sense to vintage car owners.
> 
> 800mm... ain't got time to get use to them.


Wasn't that in response to power steering? So you're saying that you should run the handlebars that the rest of the steering was designed around?


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

5'11.5'' - 760 on one bike, which is perfect. I have 740 on another bike, and I can really feel the difference. I should have gone 760 but I don't ride it to often, and I can adjust fairly quickly.


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## Clayncedar (Aug 25, 2016)

810 mm.
No cut.
5'7"

Really wide shoulders and tend to ride to the outside on the grips even at this width.

My bars from the mid-1990s actually fit INSIDE my bars' grips now.


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

You could test imagine a 720mm cut, place your hands/brakes/shifters like they would be for about 2 weeks, etc,, until you hit your sweet spot than cut.
My legs are crazy long my saddle must be high for my knees and my torso is real short so any bike is too long for me the wider the bar the worst.
I replaced my 700 by a 680(used it was cut) raiser and it is fine.
On a fat i had a 740 it was too wide, now 720 is fine, but it depends on your stem, your preferred position and obviously habit, a new 1 might feel odd but great after 2 weeks, also your saddle position is linked, so your height is a tiny part of that equation, often the shorter boxer has the longer arms.
The more speed the wider
The closer are the trees,,, and after mixing all those factors it is your bar
so with 3 bikes i have 720, 700, 680


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## solarplex (Apr 11, 2014)

6’2”

670mm RF next bars on a 21.5” top fuel
690mm bontrager RL bars on a 21.5” farley


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## fdes (Apr 16, 2014)

5'4". 750mm bars cut down from 780.


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## John Kuhl (Dec 10, 2007)

I'm 6'1" and found 710mm to be just right.


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## Guest (Oct 18, 2017)

My bars are 711mm, that’s the way they came; I’m 6’2”.


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

jeremy3220 said:


> Many people don't have a good pushup form anyway.


I've tried measuring when doing the push up check but I guess I'm just not fast enough.


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

Travis Bickle said:


> If you cut to 760mm without experimenting, how do you know it's ideal?


They might have used that width formula where your age minus 10 plus the number of days you work a week and then divide by front tire pressure adding 5% if you still run tubes.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

3 bikes with 710mm bars and 90-100mm stems. The bars came that length, and I felt no need to change them.
Primarily XC / AM rider
5' 10"

Back in the late 80's and early 90's, I was cutting my bars from 600mm to around 500mm or less, and using 150mm stems.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

sgltrak said:


> Back in the late 80's and early 90's, I was cutting my bars from 600mm to around 500mm or less, and using 150mm stems.


Ha, that was the thing to do back then. Narrower was more badass or something. I rode some really sketchy-handling bikes because of those narrow bars with long stem (not to mention the 4" saddle-to-bar drop). Because we were NORBA racers!


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

sgltrak said:


> Back in the late 80's and early 90's, I was cutting my bars from 600mm to around 500mm or less, and using 150mm stems.


Hah! Those stems. Boy, am I grateful for the longer top tubes and shorter stems.


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## jeremy3220 (Jul 5, 2017)

We did the same thing in BMX in the 90's, cut the bars to make the steering quicker and don't remember anyone discussing stem length. Now they've gone to wide bars.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

jeremy3220 said:


> We did the same thing in BMX in the 90's, cut the bars to make the steering quicker and don't remember anyone discussing stem length. Now they've gone to wide bars.


My friend who owned a big pipe cutter was very popular. I remember a few trail riders who insisted on 8x28" uncut slam bars, must most of us cut our 7' tall bars so narrow that the grips were on the bends of the bar. Rememer Matt Berringer bars and Odyssey Milks? Dual radius bends, a revelation!

The reason was usually clearance for barspins, but Ian Swartz and others made that look silly.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

bachman1961 said:


> They might have used that width formula where your age minus 10 plus the number of days you work a week and then divide by front tire pressure adding 5% if you still run tubes.


I get 2.7????


