Stem Length and Handlebar Width

[Ben Mihovk]

Hey Everyone!

In theory, if one was to switch to wider handlebars, I would assume the stem length would have to get shorter to keep the reach about the same...right? 

I have 48cm noodle bars on my Sam with a 9cm tallux. The reach is pretty good...maybe a little on the stretchy side. If I go to a 54cm noodle bar, I'm thinking it'd be necessary to get a shorter stem. Right? 

Thanks for your thoughts!

Ben in Omaha 

[Paul Clifton]

Personally, yes, I would expect to want a shorter stem with wider bars. I would probably try it with the existing stem, but I'd anticipate going shorter.

Which also makes me realize that, since I'm pretty sensitive to the impact of stem length on handling, there's probably some setups where my optimum bar width, doesn't work with my optimum stem length.

Paul in AR

[lconley]

It depends on how wide your shoulders are in relation to the bars. If your arms are straight out, or angled out now (on the ramps or drops), then your assumptions are probably correct. If your arms are angled in now, then maybe you are good with your existing stem or maybe even need a longer stem.

Laing

[Garth]

Well that's why riding a bike, let alone Life Itself, is by no means theoretical . A change of bars, for example, is literally a fresh perspective unlike any other. So is each and every "blink" of the eye(I-nfinity). teeheehee ....

Each "blink" is "play". . .  . and in "play" everything happens spontaneously and in perfect rhythm.  "Going with the flow of the play", so to speak, it's purely inspirational.... ever joyous.... ! ! !

You see that handlebar ..... just sitting there ......and in a single blink ! ..... it's on for a ride !!!

[Joe Bernard]

I'd be inclined to try the stem you have first IF you hadn't mentioned it already feels a smidge long to you. In this case it's probably not worth sliding your brand new bars through a stem you're very likely not going to be happy with, then do it again. I'd get something 2cm shorter at least. 

[scott minor]

If you like the reach with 9cm stem, I would just swap out the 48's for the 54's.. not a huge difference in width (1 inch per side?).   In fact, I just made this exact switch about a month ago on my 65cm Homer and kept the same stem with no ill effects.  I think this 54 noodle bar strikes a real sweet spot for taller riders like myself who don't necessarily need the full-on wide wide options that have become so popular.  

[J]

I'd be interested in seeing an example of the 54mm Noodle bar. I've been considering them after breaking in my old MTB musculoskeletal system to be more drop bar friendly using the older models of Crust Towel Racks starting at the widest and now the most narrow. I'd still throw the Noodle in a vice to flair them out a bit further but the shape looks very nice. 

[Ben Mihovk]

I, too, am interested in flaring out the drops in a noodle after seen Ronny Romance do it on a video. 

Thanks for all the insights everyone. I know I like the feel of 54cm for hand position on my Choco bars, though they are a lot closer to me. I feel just a little wobbly with 48cm Noodle bars and I feel like the 54cm would just nail the feel that I want when riding. I don't think I'll need to change my stem length after thinking about it. I did a little experiment with reach sitting at a chair and marking 48cm and 58cm lines on the edge of a desk and the difference in feel touching my index fingers to both sets of lines. Negligible. Plus, as someone who'd only had a drop bar bike for one year, I have a little more getting used to to the saddle position that gets me in the hoods.

Thanks again, all! 

Ben in Omaha 

[Patrick Moore]

If anyone comes up with a formula for this (I know that formulas are only starting points) I'd like to hear it. I want a wider bar on my Matthews 1 for riding narrow ditchbank trails but as soon as I get on firm straight surfaces I hate wide bars. Perhaps there's some perfect combination of stem length and bar width which would be a better compromise for the sort of riding I do on the Matthews than the 42 cm Maes Parallels on a 10 cm -17* stem (bar almost even with saddle). (That's wide; my road bikes have 38 cm bars.) Note that the Matthews is intended to fit and feel much like a road bike but take 60s (and fenders) for sand and ditch trails. The high-flop Big Ones don't help at slow ditchbank speeds.

Me, if I were to pursue this further, I'd guestimate things by the standard seat-nose to brake-hood-tips measurement of (for me) 27". This assumes of course saddle setback and saddle make and model are set in concrete, which they are in my case. I tried this in a desultory way yesterday and yes, it indicated a stem shorter by about 1/2" or so for a much wider bar, but then one could also raise the bar a bit and probably compensate at much less expense and effort.