Handlebar improves handling
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 2,419
From: USA
Simply put, higher and wider bars provide more leverage than shorter, narrower bars.
Bigger bars might feel better at low speed, but they can be more touchy at high speeds. They 'amplify' your input.
Smaller, narrow bars feel 'tighter' or more stable at high speeds.
Bigger bars might feel better at low speed, but they can be more touchy at high speeds. They 'amplify' your input.
Smaller, narrow bars feel 'tighter' or more stable at high speeds.
With a wide 34 inch handlebar move your hand 1 inch and you deflect the front wheel 3 degrees.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 2,419
From: USA
Somehow, the above article was clipped and chopped a bit.
Three test bicycles differed only by handlebar configurations: racing (Maes Bend), standard, and high rise. The manoeuvrability of each bicycle was measured as subjects performed six tasks: circle, lane change, figure-eight, straight lane tracking, cornering, and slalom. Subjects were matched by riding experience and grouped by their familiarity with either race or standard bicycle. Analysis of variance showed that no bicycle times bicycle-familiarity interaction effects were significant in any one of the analyses. The performances observed on the bicycles with high-rise and standard handlebar configurations indicated they were not significantly different from each other. On the circle, figure-eight, and slalom tasks, performance with both the high-rise and standard handlebars was significantly better than with the race handlebars. The high-rise showed a slight performance edge on tasks requiring the greatest amount of manoeuvrability, while the standard handlebars offered more control at slower speeds and on tasks requiring stability in tracking.
Three test bicycles differed only by handlebar configurations: racing (Maes Bend), standard, and high rise. The manoeuvrability of each bicycle was measured as subjects performed six tasks: circle, lane change, figure-eight, straight lane tracking, cornering, and slalom. Subjects were matched by riding experience and grouped by their familiarity with either race or standard bicycle. Analysis of variance showed that no bicycle times bicycle-familiarity interaction effects were significant in any one of the analyses. The performances observed on the bicycles with high-rise and standard handlebar configurations indicated they were not significantly different from each other. On the circle, figure-eight, and slalom tasks, performance with both the high-rise and standard handlebars was significantly better than with the race handlebars. The high-rise showed a slight performance edge on tasks requiring the greatest amount of manoeuvrability, while the standard handlebars offered more control at slower speeds and on tasks requiring stability in tracking.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,327
Likes: 2,404
From: Jackson, OH
Taller bars....to a certain point....bring your hands and arms into alignment with your shoulders. You’re better positioned to use upper body and shoulder muscles to push the bars.
Wider bars....as mentioned provide greater leverage. You’ll feel like it takes less effort to turn the bars as they get wider.
Hand & wrist angles are often overlooked. Find the bars which give you the most natural angles (and therefore grip) and you’ll ride with better comfort and easier control.
I’m 6-0 riding a 2020 RGL equipped with Factory 47 x 12” bars. I like this height as my arms, shoulders and hands all feel very natural. I could ride with 14” easily, but can’t see any advantage or improvement for myself.
Wider bars....as mentioned provide greater leverage. You’ll feel like it takes less effort to turn the bars as they get wider.
Hand & wrist angles are often overlooked. Find the bars which give you the most natural angles (and therefore grip) and you’ll ride with better comfort and easier control.
I’m 6-0 riding a 2020 RGL equipped with Factory 47 x 12” bars. I like this height as my arms, shoulders and hands all feel very natural. I could ride with 14” easily, but can’t see any advantage or improvement for myself.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,684
Likes: 4,294
From: Northeast, NJ
Hola,
Take a look at Khrome Werks website for their bars. They show all the dimensions for their bars, inclusive of pitch angle. I'm on my 2nd set (1st set got bent from an accident) of their mini apes. They have a 30.4 degree pitch angle for where your hand contacts the bars. Aside from T bars / drag bars, these have a relatively flat angle compared to something like beach bars. I find the flatter pitch angle allows better leverage.
Take a look at Khrome Werks website for their bars. They show all the dimensions for their bars, inclusive of pitch angle. I'm on my 2nd set (1st set got bent from an accident) of their mini apes. They have a 30.4 degree pitch angle for where your hand contacts the bars. Aside from T bars / drag bars, these have a relatively flat angle compared to something like beach bars. I find the flatter pitch angle allows better leverage.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,602
Likes: 721
From: Bellevue, NE
They work well for me in the obstacle courses.
Hola,
Take a look at Khrome Werks website for their bars. They show all the dimensions for their bars, inclusive of pitch angle. I'm on my 2nd set (1st set got bent from an accident) of their mini apes. They have a 30.4 degree pitch angle for where your hand contacts the bars. Aside from T bars / drag bars, these have a relatively flat angle compared to something like beach bars. I find the flatter pitch angle allows better leverage.
Take a look at Khrome Werks website for their bars. They show all the dimensions for their bars, inclusive of pitch angle. I'm on my 2nd set (1st set got bent from an accident) of their mini apes. They have a 30.4 degree pitch angle for where your hand contacts the bars. Aside from T bars / drag bars, these have a relatively flat angle compared to something like beach bars. I find the flatter pitch angle allows better leverage.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 934
Likes: 1,050
From: So Calif
Somehow, the above article was clipped and chopped a bit.
Three test bicycles differed only by handlebar configurations: racing (Maes Bend), standard, and high rise. The manoeuvrability of each bicycle was measured as subjects performed six tasks: circle, lane change, figure-eight, straight lane tracking, cornering, and slalom. Subjects were matched by riding experience and grouped by their familiarity with either race or standard bicycle. Analysis of variance showed that no bicycle times bicycle-familiarity interaction effects were significant in any one of the analyses. The performances observed on the bicycles with high-rise and standard handlebar configurations indicated they were not significantly different from each other. On the circle, figure-eight, and slalom tasks, performance with both the high-rise and standard handlebars was significantly better than with the race handlebars. The high-rise showed a slight performance edge on tasks requiring the greatest amount of manoeuvrability, while the standard handlebars offered more control at slower speeds and on tasks requiring stability in tracking.
Three test bicycles differed only by handlebar configurations: racing (Maes Bend), standard, and high rise. The manoeuvrability of each bicycle was measured as subjects performed six tasks: circle, lane change, figure-eight, straight lane tracking, cornering, and slalom. Subjects were matched by riding experience and grouped by their familiarity with either race or standard bicycle. Analysis of variance showed that no bicycle times bicycle-familiarity interaction effects were significant in any one of the analyses. The performances observed on the bicycles with high-rise and standard handlebar configurations indicated they were not significantly different from each other. On the circle, figure-eight, and slalom tasks, performance with both the high-rise and standard handlebars was significantly better than with the race handlebars. The high-rise showed a slight performance edge on tasks requiring the greatest amount of manoeuvrability, while the standard handlebars offered more control at slower speeds and on tasks requiring stability in tracking.
You steer a bicycle, you don't steer a motorcycle at speed.
Push right handlebar grip on bicycle, go left.
Push right handlebar grip on motorcycle, go right.
The bars provide the leverage for the 'steering head' geometry! More leverage, more response.
You ride a bike with drag bars, and it feels tighter. You put apes on it, and it feels looser.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 32,934
Likes: 36,031
From: Carlsbad, CA
Ever watch police rodeo competition? They do that with stock bars. Buy the “ride like a pro” DVD and practice...and save yourself some money. That’s assuming you bike has stock bars.