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## jeremy3220 (Jul 5, 2017)

Yeah I had a Primo Moe's bar with the rear brake lever on the start of the bend of the bar...we still used brakes back then.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

(age plus + front psi) x 10 = 770

Going to be longer in the summer when I go back to a narrower tire, but this formula gets me in the ball park. Number of days worked? Work interferes with riding so I quit.


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

Travis Bickle said:


> I get 2.7????


So after making this sh*t up, you expect me to do the math and see if it even comes close ?
Just multiply by 10 then convert to mm


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

Travis Bickle said:


> (age plus + front psi) x 10 = 770
> 
> Going to be longer in the summer when I go back to a narrower tire, but this formula gets me in the ball park. Number of days worked? Work interferes with riding so I quit.


+

That's better yet. Mine comes out to 750, a bit narrow but it's a doable ballpark as you say.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Yes, the older you get, the more you go toward the am/enduro/dh end of the spectrum.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

bachman1961 said:


> So after making this sh*t up, you expect me to do the math and see if it even comes close ?
> Just multiply by 10 then convert to mm


Do you mean 2.7"x10=27"x25.4=685.8mm or 2.7x10=27mm?


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

Travis Bickle said:


> Do you mean 2.7"x10=27"x25.4=685.8mm or 2.7x10=27mm?


Oh no, I mean age + front psi x 10.

I'm 56 so I'll add 20 (max i run in front) and take the 76 x 10 for 760.
My bike came with 780 though.

I'll back away from making things up so often. You taught me an important lesson; When people make thing up, things can get ugly or worse, they force you to do math problems.
Still I'm happy we got to a place where my B.S. can appear genuine. 
ie; Make up more bs to cover for the bs that really didn't equate on the first pass.


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

Cool with a 680 this afternoon i had 30psi
so i am 38
if i had a car license it would say 59
GREAT formula 
it was suny, nice smell, beautiful leaves colors, short stop by the rapids to tan,
will go tomorow


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

bachman1961 said:


> Oh no, I mean age + front psi x 10.
> 
> I'm 56 so I'll add 20 (max i run in front) and take the 76 x 10 for 760.
> My bike came with 780 though.
> ...


Thank God no one was hurt.


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## Prophet Julio (May 8, 2008)

Thin enough to get through the tight squeezes on my local trails. Sometimes it doesn't work.


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## Cerberus75 (Oct 20, 2015)

I'm 5'6" short arms but wide shoulders.
Prefer 770mm but the main trail I ride 750mm fits in the tight spots. (780 won't fit) I use Deity clamp on grips and an end plug (not needed with the grips) when I'm riding other trails)


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

33red said:


> Cool with a 680 ...
> it was suny, nice smell, beautiful leaves colors, short stop by the rapids to tan,
> will go tomorow


+
Such testimony revealing the cause and effect of perfecting one's bar width.


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## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

Travis Bickle said:


> (age plus + front psi) x 10 = 770
> 
> Going to be longer in the summer when I go back to a narrower tire, but this formula gets me in the ball park. Number of days worked? Work interferes with riding so I quit.


48.67+30 x10 = 786.7

I just bought 787MM bars last week. Either I need some more air in the tire or I can't ride until next month.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Arebee said:


> 48.67+30 x10 = 786.7
> 
> I just bought 787MM bars last week. Either I need some more air in the tire or I can't ride until next month.


That is amazing


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

Cut? Handlebar? I wouldn't know, never tried it. 800mm or GTFO!

Seriously though, I've never cut a handlebar despite 800mm being slightly wider than what is reasonably practical around here. That was on my Krampus and I just couldn't bring myself to cut them. It felt so right on more open trails I was willing to tolerate it on the tight stuff. 

Most trails here are super tight, tree lined, and/or benched. I'm 6'3" and prefer wider bars but my happy compromise is 740-760. Anything beyond that is a royal pain, depending on the trail. If I lived in an area that was more open I would go wider.


