# What bar width and stem length are you running?



## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Okay, I'm curious. So, I know we've probably all read a lot about how increasing your bar width while decreasing stem length helps give you more control over your bikes in gnarly situations. And I know a lot of it is just personal preference and there probably is no "right" or "wrong" combo to run...but what do you find yourself using?

I recently purchased a 2015 Mukluk in a size small. Perhaps, had I to do it all over again, I may have gone with an xs, as their ETT increased from previous years. The bike came with a 700mm bar and 80mm stem. At the store, it seemed to feel fine, however, once I was on the trail, I definitely felt like I was too stretched out. I purchased a 750mm 2" riser bar and a (quite) stubby 45mm stem. After making some adjustments, my hands simply felt too stretched out, so I did the tried-and-true "move your grips, etc. inward and see how it feels" method and low-and-behold, things felt MUCH better at 710mm. I'm about 5'5" (um, with shoes) so, to me, it seems reasonable that 750mm would feel too long. 

So, comfort-wise, I think the position I'm now in when seated on the bike is more relaxed an a lot more comfortable. I'm not exactly sure how that's going to translate to handling...especially since it's a fat bike and it will be ridden in the snow, but we'll see. 

What are most of you running? Do you find most of the "modern" handlebar widths to simply be too wide for you?


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## sooshee (Jun 16, 2012)

On my Specialized Fate I have the stock set up for a large: 660 bars and 90mm stem. 

On my Specialized Epic I have a 75mm stem because 90 was just too much stretch for me. I did put on 720 bars, but got so sick of getting stuck in tight places (my local trails have a lot of very tight squeezes between rocks) and trees that I went back to the 680 stock bars. 

I don't really follow what the current "trends" are for stems and bars, I just go with what feels comfortable to me! 

I am going to put my 720 carbon bars on my Fatboy, but only because carbon doesn't get as chilly as the alloy bars


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

^ Yeah, it's not really about following trends, per se (although the manufacturers seem to do a good job trying to convince you your bike is not going to handle well if you don't), but what we as women prefer. I'm assuming a good number of us fall within the realm of the "average" woman with shorter arms and longer legs and probably aren't comfortable with having bars that are > 750mm wide. I had mentioned in the women and fat biking thread that top tubes seem to be getting longer and longer. It would seem in order for a woman to "fit" on a lot of these bikes, we'd need to use a much shorter stem in order to get a comfortable reach. I was curious about what other women are utilizing and how that's working for them. 

What is your perception of how the bike handles? Do you really feel that a much wider bar and shorter stem improves the bike's handling? Or, if you went with a shorter stem and (by today's standards) a shorter bar, did that seem okay, too? I tried out my 45mm stem and 750mm bar combo a couple of weekends ago on my fat bike. I have since trimmed my bars down to 710mm - it just felt too wide to me at 750mm. I'll let you know my impressions after this weekend. 

I know there are a lot of theories (and yes, some science to back it up) as to why you should need a wide bar/short stem...but for those of you who have done it, have you really noticed that much of a difference? And, more importantly, is it really that comfortable?


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## shredchic (Jun 18, 2007)

I use 50mm stem, 750mm low rise bars on one bike, and 710mm on the other, and 710 now feels too narrow. I like the added side-to-side leverage, both for climbing and cornering. Narrow bars/long stem bikes feel disconcertingly twitchy up front to me. One could argue that being able to turn "fast" is not necessarily a good thing. 

But if the bars feel too wide for you after a couple of rides, then well, they're too wide for you. What constitutes "wide bars" should be relative to a person's shoulder width. Also if your bike frame has you too stretched out, AND you have wide bars, that would not be good. 710mm/45mm stem is by no means a narrow and twitchy combo, so that may just be the sweet spot for you. If you are curious about going wider, they do make even shorter stems than 45mm, but like Stripes said, a real mtb fitting would be the best way to figure out bar/stem dimensions.


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## jewels (Mar 17, 2004)

same height as you, 5'5", using 50mm stem and raceface atlas bars, 730 low rise. I've pretty much been on smalls, I think that the feeling you're getting "stretched" out is the wide 750 bars. 710 sounds really reasonable with a stubby stem, although I've never had a 2" rise bar, that's quite high.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

^ yeah, but the top of the seat is level with top of my stem, so the bars aren't actually that much higher. I'm definitely more comfortable in a more upright position. I'm looking forward to getting out for a ride this weekend to see how it all feels.


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## kinsler (Sep 13, 2011)

Agree with everyone above... so many factors go into what bar size to run and it comes down to personal preference, terrain, and the type of bike you are riding.

Here's my stats:

Santa Cruz Bronson- 750/70
BMC Fourstroke (100mm dualie)- 680/80
Niner Air 9- 680/80
Ibis tranny 26er- 660/100 (this bike is too small for me)

My road bike has freakishly small 400 and just feels weird after riding my long travel mountain bike!

I thought I'd end up cutting the 750 bars on the Bronson, but they work for that bike, the way I ride that bike and the rocky, loose desert terrain I typically ride in. But that being said the 680 on my smaller travel full suspension bike feels more stable and comfortable when I'm grinding up climbs. I'm only 5'6" on a good day, but have wider shoulders.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

And out of curiosity, anyone running "alt" bars like the Jones H-Loop or Mary bars? Any changes in what stem you use with those?


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## Shahzh (Sep 8, 2014)

Just bought a Funnduro 45mm to replace my stock 60mm on my Kona Precept. Stock 740mm bars low rise. Will see how it goes this weekend at my local trail.


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## H2oChick (Dec 14, 2006)

What I learned is I need more than one bike! (just a little jealous)


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## shredchic (Jun 18, 2007)

I have just replaced my 750mm bars with 800! Woah, what a difference it makes! I'm feeling so much more rad now. ;-p


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## supersedona (Dec 17, 2012)

680mm and 90mm. I'm wide shouldered but I like more twitch.


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## Asterope (Mar 11, 2014)

Im running 680mm bars on both my XC and trail bikes - 90mm stem on my XC and 60mm on the trail bike - Though I would like wider bars on the trail bike. 

I have alt-bars on my commuter (on one midge bars) and have a 40mm stem - I originally tried it with a longer stem but due to the forward sweep and drop I was far too stretched out (and the frame of the bike is pretty long anyway). Love love love those bars! Way more comfy than normal road bars and easier to get tucked up than with flat bars


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