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29er handlebars

By twotommos - Posted on 26 December 2011

NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.

Hi Everyone I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that stockings were bulging?

I'm in the process of building a 29er and wanted to ask people's opinions on having wide bars as opposed to conventional widths...I've got a set of 72 cm wide protharsis carbon bars, my current 26er has a width of 68cm.

How many people have bar-ends and would it be an option to add bar-ends onto the carbon bars to "take up some space"?

thanks

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680 mm is fine

Submitted by Hans on Mon, 26/12/2011 - 08:10.

Normal width of 680 is fine. Thats what I have on my XL 29er. Typically bar width is same as shoulder width. You may want more leverage if you are running single speed gearing.

I have carbon 600mm flats on

Submitted by Brian on Mon, 26/12/2011 - 08:32.

I have carbon 600mm flats on my 29er and love them so much I just fitted the same type to my 26"

Hardtail or FS

Submitted by HeezaGeeza on Mon, 26/12/2011 - 09:03.

With my SS hard tail, I went with a Niner Flat bar about 740mm wide which is great for leverage. I also have a FS 29er which has an Easton bar on with riser, about 680mm.

I find the flat bar works better as it keeps your weight down on the front a bit more for climbing over a riser bar.

Personally I don't use bar ends, but each to their own there.

Bar with

Submitted by bimco on Mon, 26/12/2011 - 10:24.

I have an xl Niner and 600 flat all the way
. Used to run wide bars from down hill days But now find them unnecessary for trail and xc race.

My preferences, but …

Submitted by Timoth on Mon, 26/12/2011 - 10:29.

… might not be your cup of tea.
http://www.ragleybikes.com/our-components/carneg...
http://www.jonesbikes.com/h-bar.html

Hey Timoth, I've never seen

Submitted by twotommos on Mon, 26/12/2011 - 17:41.

Hey Timoth, I've never seen either of these on bikes, what do the Jones's weigh?

Thanks everyone for your valuable input.

Can I cut these carbon bars with a hacksaw, more to my desired length?

Cut Away!

Submitted by Antsonline on Mon, 26/12/2011 - 18:02.

Cut away. Just get a fine tooth blade. Remember though - you cant put it back on once its cut!
I have recently moved back to wider bars, even for pure XC.
On my trail bike I run 720mm and on the XC bike I am moving from 660mm up to 700mm.

720 bars for me. Wide works

Submitted by ...... on Mon, 26/12/2011 - 18:05.

720 bars for me. Wide works well on 29ers.

Wide is better

Submitted by mb on Mon, 26/12/2011 - 21:36.

Whilst wide bars are better for handling and leverage . 720 mm may be ok on a 180 cm wide shouldered rider , consider the width according to body size ,and keep those elbows out (roadies look outa place with motocross style bars he he)

Weight, hmmmmm?

Submitted by Timoth on Mon, 26/12/2011 - 21:43.

I'm afraid I don't know what their weight is. Carnegie's come in carbon now. I don't think about weight that much. Wide bars seem to work well for control and the back-sweep allows for different hand and body positions. For me, that's fun riding

Wide bars and trees :(

Submitted by keddy on Wed, 28/12/2011 - 15:57.

I like my bars no wider than my shoulders as I clip trees too often plus I like the quicker response especially with xc that has narrow single track which I love.

'680 for 29'

Submitted by Hans on Wed, 28/12/2011 - 16:10.

Agree - 720mm seems to wide for tight single track

My 29'er Tallboy with 680 mm Ritchey Low Rise bars fits fine...

But of course there are 'courses for horses'

Re bar ends - had them on my

Submitted by Oldernslower on Thu, 29/12/2011 - 12:29.

Re bar ends - had them on my carbon bar but you need solid plugs in the carbon bars. Used bar ends to give me another position on long rides. However, first crash and one bar end twisted and damaged the bar. Now use specialised ergo grips which i find great. My bars are 710 wide and for me the wide are better than narrow. But it can be a combination of stem length and bar width - Heard somewhere that the longer the stem the narrower the bars can be, as long stems slow the steering.

Before you cut the carbon I would suggest you move everything inboard until you got say 680 and see how it feels. When you have settled on length that suits you perform the required surgery. Look up cutting carbon on the web

FWIW.

PS> Hans - get ya saddle on straight