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## Geralt (Jul 11, 2012)




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## MikeDee (Nov 17, 2004)

Phlegm420 said:


> Do a comfortable pushup. Measure the width of your hands from outside edge to edge. Adjust from there.


I agree with this. I tried wider bars and didn't like them. I experimented with shorter stems and moving my controls in to arrive at what I felt was most comfortable. I settled on a 650 mm bar, which happens to correlate well with my preferred push up or bench press position.

Personally, I don't get this wide bar trend. It seems unergonomic and uncomfortable to me. But, I'm old school and still use bar ends (which I resisted for a long time back in the day).


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

Geralt said:


>


He's totally not even wearing gloves. Crazy!


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## slowpoker (Jun 4, 2008)

Geralt said:


>


More sweep, please.


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

slowpoker said:


> More sweep, please.


You are missing the floating bike, no tire sings of rolling in the mud, is the wide bar a wing?


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## CaveGiant (Aug 21, 2007)

Don't forget wider bars require more sweep to get the wrist angle similar.

900 bars
Not cut down as I got them custom made at the size I wanted.
6'7


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## ShredlyMcShredface (May 31, 2017)

I like 760, perfect balance of stability and sneaking through the trees. I have hit many many trees, and seen more than one person go to the hospital, one via helicopter from nipping a tree. So I'm more sensitive than most.

I get a new bar/bike most every year. They normally come with 780 to 800mm bars. So every year I ride for a few weeks with the stock width to see if I want to change, but my hands naturally feel best at 760.

I'm 6'2" with wide shoulders.


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## Jovian (Jun 18, 2013)

A 760
B 760
C 5'8"

I think height has less to do with it and more shoulder width. My shoulders are pretty broad and the wider bar options have been awesome for me.

My XC bike I run at 760 and my All Mountain is 780.


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## evoodo (Jun 24, 2015)

Height: 173m
Tried 760mm, 780mm & 800mm
Personally feel 800mm is suitable for me.
Probably you also may to take into consideration which my bike top tube length is 24.24cm & reach is 17.52cm with 33mm stem.


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## Thustlewhumber (Nov 25, 2011)

Was running 760's for a while and always felt either cramped or had back pain. Got some Deity Blacklabel 787's which have a bit more sweep, and all is right with the world. 

6'
40mm stem


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## thedo32 (Feb 14, 2012)

i'm 5,7 inch .. controltech mst 35 ..750mm...no cut...purpose endu/am


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## Bob Tilton (Aug 25, 2017)

Bar width determined by jacket size. Jacket size 39 - bar width 740mm.


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## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

Bob Tilton said:


> Bar width determined by jacket size. Jacket size 39 - bar width 740mm.


You're gonna love this


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## R_Pierce (May 31, 2017)

785mm seems about perfect for me. Im 5'11" tall. Tried a 740 and it was just too narrow feeling and cramped after riding the 785's


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## C8N (Oct 20, 2017)

I have the following bars and I'm 5'10 with avg to maybe slightly narrow shoulders

690 didn't think it was too narrow until I moved on to 730
730 didn't think it was too narrow until I moved on to 740
740 on bike 1 and didn't think it was too narrow until I moved on to 750
750 on bike 2 felt a little wide but feels fine now but who knows how I will feel until I try the 780
780 waiting to try it out


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## grumpy old biker (Jul 29, 2014)

I have only 730mm and I really like it, I had something like 630 before and that was really too narrow, I'm around 6' tall and have bit of shoulders too. 

Also I'm using short stem, 40mm I believe it was, this is with 19.5" frame 26er HT and I have saddle set up as front as I could make it go, saddle nose is tilted bit upwards too, really weird setup I believe, but works really well when descending and enough well when climbing. 

I guess my setup is quite cramped, I don't like stretched so much as I like to move around quite a bit and when descending I like to go behind the seat at times, it is easier with this setup than with a long stem.

Only problem I have is clipping on small trees/bushes as I have Procraft bar ends, several times I have found bar ends clip on something and I get to test my reflexes and strength. Sometimes trees are just too nearby and can't make it past them. 
On trails bar ends are not much of fun really, so might remove those and see if it gets better. 

