How To Set Up Your Handlebars (Pro Bike Fitter Tips)

Comments · 49

• JA

  @JanTrenson · 11 hours ago

  This guy explains stuff so well!

  8

• KO

  @kool_thing · 12 hours ago (edited)

  As a female rider, buying a 36cm FSA Super Compact handlebar was the best investment ever. It measures 34cm at the top, makes a world of a difference compared to the default 40cm in terms of comfort.

  12

• ME

  @MeggyOKenna · 12 hours ago

  I like the idea that the last bike fitter is the skeleton in the background. Soon James will be the next skeleton.

  6

• SH

  @ShamAnand-yn8ky · 4 hours ago

  James looks 10 years younger looks like it’s an old video before the advent of Cade Media. Nonetheless great as always.

• EL

  @ElMage11 · 2 hours ago

  Something i havent seen in any of the videos talking about matching handlebar width with the acromium is showing how to measure on an actual person instead of a skeleton.

• TR

  @traumgewitter7324 · 10 hours ago

  I really wish there were more 32 and 34 cm handlebars readily available on the European market. I seem to measure 32 cm and the best I could find so far has been a 36 cm bar. They're a million times better than the 40 cm my bike came with but definitely still too wide for me :(

  2

• MA

  @makswodarczyk5561 · 3 hours ago (edited)

  I bought a used gravel bike (from a guy a bit shorter than me), and he changed the stem and the handlebars for a bit shorter. And as the stem is not a big porblem, the handlebars is, as it is -20mm from the original and has no flare. This ends up with hitting forearms with my knees when I'm on the drops xD Now I need to flare my elbows or tuck my knees ;P

• JO

  @johndoe2448 · 7 hours ago

  "it is worth noting" drinking game on

  3

• OL

  @Oliver-xz9km · 10 hours ago

  I would really like to understand how to place the hands "correctly" on the hoods. I don't really like to rest my hand on the hoods on the area between my thumb and the index finger - so I tend to slightly rotate the wrist inwards.

  1

• NA

  @nathanwolfe7069 · 12 hours ago (edited)

  I have 44cm handlebars now, but my shoulders were measured at 48cm. Yes, my shoulders are actually that broad. It's been hard finding affordable 48's especially in carbon, but I might try and compromise with 46cms

• US

  @user-x6f2e · 8 hours ago (edited)

  Reach is important. Although it has a number of possible adjustments other than the handlebar positioning. <br><br>Handlebar setup (width, rotation and hood positioning) critically manifests in wrist position — on the hoods and in the drops — which itself is a function of a riders preferred position. <br><br>Bar width shows up as wrist flexion. Bar rotation and hood position shows up as wrist deviation. <br><br>The goal in both cases is to achieve a neutral position (i.e., relaxed and more-or-less straight). &nbsp;These goals apply both to the tops and the drops. <br><br>Regarding the drops, the flair of contemporary bars should be incorporated into the width / flexion selection. <br><br>The old “rule of thumb” of setting the drops level seems to have been derived from sprinting out of the saddle on steep climbs (or at least that is the only biomechanical rationale I have run across). &nbsp;This seems like an odd point of departure for bar setup, as it is not a frequent riding situation. <br><br>Personally, my preferred laid over riding position — and my enjoyment of riding in the drops — has led me to significant upward bar rotation and hood positioning to also achieve neutral wrist position (and in my case adjust for asymmetry in my shoulders).<br><br>In short, I would suggest getting the bar setup based on achieving neutral wrist positioning &nbsp;— flexion and deviation — and then work on reach using stem length and back-end adjustments, focusing on achieving neutral shoulder positioning. <br><br>Since the rider-bike is a subtle and highly interactive system, these adjustments will affect the optimal bar setup. So one needs to iterate the dial-in process.

  1

• JO

  @JohnPaulCauchi · 30 minutes ago

  long term fan -- Cade these videos collaborated with james are great but don&apos;t quite feel any different to just going to james&apos; channel and watching any of his videos there. I think if you&apos;re gonna collaborate, having something more unique where you&apos;re actually interacting with him, asking questions and engaging more directly will seperate these videos to james&apos; videos on his own channel.<br><br>cheers