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Just stepped up from 660mm bar to 750mm bar. I'm currently running a 70mm stem, if I Drop down to a 50mm stem, will I see/feel a massive difference in the way my Remedy rides or is it all just hype? 20mm ain't a massive distance after all.
Massive - No
Some - Yes
Benefit - Depends
How is your reach currently? Setting up too short can undo the benefits of the sharper steering.
Best way is to borrow a stem and have a go. If you spend enough on a stem you will tell yourself it's right....
You won't notice the steering input. You will notice that it's easier to move your weight around, especially after going to a wider bar.
mikewsmith = nail on head
It will totally depend on your current bike set up, the wider bars will stretch you out a little on the bike. If you felt cramped with the old bars then this should help, however if you already felt stretched out you may now feel it even more and want to compensate by putting a shorter stem on.
Stem length in general i noticed a difference in steering between a 90mm and 70mm stem, it just felt a bit sharper so i guess you would notice some difference going from 70mm - 50mm but don't let it compramise your comfort on the bike.
I made this change a few months ago and thought it was an improvement for open trail riding. I think it gives you a stronger more stable front end in techy riding with the improved leverage you get.
I was quite stretched out before and did notice my ability to move around the bike improved too.
The wide bars certainly affected my confidence in forests with tight gaps etc and I am much more cautious in these situations.
If I was riding alot of tight natural stuff I think I'd change back to shorter bars.
Hugo
Hopefully the nervousness will pass, did with me had the odd finger bang but not much recently
milewsmith the bike feels fine as it is, other than bars feeling a little narrow compared to last bike. Just got it in my head that I needed wider bars if I'm honest. Hopefully when they turn up and I put them on I'll like the feel, don't want to be forking out any more!!!
I've come from a hardtail to 6" all mountain and am riding harder hitting bigger jumps and drops that I would have on my DMR, so the reasoning buying wide bar was for more stability, just don't want to ruin climbing/in saddle ability. Used to run a 42mm stem with 700mm wingbar on DMR so that's why trail bike feels a little narrow at the front
20mm is enough of a difference to change the bikes handling a fair bit.
70mm is good for all round riding. 50mm is better for all the fun stuff and you can still climb well on a bike with decent geometry. You do need to take into account TT length.
No it's not all hype and yes it does make a difference.
Borrowing stems is definitely the best way to go as you'll not know till you try it. I recently moved to a medium width bar and a 50mm stem on a new HT build and really loved it from the word go. I then converted FS to wide flatish bars and very short stem and am not loving it at all so far (bars were 80mm wider than HT, have cut them down 40mm already - that's total not each side). You also have to throw into the mix saddle position for seated riding.
some basic trigonometry would confirm that the wider the bars the shorter the stem should be..
i.e. the wider your arms / hands are a apart then less forwards your reach is
rootes1 - Membersome basic trigonometry would confirm that [s]the wider the bars the shorter the stem should be..[/s] a short stem makes you more cool 8)
Thete is no debate!
Short stem = pinner
Long stem = ponce
(70mm isn't short)
Tailor bar width/height to rider size and riding style.