Might try wider bars, but even my current one is quite wide for where I ride, there is small trees everywhere and going around rocks, soft spots on swamp etc. is bit hard at times already.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

Came 780mm, cut to 720mm, I'm 5'6". Too twisty/tight here in spots to run wider bars, plus, I'm not riding a DH bike


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## Gavdalf (Feb 7, 2015)

My stock bars were 730 but they were too narrow so I bought a 790 bar and cut it to 760!


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Geralt said:


>





*OneSpeed* said:


> He's totally not even wearing gloves. Crazy!


And his brake levers are mounted too far inward and down. Other than that an ideal setup for tight twisty thick forested single track.


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## kpdemello (May 3, 2010)

I'm built like a dwarf with unnaturally broad shoulders for a 5'8" dude so I like the 780" bars that my bike came with.


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## mtnbikej (Sep 6, 2001)

785mm
6'
No Cut

And my hand still hangs off the end a little bit.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

I have had plenty of tree strikes on 720s...that is what scared me to try anything wider. In retrospect, I should have tried mine at 780 first before cutting or cut them to 740 first...oh well....c


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## Bob Tilton (Aug 25, 2017)

Santa Cruz Team Mechanic measuring Ratboy:


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## mrallen (Oct 11, 2017)

5'10" and ride 750-760. I tried the 800's that came on a couple of bikes for awhile and just wasn't comfortable. 750 is still a little tough on the local trees, but I wouldn't go narrower now.


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## Truckee Trash (Sep 18, 2007)

mrallen said:


> 5'10" and ride 750-760. I tried the 800's that came on a couple of bikes for awhile and just wasn't comfortable. 750 is still a little tough on the local trees, but I wouldn't go narrower now.


6'3" - 800mm Deity Blacklabels on my full suspension and 840mm Ti Risers on my hardtail! Can't get em wide enough - i'll deal with the trees.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

5'6"
originally 780
cut to 720
the end

As stated previously, running wider bars and trying to go fast on tight twisty mid-Atlantic singletrack = bar strikes.


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## natas1321 (Nov 4, 2017)

780 to 740, and 5'7. Just more comfortable. 

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk


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## JDHutch (Sep 29, 2017)

Fleas said:


> I'm 6'-3" but 760mm felt crazy. Another guy my size agreed. It also didn't fit down most of our trails. I moved my controls, as described above, and took 2 small cuts before I arrived at 710mm (28").
> 
> That helps, right? :???:
> 
> -F


Exact same experience for me. Bike came with 760mm /30" and it seemed really wide. Cut down to 710mm / 28" and it feels much better. I'm 6'2". Surprised to read here that so many guys are riding longer.


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## TheDwayyo (Dec 2, 2014)

Cut? If I could weld more on I would.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

TheDwayyo said:


> Cut? If I could weld more on I would.


A carbon welder of sorts.


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## @[email protected] (Aug 25, 2017)

My height: 6'8"
800mm Renthal fatbars


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

JDHutch said:


> Exact same experience for me. Bike came with 760mm /30" and it seemed really wide. Cut down to 710mm / 28" and it feels much better. I'm 6'2". Surprised to read here that so many guys are riding longer.


Yeah it's today's trend. Wider is better apparently. Which is great for trails out in the open but good luck riding tight twisty singetrack through "The Whole Forest".

I suppose if you had really wide bars and came upon a tight section like that you could stop and pull out a spare narrower bar from your Awesome Strap. Uninstall then reinstall and ride on. The weight penalty and storage space would cause a problem for me though.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> Yeah it's today's trend. Wider is better apparently. Which is great for trails out in the open but good luck riding tight twisty singetrack through "The Whole Forest".
> 
> I suppose if you had really wide bars and came upon a tight section like that you could stop and pull out a spare narrower bar from your Awesome Strap. Uninstall then reinstall and ride on. The weight penalty and storage space would cause a problem for me though.


wins


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